Posted by Amy |
- Pictures of Lily and Tiger............msg/pic
Posted by Amy
on 7/25/2009, 12:36 am, in reply to "Hi some of you might remember me........msg"The first is Lily on the chair and the second is Tiger on a Barbie blanket (my kids were nervous about teeny claws LOL)
- What? No Barbie tiara! LOL. (msg)
Posted by Judith
on 7/25/2009, 3:00 pm, in reply to "Pictures of Lily and Tiger............msg/pic"They are both beauties. Lily is a dilute calico. I read your post below mine with a little more information about Lily. I have a few former ferals and I find them to be somewhat skittish. I have one who is very smart, comes when called, eats out of my hand but has this issue about letting me pet him when I'm standing up. If I'm sitting down, he'll come over and let me pet him and purrs and purrs. But if I'm standing, he gets frightened and runs. Go figure.
My point is that former ferals can be skittish and nervous. Their early "training" by a feral mother seems to stay with them with regard to certain behaviors.
I have one feral who I brought inside as an older kitten. Four years later, she still won't come near me although she comes closer than she used to. And this is a kitten I used to carry around with me in one of those chest sling/pouches and pet. - What a beautiful girl Lily is!...msg
Posted by Auntie Debbie
on 7/25/2009, 9:14 am, in reply to "Pictures of Lily and Tiger............msg/pic"And Tiger is such a cutie-pie! I'm glad they are making some progress... remember, patience is the key here and lots of tlc for both!
"Those you shelter on earth will be your treasures in Heaven." Victor Hugo, I think - That's a lot of news! Congrats on the kitten. And...(msg)
Posted by Judith
on 7/23/2009, 6:21 pm, in reply to "Hi some of you might remember me........msg"so sorry about Mower. It's very hard to lose them and I can tell how much you loved him.
Lily sounds more nervous than feral to me. I've had a lot of kittens in my house and never once did I have a situation where an older cat didn't accept the kitten. They would be curious. A bit stand offish. Come closer. Sniff. Maybe even bat a bit (What is this little thing? It moves!) Sometimes, an older cat would mother the kitten, disciplining and grooming. But I've never a situation where an older cat harmed or was aggressive to a kitten.
There are a few things you can do and they center on happy activities they share so they learn to associate good things with each other. Feeding them together is a good idea. Playing with them together is also a good idea, like throwing little mousies or with a feather wand. You can put a bit of vanilla or tuna juice on both so they smell alike and might well groom each other.
Lily and Tiger may not be best buds but, if they are, they will find their way to it in their own time. You may be forcing the situation a bit by trying to integrate Lily into Tiger's kittenhood. Of all my cats, only a few have real bonds to each other. The rest tolerate the other ones. And, in my experience, the older a cat is, the less interested the adult cat is in a kitten.
Best of luck! - That's a relief!........msg
Posted by Amy
on 7/24/2009, 11:07 pm, in reply to "That's a lot of news! Congrats on the kitten. And...(msg) "I refer to Lily as "formerly feral" because she was a feral kitten. I never did catch momma and only saw her once after I had the kittens. Lily's two brothers were much easier to tame and make house kitties out of thanks to lots of help from the Acme cat people. Lily just never quite got that far.
I've had Lily in our house since she was approx. 4 months old and she seems to know that I won't really harm her, but she's very fearful and shy. I've had her since my daughter was almost 1 and my daughter will be 12 in two weeks.
Lily is a funny cat, she craves attention and having me touch her, and she talks to me a lot and always lets me know what she needs and she had started talking to my daughter too recently which was really surprising. My husband and I figure if she lives until she's 25, she'll be a regular lap cat by then.
Lily has never in her life been without another cat so I'm hoping that Tiger will bring her companionship. She loved to snuggle up to Mower but he was a real jerk to her sometimes, but they were often in a pile.
Thanks for your comments. I can't really get her into the same room as Tiger very easily, but when I went and stood in front of her and opened a can of cat food, she would not be denied! She came upstairs with me and I again pushed the envelope and gave both of them some food about 12" apart. She growled at him, especially after her pounced at her, he also got a hiss with that one. But I turned him away from her and she ate, growled, ate growled, ate growled etc. Then she went and sat a few feet away and cleaned up her paws, so I assume she's getting there.
I'll just keep feeding them together and hope they progress. He's getting harder to keep upstairs and if he goes to the gameroom, there are places I can't get to quickly (ie where Lily hides) and that is my main concern.....him getting to her and Lily feeling as if she has to defend herself and hurting him.
Thanks again.
Amy - My experience has been the same with older cats vs. kittens...msg
Posted by Auntie Debbie
on 7/24/2009, 7:03 am, in reply to "That's a lot of news! Congrats on the kitten. And...(msg) "Like Judith stated, older ones may at best swat a kitten, lightly, only to put it in its place. Even if an older cat dislikes the kitten, he will generally just ignore it. An occasional growl could be expected, but seldom will an older cat attack a kitten.
My one-eyed Gracie was an attack kitten, a real pita. My older cats put up with it all. an occasional light swat did occur from time to time but it was like watching a mother swat an annoying toddler, nothing to get worked up over, and Gracie couldn't have cared less.
Just provide them all with lots of toys, playtime and love like Judith suggested.
Good luck with your new addition and I'm so sorry over your loss of Mower.
And if you have any pics you'd like to post of your kitties, we'd love to see them!
"Those you shelter on earth will be your treasures in Heaven." Victor Hugo, I think - Thanks for your response......msg
Posted by Amy
on 7/24/2009, 11:58 pm, in reply to "My experience has been the same with older cats vs. kittens...msg"Tiger was so happy to see Lily today, he just had to pounce at her, she was not impressed.
Lily seems to be getting more interested in him, she came upstairs last night and I could hear her walking, if she's being stealth I don't hear her walking, just one step will sometimes creak, but she walked normally not tippie toed. Lily even came all the way up the second stairs to the bathroom, she normally is outside the door when I get out of the shower and there she was.
The kids bought Tiger some toys today and one was the circle thing with the ball in it that you bat around and it has a scratching center in the middle. Tiger wasn't too sure, but Lily looooooooooooooved rubbing all over it. Lily doesn't really play unless she's really comfortable........which is not until the kids are in bed and hubby is at work (he works at night).
We seem to have some progress using canned food and just bringing her upstairs to be on the same floor as Tiger.
Lily even started talking to me when I came out of the basement after putting a load of laundry in, she normally waits at the top of the steps and talks a lot when I come out, and voila, there she was. She must have realized she survived yesterday. It's all just baby steps with her, but my big fear is that Tiger will get to her and I won't be able to get them fast enough. Lily's choice hiding spot is under a train table that is blocked by a toy box and a chair.
Thanks again for your comments. - lt sounds like Lily is coming along. (msg)
Posted by Judith
on 7/25/2009, 3:04 pm, in reply to "Thanks for your response......msg"Cats don't like changes to their territory. They need to know their places and spaces are theirs. When you bring in a new cat (sometimes, it's when you bring in a new chair or table), cats have to adjust to the new being or object. They rearrange their territory.
Mower and Lily had it figured out, but Tiger hasn't a clue.
The growling at the food bowl you mentioned in the other post sounds to me like Lily was just letting the little interloper know the food in that bowl was hers.
