Cats are wonderfully adaptive creatures. When we brought Clea home as a kitten, we kept her in one room away from the other cats for a week or so. When we opened that door for her to finally meet the cats she smelled under the door, it was interesting to say the least.
Now, Clea and Haggred are playmates, especially outdoors. They play what looks like tag, with one pouncing on the other and then running away being chased. Clea will still rub up against Tasha, who for whatever reason shows more patience to Clea than any other cat. Yet after all of these years, Clea will puff up and growl at simply the sight of Sidewinder.
It didn't start out this way. It actually started with Sidewinder staring the the kitten Clea, and hissing whenever she got too close (like within 8 feet!). If the two came across each other outside, there would be a cat fight. Sidewinder holds her ground, unless there is a human around. Clea is almost always the one to turn tail and run off.
Yet somehow these two have managed to coexist in the same house for many years now. Each has a separate room they feel safe in, in which the other cat will not go. They each have their own window in the living room as well, where they will be laying on the back of the same couch on either end, ignoring the others' existence. It's amazing to watch.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Haggred Has Lost His Dog
About 6 months after we adopted Haggred, we adopted an older Lab/Husky mix from the same shelter. This poor dog was afraid of everything and everyone, and seemed to have forgotten how to play.
Haggred decided that he was going to adopt Nikki, as she was named. He would bring in live mice and moles to watch her play with them. When I would bring Nikki for a walk, Haggred would come along as well. I'll tell you, the looks I got from the neighbors from walking a cat and a dog at the same time were quite incredulous.
Nikki passed away from congestive heart failure one Sunday morning. Haggred went over and sniffed her, rubbed up against her, then disappeared outside. He came back in shortly with a flying squirrel he had killed and dropped it as close to her as he could get.
It was a very touching scene. Haggred lives on, still bringing us all kinds of local wildlife as gifts, but Nikki is very much missed.
Haggred decided that he was going to adopt Nikki, as she was named. He would bring in live mice and moles to watch her play with them. When I would bring Nikki for a walk, Haggred would come along as well. I'll tell you, the looks I got from the neighbors from walking a cat and a dog at the same time were quite incredulous.
Nikki passed away from congestive heart failure one Sunday morning. Haggred went over and sniffed her, rubbed up against her, then disappeared outside. He came back in shortly with a flying squirrel he had killed and dropped it as close to her as he could get.
It was a very touching scene. Haggred lives on, still bringing us all kinds of local wildlife as gifts, but Nikki is very much missed.
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