• 02-19-2009, 12:17 PM
    GMichael
    Different cats have different personalities, just like people. Some make friends faster than others.
    I think that it was good that you brought Neko home so soon after getting Brandy. Often, the older cat will not accept a new cat in the home and make it tough on them. But with Brandy being new as well, he is a little more accepting. You never know though. Brandy might have been just as accepting years from now. I bet that by the weekend, Neko will be following you around.
    Don't forget the pics.
  • 02-19-2009, 12:31 PM
    ForeverAutumn
    Both Brandy and Neko came from a house with over 80 cats and then lived in a shelter for several months. I suspect that they are used to cats coming and going.

    Regardless of that, we are making sure to give Brandy a lot of attention to reassure him that Neko's presence will not take away any of our time from him. When Neko got treats last night, so did Brandy. We're working very hard to make sure that there is no reason for either of them to be jealous.

    Brandy has one particular toy that he is very attached to and carries around the house in his mouth. It will be very interesting to see how he reacts when Neko wants to play with it. Although we did buy some new toys that we'll give them when Neko is out of hiding. We thought it would be a good idea to have some toys around that don't already have Brandy's scent on them.
  • 02-19-2009, 12:54 PM
    Groundbeef
    If cats were guinia pigs, FA's house is going to look like this pretty soon:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o31rT0QilvI
  • 02-19-2009, 01:01 PM
    ForeverAutumn
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Groundbeef
    If cats were guinia pigs, FA's house is going to look like this pretty soon:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o31rT0QilvI


    Awwww. Look at aww de liddle peeggies! Dere so cuuuuuuute!

    I can't imagine cleaning that pen. I know how much poop only two of them can create in a day! :eek:
  • 02-19-2009, 01:04 PM
    Rich-n-Texas
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn
    Awwww. Look at aww de liddle peeggies! Dere so cuuuuuuute!

    I can't imagine cleaning that pen. I know how much poop only two of them can create in a day! :eek:

    That's crude and un-lady-like. :nono:

    ;)
  • 02-19-2009, 01:05 PM
    Groundbeef
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn
    Awwww. Look at aww de liddle peeggies! Dere so cuuuuuuute!

    I can't imagine cleaning that pen. I know how much poop only two of them can create in a day! :eek:

    I think its at a petting zoo. But I wouldn't want to clean it up either.

    Ours have a pretty good size pen, it's 3'x3'. Thats plenty of room for both of them. We also have about 2" of pine shavings in there.
  • 02-19-2009, 01:09 PM
    Rich-n-Texas
    New dentures beefy?
  • 02-20-2009, 08:52 AM
    GMichael
    What? No kitty stories or pics today?
  • 02-20-2009, 10:04 AM
    ForeverAutumn
    LOL. No pics yet, but soon.

    Neko is getting much braver. He's ventured out on his own a few times, but doesn't stray too far from the bedroom. We saw him coming down the stairs last night, but he changed his mind about 3/4 of the way down and ran back under the bed.

    I was trying to lure him out with treats last night and was having moderate success. Then Brandy walked into the room and Neko came running out to greet him and was all over him and then me...ice broken. :) Brandy wasn't very happy about me petting Neko and started to swat and hiss at him. But then last night they slept beside each other on the bed.

    This morning Neko was roaming around while we were getting ready for work. Brandy was happy to let him roam, but anytime he went to make contact with Brandy, he got a good swat. Brandy went downstairs and Neko went back under the bed. It's almost like Brandy is Neko's safety net.

    Hubby said that he understands Brandy's actions...that Neko can be annoying. Early this morning Brandy woke Hubby up and wanted some attention. As Hubby was petting him, Neko came up and started jumping all over both of them. Hubby said that even he found it annoying. Brandy got pissed off and jumped off the bed to get away.

    It's obvious that Neko loves Brandy, but I think that the jury is still out as to how Brandy feels about Neko. But it still hasn't even been a week. I'm sure that he'll adjust with a bit more time...at least I sure hope so!
  • 02-20-2009, 10:38 AM
    ForeverAutumn
    Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that when Hubby and I got home late last night, someone...I'm not mentioning any names...had been up on our dining room table and tore a few pieces out of our centrepiece and knocked over a candlestick.

    Now we can't prove who did it, but in the seven weeks that we've had Brandy, nothing like that has ever happened.

    Hmmm....
  • 02-20-2009, 10:51 AM
    GMichael
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn
    Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that when Hubby and I got home late last night, someone...I'm not mentioning any names...had been up on our dining room table and tore a few pieces out of our centrepiece and knocked over a candlestick.

    Now we can't prove who did it, but in the seven weeks that we've had Brandy, nothing like that has ever happened.

    Hmmm....

    We had trouble with our current pair with that when they were younger. We tried everything, even the water pistol trick. Nothing worked. Every day when I got home from work, there were cat hairs on the table. Then one day, I cracked. I took out a few sheets of paper and put them on the table. I wrote on each of them with a magic marker. NO CATS ALLOWED. GET DOWN! THIS MEANS YOU. I know, totally ridiculous. I cracked under the pressure. But that night when I got home I found, one sheet had been moved, but no hair. From that day on, neither of them jumped up there again. Can only assume that they either slipped on the paper or didn't like the sound it made. Job finished though.

    It's normal for the new (younger) cat to idolize the older cat, while the older cat is annoyed by the younger intruder. Don't know of anyway to fix that other than what you've already been doing. Keep giving Brandy lots of attention. Especially when Neko is mugging for it.

    I expect pics by Monday.
  • 02-20-2009, 11:01 AM
    ForeverAutumn
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GMichael
    We had trouble with our current pair with that when they were younger. We tried everything, even the water pistol trick. Nothing worked. Every day when I got home from work, there were cat hairs on the table. Then one day, I cracked. I took out a few sheets of paper and put them on the table. I wrote on each of them with a magic marker. NO CATS ALLOWED. GET DOWN! THIS MEANS YOU. I know, totally ridiculous. I cracked under the pressure. But that night when I got home I found, one sheet had been moved, but no hair. From that day on, neither of them jumped up there again. Can only assume that they either slipped on the paper or didn't like the sound it made. Job finished though.

    Or, while you were at work everyday the cats were learning how to read. :)
  • 02-20-2009, 11:05 AM
    GMichael
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn
    Or, while you were at work everyday the cats were learning how to read. :)

    And how not to shed?:nonod:
  • 02-20-2009, 12:08 PM
    JSE
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by GMichael
    We had trouble with our current pair with that when they were younger. We tried everything, even the water pistol trick. Nothing worked. Every day when I got home from work, there were cat hairs on the table. Then one day, I cracked. I took out a few sheets of paper and put them on the table. I wrote on each of them with a magic marker. NO CATS ALLOWED. GET DOWN! THIS MEANS YOU. I know, totally ridiculous. I cracked under the pressure. But that night when I got home I found, one sheet had been moved, but no hair. From that day on, neither of them jumped up there again. Can only assume that they either slipped on the paper or didn't like the sound it made. Job finished though.

    Or you can try a Scat Mat, http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2752972. A couple of zaps and Neko won't get on the table ever again.

    We had to use a Scat Mat on my 97lb dog. Nothing was safe on any counter top. She chewed several remotes, cordless phones, a couple of my wife's Coach bags, scissors, food, shoes, tennis racquet, etc, etc,. A couple full power zaps did the trick.

    I tried it on myself before I tried it on the dog. It was not painful but it was not comfortable by any means. I can't touch the counter tops either now? :confused5:

    JSE
  • 02-20-2009, 12:15 PM
    Groundbeef
    That scatmat is nasty. We had one for a while, because the cats were scratching at the door constantly. It can deliver a non-lethal jolt, but WOW don't step on in it barefoot!

    Here is FA walking her piggies.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xuD3...ture=rec-HM-rn
  • 02-20-2009, 02:32 PM
    kexodusc
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn
    I was trying to lure him out with treats last night and was having moderate success. Then Brandy walked into the room and Neko came running out to greet him and was all over him and then me...ice broken. :) Brandy wasn't very happy about me petting Neko and started to swat and hiss at him. But then last night they slept beside each other on the bed.

    This morning Neko was roaming around while we were getting ready for work. Brandy was happy to let him roam, but anytime he went to make contact with Brandy, he got a good swat. Brandy went downstairs and Neko went back under the bed. It's almost like Brandy is Neko's safety net.

    Hubby said that he understands Brandy's actions...that Neko can be annoying. Early this morning Brandy woke Hubby up and wanted some attention. As Hubby was petting him, Neko came up and started jumping all over both of them. Hubby said that even he found it annoying. Brandy got pissed off and jumped off the bed to get away.

    It's obvious that Neko loves Brandy, but I think that the jury is still out as to how Brandy feels about Neko. But it still hasn't even been a week. I'm sure that he'll adjust with a bit more time...at least I sure hope so!

    You might as well be describing how our old cat Nacho (male) reacts with Maple (younger female). Exactly. But funny thing, if we sneak up on them, he'll be licking her head and cuddling up with her until we walk in the room, then he leaves, sometimes whacks her first, as if to say "I don't like you". Cats are weird.
  • 02-20-2009, 03:57 PM
    Sugar Beats
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kexodusc
    You might as well be describing how our old cat Nacho (male) reacts with Maple (younger female). Exactly. But funny thing, if we sneak up on them, he'll be licking her head and cuddling up with her until we walk in the room, then he leaves, sometimes whacks her first, as if to say "I don't like you". Cats are weird.


    Funny Kex, as I read your comment, I thought I know some people that act like that too!
  • 02-20-2009, 08:15 PM
    ForeverAutumn
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kexodusc
    You might as well be describing how our old cat Nacho (male) reacts with Maple (younger female). Exactly. But funny thing, if we sneak up on them, he'll be licking her head and cuddling up with her until we walk in the room, then he leaves, sometimes whacks her first, as if to say "I don't like you". Cats are weird.

    Yep. I've caught Brandy licking Neko's head too. I tried to get Neko to come out again tonight and once again he wanted nothing to do with me until Brandy showed up. And then Neko was all over me and Brandy walked off all in a huff. Two minutes later, Brandy came running up the stairs with his favourite toy in his mouth. A sure sign to me that I was to leave Neko and come play immediately!
  • 02-20-2009, 08:16 PM
    ForeverAutumn
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Groundbeef

    If I put my piggies on the ground like that, they'd freeze in fear and never move an inch.
  • 02-22-2009, 07:45 PM
    ForeverAutumn
    1 Attachment(s)
    Finally! Pictures.
    Neko is finally starting to come out from under the bed. He won't venture downstairs when we're home yet. But somehow all of Brandy's toy mice are finding their way under the bed and I doubt that they're walking there on their own. We had a nice mousey play session this afternoon and I managed to get a few pictures. But he doesn't like to stay still for very long so most of them are blurry action shots. LOL. Here are a few of the better ones.

    I like to call this one, The Walk Of Shame...
  • 02-22-2009, 07:46 PM
    ForeverAutumn
    1 Attachment(s)
    Cat On The Move
  • 02-22-2009, 07:48 PM
    ForeverAutumn
    1 Attachment(s)
    Time for my Close-up
  • 02-23-2009, 05:07 AM
    kexodusc
    He's a scrappy lookin' little guy. Is he all black or is there some brown and other colors too?
  • 02-23-2009, 10:37 AM
    ForeverAutumn
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kexodusc
    He's a scrappy lookin' little guy. Is he all black or is there some brown and other colors too?

    He's a little scrappy looking sometimes. He's probably the runt of the litter, is my guess. He's all black with just a splash of white on his belly and the underside of his tail. You can see that he'll be a nice looking cat when he fills out a bit and loses the kitten look.

    He was walking around upstairs like he owned the place this morning so he's slowly coming along. We call him the Upstairs Cat now, because he still won't come downstairs while we're home.

    I think that he has an eye infection and we're taking him to the vet tonight, so we're going to lose some trust points for a few days.
  • 02-23-2009, 10:56 AM
    Rich-n-Texas
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ForeverAutumn
    He's a little scrappy looking sometimes. He's probably the runt of the litter, is my guess. He's all black with just a splash of white on his belly and the underside of his tail. You can see that he'll be a nice looking cat when he fills out a bit and loses the kitten look...

    Is he on a special diet FA? I'm curious as to what is recommended in cases like this, where your new companion is the result of a rescue.