OT: your thoughts?

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doombuggy

doombuggy

Member Since 2011
OK, so Dallas has been wanting a buddy to play with since Cedric died last year (anniversary next week).
Thomas didn't know how to play, so their interaction was minimal. he died suddenly on August 8. :cry:
I ended up taking in a black kitten, male, shortly after he was neutered. We have had him since 9/9. He likes Dallas and wants to play. Dallas on the other hand....he's hissing at Ace a bit, I think because the kitten has too much energy. I am leaving for Hawaii on 10/16 for a week, and any advice you can give would help. I was initially thinking of leaving Ace out with Dallas all day then to his room at night. Right now he is in his room when I am at work and at night, only out when I am awake. I might rethink that and see if Dallas wans to spend my vacation in my bedroom/bathroom/closet. he will hide form the pet sitter and I am afraid Ace will eat his food while hiding.

Here is a link to my thread in health about Dallas' medication and the trauma I had with the kitten last night:
viewtopic.php?f=28&t=125907

Oh and while I am at it, you opinion on these cat trees - I think I am leaning to the more expensive one:
http://www.chewy.com/cat/armarkat-cat-t ... y/dp/55116
http://www.chewy.com/cat/armarkat-cat-t ... y/dp/55114

thanks for your time and thoughts and advice! I am going crazy and am getting a break at work, believe it or not!
Jesse
 
So sorry you are having stresses over Dallas. I have to wrestle with the same question whenever I go out of town. Lock one up or test my luck. I always end up locking one in a room because I simply don't want to have to worry about it while I am away. However, instead of a door, I block the doorway with three baby gates so that the incarcerated one and the others can all still see and sniff each other. The gates also provide better ventilation than the door. My poor catsitter has to jump over so two sets of baby gates... luckily she is younger and more athletic than me. Knowing that they are safe = peace of mind to me.

I am glad you got a new friend for Dallas.
 
Okay my 2 cents

If you lock up Dallas then Ace is going to have no one to burn off that kitten energy with. But if you don't lock up Dallas then Dallas will hide and possibly not eat. So here's a random thought....Will your cat sitter be able to catch and lock up Ace??? So you could leave both out during the day then have her on her evening visit catch the little wild child and put him in his room and leave Dallas wherever he is to sneak out over night to eat. Then in the morning she could feed Ace in his room, leave food for Dallas who may or may not show up for breakfast, let Ace out when he finishes and rinse and repeat in the evening.

Now for the hissing, Dallas is just putting the young whippersnapper in his place and showing him the ropes. Heck in all the time my bunch have been together they will still hiss and occasionally swat each other if someone is getting out of line. Usually the older cat (in age or length of time in the house) will be the one hissing at a younger or newcomer. Its nothing more usually than "Hey! you can't do that here" or "If mom catches you we're all in trouble stop that!" Even a lot of what looks like a serious scuffle is play unless someone is screaming. Remember especially now that you have a kitten in the house, play is how a kitten learns to be a cat. It is where they get to practice all those skills that make them a predator ....biting, stalking, pouncing and wrestling. In all the cats that have owned me over the years I have very seldom had to stop a serious fight between a kitten and an mature cat. Adult cat with adult cat plenty of times but seldom a kitten with a cat. Now that's not to say that most of the Fur Gang at some point hasn't rolled little Maripose arse over appetite but its their way of telling her she is stepping over a boundary. And the same cat that just boxed her head off will 20 minutes later be grooming her or cuddle up with her.

Mel, and The Fur Gang
 
Mel is so right. It reminds me of when Home Depot called me to pick up a 5-week old kitten they had found in their parking lot with a SUV parked on his tail. Wally would hiss and spit at him and I learned to not interfere with whatever Wally was teaching Ansel, as long as Wally didn't hurt him. From that time on, that kitten not only respected Wally but adored him. It turned out to be a beautiful relationship. Ansel died of a broken heart (heart attack) just nine days after Wally.

So Dallas just may be providing the taming that Ace needs for them to have a meaningful relationship.
 
I am actually considering Ronda's husbands handi-work for a customized cat tree of my own. He sews catnip into the carpeting and his designs are nice. One even has a motion-censor light in it. I love that!!!

So I too recommend Kool-Kitty-Toys. Like Dakota, my Alska also came from Ronda's care and rescue.
 
And a third recommendation for Rhonda's DH's handiwork, been looking at them myself....Rhonda pulled Musette for me. Plus I don't grow them small around here, most of the other trees I've looked at are just not sturdy enough for my big guys and gals to come flying in and land on without tipping over. And besides the big kids I also have meezers and two Abby crosses which are nothing if not flying acrobats. In fact the two new trees we got them when we moved into this house are already in pieces thanks to Patches taking down one and almost putting it through the sliding glass door and the other has been removed because it almost went over on dad's precious flat screen TV during a football game...Oh the horror.

Mel and The Fur Gang
 
Thanks for the advice. I will have to come up with something for my trip - even if it is Dallas in the master suite during the day while Ace gets the house, then Ace is the guest room at night while Dallas gets the house. Dallas plays with him very little at this point. They have been interacting for over a week, but only when I am present. Most of the time Ace wants to play and Dallas will a little this hiss. Dallas hisses quite a bit, I get the teaching thing, but he hissed at Ace when Ace was batting a toy around in front of him, geez! Dallas was growling a little this am, but that in part was because he was trying to use the little box and Ace wanted to play at the same time....I think part of that might have also been because he vomited. When we went downstairs and Ace was his crazy self while I was trying to get breakfast, Dallas was very patient. Ace will butt his head over Dallas' bowl and Dallas will let him. I am concerned that Dallas won't get any food, hence the separation thoughts while I am out of town.

thanks for the link on the cat tree, will check it out tonight when I am home. Doc ok'd some of Cedric's un-expired Cerenia for Dallas while he is on the Doxy. The urine culture results should be in by early next week.
 
Yes, my AC will be talking to them before I go away. I wouldn't normally keep Dallas locked up, I am just concerned that he won't get any food. For now, the switch off might be the best bet. I go away for a week in Oct and then again in Nov. I love Ace, but am trying to get used to his claws (went to put some caps on him last night and the adhesive wouldn't come out...). Cjleo will check with Dallas to see what he wants. Ace does a good job burning his energy himself with all the toys! He's put 3 in the water dish this week! :lol:
 
Maybe do some play to burn off some of the energy - a good 15-20 minutes twice a day may help.

If you use wand toys, have 2 - Dallas may decide to join in!
 
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