Cats

So, now we have just one cat …

It simply was not practical to keep both cats in separate rooms, and whenever we tried to put them together, they’d growl and, if allowed, fight. The more timid “Freddie” spent a lot of time hiding behind cupboards, under beds, inside sofas, whatever.
Yesterday we visited the Gloucester animal shelter where the cats came from, to see what advice they could offer – which basically was no more than an un-helpful “keep them separated”!
We also learned that, far from being long related brother and sister, they are actually both female, and discovered together dumped does not mean they knew each other for long … So it seems we were misled about their relationship 😦

So, after much discussion and sad decision between Margaret and I, we chose to return “Freida” to the home – she’s the stronger willed cat and hopefully better able to cope with being returned and then sent to another new home. We emphasised that they need to find her a home with no other cat (and probably no children, since she is very jealous).

Meanwhile, we had to re-name our “sex changed” cat … for now she is “Cali” (due to her Calico coat)

The new cats, Frida & Freddie, have been play-fighting more often as they settle in … but suddenly these last couple of days, Frida has turned extremely aggressive and driven Freddie back permanently under the sofa or behind the cupboard! Our only “solution” so far is to lock Frida in one room with her own food and litter tray, but that’s not practical, longer term …

Web suggestions include the traditional “squirt them with water”, as well as “rub them with the same towel” (which apparently makes them smell the same) and “take them to the Vet” (in case one is sick!) … personally, I’m ready to have less than two cats – although I must admit that individually, both Frida and Freddie are quite nice & friendly:

Frida:

Freddie (who eventually became Chloe!):

Today, Margaret tells me the cats came upstairs with her, and stayed up most of the day! They spent time hiding inside the sofa, and when I got home Frida growled and hissed at me (!) but they are still up, reasonably settled and enjoying themselves. Frida is still jealous of anything that happens to Freddie, and has a friendly “purr-chirp” that she uses to talk to both Freddie and us …