We almost wanted to give up the idea of bringing Bob home as Dad is facing some problem at work and we don't want to add to Dad's worries. On Fri, I brought the carrier down again. Mom and I were a bit half-hearted but we thought to give ourselves and Bob a chance. Bob doesn't seem to like the carrier, so I had to hold him by his scruff and Mom held the carrier upright for me to gently put Bob in.
Back home, I gave Bob a quick bath. He only struggled a little and then tolerated me using a cloth soaked in soapy solution and then warm water to bathe him. Mom toweled him dry before putting him in the balcony.
Yesterday we took him to the vet for his first vaccination and he even purred when the vet checked his heartbeat. I asked the vet to check the black stuff in his ears and the vet after examining some sample said they are just some ear wax and not ear mites. The vet also said Bob could be more than a year or 2 as he has already lost some of his teeth.
We have let Bob out for a short while when Angel is sleeping. Bob seems to be interested in the shows we are watching on the TV. When I tried to take photos of him, he actually slanted to one side to look behind me. Haha.
Bob is so friendly and gentle that even Dad and Sis are won over. He likes to rest/sleep on our laps or next to us.
I was quite surprised that Dad let Bob out of the balcony last night, so that Bob can sit beside him on the sofa to watch TV.
We realise Bob sleeps a lot. This could explain why we don't see him in the afternoon. He is probably sleeping in the drain or bushes. Bob is such a darling that we can't imagine putting him back in the park.
Angel seems to behave better than when we had Pearl. He would still hiss as he run past the balcony.
Last night, the 2 of them almost had a confrontation. Angel was sleeping on top of the rack next to the TV and Bob was resting at the sofa. When Angel was waking up and wanted to get down from the rack, Bob noticed him and I quickly put my hands on him. His body stiffened and he looked alert and seemed to want to move forward. Both of them started to hiss even though they are about 2 to 3 metres apart. I quickly carried him to the balcony.
Bob would have to stay in the balcony in the meantime while we try to think of ways to introduce him to Angel. I have seen Bob play wrestle with Bush in the park and I don't think Angel would take nicely to that. Angel, on the other hand, probably thinks any other creatures other than the 4 humans are his enemy.
I will have to wake up briefly on weekdays at 5.15am to help Dad when he leaves the house as our balcony is just next to the exit. Bob, unlike Angel and Pearl, has no qualms about leaving the house to explore the corridor and he also will like to enter the rest of the house where Angel roams.
We really hope Angel and Bob can get along.
8 comments:
Hope Angel & Bob will get along too!
I like it when cats sleep and their tongue sticks out. I love to disturb Horus' tongue when he does that... :)
I think your intro of Bob and Angel is too abrupt and fast. Some cats, perhaps eg Angel, do not take kindly to strange cats in the household. If the relationship is strained in the beginning, it makes it very hard to keep them tohether in the long term.
Let's separate them for a week or so. Let them sniff each other out behind a closed door but not let them meet face to face. After that, let Angel sniff Bob's living quarters w/o Bob around and vice versa. This helps and has been written in many cat literature.
It's better to let both cats (and also your family) suffer for a week or so to ensure harmony in the long term. You also wouldn't want Bob back on the streets if they cannot get along.
Hi, kxbc. Thanks for the advice. Before and after the near confrontation, we have been careful to keep Bob in the balcony and sometimes the kitchen when Angel is roaming in the other parts of the house and when Angel is resting/sleeping in one of the rooms, we would close the door of that room and let Bob walk around the other parts of the house.
I was wondering, can Angel see Bob through the balcony door?
Maybe Angel hisses at Bob when he runs past the balcony because he can see Bob.
As KXBC pointed out, most cat books advise that you introduce cats to each other slowly, letting them experience each other one sense at at time.
That's why they advise owners to let cats smell each other's area first, without making visual contact. Visual contact should happen only when both cats are used to each other's smell.
Just my two cents.
oh i do hope you will get to keep Bob he sounds like such a dear. watching TV with your dad! imagine that!
I think Bob is really cute and hope that you can keep him around. So poor thing to have been hiding in the drains during the stormy weather. :)
kwanxw: Yes, when we started putting Bob in the balcony, Angel could see Bob through the fence. Now Bob is in my bedroom and the door is slightly ajar with the help of the door stopper and we have another fence about half metre from the door. Sometimes Angel would be outside the fence hissing when he smells Bob inside or when Bob peeps through the gap. We let Bob out of my room to move around the house when Angel is sleeping. hopefully after some time both will get used to each other's smell like you said :)
How are the 2 of them behaving towards each other now?
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