I just wanna say... A random comments thread

[Vito]

Awwww, look at those handsome boys. Makes me teary eyed to see them peacefully coexist.

You and me both Deborah, would never have thought it possible at times, just shows what patience, hard work and mainly understanding them has resulted in.
They really are like the terrible twins (in a great way of course) Franco seems to be in total Awe of Vito, following him everywhere, constantly gazing at him whilst Vito sleeps. We are now finally A Happy House and getting used to the 5am games of tag.

 

[Sean]

Mokkun and Tetsu were like that. I really have not dealt with litter mates and can't say if that is the rule or and exception.
But it was funny to see both boys had red ears most of the time. I can tell you they had very clean ears.
The hard days were the first time Mokkun got sick (bladder stones) and spent a week in ICU. Tetsu was looking around.
They later when Tetsu was in the final stages of what he had he spent the night getting some care. When he came home
Mokkun went right to him. The hard days were the weeks after he passed away. Mokkun would call and hunt for him. I would
take Mokkun out into the garage and let him look for his brother. The really strange thing was when I picked up the ashes and
brought them back hime. I sat down on the floor and told Mokkun that was Tetsu. He quited down after that and no longer
seemed like he was searching for him.

 

[Vito]

Mokkun and Tetsu were like that. I really have not dealt with litter mates and can't say if that is the rule or and exception.
But it was funny to see both boys had red ears most of the time. I can tell you they had very clean ears.
The hard days were the first time Mokkun got sick (bladder stones) and spent a week in ICU. Tetsu was looking around.
They later when Tetsu was in the final stages of what he had he spent the night getting some care. When he came home
Mokkun went right to him. The hard days were the weeks after he passed away. Mokkun would call and hunt for him. I would
take Mokkun out into the garage and let him look for his brother. The really strange thing was when I picked up the ashes and
brought them back hime. I sat down on the floor and told Mokkun that was Tetsu. He quited down after that and no longer
seemed like he was searching for him.
View attachment 28272

View attachment 28273

Animals are very intelligent aren't they, though it's heartbreaking to watch when they search for the one that's gone, have gone through it myself in the past. If anything it makes you cherish the ones we still have even more. Nice photos sean

 

[Moggieslegacy]

I am sad for everyone who has lost a beloved kitty... They are amazingly intelligent, which just makes it even harder...

And I am so glad seeing Vito and Franco enjoying each other!

I have had to get up at 3am the past couple nights to break up what was turning into a dangerous situation between HB and WC, (WC madly chasing HB around the many shelves and walkways at the top of my walls, with a big puffy happy tail, while HB desperately tried to get away from him, hissing, scrambling, and slipping, and almost fell a couple times) HB used to love WC, but now he mostly seems to avoid him and I am feeling really sad at how mismatched they are, though maybe some of this is normal? I don't think it is aggression or one wanting to be dominate. HB tends to be paranoid, and WC is a very rowdy rambunctious guy, and when he gets it into his head something might be a fun game, whether it is chasing HB, or leaping onto me at a really bad time, he has a really hard time taking NO for an answer. He just gets totally single minded, and won't stop trying, no matter what, which can totally panic HB. I have been doing my best to tire WC out at least a couple times a day, and make sure HB always has a safe escape route. Also been trying to teach WC about listening to cues via clicker training, and boundaries, and NO mean NO. And I have been giving HB time alone in the yard while I give WC one on one time and wand games in the house... It all helps. But when WC is in a crazy mood and can't be distracted with a wand toy, I have been having to lock him into a room alone, to chill out. I think he just really wants to play with HB. I am considering trying zylkene or maybe a CBD product to see if this might help HB get his confidence back. If HB wouldn't panic and run, and instead was willing to play, I don't think WC would chase...? and maybe they could become friends again.. ? I really love them both, but I am beginning to wonder if a life together is really what is going to be best for them .. but it isn't that bad. No injuries or bloodshed... So hopefully we will find a way. (Edited to add...Using google to look up cat anxiety, I am going to try Feliway Friends. It sounds like this has been a problem solver for a lot of people!)

 

[Sean]

I have a wand toy that did not start life out as a toy.
I use a horse lunging whip. It's the one that all the cats have loved all the way back to Mokkun and Tetsu.
Bella will grab it and bent it like a fishing pole with a big fish on it. The real shocker is Xander and how much
he can bend the thing.

I once made a toy out of one of the mice toys. I added a long line to it and would toss it into the other room and slowly
pull the thing back. Gets a little wild when you have three cats going at what they think is a critter in the house.

Then there is when the critter does get in. For some reason I thought you could see the cats in this one.
The bas never get near the cats and I was able to catch it in a paper bag with gloves on. It went back outside.

 

[Moggieslegacy]

Geepers Sean you are brave! I had a bat get in with just 1 cat, and it took everything I had just to catch the cat! The local wildlife center came and rescued the bat! ( While I cowered with HB outside)

Also appreciate the toy suggestions! Keeping things fresh for them is always a challenge!

 

[Sean]

Before I got the phone setup to record it was a total free-for-all.
The only way I can think of that the bat got in was down the fireplace.
But then it had to get through the glass doors that I thought were closed tight.

 

[Vito]

WERE ALL EARS!!!!!

 

[Vito]

I am sad for everyone who has lost a beloved kitty... They are amazingly intelligent, which just makes it even harder...

And I am so glad seeing Vito and Franco enjoying each other!

I have had to get up at 3am the past couple nights to break up what was turning into a dangerous situation between HB and WC, (WC madly chasing HB around the many shelves and walkways at the top of my walls, with a big puffy happy tail, while HB desperately tried to get away from him, hissing, scrambling, and slipping, and almost fell a couple times) HB used to love WC, but now he mostly seems to avoid him and I am feeling really sad at how mismatched they are, though maybe some of this is normal? I don't think it is aggression or one wanting to be dominate. HB tends to be paranoid, and WC is a very rowdy rambunctious guy, and when he gets it into his head something might be a fun game, whether it is chasing HB, or leaping onto me at a really bad time, he has a really hard time taking NO for an answer. He just gets totally single minded, and won't stop trying, no matter what, which can totally panic HB. I have been doing my best to tire WC out at least a couple times a day, and make sure HB always has a safe escape route. Also been trying to teach WC about listening to cues via clicker training, and boundaries, and NO mean NO. And I have been giving HB time alone in the yard while I give WC one on one time and wand games in the house... It all helps. But when WC is in a crazy mood and can't be distracted with a wand toy, I have been having to lock him into a room alone, to chill out. I think he just really wants to play with HB. I am considering trying zylkene or maybe a CBD product to see if this might help HB get his confidence back. If HB wouldn't panic and run, and instead was willing to play, I don't think WC would chase...? and maybe they could become friends again.. ? I really love them both, but I am beginning to wonder if a life together is really what is going to be best for them .. but it isn't that bad. No injuries or bloodshed... So hopefully we will find a way. (Edited to add...Using google to look up cat anxiety, I am going to try Feliway Friends. It sounds like this has been a problem solver for a lot of people!)

I think your doing all the right things, you have very spacious areas for the boys with lots of hideaways, perhaps give the Zyklene a go to see if it helps to take the edge off things for HB. I also tried the Feliway Friends, though I'm really not sure that it made a difference. I think when it concerns two males, we always get the one who likes to assert dominance over the other once in a while.
Keep us posted on them.

 

[Moggieslegacy]

Thanks for your encouragement.... My vet gave HB some zylkene before his last vet visit, and I noticed he was playing a bit with WC before we went. And my vet has suggested treating HB’s anxiety would be a better approach if we need to do more for his chronic mild herpes, and prefers this to giving him long term antivirals. So zylkene might help. Maybe even solve the problem entirely!

Yesterday, after a few days of wet snow and rain, it was a sunny day and they both had lots of time in our large fenced yard. And there was no 3am crazies leading to HB being terrorized... though I did wake up to a gift of a dead mouse, which probably helped take the pressure off HB. I live in a tiny house, and no matter how much I try to exhaust WC, it seems there is nothing better for a calm night, than if he can spend the day running around out there. And they do enjoy each other, at least as much as they have obvious disputes. The slow motion video below was taken a couple weeks ago, and I think this was a happy chase where HB initiated it, as he seems to have enticed and invited WC to chase him? WC’s posture is clearly him having fun. And I think WC intentionally slowed down a bit when HB passes him, to allow HB more space...? But the past year, it is always WC in pursuit, never HB. They used to take turns.

video.MOV

drive.google.com

(I would post a video of them having a dispute, but I am always too busy trying to intervene)