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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / July 2007Ping: Takayuki (update requested)
Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is going well for the three of you. MaryL >Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >going well for the three of you. I posted a little yesterday in the "Inverted Dot" thread about Dot and Buster. Basically, Buster is becoming very restless in his room, and Dot is becoming more and more wary of Buster. When they first met, Dot would hiss at Buster, but would also sniff him a little. After a while, she would try going near if a treat was placed nearby, although she would still growl while eating. Now, she refuses to go near the screen for any reason if Buster is visible, and will growl and even hide if she just hears him. Although I might be reading a bit into the latter behavior, as she seems to naturally like cozy hidey-holes. I sometimes call her by the nickname Heidi ("hidey"). :) I thought maybe a bit more visual separation is in order for the time being, and tried draping a blanket over the lower part of the screen, but that made Buster go nuts, as he's used to being able to see out of his room now. I spend more time with him lately, so I think that makes him dislike his confinement more than when what he knew was a shelter cage and a closed room. He knows that he has a hoomin, forever home, cat charmers, and a potential playmate kitty outside his room. >>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >>going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > forever home, cat charmers, and a potential playmate kitty outside his > room. After this much time, and with things certainly not improving, I'd be sorely tempted to let Buster out of his jail and just let them work it out. It may be that Dot is just always going to be a timid hidey kitty. She probably always has been. But if things aren't getting better its time to do something different. Particularly if Buster isn't attacking or injuring her. Jo | After this much time, and with things certainly not improving, I'd be sorely | tempted to let Buster out of his jail and just let them work it out. It may [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] | But if things aren't getting better its time to do something different. | Particularly if Buster isn't attacking or injuring her. If they had been left to work it out in the first place, they'd probably be friends by now. > | After this much time, and with things certainly not improving, I'd be > sorely [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > If they had been left to work it out in the first place, they'd probably be > friends by now. I think Tak's doing fine. I think what he's trying to avoid is, once he *does* let them together, Buster won't chase Dot, like Eli chases Lily. This actually might work, I am *very* interested in the outcome. After all, think about it this way -- Dot & Buster may have a 15-20 year lifespan. What's a couple of months in relation to that? I think it's harder on Tak than either one of the cats! Sherry >I think Tak's doing fine. I think what he's trying to avoid is, once >he *does* [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >couple of months in relation to that? >I think it's harder on Tak than either one of the cats! Actually I do expect Dot to hide and Buster to chase the first time they meet. After all, that's their natural behavior - Buster likes to chase things - he chases me, chases the cat charmer, chases his catnip mouse, chases shadows, chases bugs, etc. Dot is the hider, hiding under couches, on top of refrigerators, behind my desk, and behind my monitor while I'm working. What I do want to do when they eventually meet is to show them that those behaviors are unproductive when applied to each other. I'll distract them both while they're together, and Buster will find that it's boring chasing Dot, and Dot will find that it's unnecessary hiding from Buster. > >I think Tak's doing fine. I think what he's trying to avoid is, once > >he *does* [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > it's boring chasing Dot, and Dot will find that it's unnecessary > hiding from Buster. Sounds like a good plan. There's a big difference between being chased and being terrorized. You know, if Dot wouldn't run, Buster wouldn't chase her! I wish you could explain that to her. :-) That reminds me of our dachshund. He chased cats, all except for Bootsie and she wouldn't run. He was totall afraid of her and didn't even try to chase her. DH says he figured Happy thought Boots might have a gun. Sherry >>I think Tak's doing fine. I think what he's trying to avoid is, once >>he *does* [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > it's boring chasing Dot, and Dot will find that it's unnecessary > hiding from Buster. I'm by no means an expert on introducing cats, but was wondering if Feliway might be useful in this situation? Yowie >I'm by no means an expert on introducing cats, but was wondering if Feliway >might be useful in this situation? > >Yowie They have two diffusers going, but I haven't noticed any effects from them, except that at first, Dot growled at the diffuser and was very suspicious of it. That passed in a couple of days. >> | After this much time, and with things certainly not improving, I'd be >> sorely [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > What's a > couple of months in relation to that? That's *EXACTLY* what I just told Ben yesterday. He wants to rush the introduction along because it's a real pain to, essentially, care for three households of cats - all being housed, fed, medicated, and played with separately. But as you said, they're going to be together (hopefully) for the next 15 to 20 years and if all those years can be happy, friendly ones, then, you're right, what's a couple of weeks or months compared to that?! Hugs, CatNipped > I think it's harder on Tak than either one of the cats! > > Sherry > That's *EXACTLY* what I just told Ben yesterday. He wants to rush the > introduction along because it's a real pain to, essentially, care for three [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > CatNipped I know. It is *such* a pain. It upsets the whole household, and makes for twice as much work for the slave! It's real tempting to want to rush it along. But I think you're doing the right thing. Bosley took the longest to integrate. I was *so* glad to get him out of that bedroom. Sherry >> On Jul 1, 2:40 pm, "Pat" <patricia251.catlit...@centurytel.net> >> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 33 lines] > > CatNipped Maybe more than 20 years with a bit of luck, I'll never forget the story from a few years ago about, Smokey, a 31 year old cat that needed to be rehomed. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/233158.stm  SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk >>> On Jul 1, 2:40 pm, "Pat" <patricia251.catlit...@centurytel.net> >>> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > rehomed. > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/233158.stm Oh my goodness! How I wish all cats lived that long! Hugs, CatNipped >>>> On Jul 1, 2:40 pm, "Pat" <patricia251.catlit...@centurytel.net> >>>> wrote: [quoted text clipped - 45 lines] > > CatNipped The oldest cat I've met was 27 years old, his claws were very sharp and hard and he had a very loud purr. SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy & Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk > The oldest cat I've met was 27 years old, his claws were very sharp and hard > and he had a very loud purr. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > - Show quoted text - Wow. That is just amazing. My oldest cat was 17 when he died. He acted very old by then. This 27 year old cat must have had *very* good genetics, and very good care! Sherry > > The oldest cat I've met was 27 years old, his claws were very sharp and hard > > and he had a very loud purr. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Sherry The oldest cat I've met was 21yo. She was my parents cat. Ironically they named her Granny. She lived a good & interesting life and even lived overseas for a few years. My parents don't mollycoddle their cats and they just feed them ordinary cat food, so I dare say much of Granny's longevity came to good genetics and her being a real homebody. Most older cats I've met though do seem very rickety at 16 to 17 yo though. Dewi >> The oldest cat I've met was 27 years old, his claws were very sharp and >> hard [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Sherr My oldest cat was almost 20 when he died. He was healthy and looked and acted much younger until the age of 18-1/2. After that, we had a series of medical problems, and his health progressively declined until I had to have him euthanized at approx. age 20. He was *wonderful,* and I still have his picture on my computer hutch (which can be seen in a few of my Holly and Duffy photos). Amber lived to age 16, and her picture (white cat) can be seen on the other side of the hutch. MaryL Photos of Duffy and Holly: >'o'< Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf Holly: http://tinyurl.com/9t68o Duffy and Holly together: http://tinyurl.com/8b47e >If they had been left to work it out in the first place, they'd probably be >friends by now. Could be. But friends now, or friends later, I figure it's all the same in the long run. :) >After this much time, and with things certainly not improving, I'd be sorely >tempted to let Buster out of his jail and just let them work it out. It may [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >But if things aren't getting better its time to do something different. >Particularly if Buster isn't attacking or injuring her. Dot does sometimes hide because it's fun scouting and napping, and she'll sometimes hide because she's afraid. I don't want to see much of the latter type of hiding. Even if she hasn't gotten familiar with Buster yet, she is familiar with her home now, so that's some progress at least. I think that since they never physically meet, Dot feels now that it's her territory that's Buster is on, and that makes her a bit more agitated than before. I'm just going to continue to observe for now before making any changes to their routines. > Even if she hasn't gotten familiar with Buster yet, she is familiar > with her home now, so that's some progress at least. I think that > since they never physically meet, Dot feels now that it's her > territory that's Buster is on, and that makes her a bit more agitated > than before. All the more reason to rotate them between the house and the room, though - so neither of them starts to feel like the house belongs to only to him/her. I also liked the idea because, as Mary said, it will get each of them more used to each other's scents. Joyce >>>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >>>going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Jo This could be true - it could just be her personality. Demi is like that - after almost 9 years with us, and having known nothing but love and pettin's, Demi still runs from me and Ben and the other cats. It's just her personality, and as much as we'd love to see more of her gorgeous self, she is most comfortable when she's hiding, so that's what we let her do. Hugs, CatNipped > >Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is > >going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > forever home, cat charmers, and a potential playmate kitty outside his > room. Goodness, it sounds like she's regressing instead of becoming more used to him. But it hasn't even been three weeks yet, has it? Sometimes a proper introduction takes a couple of months, I hear. Don't feel bad. Our introduction isn't going too hot either. The kittens scream to get out of their cage, and the rest of the crew still hates their guts as bad as they did on Day 1. Now I"ve had to separate the kitten. One is a is a genital-sucking maniac and I can't get her to stop. The nipples fell off their surrogate mother, and for some reason, after I fixed it, they won't have anything to do with it anymore. I'm running out of rooms to isolate cats. Sorry for the me me me rant. Back to Buster & Dot....best of luck, Tak. It will all work out. Sherry >> >Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >> >going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] > > Sherry LOL! I missed the "surrogate" part, and thought the nipples fell off the mother. Horrors!! Then I realized it was what I thought of as the "kitty pacifier" (and the real mother, of course, is not even part of your household). (ô¿ô) MaryL >Goodness, it sounds like she's regressing instead of becoming more >used to him. But it hasn't even [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >Sorry for the me me me rant. Back to Buster & Dot....best of luck, >Tak. It will all work out. Your situation is very challenging, with your tiny bitties and house full of adult kitties! You worry about them being eaten by the grown-ups, or eaten out by each other. And now these sweet, close siblings need to be separated from one another, after being separated from their mom. It's hard. >. One is a is a genital-sucking maniac and I > can't get her to stop. I suppose you already tried painting the genitals with the sort of stuff we can get here called "Bitter Apple"? It tastes awful but is completely safe to use even on wounds/operation scars to stop pets licking them. Tweed >>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >>going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > forever home, cat charmers, and a potential playmate kitty outside his > room. Thanks for the update. Try not to be discouraged. Remember, both Dot and Buster came from a shelter into a completely new environment, and they were not companions at the shelter. So, everything is a big adjustment. Take it easy, try not to push things, and it will work out. I took several of pictures of Holly and Duffy yesterday, and what a change that is from when I adopted Duffy and went through the same process. Holly would attack any other cat in our presence, and it was definitely an aggressive, violent type of attack -- clearly not "playing." The two now live very happily together. There was an incident a couple of weeks ago when I stepped on poor Duffy's toes. He screamed, of course, and I felt *terrible.* He ran into the other room, and I went after him to console him. Luckily, he is very forgiving and waited for me. But Holly went running up to him and *very gently* touched her nose to his nose. That was such a loving gesture and something that never would happened in earlier days. You can see two of yesterday's photos here: http://tinyurl.com/25ywao http://tinyurl.com/27ykqz MaryL >Thanks for the update. Try not to be discouraged. Remember, both Dot and >Buster came from a shelter into a completely new environment, and they were [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] >http://tinyurl.com/25ywao >http://tinyurl.com/27ykqz What very sweet kitties! Yes, I hope that someday they'll sit together and care for one another like your two. Originally, I was swapping them, before I switched to putting Buster in his own room, to give Dot the dominant position so that when the time comes, she'll feel confident enough in her territory so that she won't feel she needs to hide so much. They do know each other's scents well, I imagine, since they have the screen, and Buster uses Dot's litter box and food and water dishes when he's out, even though he has his own too. >>>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >>>going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 41 lines] > http://tinyurl.com/25ywao > http://tinyurl.com/27ykqz Holly is gorgeous, but every time I see a picture of Duffy he just takes my breath away all over again! ;> Hugs, CatNipped > MaryL >>>>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >>>>going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > >> MaryL Yes, Duffy is truly spectacular -- most especially his personality and ability to "do everything" despite being blind, but he is also one of the most beautiful cats I have ever seen. And that was such a surprise, because he looked like a thin, lonely little waif when I adopted him, but he soon blossomed into a true beauty. MaryL >>>>>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >>>>>going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 58 lines] > > MaryL I know! I showed Ben the pictures of Duffy at the shelter and then pictures of him now, and he couldn't believe it was the same cat! Only a true ailurophile would have taken in that pitiful, scrawny, shaggy, one-eyed stray and made him into the gorgeous king-of-all-he-surveys that he is today! ;> Hugs, CatNipped >>>>>>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything >>>>>>is [quoted text clipped - 69 lines] > > CatNipped Not even "one-eyed" -- he is completely blind in both eyes. But, thanks! -- and yet, *I* am one lucky person to have had this opportunity. Duffy is truly a gem. MaryL >>>>>>>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything >>>>>>>is [quoted text clipped - 81 lines] > > MaryL Oh, true - I was channeling Miss Lily, I think!!! ;> Hugs, CatNipped >>>>>>>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything >>>>>>>is [quoted text clipped - 79 lines] > thanks! -- and yet, *I* am one lucky person to have had this opportunity. > Duffy is truly a gem. And think how many people missed out on this phenomenal creature because of such an insignificat thing as his appearance - but thank goodness they did because he was meant to be yours, I don't think anyone else could have loved him as well or spoiled him as rotten! ;> Hugs, CatNipped > MaryL > "MaryL" <stancole1@yahoo.comTAKE-OUT-THE-LITTER> wrote in message >> [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > CatNipped I have often had exactly that same thought. It really hurts me to think of Duffy spending *several months* in a shelter, and I have thought about all the people who must have seen him and rejected him -- but then I cheer up when I consider how fortunate it has been for both of us (and also for Holly) that Duffy was still there "waiting" when I saw his picture and description on www.petfinders.com. MaryL >>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >>going well for the three of you. > > I posted a little yesterday in the "Inverted Dot" thread about Dot and > Buster. Basically, Buster is becoming very restless in his room, and > Dot is becoming more and more wary of Buster. One suggestion: "Rotate" the cats occasionally. That is, bring Buster out and put Dot *in Buster's room* (but don't let them come into contact yet). That way, they will become more familiar with each other's scents. MaryL > One suggestion: "Rotate" the cats occasionally. That is, bring Buster out > and put Dot *in Buster's room* (but don't let them come into contact yet). > That way, they will become more familiar with each other's scents. I second this idea!! Also, this way Buster won't go insane locked in the room. Give them each a turn to be out in the house, and to claim the territory. Joyce On Jul 1, 4:26 pm, jXwXeXrXmXoX...@sonic.net wrote: > > One suggestion: "Rotate" the cats occasionally. That is, bring Buster out > > and put Dot *in Buster's room* (but don't let them come into contact yet). [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Joyce I like that too. Think of it as playing musical cats. :-) Sherry >> Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >> going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > forever home, cat charmers, and a potential playmate kitty outside his > room. Are you ever going to switch them around? I mean, it seems like Dot will really never get used to him being out if he is only EVER in the room. >Are you ever going to switch them around? I mean, it seems like Dot >will really never get used to him being out if he is only EVER in the >room. That might be true, as they aren't switched in the sense of Dot being put in Buster's room, but they are switched in the sense of them sharing the main rooms at different times. Right now, for instance, Buster has full run of the downstairs, except for the den, where Dot is now sleeping. > >Are you ever going to switch them around? I mean, it seems like Dot > >will really never get used to him being out if he is only EVER in the > >room. > That might be true, as they aren't switched in the sense of Dot being > put in Buster's room, but they are switched in the sense of them > sharing the main rooms at different times. Right now, for instance, > Buster has full run of the downstairs, except for the den, where Dot > is now sleeping. I see. So you are switching off who has run of the house and who is restricted, but each one has his/her own room when restricted? Joyce >>Please give us a status report on Dot and Buster. I hope everything is >>going well for the three of you. [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >forever home, cat charmers, and a potential playmate kitty outside his >room To be honest, I'd say that the shelter did you a grave disservice when they said that Dot 'liked other cats'. Obviously she loathes them all on sight! Probaby the best you can hope for is a feline detente like I have with Scouty and Tessica - they tolerate each other and have worked their way up to being able to be in the same room as each other and about three feet away from each other (and even playing with the same toy and eating next to each other...), but I'm never EVER going to find them cuddling, washing each other, or showing any sign of affection to each other... they're okay with that, so I leave them be and just keep a look out for signs that Tessie is harrassing Scouty too much (when I get the spray bottle out and chase Tessie away with it to give Scouty some peace.) I don't think the forced seperation is going to help much more than it has - they know each other's smells and they know they're there and they have to learn to share your home (and you) at some point whether they like it or not. It's probably time to let Buster out (but keep a spray bottle handy and if you see him harassing Dot, let him have it with both barrels until he learns to leave her alone...) >To be honest, I'd say that the shelter did you a grave disservice when >they said that Dot 'liked other cats'. Obviously she loathes them all [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >spray bottle handy and if you see him harassing Dot, let him have it >with both barrels until he learns to leave her alone...) Dot's story was a bit curious. Her tag said: I would do well in a home with: Cats: yes Dogs: no Kids: older Other: So I figured she needed a companion kitty. But when I was adopting her, I asked the shelter a little about her history, and the tidbits didn't seem consistent. They said that she was previously in a household of six cats. Yet, they did not mention any companion kitties that came along with her. They also mentioned at some point that her experience with other cats consisted mostly of hissing at them. So what I conjecture is that she was in a household with other cats, but was the only one that did not get along with the others, so was given up. However, she had experience living with other cats so they automatically filled in that she would do well in a home with other cats. I think that prolonged separation would harm their long term socialization and development (they would both become accustomed to not interacting with other cats, and interacting solely with me), so should not be carried on for *too* long, but it's only been a couple of weeks. I think it'll be all right to observe the situation for a while longer. > I think that prolonged separation would harm their long term > socialization and development (they would both become accustomed to > not interacting with other cats, and interacting solely with me), so > should not be carried on for *too* long, but it's only been a couple > of weeks. I think it'll be all right to observe the situation for a > while longer. I agree. FWIW, it sounds to me like you're managing the integration just fine. |
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