Animal crackers

[m_cobweb]

Saturday night I had my first up-close-and-personal experience with a raccoon. Yes, somehow I've lived this long without such an encounter. ;-) I was cat-sitting and the neighborhood stray was outside pounding on the window; when I went out to see what was up, I saw this enormous gray-brown masked critter staring at me from about three feet away.

I spent the rest of the evening chasing it off the deck with a broom so Ginger could eat, and chasing the two indoor kitties around after they slipped out, trying to get them back in before the raccoon tangled with them. Boomer found the raccoon fascinating and seemed to want to make friends with it. Not. A. Good. Idea.

Things I learned: Raccoons are fearless. They eat with their tiny little disproportionate hands even if they don't have to. And when they chew it looks like they're snarling. It was interesting coming so close with an alien intelligence and realizing we were both wondering what the other was going to do next.

Back at home:

I'm afraid we are going to need to rehome one of our kitties. Celeste is being regularly tormented by Sammi, to the point where she is essntially living in the closet and coming out only for meals and occasional attention. She even has her own litter box on the top shelf. I believe the problem is that Sammi, being a dominant declaw, is so threatened by the other cats that she picks on the one she can attack successfully. Also, Sammi wants to take refuge in the closet as well, so it's now a disputed area.

darkmane and I have been holding off on a decision, figuring that once we move into a larger place they could all establish new territories and the situation might resolve on its own. But the last several days have been hell--Sammi hurling herself against the closet door, Celeste growling, Celeste yelling for attention at all hours. I love her--she's adorable and one of the easiest kitties to care for I've ever know--but she can't be happy. We would only let her go to a home with people we know and trust (and who would let us visit). We will keep her rather than relinquish her to an uncertain situation. I can't believe it's come to this, but I'm afraid it's escalated to a point beyond which Rescue Remedy can help. (We're afraid to put Sammi on tranquilizers because the others might actually beat her up if they can.)

Comments

[vulture23.livejournal.com]

Cats are very fond of using urine as a message. This sort of thing happens quite often, actually.

My last cat, at one point, made a point of catching my attention, and then, looking me squarely in the eye, proceeded to pee all over a work shirt I'd left on the floor (and growling the whole time). This eventually led to taking him to the vet, where he was discovered to have bladder problems. Obviously deliberate communication.

[m-cobweb.livejournal.com]

I am quite certain that the phrase "pissed off" came from someone who lived with cats.

[euterpe35.livejournal.com]

agh! more cat horror stories!

are you people trying to convince me I should never have a cat??

[m-cobweb.livejournal.com]

Let me counter with: Furry body snuggled against you in the morning vibrating with purrs of happiness from being next to you. Big luminous eyes that look into your real self. Funny little chirps and trills from a companion running along beside you as you do chores.

Better? ;-)

Re:

[coulrophobe.livejournal.com]

Yeah... my cat is healthy, just kinda hostile. :( My apartment manager tried to convince me that the pissing on my bed was a good thing (she was "marking" me, and that meant she considered me "hers") - but I noticed a different pattern - it was whenever I did something she didn't like (didn't feed her, tried to make her wear a collar, brought my chinchilla into the apartment, etc.). I obey her wishes now.