Pets

The Three Cat Eaters: How Three Shelter Animals Came to Find Love and Each Other

Chessie was tense and scared from the first moment I saw her. My son’s girlfriend had decided that since she didn’t have the money to buy him a Christmas present, a kitten from the New York shelter would suffice.

At four months old, Chessie was a classic tabby cat who had reportedly been abused by her previous owner. The thief on her tail told a bit about abusing her; her absolute terror of her at the sight or sound of anyone and everyone said more. The slightest noise from her makes her run, especially the sound of male voices and heavy shoes and the rattling of newspapers and plastic bags.

Because my son had work and school to attend to, and a girlfriend, Chessie was left in my care. Slowly, over a period of time, she came to trust me and let me hold her and love her. However, other people continued to send her running, usually to hide inside my bed spring which she accessed through the now shattered outer shell.

Enter CB, a quiet, curious kitten: the Connecticut Humane Society told me she was about two years old, but I guessed closer to 18 months. CB, another tabby cat, was interested in everyone and everything. He liked to be hugged and hugged, and she rarely spoke, a meek squeak, if at all. The two cats got along well, halfway between mutual tolerance and mild acceptance. We asked her where she came from, how she got to the shelter. She was so loving and well behaved that we figured she must have come from a home where she was loved and where her family must have been forced by circumstances to give her up. Otherwise, we wonder, why was she placed in a shelter?

After my mother’s death, circumstances dictated that I move to Virginia, where my apartment would allow me to have only one cat. My sister and her shelter dog, Sasha, lived nearby and she agreed to adopt one of my cats. I chose to send him to CB because I thought Chessie would have a harder time making such a major change.

My sister had adopted two-year-old Sasha nine years earlier from the SPCA in Norfolk, Virginia. Sasha had a shocking history of abuse and neglect, and she suffered from sarcoptic mange on her head and both ears. She did not know how to play and was not house trained. Shortly after her adoption, this eight-pound toy poodle/miniature schnauzer mix developed a serious respiratory infection and was declared too weak to be spayed by the vet. The infection persisted and two vets kindly suggested that she be put to sleep.

Not to be discouraged, my sister was determined to save Sasha. With constant love and care, she carried Sasha in her arms, while she delivered reassuring messages to the dog that no one else wanted. My sister was determined to give Sasha a home and a life where she would have no worries or worries and she would never be afraid again.

Then came CB.

All Sasha knew about cats was that they were “outside” animals that needed to hear a bark from time to time to remind them whose garden this really was. She wondered how she would accept an “inside” cat intruding on her home space and how CB would respond to this furry black non-cat who quickly made his way into everyone’s hearts.

Arriving on an aircraft carrier, CB quickly decided there was no reason to stay. We had placed his carrier in a bedroom and within 15 minutes of arriving, CB made his way to the living room where he came face to face with Sasha. A quick bark and a kitten paw in the air and there was a deadlock. Clearly there was no winner; there was no loser. They each stood their ground and watched and considered the other until, in a matter of days, CB began to follow Sasha and lie very close, not touching, but very close. Within a matter of months, the two began sharing Sasha’s blue blanket and soon after began softly touching noses, kissing. They were best friends. CB now had a dog and Sasha had a cat.

Meanwhile, things in my life had become such that my sister encouraged me to move in with her, Sasha and CB, and I was to take Chessie along as well.

Now, he was really worried about it. CB and Sasha had established a good relationship with each other and he didn’t want to upset that. Chessie was still very scared of strange people, strange sounds, strange everything, I questioned if the move would be good for anyone.

When we got to my sister’s house, I put Chessie in her carrier in a bedroom like I had with CB and opened the carrier door. I sat and talked with her for a while and then went into the living room to be with my sister, Sasha and CB. I was hoping it would be days, maybe weeks, before, or even if, Chessie would venture to join us.

Within a couple of hours, we saw Chessie walking slowly, cautiously, carefully down the long hallway from the bedroom to the living room. Once there, he walked behind the furniture until he saw a tall display case that offered a safe vantage point to observe his new surroundings. There were a couple of potted leafy plants for cover. One quick jump and she was “safe.”

For months, with the exception of trips to the litter box and trips to a kitchen grill turned plant stand that she had decided was a safe place to eat, Chessie sat in the display case and watched closely, very closely. up close, every move, every action, every behavior exhibited by his two new friends, Sasha and CB. She watched intently, her head moving almost imperceptibly to follow them, her eyes widening or contracting, depending on the action. We could almost see her “thinking and considering” her options. When Chessie was lower to the ground, Sasha’s sudden movement or a glance in her direction often caused a hiss and a slap on her paw. Watch out! Chessie was intrigued, but wary, and yet she didn’t approach Sasha.

Sasha usually slept in my sister’s room at night, leaving her empty box in the living room. One night while watching television, I saw Chessie climb down from the display case and slowly walk over to the box. I saw her shiver as she moved towards the box, but she was determined to see and smell the box up close and kept going. To smell Sasha.

My sister is particularly good when she talks to our animals. She talks to them the same way you would talk to a young child, not like a baby, but in a soothing, reassuring and encouraging way. She repeats the same words over and over again, in the same tone, to call them to eat, for example. When we have a storm and the cats get scared, she speaks softly to them and soothes her fears. During those months that Chessie sat in the glass case, my sister often reassured Chessie that things were okay, that things were okay, that she was safe.

Now, nearly three years after Chessie joined her two sisters from the shelter, things are going well. Chessie and CB often play together, running down the hall, first one way, then the other. They sniff each other and Sasha, patiently waiting together for a feed. They take turns bird watching through the glass door, Chessie and CB or CB and Sasha.

I still catch Chessie looking at Sasha, still trying to figure out this funny-looking “cat.” Chessie and Sasha sniff each other, wanting and still trying to get to know each other. They may never be as close as CB and Sasha, but that they already care so much about each other is wonderful. And the amazing thing is that they did it all themselves. We allow them to progress to this point using their own strength, without pushing them beyond their abilities, or inhibiting their innate curiosity and sociability. They are extraordinary animals.

Not all cases of integration of new animals with old ones go as well or as smoothly as our experience. Our three animals each had their own stories and backgrounds, what some people call “baggage.” For whatever reason, and with our determination to allow them to come to common ground with their own strengths, our three girls were able to work out their differences and quickly became friends.

For those planning to adopt a new animal when they already have an animal, Rachel Demanchick, Supervisor of the Norfolk (Virginia) SPCA Adoption Center suggests the following:

If you bring a cat into a dog home, leave her alone in a room with food, fresh water, toys, and access to a litter box. Spend some time with the cat, initially and intermittently, talking to it and encouraging it. You will explore the space and go out to other areas at your own pace.

If you are bringing a dog into a situation where there are already established cats, take him on a leash. Cats can take longer to adjust to new animals in their environment, so let the introduction happen slowly. Speak to the animals in a calm, reassuring voice, using both their names. Praise both animals when they are near each other without conflict.

Animals sense your emotions and it is important that you act with authority and confidence. Don’t pour all your love and attention into the new animal. The older resident animal needs to know that he or she is not being replaced in his or her affections. Enroll your new puppy in puppy classes right away.

A cat’s first reaction to a new situation is likely to be to hiss and/or run. This is normal and is not a cause for alarm. If the cat hits the dog on the nose, don’t punish the cat. Sometimes one hit is all it takes to establish the ground rules. If the dog responds aggressively with barking or growling, distract him with a toy.

The cat must have a safe place that the dog cannot access. In Chessie’s case, she had the top of the cabinet. This may mean using a baby gate or small cat gate in one room. This allows the animal a safe space in which to cool off.

Make a “bed” out of a towel for the cat to sleep on. Once he has slept on it, remove it and replace it with another. Take out the “used” towel for the dog to sniff it and get used to the cat’s scent. Similarly, place a towel or other items in the dog’s usual sleeping area and then bring them to the cat’s area to allow the cat to become familiar with the dog’s scent without stress.

With a little planning, you can successfully collect pets from widely disparate environments. You’ll save an animal’s life and help, one animal at a time, end America’s homeless animal problem.

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