I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Kam,  hoping the baby's transition goes smoothly! Sounds like you're doing everything possible to insure that. My DH is getting very antsy to get a new pup. I've decided not to go to Chicago, so right after returning from Turkey in July we'll start looking. Don't think it will take long. A friend asked what kind of dog I want. I said cute and little! 

Jackie, we've got snow here again too. Very overcast and depressing. Fortunately I am staying home all day sewing. So sick of this weather. 

Kam -- Hoping all goes well with your little Prince!  For what it's worth, we've gone through many "new cat introductions" and have never had any difficulties.  A bit of hissing and keeping one's distance for the first 24 hours, moving gradually into co-existence, and then finally, cuddling and sleeping together!  Since Emma was accustomed to sharing her house and her mistress with Miss Bo, perhaps she will actually welcome the little Prince.  Keeping fingers crossed!

As for Dr. Martin's testimony, no doubt Senator Burr and his cronies will declare that she was lying -- because that's what THEY do so easily -- but congrats to Senator Sanders for endeavouring to get the truth about single-payer out there.  

I wonder how many millions of anti-anxiety drugs are prescribed each year to patients whose fears of bankruptcy due to outrageous and unavoidable healthcare costs threaten to overwhelm them.  That is something we Canadians just simply can't begin to imagine.

Kam--It is11:15,your time,my time,so I figure you must be at the airport now anxiously awaiting your new baby!!  He will be so happy to have an end to his journey today,just being so frightened by his flight. Much joy to you and your new family.

RL--Thank You for typing that all up!  As I was reading this, I wondered how much it would cost $$$$$$$$$$people to put people back to work at manufactoring jobs at a DECENT wage and take them off the (dole)?  Would not they recoup their money in a decent amount of time?  Why doesnt the education system put back some vocational classes in the classroom?

WHY does it seem that these supposed brilliant people are SO STUPID!!!?

I started work at 14 $1.00 in 60 and at age 46 was at a job I thought was great and I was making a whole $7.00 an hour(NOT the same jobs).  My DH was making $22.00 plus benefits(insurance). If I had been better at handling our money and not squandering it all the time we would be well off.  But I wasnt and we arent!!!  However we have been LUCKY IN LOVE and our medical.   BTB, it wasnt squandered on gambling,alcohol or drugs, just squandered.

Thanks for listening to my babbling on like crazy.  

Wishing CHICKADEE a quick recovery.  

HUGS,PRAYERS,LOVE and ALL KINDS OF SORTS to ALL OF YOU

             kad2kar

Just a refreshing piece to see.....

Hi guys

I am trying this on my phone!  I am so proud of myself.  

Hugs

Bren

phew- all home.  he's such a cutie!  Brave boy and a big purr machine. Not sure how to divide my time between Emma and Quinn!  She was meowing vociferously from the other side of the door, but now quiet.  She is such a sensitive cat, but how much can I leave him alone??? Help!  I knew this would be the hard part.  Emma's quiet now.  He jumps between cuddly (walking around my neck)  and his wet food. I think he's ready for a nap now, but Emma back to crying.  He is oblivious to her.

Advice!!

Kam, can you pick him up and just carry him near Emma? See how she reacts and go from there? 

I'd be more likely to keep them separated ( the last thing most of us really want to do ) for a bit yet.  I've had to introduce so many cats to each other....I don't fret much.  The thing that worked best for me was to keep the new ones in a wire dog kennel in the same area as the others.....with litter box ( the crated ones were so small it didn't matter much ) and bedding....water bowl and food......and usually for at least a week. 

There was lots of ability to check out one another without much for actual physical contact.  No matter what....there is a small period where the " I was here first dance has to be played out " but it was never that bad.  As this one has the appearance of being fairly young....I would not look for much trouble.  It should work out well.

Jackie

May God grant you always...
A sunbeam to warm you,
a moonbeam to charm
you,
a sheltering Angel so nothing can harm you.
Laughter to
you.
Faithful friends near you.
And whenever you pray,
Heaven to hear
you.
- Irish Blessing

Jackie -- Just wondering.....have you had experience with resident cat attacking new arrival?  We've been through it several times, and have never experienced that.  The resident cat hisses a couple of times and sniffs, and the new kitten fluffs up his tail and tries to look fierce.  We've never kept the cats separate from each other, and none have been the worse for it.  In fact, it's been quite fascinating watching them suss each other out!  Domesticated indoor cats aren't in the habit of attacking one another except in play-- at least not in my experience.

Not Irish, but wishing all who are a happy St. Paddy's Day!

When we rescued Peaches and her kittens, we still had our old cat, Puff.  Puff was about 15 and Peaches was about 2.  She had 4 kittens who we also brought home.  Peaches had been living in a woodshed outside a house we rented in the country in SW Virginia.  She was clearly domesticated - although she was so thin she was practically transparent (we could count her ribs), she wanted pets more than she wanted food.  The kittens' eyes weren't open yet.  We brought Peaches and the kids home, and once we established Peaches had no fleas and was FIP and FIV negative, we tried to let them mingle.  Puffy didn't want to have anything to do with Peaches or the kittens.  Peaches tried to be submissive, but Puffy was too terrified.  Peaches then tried to establish her dominance by attacking Puffy.  It was a disaster.  We finally divided the house - Peaches and the kids lived in the basement and Puffy lived upstairs.  We found homes for three of the kittens at 12 weeks, and we kept Peaches and her  boy Forrest.  Puffy simply could not adjust, so we kept the upstairs cat/downstairs cats arrangement until Puffy died a year later of renal failure (we had to have her put to sleep).  We believe she stayed alive much longer than she would have ordinarily because she felt she had to guard us from the Monsters in the Basement.  She would check under the basement door and hiss and slap Forrest's paws when he put them out - he thought it was a game. As she got older, she would look under the bookcases and the TV stand, too, because she thought that the Monsters were Under Things.  We would have preferred to have them all together, but Peaches and Puffy could simply not work it out.  It wasn't anyone's fault - Puffy was too sheltered and Peaches was just doing what came naturally.  

But ours was a highly unusual situation.

GG -- When have you ever heard a man described as "bossy"?  Oh no, he's merely "assertive".   Bossy is an insult, while assertive is a compliment.  "Nuff said!

Love the various stories about introductions whilst I'm in the midst of one.  It takes incredible patience to follow "the rules" and I find myself accelerating some of them.  I've let both cats explore each other's territories.  That seems to have gone well, though I'm not sure what "not going well" would look like.  I've let them meet through a crack in the door and one ill-fated nose to nose as I held Quinn (Emma had no idea what I was holding when I put them nose to nose until they touched - Emma was fearful).   Emma hisses at the door, but overall Emma seems to mostly  not care when the kitten is closed off in his room.  She just carries on with life, though after the last peak through the door, she voluntarily went back to the door to investigate on her own, but suprisingly, she's just mostly oblivious, even when the kitten is crying after I leave the room.   I am surprised at that...I thought she would be very concerned and curious based on how she reacts to cats outside the window.  Curious is not in her vocabulary on  this one.

RL - I hope she's not like Puff!!  Emma is a submissive cat and Quinn seems very balanced.  He is brave, but uses caution in new situations.  After Emma hissed, he stopped being noisey.  He's such a lover!!  He likes to curl up under my chin or on my shoulder and I think he thinks my nose is a nipple.  He's much smaller than I thought he would be, barely 3 lbs at 16 weeks.  He looks more like a Devon should than I thought he would.  He's playful.  I can see the fetching potential, but he hasn't quite gotten the idea of bringing the item back.

My only concerns....I've never had a male cat before and I think he slightly smells like a wild animal!  Like a cougar might smell.  Is this a male thing?  His litter box habits are novel.  Lots of chirps and movement.  At first he wanted to eat the litter, so I must check if this new brand is clumping or not.

I'm exhausted. I went from this room (he's in my lap now) to my bedroom, and back and forth, several times, sort of sleeping in a chair.  I barely eat, as I'm constantly dealing with kitties.

He has the nice Devon qualities...high cheekbones, wedge face, appropriately placed ears, shortened muzzle and wavy fur.  I feel bad leaving him alone in the room as Devons are more clannish - needing a human or another Devon/cat with them.  The breeder said he followed them from room to room - man does he get underfoot!!

We had 2 males over the years, Stinkystinky. Quinn has been neutered?  Maybe if you just left Emma and Quinn on their own Emma would "mother" him?   (Emma is one of GDs)

My vote is definitely for slower intro's.  The other thing here is that I have lots of rescues.....so the fisticuffs could be hot and heavy if I'm too anxious.  I'm quicker than most, but as you have only two Kam.....I think doing a day time crate and overnight in the crate while smells can go on for hours but no hand to hand combat ( not that it would necessarily be bad ) so to speak. 

I don't think Quinn should be smelling wild --- he is pretty much still a baby.  But after a few years of adult spayed/neutered friends, it may seem so.  As most of my rescues are not of such definite breeds, perhaps some have a definite smell to then but if so I'm not aware of it. 

I did have two Bengals ( glorious looking and very high bred ) and while they were fine as far as litter box......they resented my group of hoi-polloi here and I had major work to remove all their "markings" on the wall.  And....they were fixed, but it did not matter.  Just saying don't drag your feet when it comes time for the neutering. 

In a couple of weeks these few days will fade quickly from your memory as life gets into something you will all enjoy.  Keep the faith.

Jackie