Time for a bit of Awww... :)

[darkmavis]

Originally Posted by nanner

Dorothy is obviously going to make her presence known!

Originally Posted by myfamiliars

Dot is determined to be friends, isn't she?

Well... I think it's more like the first statement. Dot is definitely becoming more assertive. I think she wants to be friends, but I think now she also wants Genever to know that she's not going to be a pushover. But I'd say they chase each other about equally, and each smacks the other in the head about equally too.. or they'll grab each other's heads and start licking, what's that all about? I am new to this, I've only ever read the stories on here about adding new cats and all that. It's so interesting!

But I want a real kitty pile!

 

[otto]

WOW! just...WOW! I love the succession of the pictures, in each one Dot is just that teeny tiny bit closer to Genever...and in the end there is...touching!

That IS a lovely cat pile and I am sure you can look forward to many more.

Congratulations to all of you!

 

[ldg]

Originally Posted by otto

WOW! just...WOW! I love the succession of the pictures, in each one Dot is just that teeny tiny bit closer to Genever...and in the end there is...touching!

That IS a lovely cat pile and I am sure you can look forward to many more.

Congratulations to all of you!

AND Genever looks less and less upset (or more and more resigned

) in each one.

I don't know how I missed this thread until now - but I'm totally with Otto - just WOW!

As to the licking... here it's either genuine affection (Billy and Chumley) - or it's Shelly or Spooky who wants the cat whose head they're licking to move, and they do it to be annoying.

 

[sandra]

On the Doggie side of the coin my mams little yorkie Mimi still doesnt let our pittie Coco
get in her "space" like Gcat is letting Dorothy get in hers.

 

[otto]

Originally Posted by DarkMavis

Well... I think it's more like the first statement. Dot is definitely becoming more assertive. I think she wants to be friends, but I think now she also wants Genever to know that she's not going to be a pushover. But I'd say they chase each other about equally, and each smacks the other in the head about equally too.. or they'll grab each other's heads and start licking, what's that all about? I am new to this, I've only ever read the stories on here about adding new cats and all that. It's so interesting!

But I want a real kitty pile!

Erica, my four cats are devoted to one another and yet they chase eachother and bat at eachother's heads all the time. It's just two happy cats interacting.

I'd like to see that...when they grab their heads and start licking. If it happens when one approaches a spot the other is sleeping in I'm inclined to agree with LDG, it's a sly way of stealing the spot.

On the other hand sometimes it just means I want to sleep here too, okay?

 

[darkmavis]

I've only seen the head grabbing and licking when they're both up, not when one is sleeping. They're both sitting or standing, one will go up the other (usually Genever goes up to Dorothy) and they'll grab each others heads, and lick. You think they're going to bite each other's throats, but they just lick, both of them. And then after a few seconds of that, a chase ensues.

I like to think it's all playing though. I don't hear any hisses or growls anymore, and it doesn't seem angry. Very early this morning I woke up to the sound of some yelling and tumbling in the bedroom, and they were wrestling by the foot of the bed. I guess that's ok too though. Just tiring for me though...

How would I know if it's a real fight and not a play fight? Meaning, if I would see/hear a certain thing, then it's time to break it up.. ???

 

[otto]

You'd know if it was serious. Injuries, sceaming, tufts of fur floating about, stand offs.

Of course Jennie swears like a sailor during play, but no one takes any notice of it any more.

Hissing and growling just comes naturally to some cats.

I am sure they are playing, not fighting. You've had a Dream Integration, that's all. It was meant to be.

 

[ldg]

Real fighting = ears flat back, tails EXTREMELY agitated, hair along the spine ridged. Especially if one flops on the back/side with legs out - this is a very aggressive/defensive position. It's normal in play fighting for a kitty to flop, and the other one to jump on them... but if the ears are flat back and the back is ridged - then it's gone beyond play.

But don't ever break something like that up with your hands - you can really get hurt. Best to make a really loud startling noise (coins in a can worked well for us. I read about someone here at TCS who was in the kitchen and just dropped a cast iron skillet on the floor... that kind of thing).

 

[darkmavis]

Oh, don't worry, I wouldn't put my hands in the middle of a cat fight. I kinda like my hands where they are, you know, attached to my arms, with the blood on the inside of my skin..

There was just some sort of quick confrontation now, only a second or 2, with a hiss and a strange howl or something. But they jumped apart before I could see what was happening. I figure it's a mix of playing and figuring out who's boss. I could totally see Dorothy coming out on top after some time, because Genever is just so laid back, at least with people. But who can tell?