6:00 PM EST: Arrive at ASPCA and I am led directly to Guida. I reserve the right and can guaranty a name change. In fact... I've been calling her Sweety so that's probably gonna be her nickname and we shall call her that until we have a name. BTW... Dude's nickname is Buddy.

6:10 PM EST: Been holding Sweety about 8 minutes and already I'm treated to purring and my first kiss. Any doubts gone... bingo... ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING !! Case closed!

6:15 PM EST: She finally tires of my holding her but she goes straight to some food for a bite to eat. Upon finishing, she jumps up on a tree and goes to where a big black cat is sleeping. Big black cats hisses quite viscously, Sweety returns the hiss and adds a raised paw... confrontation over. Sweety then sits down practically on top of the big black cat who looks at her in a not so nice way. Sweety simply turns her head and makes herself comfortable leaning up against and 1/2 on top of the big black cat. I walk out of the cat play room and asked for the dotted line.

6:30 PM EST: Arrive at home to an anxiously waiting Dude. Sweety is in a large carrying box with holes and I decide to place it in the middle of the room while I make sure the bathroom is ready for her. Dude is investigating the box sniffing and circling.

7:15 PM EST: I lift and peer into box to make sure Sweety is alive. Dude has yet to leave the box alone and I am yet to hear a peep out of either of em. Dude I can see is OK... Sweety is of course just fine also.

7:45 PM EST: A friend of mine that lives in the building and is a frequent guest arrives at my apartment. Andrew and Dude are already buddies and within 2 minutes Dude has forgotten about Sweety and comes over to Andrew and I and starts playing.

7:55 PM EST: Andrew (who grew up with cats) and I (who didn't and is quite nervous) decide to open the box and see what happens. We are both armed with towels and cups of water. I have a spray also but I'm a novice and I'm not kidding around. Incredibly, the 2 cats touch noses twice before Sweety is even out of the box. Andrew and I look at each other like eh???? Sweety leaves the box with Dude in tow meowing a distinctive whine for attention. Dude is looking trying to kiss and get Sweet's attention but she has exploring to do.

8:30 PM EST: Sweety has been exploring with Dude close behind. A couple times she had to bat him to get some space but still no hissing or spitting or any anger displays whatsoever. The two cats finally square off face to face, Andrew and I are ready... they do indeed attack each other, but there are no sounds, hair or blood and amazingly they take a timeout and Dude licks Sweety. Dude always takes timeouts to lick me when playing with me and I jealously watch him treat her to the same.

9:45 PM EST: They have played and played and played... Y'all are gonna think I'm fibbing so I will arrive at home with a camera tomorrow. I have had no problems, no hissing or displays of anger. Sweety who has been tiring the last 1/2 hour or so and trying to get away and take breaks rubs up against my legs as I type this. I stop typing to pick her up and pet her. She doesn't object but she twists her head about looking for Dude and there is no purring Meanwhile... Dude whined loudly a few times and literally walked to the opposite side of the apartment by the door and stubbornly sat down obviously agitated. I put down Sweety and head towards Dude to console as he's certainly jealous. Dude was jealous, but not of me!! He passes my open arms, jumps on and off the sofa and attacks Sweety. Dude's first "victory"... She's been kicking his ass otherwise. She was a stray and she knows how to take care of herself.

10:15 PM EST: Finally a substantial break in the action. Both use the litter box... the same one of course... both break for water and a bite to eat... both cats sample both food dishes both with the same dry food. Really, my only concern is how forcefully will Sweety need to tell Dude to lay off when she wants some sleep. I foresee timeouts for Dude in the future... she's been playing along... but she hasn't really explored vertically yet and Dude this to his advantage in his attacks. I know any time that she gets away from him because he whines for her attention. He must see her as a mother type figure because there is no way that he's this affectionate.

10:45 PM EST: There's been some more play, some rest, Dude whining for Sweet's attention, a few more litter box breaks... all in the same box of course. I have 3 out. Dude can't find Sweety and starts meowing loudly, suddenly Sweety comes running out from under the entertainment center and attacks.

10:50 PM EST: Sweety is in hiding and Dude just climbed up to his favorite perch on the bars on his favorite window. This is the first time I've seen him entertain himself since she's arrived. That's over... he's whining and running all over looking for her again. And he breaks for water!!

11:00 PM EST: I'm getting tired but this is what I'm thinking. I still haven't seen any hostility or anger displays whatsoever so I'm not going to separate them this evening. 6-8 weeks my butt!! These 2 are already playing together and I'm yet to see her kiss him but he's been kissing her. Sweety who despite the play has been looking a little stressed is now sitting comfortably on my lap and I am typing with 1 hand while petting with the other. Dude is looking a bit stressed but only because he wants to play and Sweety is on my lap.

11:15 PM EST: And we've had our first hiss... as I expected Dude is still ready to go and Sweety is a bit tired. I (the cat novice) jumped at HER hiss and sprayed a little water on HIM to get him off her. People don't believe me when I say that Dude either sleeps or plays... there is no in-between.

11:16 PM EST: I don't know where she ran off to hide but Dude is already looking for her again. I'm gonna leave them together tonight as I try to sleep. I'll keep the water handy and I'm sure I'll wake up if a fight ensues. Tomorrow I will separate the two with Sweety in the bathroom but I can imagine that being a one-day thing the way things have been going. Its just not supposed to be this easy!!! Assuming there are no problems the rest of the evening, locking Sweety in the bathroom tomorrow is going to be very hard to do. Fear not... I will... but its going to bother me all day tomorrow. Dude was finally letting her explore in peace a bit until he couldn't resist a diving attack. She didn't resist the attack and he immediately realized she wasn't playing, kissed her a few times and came to sit by me for the first time tonight.

I've already been typing too much and the cats are finally paying some attention to me so I'm off for now. Actually, Dude still has no interest in being petted by me. He wants to play with Sweety and is whining about it. Sweety is on my lap again and Dude is hovering. Wish me luck.. or should I say continued luck. Thus far, this has been the easiest introduction ever. If anything, Dude is enamored with Sweety and he is going to have to learn some boundaries. With as much luck as I've had thus far tonight, it has become obvious to me that I was meant to have cats. I was meant to be a cat person. I've always loved dogs and considered myself a dog person in my youth. But its obvious to me now... its my destiny to be a cat person. Gee... long enough post? Guess y'all know what I did to entertain myself while they've played.

Copyright © Ari
February 26, 2003