Cat Politics (long)

We have two cats living with us in a three-story house. Buddha, age 9, was
here first. Cheeks, age 4, arrived three years ago.

Boo's territory tends to be the first level where my husband's office is.
Cheeky's is up on the third floor where my office is. They meet in the
middle for feeding and play time. They used to have some hissy incidents and
a few slappy ones, but now they play together a little though sticking
mostly to their own turf and playing on the middle level.

Around August 1 Boo had to go to the vet quite a lot--fainting spells,
turned out to be hyperthyroid, etc. For some reason this made her want to
shadow me. She suddenly began coming all the way upstairs into Cheeks'
territory to find me, several times as day. Cheeky is very polite, so she
just looked at her. Boo's behavior was increasingly invasive--eventually
there was the terrible moment when I was on the toilet and therefore of
course
COMPLETELY IRRESISTABLE TO CATS, and Boo was at my feet rubbing
against my legs when Cheeks, on autopilot, entered the bathroom to do the
same thing.
Oh, the Horror on Cheeky's face!

Then Boo actually got up on one of the guest room beds exactly where Cheeky
always slept on it. (It is the room where Cheeks and I often fall asleep
together, the innermost sanctum of the Cheeky Territory.)

Now, I love that Boo was seeking me out and since Cheeks didn't protest, I
thought it was fine. Then, after a couple of weeks, I noticed that seemingly
overnight, Cheeks had licked part of one side of her skinny little body
nearly bald! Yes, I should have known--she is so polite, of course she would
internalize it. What to do? I didn't want to shoo Boo, as I love the idea of
them coexisting on the same turf, and I like her being with me.

That night, Boo was lying on another guest room bed, another favorite place
of Cheeky's that Boo had pretty much taken over. After Boo got down to eat
dinner, I gathered Cheeky up in the "nest" she had made of a blanket on the
other bed in the other guest room and placed her where Boo had been. She
stayed.
Next thing I know, I go in there and they are BOTH on the bed. (The photo I
put
on my photo page was that night, see below.) They stayed there for hours,
even fell asleep peacefully, but I had a feeling it was like a staring
contest.

Next morning, I am upstairs working and Cheeks is with me. Boo thumps
upstairs (she is the most heavy-footed cat I have ever seen, it's hilarious)
and starts her patrol around the rooms. She is very assertive, walking right
up to where Cheeks is. As usual, Cheeks just stares at her. for whatever
reason, I say ..."Get her, Cheeky. Get that cat" in that low "get 'em"
voice that cats always respond to. As Buddha resumes her patrol, sniffing
everything and scooping up cobwebs to eat (heh, I'm not a good maid) Cheeks
softly jumps down from the window seat and sneaks after her--not playful,
not aggressive, but wary. Boo is so bossy--she just ignores her, saunters
into the bathroom. Cheeks waits for her at the door. Boo is cornered! As Boo
haughtily walks through the door (she is built like a little bull) Cheeks
rears back and takes the most dramatic, perfectly-designed-to-miss swipe at
her! Cheeky asserted herself! Boo did not seem too impressed, but did
saunter back downstairs.

Since then, Boo hardly ever comes upstairs and Cheeky's fur is growing back
in. I thought this was interesting. The seventh photo below was taken the
one night they were on the bed together.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/crazya...ines/my_photos

"Mary" wrote in message
. com...

We have two cats living with us in a three-story house. Buddha, age 9, was
here first. Cheeks, age 4, arrived three years ago.

Boo's territory tends to be the first level where my husband's office is.
Cheeky's is up on the third floor where my office is. They meet in the
middle for feeding and play time. They used to have some hissy incidents
and
a few slappy ones, but now they play together a little though sticking
mostly to their own turf and playing on the middle level.

Around August 1 Boo had to go to the vet quite a lot--fainting spells,
turned out to be hyperthyroid, etc. For some reason this made her want to
shadow me. She suddenly began coming all the way upstairs into Cheeks'
territory to find me, several times as day. Cheeky is very polite, so she
just looked at her. Boo's behavior was increasingly invasive--eventually
there was the terrible moment when I was on the toilet and therefore of
course
COMPLETELY IRRESISTABLE TO CATS, and Boo was at my feet rubbing
against my legs when Cheeks, on autopilot, entered the bathroom to do the
same thing.
Oh, the Horror on Cheeky's face!

Then Boo actually got up on one of the guest room beds exactly where
Cheeky
always slept on it. (It is the room where Cheeks and I often fall asleep
together, the innermost sanctum of the Cheeky Territory.)

Now, I love that Boo was seeking me out and since Cheeks didn't protest, I
thought it was fine. Then, after a couple of weeks, I noticed that
seemingly
overnight, Cheeks had licked part of one side of her skinny little body
nearly bald! Yes, I should have known--she is so polite, of course she
would
internalize it. What to do? I didn't want to shoo Boo, as I love the idea
of
them coexisting on the same turf, and I like her being with me.

That night, Boo was lying on another guest room bed, another favorite
place
of Cheeky's that Boo had pretty much taken over. After Boo got down to eat
dinner, I gathered Cheeky up in the "nest" she had made of a blanket on
the
other bed in the other guest room and placed her where Boo had been. She
stayed.
Next thing I know, I go in there and they are BOTH on the bed. (The photo
I
put
on my photo page was that night, see below.) They stayed there for hours,
even fell asleep peacefully, but I had a feeling it was like a staring
contest.

Next morning, I am upstairs working and Cheeks is with me. Boo thumps
upstairs (she is the most heavy-footed cat I have ever seen, it's
hilarious)
and starts her patrol around the rooms. She is very assertive, walking
right
up to where Cheeks is. As usual, Cheeks just stares at her. for whatever
reason, I say ..."Get her, Cheeky. Get that cat" in that low "get 'em"
voice that cats always respond to. As Buddha resumes her patrol, sniffing
everything and scooping up cobwebs to eat (heh, I'm not a good maid)
Cheeks
softly jumps down from the window seat and sneaks after her--not playful,
not aggressive, but wary. Boo is so bossy--she just ignores her, saunters
into the bathroom. Cheeks waits for her at the door. Boo is cornered! As
Boo
haughtily walks through the door (she is built like a little bull) Cheeks
rears back and takes the most dramatic, perfectly-designed-to-miss swipe
at
her! Cheeky asserted herself! Boo did not seem too impressed, but did
saunter back downstairs.

Since then, Boo hardly ever comes upstairs and Cheeky's fur is growing
back
in. I thought this was interesting. The seventh photo below was taken the
one night they were on the bed together.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/crazya...ines/my_photos

This sounds a lot like our girls.

We got Smokey (10 mos old) to keep our old cat Cali (7 years) company. When
we brought Smokey home in her shelter box, Cali started hissing and spitting
while Smokey was still in the box. As time passed and we let them interact,
Smokey tried to bond with Cali by sleeping with her. Cali made it clear that
she wanted no part of this stepchild. She would growl and hiss if Smokey got
too close and smack her if she got closer. This went on for a few months and
they would occaisonally sleep together, usually if Smokey approached Cali
when she was zonked out. Smokey eventually gave up on Cali and I became her
substitute mother/buddy. Which annoyed Cali, as she followed me around when
she was younger.

Smokey started becoming more aggressive and started chasing Cali out of
anything she considered hers, my bed, the fireplace, my lap and any shared
food. I don't know if Smokey is maturing or just getting back at Cali. They
don't do any damage, other than the odd boxing match. Cali will usuallly
walk away rather than fight, although she's no chicken by any stretch of the
imagination. I think Smokey is just too much for her, now that she's bigger
and older.

"Mary" wrote in message
. com...

We have two cats living with us in a three-story house. Buddha, age 9, was
here first. Cheeks, age 4, arrived three years ago.

Boo's territory tends to be the first level where my husband's office is.
Cheeky's is up on the third floor where my office is. They meet in the
middle for feeding and play time. They used to have some hissy incidents
and
a few slappy ones, but now they play together a little though sticking
mostly to their own turf and playing on the middle level.

Around August 1 Boo had to go to the vet quite a lot--fainting spells,
turned out to be hyperthyroid, etc. For some reason this made her want to
shadow me. She suddenly began coming all the way upstairs into Cheeks'
territory to find me, several times as day. Cheeky is very polite, so she
just looked at her. Boo's behavior was increasingly invasive--eventually
there was the terrible moment when I was on the toilet and therefore of
course
COMPLETELY IRRESISTABLE TO CATS, and Boo was at my feet rubbing
against my legs when Cheeks, on autopilot, entered the bathroom to do the
same thing.
Oh, the Horror on Cheeky's face!

Then Boo actually got up on one of the guest room beds exactly where
Cheeky
always slept on it. (It is the room where Cheeks and I often fall asleep
together, the innermost sanctum of the Cheeky Territory.)

Now, I love that Boo was seeking me out and since Cheeks didn't protest, I
thought it was fine. Then, after a couple of weeks, I noticed that
seemingly
overnight, Cheeks had licked part of one side of her skinny little body
nearly bald! Yes, I should have known--she is so polite, of course she
would
internalize it. What to do? I didn't want to shoo Boo, as I love the idea
of
them coexisting on the same turf, and I like her being with me.

That night, Boo was lying on another guest room bed, another favorite
place
of Cheeky's that Boo had pretty much taken over. After Boo got down to eat
dinner, I gathered Cheeky up in the "nest" she had made of a blanket on
the
other bed in the other guest room and placed her where Boo had been. She
stayed.
Next thing I know, I go in there and they are BOTH on the bed. (The photo
I
put
on my photo page was that night, see below.) They stayed there for hours,
even fell asleep peacefully, but I had a feeling it was like a staring
contest.

Next morning, I am upstairs working and Cheeks is with me. Boo thumps
upstairs (she is the most heavy-footed cat I have ever seen, it's
hilarious)
and starts her patrol around the rooms. She is very assertive, walking
right
up to where Cheeks is. As usual, Cheeks just stares at her. for whatever
reason, I say ..."Get her, Cheeky. Get that cat" in that low "get 'em"
voice that cats always respond to. As Buddha resumes her patrol, sniffing
everything and scooping up cobwebs to eat (heh, I'm not a good maid)
Cheeks
softly jumps down from the window seat and sneaks after her--not playful,
not aggressive, but wary. Boo is so bossy--she just ignores her, saunters
into the bathroom. Cheeks waits for her at the door. Boo is cornered! As
Boo
haughtily walks through the door (she is built like a little bull) Cheeks
rears back and takes the most dramatic, perfectly-designed-to-miss swipe
at
her! Cheeky asserted herself! Boo did not seem too impressed, but did
saunter back downstairs.

Since then, Boo hardly ever comes upstairs and Cheeky's fur is growing
back
in. I thought this was interesting. The seventh photo below was taken the
one night they were on the bed together.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/crazya...ines/my_photos

This sounds a lot like our girls.

We got Smokey (10 mos old) to keep our old cat Cali (7 years) company. When
we brought Smokey home in her shelter box, Cali started hissing and spitting
while Smokey was still in the box. As time passed and we let them interact,
Smokey tried to bond with Cali by sleeping with her. Cali made it clear that
she wanted no part of this stepchild. She would growl and hiss if Smokey got
too close and smack her if she got closer. This went on for a few months and
they would occaisonally sleep together, usually if Smokey approached Cali
when she was zonked out. Smokey eventually gave up on Cali and I became her
substitute mother/buddy. Which annoyed Cali, as she followed me around when
she was younger.

Smokey started becoming more aggressive and started chasing Cali out of
anything she considered hers, my bed, the fireplace, my lap and any shared
food. I don't know if Smokey is maturing or just getting back at Cali. They
don't do any damage, other than the odd boxing match. Cali will usuallly
walk away rather than fight, although she's no chicken by any stretch of the
imagination. I think Smokey is just too much for her, now that she's bigger
and older.