akirlu | More Cat-Comingulation (Reply)

So, the new cats are installed down in the laundry room. Kitty (who will soon get a new name, possibly "Lefty"), the tiny gray tabby, is, as advertised, the loviest bundle of feline affection ever. She's also adjusting pretty quickly to the new environment, and has had a bit of food and explored the downstairs and spent a lot of time sitting in my lap in Hal's study getting patted and petted on. Neither Tinka nor Kitty seem much bothered by the existence or proximity of the other, even when I brought Kitty upstairs for a while, so the actual cat-mingling may not be that much of a hassle. Kitty is not, however, loving on the dog at all. She growls and climbs up me as far as she can get in Sarah's presence. She's lived with a pair of hyperactive Italian greyhounds, so I expect she will settle into it, but it's striking me as ironic that the big hurdle in all this may be adjusting to the new dog, rather than another cat. Go figure.

Tickles (who is also due post haste for a new name, possibly "Tibbles") the tortie is still at the stage of hiding under furniture and refusing to come out, so it's hard to gauge which aspect of the adjustment is going to be hardest for her. It is, after all, close to a worst case scenario for an outdoor cat: new people, new house, new dog, new furniture, and she's being kept inside in the midst of all this unfamiliarity. But she's been left in peace with tuna and water and a litterbox accessible, and we did bring along the cats' beloved scratching post and a familiar-smelling sweatshirt, and I reckon the rest is mostly a matter of time. I should probably pick up some Rescue Remedy at lunch tho, if I can.