My Dulce (aka Sweetie) is 1 1/2 ys. old, spayed, mother of 3 (all adopted). She has been our happily assimilated companion for 8 mos. She was a pregnant stray who had been thrown out as an early adolescent, due to, I believe, in-heat behavior, and eventually was taken advantage-of by a male cat in the neighborhood. My wife rescued her. She had her kids, raised them, and happily saw them go! She has appeared, and behaved, purr-fectly happy ever since.
My wife came across another stray in the Hood. She had been homeless for quite awhile. We took her to the vet, as we did, Dulce, and she was spayed. Her name is Esperanza (aka Hopie). She is extremely shy. She was exhibiting a phobic reaction to Dulce. We gradually introduced them. We now allow them together unsupervised (after 1 1/2 + weeks) during the day. When we first allowed them to spen time free together, they were free to rome the house. We found that Esperanza isolated herself. So we made her be with Dulce and us in the living room. We called this "Noches de la Familia" (family nights). I call this gradual exposure with support.
She adapted, hesitant at first. They manage every day; however, I would like them to relate somehow, rather than only co-exist in the same home. They do have little spats occasionally, but they resolve them by staying apart.
Can someone suggest an activity, a ritual, we could do as a family, like a game or something, which would engage both of them and cause them to cooperate and interact in a pro-social way? Like a homework assignment a family therapist would assign a dysfunctional family, or a group psychosocial intervention, or socializing event? Help. I want them to be sisters (non-mutually chosen friends who are part of a healthy family environment). Si ud. necesita traducción, yo podrÃ:censor:a. Gracias.
Thanx,
Miguelángel
My wife came across another stray in the Hood. She had been homeless for quite awhile. We took her to the vet, as we did, Dulce, and she was spayed. Her name is Esperanza (aka Hopie). She is extremely shy. She was exhibiting a phobic reaction to Dulce. We gradually introduced them. We now allow them together unsupervised (after 1 1/2 + weeks) during the day. When we first allowed them to spen time free together, they were free to rome the house. We found that Esperanza isolated herself. So we made her be with Dulce and us in the living room. We called this "Noches de la Familia" (family nights). I call this gradual exposure with support.
She adapted, hesitant at first. They manage every day; however, I would like them to relate somehow, rather than only co-exist in the same home. They do have little spats occasionally, but they resolve them by staying apart.
Can someone suggest an activity, a ritual, we could do as a family, like a game or something, which would engage both of them and cause them to cooperate and interact in a pro-social way? Like a homework assignment a family therapist would assign a dysfunctional family, or a group psychosocial intervention, or socializing event? Help. I want them to be sisters (non-mutually chosen friends who are part of a healthy family environment). Si ud. necesita traducción, yo podrÃ:censor:a. Gracias.
Thanx,
Miguelángel
