So, since I took the two cats to the vet today, to make sure they were both up on their shots and were reasonably healthy, and to have the vet trim their claws, we've now decided that it's time to just let the cats fight it out and figure out how to deal with one another.
This is nowhere near as straightforward as it might sound.
Okay, let's start with the simple question of "who would win in a fight".
On one side, we've got Boopsie. Twelve pounds, which is now mostly muscle, since she's been on a diet for years. When she was fat, she was sixteen pounds. She's lost a lot of weight, and has gained a lot of energy over that time. She's thirteen years old, but she's more active and healthy than when she was ten. She's crotchety, and hates other cats. She's a pretty good hunter, actually, even though we rarely have wildlife get into this place.
On the other side, we've got Persephone. She's five pounds, looks like a particularly bedraggled kitten, or maybe a sewer rat with a slight glandular condition. She was beat up repeatedly as a kitten by all the other cats around her, has chronic balance problems probably from severe ear mite infestation as a kitten, has a twisted hip which makes her limp and be generally clumsy. She's small, weak, clumsy, timid.
So far, Persephone seems to be winning.
See, Seph, like I said, was beat constantly by other cats when she was growing up. She's used to it. Someone takes a swipe at her, it doesn't really phase her much.
And Boop, well, Boop's never spent much time around other cats, and doesn't quite get them. So she'll charge at Seph, and, if Seph runs, that's all well and good. But Seph, every once in a while will NOT run. It's no so much that she's standing her ground as much as it's just she forgets to run away.
And this baffles Boopsie.
Like, okay, today. Boopsie was on the bed, Sephie was sleeping on a pile of laundry on the floor. Boopsie hissed and growled at her for a while from across the room, but they eventually both fell asleep. Then Boopsie woke up, saw Sephie, and started stalking her. She came almost within pouncing distance, when Seph woke up, stuck her head up and stretched.
Boopsie freaked and ran away.
Seph never even NOTICED Boopsie.
Later, Sephie wandered into the room, and wandered over to the side of the bed. Boopsie stalked over to that side of the bed, to get position over her, and get a good vantage and striking point.
While Boopsie was doing this, Sephie wandered away.
Boopsie kept careful watch for the right moment to pounce on Sephie for a good five minutes. I kept pointing out to Boopsie that Seph was no longer next to the bed. In fact, she was on the other side of the room, BEHIND Boopsie, attempting to get into the closet.
So, so far, Seph has mainly come out ahead.
This is nowhere near as straightforward as it might sound.
Okay, let's start with the simple question of "who would win in a fight".
On one side, we've got Boopsie. Twelve pounds, which is now mostly muscle, since she's been on a diet for years. When she was fat, she was sixteen pounds. She's lost a lot of weight, and has gained a lot of energy over that time. She's thirteen years old, but she's more active and healthy than when she was ten. She's crotchety, and hates other cats. She's a pretty good hunter, actually, even though we rarely have wildlife get into this place.
On the other side, we've got Persephone. She's five pounds, looks like a particularly bedraggled kitten, or maybe a sewer rat with a slight glandular condition. She was beat up repeatedly as a kitten by all the other cats around her, has chronic balance problems probably from severe ear mite infestation as a kitten, has a twisted hip which makes her limp and be generally clumsy. She's small, weak, clumsy, timid.
So far, Persephone seems to be winning.
See, Seph, like I said, was beat constantly by other cats when she was growing up. She's used to it. Someone takes a swipe at her, it doesn't really phase her much.
And Boop, well, Boop's never spent much time around other cats, and doesn't quite get them. So she'll charge at Seph, and, if Seph runs, that's all well and good. But Seph, every once in a while will NOT run. It's no so much that she's standing her ground as much as it's just she forgets to run away.
And this baffles Boopsie.
Like, okay, today. Boopsie was on the bed, Sephie was sleeping on a pile of laundry on the floor. Boopsie hissed and growled at her for a while from across the room, but they eventually both fell asleep. Then Boopsie woke up, saw Sephie, and started stalking her. She came almost within pouncing distance, when Seph woke up, stuck her head up and stretched.
Boopsie freaked and ran away.
Seph never even NOTICED Boopsie.
Later, Sephie wandered into the room, and wandered over to the side of the bed. Boopsie stalked over to that side of the bed, to get position over her, and get a good vantage and striking point.
While Boopsie was doing this, Sephie wandered away.
Boopsie kept careful watch for the right moment to pounce on Sephie for a good five minutes. I kept pointing out to Boopsie that Seph was no longer next to the bed. In fact, she was on the other side of the room, BEHIND Boopsie, attempting to get into the closet.
So, so far, Seph has mainly come out ahead.