Photos of all three cats have been added to the blog. Those showing Bessie and Ginger by the couch in the den were taken after a morning skirmish.
Bessie's control of the house entered the final stage last night when she actually stretched out on our bed, a heretofore taboo location. I was in bed and she was lying at the foot on Daddy's side, when Ginger popped up by his pillow, took one look at Bessie...and jumped right back under the bed!
Since Ginger and (especially) Cinnamon frequent the downstairs now on a much rarer basis, I have moved one of the cat brushes to our bathroom and this morning gave Cinnamon a good brushing, which he greatly relished. He left and then Bessie came in, and I took the opportunity to do the same for her, to not quite the same reception. She obviously has never been brushed (tsk, tsk), a situation which I am doing my best to rectify while she is with us. I've been using a brush whenever I can get hold of her. She's becoming at least resigned to it and I'm sure her fur is all the better for it.
One thing that surprised me this morning was to find Ginger asleep on top of the bookcase in the living-room. I haven't seen her do that for a very long while and thought that maybe it was because she's older and may not have the dexterity to climb up there from the stairs. But there she was, and as Daddy said, "it's a great vantage point for her to see where Bessie might be."
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
July 30, 2008
The trouble with cats is, they're nocturnal. Well, let me modify that statement: A certain cat, Bessie by name, is particularly nocturnal. Ginger and Cinnamon, being of mature years (14, and almost 14, respectively), need their sleep.
All the cats seem to sleep from about late morning until late afternoon. Bessie tears around from late afternoon until........well, who knows? There was one skirmish during the night, brief and fairly quiet, with Ginger. Then Bessie did her usual jump-up-and-perch-on-the-upper-window-ledge-like-a-parrot thing off and on. She was silhouetted against the window and did, indeed, look just like a parrot. She's most appreciative that, in this warm weather, we leave the bedroom windows and the blinds open in the night.
Last night, when I went up to bed, Bessie was in the guest-room and Ginger was next to the bed in our room. They were looking at each other, quietly, although Ginger's tail was swishing, but not fanned out (which usually means trouble). I was cautioning Ginger to stay calm when, all of a sudden, Bessie came charging at her! Ginger hissed and went to pounce, Bessie went charging down the stairs, Ginger lay back down, and Bessie, in the blink of an eye, was right back up the stairs, sticking her head around to look at Ginger. This went on 3 or 4 more times: Ginger hissing her down, Bessie back right up, etc. I think Bessie looked upon it as a game. Ginger was not so kindly disposed.
Bessie was in our bathroom this morning when Cinnamon ventured out and was about to do his usual morning thing of coming in and drinking from the sink, when he espied Bessie. He immediately slunk back under the bed, with Bessie right after him, sticking her head almost under the bed. There was a low growl and she backed away.
By the way, these days Bessie has almost complete run of our bedroom, as indeed she has of the entire rest of the house, whereas at the outset she was pretty much kept out of there by a sustained effort on Ginger's part.
I was able to eat all my breakfast on my own this morning, not without a fair amount of effort on my part. Because your cat has been so poorly disciplined, she doesn't know that she should not come up on the kitchen table. However, because I'm such a wuss, I don't discipline her either! She wanted to know what I was eating (my daily cereal with coffee yogurt and blueberries) and all but stuck her nose right in it. When I moved the bowl away, she simply lay flat out right in front of me. We nuzzled noses a bit and then I went back to eating, albeit with me holding the bowl in the air! After I'd eaten and scraped the bowl, she was allowed to lick up the remaining tiny bit of yogurt that was left. You have a very sophisticated cat: how many others would want to eat coffee yogurt!
This just in from Daddy/Norman: "I'm walking from the kitchen to the stairs which means I am passing through the den, when all of a sudden, I am ATTACKED at ankle-height by this ferocious killer cat who had been lying in wait for her prey to pass. She grabs my ankle, then, in a flash, darts away. She is on every horizontal surface in the house: entertainment unit, dining room table, window ledge facing the yard, this desk, in front of the screen, etc."
All the cats seem to sleep from about late morning until late afternoon. Bessie tears around from late afternoon until........well, who knows? There was one skirmish during the night, brief and fairly quiet, with Ginger. Then Bessie did her usual jump-up-and-perch-on-the-upper-window-ledge-like-a-parrot thing off and on. She was silhouetted against the window and did, indeed, look just like a parrot. She's most appreciative that, in this warm weather, we leave the bedroom windows and the blinds open in the night.
Last night, when I went up to bed, Bessie was in the guest-room and Ginger was next to the bed in our room. They were looking at each other, quietly, although Ginger's tail was swishing, but not fanned out (which usually means trouble). I was cautioning Ginger to stay calm when, all of a sudden, Bessie came charging at her! Ginger hissed and went to pounce, Bessie went charging down the stairs, Ginger lay back down, and Bessie, in the blink of an eye, was right back up the stairs, sticking her head around to look at Ginger. This went on 3 or 4 more times: Ginger hissing her down, Bessie back right up, etc. I think Bessie looked upon it as a game. Ginger was not so kindly disposed.
Bessie was in our bathroom this morning when Cinnamon ventured out and was about to do his usual morning thing of coming in and drinking from the sink, when he espied Bessie. He immediately slunk back under the bed, with Bessie right after him, sticking her head almost under the bed. There was a low growl and she backed away.
By the way, these days Bessie has almost complete run of our bedroom, as indeed she has of the entire rest of the house, whereas at the outset she was pretty much kept out of there by a sustained effort on Ginger's part.
I was able to eat all my breakfast on my own this morning, not without a fair amount of effort on my part. Because your cat has been so poorly disciplined, she doesn't know that she should not come up on the kitchen table. However, because I'm such a wuss, I don't discipline her either! She wanted to know what I was eating (my daily cereal with coffee yogurt and blueberries) and all but stuck her nose right in it. When I moved the bowl away, she simply lay flat out right in front of me. We nuzzled noses a bit and then I went back to eating, albeit with me holding the bowl in the air! After I'd eaten and scraped the bowl, she was allowed to lick up the remaining tiny bit of yogurt that was left. You have a very sophisticated cat: how many others would want to eat coffee yogurt!
This just in from Daddy/Norman: "I'm walking from the kitchen to the stairs which means I am passing through the den, when all of a sudden, I am ATTACKED at ankle-height by this ferocious killer cat who had been lying in wait for her prey to pass. She grabs my ankle, then, in a flash, darts away. She is on every horizontal surface in the house: entertainment unit, dining room table, window ledge facing the yard, this desk, in front of the screen, etc."
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
July 29, 2008
Bessie has taken to dive-bombing our legs. I'll be walking aruond, or standing at the sink, for example, and suddenly I'll get whomped from the rear! Then she'll take off at her usual 90 mph rate. You can almost hear her laughing.
This morning Daddy was sitting at the kitchen table when Bessie jumped onto his shoulders, draped herself around his neck and proceeded to lick his ear. He moved her away, so she moved to lick the other ear. He tried to dislodge her onto the table, but she wouldn't budge, so he got up, walked over to the couch in the den and dropped her onto it.
She loves high places. She spent part of the night perched on the open part of the big window in our bedroom and this morning she could be found in the same spot of the large bay window in the den, from where she jumped onto the entertainment center. She's always looking upwards: "Perhaps there's an even higher place I could get to?"
Last evening Daddy had to go up to the attic. "Wow," thought Bessie (you can just imagine how her mind works), gazing upwards, "they've got yet another floor for me to explore!" Except that I could just imagine her loping up the attic stairs, so a stern "No" put paid to any attempts on her part.
Yesterday afternoon I was in the hall talking to Daddy, who was in the study, when Ginger wanted to go into the guest bathroom. Trouble was, Bessie was already in there, eating. So I made Ginger wait, wanting to avoid yet another clash. Bessie came out, Ginger hissed and chased her down the stairs, then went and sat just inside our bedroom door. Bessie turned around, ran right back upstairs, took her front paw, thwapped Ginger on the nose, then ran into the guest-room. Ginger dove under our bed! What a riot!! Daddy said she should have been named Chutzpah.
Last night I came up to get ready for bed. I was talking to Daddy, who was in the study. Bessie walked into our bedroom, sat down by the tallboy and proceeded to clean herself. I was watching her when Ginger poked out from under the bedskirt but since she was looking at me, she didn't realize Bessie was there. I got Daddy's attention and we both stood watching what would happen next. After a moment, Ginger turned her head and saw Bessie. There was a frozen tableau: Bessie, with her paw in mid-air, didn't move a whisker; Ginger didn't either. We held our breath and Daddy asked if we shouldn't intervene. I was for letting them work it out. After a good, long minute, Ginger slunk back under the bed and Bessie resumed cleaning herself. Following which, she mosied over to the bed, whereupon Ginger let out a warning growl. Discretion being the better part of valor, Bessie decided to leave while the going was still good.
Remember how we always said that Ginger was "a quick purr"? I haven't heard Bessie purr yet, but when I picked her up at one point yesterday evening to give her a cuddle, I could feel her body reverberate and she actually almost purred out loud. Wow! Such progress.
This morning Daddy was sitting at the kitchen table when Bessie jumped onto his shoulders, draped herself around his neck and proceeded to lick his ear. He moved her away, so she moved to lick the other ear. He tried to dislodge her onto the table, but she wouldn't budge, so he got up, walked over to the couch in the den and dropped her onto it.
She loves high places. She spent part of the night perched on the open part of the big window in our bedroom and this morning she could be found in the same spot of the large bay window in the den, from where she jumped onto the entertainment center. She's always looking upwards: "Perhaps there's an even higher place I could get to?"
Last evening Daddy had to go up to the attic. "Wow," thought Bessie (you can just imagine how her mind works), gazing upwards, "they've got yet another floor for me to explore!" Except that I could just imagine her loping up the attic stairs, so a stern "No" put paid to any attempts on her part.
Yesterday afternoon I was in the hall talking to Daddy, who was in the study, when Ginger wanted to go into the guest bathroom. Trouble was, Bessie was already in there, eating. So I made Ginger wait, wanting to avoid yet another clash. Bessie came out, Ginger hissed and chased her down the stairs, then went and sat just inside our bedroom door. Bessie turned around, ran right back upstairs, took her front paw, thwapped Ginger on the nose, then ran into the guest-room. Ginger dove under our bed! What a riot!! Daddy said she should have been named Chutzpah.
Last night I came up to get ready for bed. I was talking to Daddy, who was in the study. Bessie walked into our bedroom, sat down by the tallboy and proceeded to clean herself. I was watching her when Ginger poked out from under the bedskirt but since she was looking at me, she didn't realize Bessie was there. I got Daddy's attention and we both stood watching what would happen next. After a moment, Ginger turned her head and saw Bessie. There was a frozen tableau: Bessie, with her paw in mid-air, didn't move a whisker; Ginger didn't either. We held our breath and Daddy asked if we shouldn't intervene. I was for letting them work it out. After a good, long minute, Ginger slunk back under the bed and Bessie resumed cleaning herself. Following which, she mosied over to the bed, whereupon Ginger let out a warning growl. Discretion being the better part of valor, Bessie decided to leave while the going was still good.
Remember how we always said that Ginger was "a quick purr"? I haven't heard Bessie purr yet, but when I picked her up at one point yesterday evening to give her a cuddle, I could feel her body reverberate and she actually almost purred out loud. Wow! Such progress.
Monday, July 28, 2008
July 28, 2008
Hostilities have abated considerably; we get a night's sleep as all sides have instituted a sorta nightly cease-fire.
Whereas Ginger is still attempting to exercise her authority over this young upstart, Bessie will not be cowed. After the usual hissing and warning growling, Ginger will pounce, chase Bessie down the stairs, where Bessie will disappear under the couch in the den, only to pop right out again and chase Ginger right back upstairs! Or they'll both be downstairs and Ginger will rush at her from the living-room and again Bessie will run under the couch, and repeat. This will happen over and over again. Bessie can be a real 'agent provocateur.'
Bessie likes laying siege to Ginger by positioning herself outside the guest bathroom when Ginger is in there eating. Ginger has taken to eating with one eye on the door! When she spots Bessie, she'll growl, but usually doesn't move. Bessie will then lay indolently, roll over a few times, stretch right o-u-t, as if to prove "I ain't scareda-you." This can end in one of two ways: Ginger will rush at Bessie, or Bessie will up and mosey along at her own convenience.
Ginger and Cinnamon spend a lot of their days under our bed. Used to be that Bessie would mainly stay out of our bedroom as each time she came in, Ginger would start to growl from under the bed-skirt. Nowadays, however, Bessie couldn't give a hoot, trots in whenever she feels like it, will take a walk around the room, lay down for a while, and just to push the taunting to almost over the edge, will put her face right up to the bed. Mostly there is quiet.
The other day, I opened the bottom drawer next to the kitchen sink to get out a clean towel and Bessie took the opportunity not only to jump into the drawer, but to climb behind it! I didn't know what to do for a moment, because I worried she'd get caught behind the dish-washer, or something, but in her own good time she climbed right out.
I have to be careful opening my closet in our bedroom, because she jumps right over the shoe-rack on the floor and plays in the back, where I have no chance of reaching her. Again, I just leave her to make her own way out. She is so quick, I can't even close the door before she has rushed in.
At night, she likes to sleep in the hall right at the top of the stairs, as close as she can get to us without incurring the wrath of Ginger.
This morning I came out of the bathroom after showering to find Bessie perched on Daddy's tall-boy! She likes coming into the bathroom and drinking from the tap. She loves running around downstairs from one window to the other, especially at the bay window in the den.
I tried taking a nap on the den couch yesterday, only to have her head pop up right into mine as if she was saying, "wha-cha doing?"
Remember how concerned I was about her NOT going down to the basement? Yeah, right! Open that door one millimeter and she's gone! So I just leave her to her own devices. Unlike our cats, however, who have been taught some manners, she does not come when called....
I have to say, her upbringing seems to have lacked discipline in general, hmmm. She gets up on the kitchen table to check out everything, and I mean everything, that we may be going to eat at our meals. I was just able to stop her the other day from eating the cottage cheese! I've also discovered she likes coffee yogurt (I knew she and I would get along!). I had scooped out the container into my breakfast bowl as usual, and she then proceeded to lick out the rest! When I'm sitting on the couch in the den, usually I have a glass of water on the little table at the side. After she stuck her nose in once and proceeded to have a drink, I'm quick to move the glass whenever I see her on the horizon.
She likes lying at the top of the stairs with her head just over the edge, so that when I go up, we rub heads together, just like Ginger and I always do.
She is so CUTE!!!!!
By the way, she continues to eat and drink from their bowls, even though she is provided with her own.
You don't need to worry about her not receiving enough affection, she gets hugged to pieces. And she is becoming more affectionate as the days go by.
It's been a long time since we've had such a lively cat in our house, given that our own are 14 years old now.
I doubt that the three of them will become buddies anytime; the most we can hope for is a permanent ceasefire. But so long as no blood is drawn, we can live with that.
This just in from Abba/Norman:
"Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Ginger keeps chasing Bessie under the guest bed and Bessie keeps coming out and standing up to say, ""nyah, nyah". Meanwhile Cinnamon comes out from under our bed to watch the goings on but when Bessie comes forward, Mr. Courageous dives back under."
So that's what's happening back in Lake Tilden, where all the men are lovable, the women are long-suffering, and the cats have taken over the house!
Love Mummy/Janice
Whereas Ginger is still attempting to exercise her authority over this young upstart, Bessie will not be cowed. After the usual hissing and warning growling, Ginger will pounce, chase Bessie down the stairs, where Bessie will disappear under the couch in the den, only to pop right out again and chase Ginger right back upstairs! Or they'll both be downstairs and Ginger will rush at her from the living-room and again Bessie will run under the couch, and repeat. This will happen over and over again. Bessie can be a real 'agent provocateur.'
Bessie likes laying siege to Ginger by positioning herself outside the guest bathroom when Ginger is in there eating. Ginger has taken to eating with one eye on the door! When she spots Bessie, she'll growl, but usually doesn't move. Bessie will then lay indolently, roll over a few times, stretch right o-u-t, as if to prove "I ain't scareda-you." This can end in one of two ways: Ginger will rush at Bessie, or Bessie will up and mosey along at her own convenience.
Ginger and Cinnamon spend a lot of their days under our bed. Used to be that Bessie would mainly stay out of our bedroom as each time she came in, Ginger would start to growl from under the bed-skirt. Nowadays, however, Bessie couldn't give a hoot, trots in whenever she feels like it, will take a walk around the room, lay down for a while, and just to push the taunting to almost over the edge, will put her face right up to the bed. Mostly there is quiet.
The other day, I opened the bottom drawer next to the kitchen sink to get out a clean towel and Bessie took the opportunity not only to jump into the drawer, but to climb behind it! I didn't know what to do for a moment, because I worried she'd get caught behind the dish-washer, or something, but in her own good time she climbed right out.
I have to be careful opening my closet in our bedroom, because she jumps right over the shoe-rack on the floor and plays in the back, where I have no chance of reaching her. Again, I just leave her to make her own way out. She is so quick, I can't even close the door before she has rushed in.
At night, she likes to sleep in the hall right at the top of the stairs, as close as she can get to us without incurring the wrath of Ginger.
This morning I came out of the bathroom after showering to find Bessie perched on Daddy's tall-boy! She likes coming into the bathroom and drinking from the tap. She loves running around downstairs from one window to the other, especially at the bay window in the den.
I tried taking a nap on the den couch yesterday, only to have her head pop up right into mine as if she was saying, "wha-cha doing?"
Remember how concerned I was about her NOT going down to the basement? Yeah, right! Open that door one millimeter and she's gone! So I just leave her to her own devices. Unlike our cats, however, who have been taught some manners, she does not come when called....
I have to say, her upbringing seems to have lacked discipline in general, hmmm. She gets up on the kitchen table to check out everything, and I mean everything, that we may be going to eat at our meals. I was just able to stop her the other day from eating the cottage cheese! I've also discovered she likes coffee yogurt (I knew she and I would get along!). I had scooped out the container into my breakfast bowl as usual, and she then proceeded to lick out the rest! When I'm sitting on the couch in the den, usually I have a glass of water on the little table at the side. After she stuck her nose in once and proceeded to have a drink, I'm quick to move the glass whenever I see her on the horizon.
She likes lying at the top of the stairs with her head just over the edge, so that when I go up, we rub heads together, just like Ginger and I always do.
She is so CUTE!!!!!
By the way, she continues to eat and drink from their bowls, even though she is provided with her own.
You don't need to worry about her not receiving enough affection, she gets hugged to pieces. And she is becoming more affectionate as the days go by.
It's been a long time since we've had such a lively cat in our house, given that our own are 14 years old now.
I doubt that the three of them will become buddies anytime; the most we can hope for is a permanent ceasefire. But so long as no blood is drawn, we can live with that.
This just in from Abba/Norman:
"Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Ginger keeps chasing Bessie under the guest bed and Bessie keeps coming out and standing up to say, ""nyah, nyah". Meanwhile Cinnamon comes out from under our bed to watch the goings on but when Bessie comes forward, Mr. Courageous dives back under."
So that's what's happening back in Lake Tilden, where all the men are lovable, the women are long-suffering, and the cats have taken over the house!
Love Mummy/Janice
July 21, 2008
Daddy/Norman sent a message to my office email just now:
"No cats have died since you left this morning."
When we went up to bed last night, Ginger, as usual at that time, got up on our bed. Bessie jumped up on the other side and Norman and I watched to see what would play out. Bessie just sat there, demure as you please. Ginger slunk over to her and got right up nose-to-nose, hissing a bit, then, when Bessie didn't budge, slunk back. Guess you'd say that was a 1-0 to Bessie!
I did get some sleep, there was a bit of hissing and growling (I'm sure all on Ginger's part) during the night, but not all that much. When I left this morning, Ginger and Cinnamon were under our bed and Bessie was loping from one opened downstairs window to the other, checking out the neighborhood. The landscaping people were already at work and she was really curious about all that noise.
She has her own food and water bowls by the tub in the guest bathroom, but I haven't bothered to set up the (new) litter box for her, since she only used the main one when she was here last time, out of sheer spite, I think.
We live in the hope that things will really settle down over time. About by the time you get back, probably!
Love and hugs, Mummy/Janice
"No cats have died since you left this morning."
When we went up to bed last night, Ginger, as usual at that time, got up on our bed. Bessie jumped up on the other side and Norman and I watched to see what would play out. Bessie just sat there, demure as you please. Ginger slunk over to her and got right up nose-to-nose, hissing a bit, then, when Bessie didn't budge, slunk back. Guess you'd say that was a 1-0 to Bessie!
I did get some sleep, there was a bit of hissing and growling (I'm sure all on Ginger's part) during the night, but not all that much. When I left this morning, Ginger and Cinnamon were under our bed and Bessie was loping from one opened downstairs window to the other, checking out the neighborhood. The landscaping people were already at work and she was really curious about all that noise.
She has her own food and water bowls by the tub in the guest bathroom, but I haven't bothered to set up the (new) litter box for her, since she only used the main one when she was here last time, out of sheer spite, I think.
We live in the hope that things will really settle down over time. About by the time you get back, probably!
Love and hugs, Mummy/Janice
July 1, 2008
Hi Daniel and Andrew,
I got home yesterday afternoon and who is laying at the top of the stairs, looking down at me? Miss Bessie! "Hi, Bessalah!"
She followed me into our bedroom, where she obviously knew that Ginger was under the bed (even though I couldn't see Ginger through the bed-skirt). Following took place:
Bessie, bounding over and crouching down: "Hi, coo-ee, wanna come out and play, huh?"
Ginger: "Growwwwwwwwwwwwwwwl."
Bessie: "Ok-ay, then, I'll just wait here for you to change your mind" (And proceeded to lie down right there.) "Hmmmmmmm, hmmmm, I'll just toddle off to the corner here and stick my head under, see what gives."
Ginger: "Hissssssss."
Bessie: "Geez, I'll just walk around to the other side of the bed and try again."
Ginger: "Hisssssss."
Bessie: "Oh, up yours, I'm outa here."
During the course of the late afternoon/early evening they all seemed to be able to at least avoid outright altercation, so we decided to let Bessie be free that night. Here's what occurred:
9:15p.m. I went to bed, being somewhat sleep deprived of late. All quiet.
11:30p.m. Woke up, realizing A/N not in bed; bathroom light still on. He had fallen asleep in the recliner. He came to bed and we fell back asleep.
About Midnight: Ginger threw up on our bedroom carpet (a hairball). I got up and cleaned it up, went back to sleep.
About 1:00a.m. Cinnamon(!) and Bessie yowling. Bessie chases Cinnamon(!!) down the stairs, with me following in order to stop any outright fight. Bessie comes charging back up the stairs. I fall back into bed, again.
About 3:00a.m. A/N having a bad dream, his cries wake me up, I rub his back to get him out of it; we fall back asleep.
5:30a.m. My alarm goes off. Ginger on the bed, Bessie just outside our bedroom; Ginger growls. Nothing happens.
I get up, sweep the bathroom floor, give all three cats fresh water and food (Bessie's is the only bowl that has been completely emptied of food. Question is, who's doing the eating from it, since Bessie seems to prefer to eat from their bowls!).
I get out of the shower, walk to the guest bedroom to get my clothes, see through the bathroom door that Bessie is in their litter-box, doing her thing! I said to A/N that he would probably find her litter-box to be pristine…..yup!
Bessie checks us out in the bathroom. I turn on the tap for her, she wants to use "our" sink, which the other cats know not to do. She is unfazed when moved out.
I start to make our bed, Bessie gets on and proceeds to start playing. She has not learned one of the ground rules of our house: cats wait until I've finished making the bed before they get on it!
A/N said at one point this morning, "Ginger and Cinnamon must hate the sound of that bell!"
Note to Daniel: If I don't get to win "Pinch, punch" today, I'M GONNA KEEPA YOUR CAT!!!
I got home yesterday afternoon and who is laying at the top of the stairs, looking down at me? Miss Bessie! "Hi, Bessalah!"
She followed me into our bedroom, where she obviously knew that Ginger was under the bed (even though I couldn't see Ginger through the bed-skirt). Following took place:
Bessie, bounding over and crouching down: "Hi, coo-ee, wanna come out and play, huh?"
Ginger: "Growwwwwwwwwwwwwwwl."
Bessie: "Ok-ay, then, I'll just wait here for you to change your mind" (And proceeded to lie down right there.) "Hmmmmmmm, hmmmm, I'll just toddle off to the corner here and stick my head under, see what gives."
Ginger: "Hissssssss."
Bessie: "Geez, I'll just walk around to the other side of the bed and try again."
Ginger: "Hisssssss."
Bessie: "Oh, up yours, I'm outa here."
During the course of the late afternoon/early evening they all seemed to be able to at least avoid outright altercation, so we decided to let Bessie be free that night. Here's what occurred:
9:15p.m. I went to bed, being somewhat sleep deprived of late. All quiet.
11:30p.m. Woke up, realizing A/N not in bed; bathroom light still on. He had fallen asleep in the recliner. He came to bed and we fell back asleep.
About Midnight: Ginger threw up on our bedroom carpet (a hairball). I got up and cleaned it up, went back to sleep.
About 1:00a.m. Cinnamon(!) and Bessie yowling. Bessie chases Cinnamon(!!) down the stairs, with me following in order to stop any outright fight. Bessie comes charging back up the stairs. I fall back into bed, again.
About 3:00a.m. A/N having a bad dream, his cries wake me up, I rub his back to get him out of it; we fall back asleep.
5:30a.m. My alarm goes off. Ginger on the bed, Bessie just outside our bedroom; Ginger growls. Nothing happens.
I get up, sweep the bathroom floor, give all three cats fresh water and food (Bessie's is the only bowl that has been completely emptied of food. Question is, who's doing the eating from it, since Bessie seems to prefer to eat from their bowls!).
I get out of the shower, walk to the guest bedroom to get my clothes, see through the bathroom door that Bessie is in their litter-box, doing her thing! I said to A/N that he would probably find her litter-box to be pristine…..yup!
Bessie checks us out in the bathroom. I turn on the tap for her, she wants to use "our" sink, which the other cats know not to do. She is unfazed when moved out.
I start to make our bed, Bessie gets on and proceeds to start playing. She has not learned one of the ground rules of our house: cats wait until I've finished making the bed before they get on it!
A/N said at one point this morning, "Ginger and Cinnamon must hate the sound of that bell!"
Note to Daniel: If I don't get to win "Pinch, punch" today, I'M GONNA KEEPA YOUR CAT!!!
June 30 2008
Dear Daniel and Andrew,
First of all, Bessie is: adorably, beautifully, completely DELICIOUS! And cute, to boot. Also, as Abba/Norman (hereinafter referred to as "A/N") said this morning, "She's a ballsy cat, probably has a tattoo!" She's a very East Village type of cat, definitely not of the suburban variety. She give new meaning to 'curious,' and loves tearing from one window to another (and we have many) to look out at what's going on. So, this is where we are. Saturday evening after you, Daniel, left, she checked everything out and more or less settled down. Not so, Ginger. Ginger has decided that it's a Hatfields/McCoys, Jets/Sharks, Crips/Bloods kinda thing. For the most part, Cinnamon is of the "I'm outa here, you girls work it out" frame of mind (although does hiss every now and then). Ginger says it's her club, she's the main member and Bessie can just sling her hook. She staked her claim to the territory by laying at the bottom of the stairs, thus denying Bessie entry, or across the door to the bathroom, with the same result. I would move her away so that Bessie could have some freedom of movement. Not that Bessie seemed particularly phased by any of this. Saturday night the humans didn't get much sleep, what with the hissing and growling going on by Ginger. At 4:00 yesterday morning I was Googling "The integration of a cat into a home with resident cats," which perhaps I should have done before she arrived! I learned two important things: (1) Cats [unlike dogs] are not pack animals; (2) Cats are highly territorial. I'd already realized that by then! The useful information I got was that the introduction should be made graaaaaaaaaadually; that the new cat should be segregated with its own food/water bowls and own litter box someplace else, and that it can take a while for integration to occur. Sunday morning (at a more respectable hour) A/N went to Stop & Shop and bought her a litter box. I then set that up, as well as food and water bowls, in the guest-room. Bessie immediately checked out the litter box, more or less disdained the food (her Friskies), and continued to eat from the other cats' own food bowls! The three of them more or less managed their existence during the day, with Bessie being quite blithe, even going almost nose-to-nose (in an absolutely friendly way) with Ginger, who growled but didn't lash out (nor has there been any lashing out). When we left for the Wolfs' lake house yesterday afternoon, we closed Bessie in the guest-room. We let her out immediately on our return and she bounded all around the house very happily. We decided we had to keep her alone for the night in order that we might get some sleep, but she wasn't very happy about that! She was crying, so A/N turned on a lamp for her! I reminded him that cats can see in the dark, but he felt it might comfort her. Around midnight, after hearing more of her crying, I got up and went in and cuddled her. She loved that! I also gave her a very little teddy-bear that we had received as a promotional gift somewhere, thinking she might want to cuddle up with it. She probably cried some more during the night, but I have to tell you that we were able to get 5 straight hours of sleep, so that was good. And Ginger slept on our bed as usual and was very happy about that. Not that she's been deprived at all of her usual cuddling. A/N opened the guestroom door at 5:15 this morning and Bessie raced around in her usual fashion. Ginger was on the bed and growled, but it didn't stop Miss Bessie from prancing in, walking all around our bedroom (prime gang turf, as far as Ginger is concerned), despite being hissed at by Cinnamon from under the bed (he's such a wuss!), following which she pranced back out, sorta giving Ginger the finger on the way! She even goes into the bathroom when Ginger is eating, and sits by the bath watching her. Despite being hissed at, she doesn't move. She's got guts! This morning I gave her the same food they eat, forget about the Friskies! I turned on the tap in our bathroom and she very delicately drank. When A/N cleaned out her little box this morning he said she had pooped, and that she got into the box while he was cleaning it out! This will take time, but we have great hopes that every day will be a little better. I already love her to pieces, and A/N thinks she's very sweet, too, so please don't think of trying to find another residence for her. You can't take her back now, because it will set everything back. She should stay with us until you return from China. Visiting hours are very flexible, and include meals (okay, yours too).
Love and hugs, Mummy/Janice
First of all, Bessie is: adorably, beautifully, completely DELICIOUS! And cute, to boot. Also, as Abba/Norman (hereinafter referred to as "A/N") said this morning, "She's a ballsy cat, probably has a tattoo!" She's a very East Village type of cat, definitely not of the suburban variety. She give new meaning to 'curious,' and loves tearing from one window to another (and we have many) to look out at what's going on. So, this is where we are. Saturday evening after you, Daniel, left, she checked everything out and more or less settled down. Not so, Ginger. Ginger has decided that it's a Hatfields/McCoys, Jets/Sharks, Crips/Bloods kinda thing. For the most part, Cinnamon is of the "I'm outa here, you girls work it out" frame of mind (although does hiss every now and then). Ginger says it's her club, she's the main member and Bessie can just sling her hook. She staked her claim to the territory by laying at the bottom of the stairs, thus denying Bessie entry, or across the door to the bathroom, with the same result. I would move her away so that Bessie could have some freedom of movement. Not that Bessie seemed particularly phased by any of this. Saturday night the humans didn't get much sleep, what with the hissing and growling going on by Ginger. At 4:00 yesterday morning I was Googling "The integration of a cat into a home with resident cats," which perhaps I should have done before she arrived! I learned two important things: (1) Cats [unlike dogs] are not pack animals; (2) Cats are highly territorial. I'd already realized that by then! The useful information I got was that the introduction should be made graaaaaaaaaadually; that the new cat should be segregated with its own food/water bowls and own litter box someplace else, and that it can take a while for integration to occur. Sunday morning (at a more respectable hour) A/N went to Stop & Shop and bought her a litter box. I then set that up, as well as food and water bowls, in the guest-room. Bessie immediately checked out the litter box, more or less disdained the food (her Friskies), and continued to eat from the other cats' own food bowls! The three of them more or less managed their existence during the day, with Bessie being quite blithe, even going almost nose-to-nose (in an absolutely friendly way) with Ginger, who growled but didn't lash out (nor has there been any lashing out). When we left for the Wolfs' lake house yesterday afternoon, we closed Bessie in the guest-room. We let her out immediately on our return and she bounded all around the house very happily. We decided we had to keep her alone for the night in order that we might get some sleep, but she wasn't very happy about that! She was crying, so A/N turned on a lamp for her! I reminded him that cats can see in the dark, but he felt it might comfort her. Around midnight, after hearing more of her crying, I got up and went in and cuddled her. She loved that! I also gave her a very little teddy-bear that we had received as a promotional gift somewhere, thinking she might want to cuddle up with it. She probably cried some more during the night, but I have to tell you that we were able to get 5 straight hours of sleep, so that was good. And Ginger slept on our bed as usual and was very happy about that. Not that she's been deprived at all of her usual cuddling. A/N opened the guestroom door at 5:15 this morning and Bessie raced around in her usual fashion. Ginger was on the bed and growled, but it didn't stop Miss Bessie from prancing in, walking all around our bedroom (prime gang turf, as far as Ginger is concerned), despite being hissed at by Cinnamon from under the bed (he's such a wuss!), following which she pranced back out, sorta giving Ginger the finger on the way! She even goes into the bathroom when Ginger is eating, and sits by the bath watching her. Despite being hissed at, she doesn't move. She's got guts! This morning I gave her the same food they eat, forget about the Friskies! I turned on the tap in our bathroom and she very delicately drank. When A/N cleaned out her little box this morning he said she had pooped, and that she got into the box while he was cleaning it out! This will take time, but we have great hopes that every day will be a little better. I already love her to pieces, and A/N thinks she's very sweet, too, so please don't think of trying to find another residence for her. You can't take her back now, because it will set everything back. She should stay with us until you return from China. Visiting hours are very flexible, and include meals (okay, yours too).
Love and hugs, Mummy/Janice
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