The Yarn Harlot documented her visit to Eau Claire – and she got a much better picture of Jeanne, Deb, and I than the one I posted (we’re holding the sock)!
V is having a contest – she’s collecting 12-18 yard lenghts of DK or lighter weight yarn for a blanket. Everyone who sends yarn will be entered to win a $25 gift certifcate from Little Knits.
Vicki Knitorious is having a constant comment contest – if your comment happens to be her 6000th comment, she will send you a prize.
Cara is having a haiku contest – leave a haiku containing the word “sock” plus 3 other special words (january, one, rock(s), jet, fall, sheep, wool, feet (or foot), knit, yarn, pirate, fest, dude, fantastic, worm) in her comments before September 23, 11:59 pm EDT. Six winners will receive sock yarn and one of the coveted orange Chibis!
Forgive me – I am once again behind in bloglines. Let me know if you have a contest or knitalong starting! I usually get caught up over the weekend… Y’all are just too busy being interesting! I’m still knitting my MagKnits project, tweaking the pattern, and I can’t really blog much about it. Secret knitting makes for boring reading – sorry! So, back to cats. 😉
According to the vet, Choas is stressed, plain and simple. Sigh. He got an antibiotic shot and some tuna flavored liquid antibiotics to take daily for five days to help his messed up insides heal. And he was prescribed a bland diet of tuna and mashed up rice for the next several days. The vet might be on Chaos’ payroll, too, along with some of y’all. Hmph.
The vet also confirmed what I suspected – Chaos needs to lose about 2.5 pounds! Poor guy. Yesterday afternoon, I noticed that May was trying to nurse on Chaos’ jungle pouch. Hmm. Maybe that’s making him stressed?! It would me.
Oh, the vet did float the idea that Chaos might not adapt to Mayhem enough and that maybe he would be best as a single kitty…. 🙁 But Chaos is washing her, which I think is promising. I think that I might have made things worse by moving his food to the top of the fridge to keep May out of it – I think that really confused and trauamatized him. I’m not giving up hope yet, but I am starting to worry about taking a vacation with things this unsettled here at home.
I really want to thank all of you – you’ve been so helpful and reassuring while I’ve been angsting about this. Your support has been wonderful and much appreciated. You guys rock!!
So, I ask y’all – does this look like a stressed cat?!
Poor Chaos, how rude of the vet to mention his weight,
a sick boy doesn’t want to hear such things!
Give Chaos a big hug from all of us, he’s still our No 1 pin-up boy.
Aww….I think those pictures are VERY promising. Kitties are just stubborn. He probably just needs another week or two and then they’ll be inserperable and no vet will ever utter again that he should be a single kitty!
ok, i think these pics show lots of promise for the two of them. kitties don’t wash other kitties unless there’s a connection. he’s certainly stressed — they sure don’t like change — but in the end i think they’ll turn out to be best friends.
There’s no stress in that guy!! Just a lot of latent love! Tig however, won’t come out of my green knitting bag this morning…must be kitty smell!
Chaos is bound to be stressed when his routine changes like that, but – he’s washing her!! He’s accepted her as part of the family, and they wouldn’t be sleeping that close together if he wasn’t rapidly adapting!
Awwwww! Look at that little boy! No, definitely, if he’s washing her, there’s a connection. They just need time.
he’s a little stressed, but I think he’s finally falling in love with his little sister…things will get back to normal soon.
I think it would be more stressful to try and make him a single kitty again. He’s just making sure you know HE’s still the important sensitive baby. Just so as not to lose his position in the household to the cute little kitten thing.
Poor Chaos. But I agree with the above poster — removing Mayhem might stress him out even more. I think him washing her is very promising…by the end of the week they’ll be sharing a plate of spaghetti, Lady and the Tramp style. 😉
He’ll be ok. After a tuna and rice diet – he’ll be back to his old self again soon.
Chris- Our animal friends are not unlike children, in that if you divert from their routine, they get upset. Chaos will adapt to the “new normal”, and a little extra affection never goes amiss. Kitten-Chow is 24lbs, and needs to lose weight, but hey, most of us could. He’s happy, and I know not to mess with his food- or he’ll take a terrible revenge!
Poor Chaos! But how noble of him to internalize his stress – Cricket prefers to share it, quite loudly, as close to 4:30 am as she can get. I’d better keep Cricket away from the computer, though, or else she’ll get some ideas about tuna and rice….
If Chaos is cleaning May, it’s only a matter of time before they are pals! I have 9 cats, (got them a few at a time) and they were all resistant at first when new kitties came to live with us. Now, they are all buddies. I think I’ve told you that Chaos is a spitting image of my Uncle Rico, but I don’t think I told you that Mayhem is a spitting image of one of my newest kitties (4 months old, Cindy).
Give them both a hug from me 🙂
I’m betting the moving of his food is stressing him more than May. Those photos look like they are adapting to each other nicely.
I don’t believe the vet either.. I think Chaos just needs some extra loving so that he knows he’s not being ‘replaced’.
Maybe he just needs some quality time with Mom while May is sleeping or busy? But I’m sure his stomach will settle down soon with all the extra attention.
There have been a lot of changes in your house and it does take some cats time to adjust to that. Also, fyi, some cats develop allergies to food that they have eaten for years. Petey does. I have to change his food every year or so because he suddenly isn’t able to digest it anymore. Just a thought.
The good news is cats are very very adaptable and in the long run, it will be better for Chaos to have May. It’ll keep him younger and healthier. I know this is all going to work out just fine.
Thinking of you and your babies.
y’know, it’s like having kids. I’m quite sure my oldest thinks he would be better off as an only child. But oh well. Them’s the breaks.
You famous woman, you, on the Harlot’s site!
It sounds [and looks] like Chaos will be ok. I agree with Wendy that moving the food probably stressed him more. They do look like they are getting along in those pictures!
I do agree with everyone else. Those photos show that the two are bonding well!! Putting his food on top of the fridge to eat? Yeah, that’s stressful…Tho’ it does add an element of exercise to his day, doesn’t it?
If they need to be separate to eat, why not set one in the bathroom with the door closed? I feed two of my three in separate bathrooms (so each gets to eat what they want) then let them switch to eat up what the other left – this is a game…they get the same exact food!). The third kitty is the reason I do this – she cannot have what they eat. So she eats in the kitchen. Whatever is left from her bowl, the other two clean up, which is okay – but the Blonde Bombshell has a “delicate tummy.”
(((hugs)))
Obviously that was ME and not the Meezer posting that comment – OOOPS!
Awww, I think Chaos washing May is a good sign… and also REALLY cute. I’m sure everything will work out.
When the vet suggested that Chaos might be better as an only kitty, s/he clearly had not seen those photos. They are fine together. I’d second the idea of feeding them in separate rooms, although if moving his food to the top of the refrigerator stressed him, who knows what eating in the bathroom might do? Better put May’s food there.
Pictured in La Harlot’s blog — woot! woot! for youse guys
!
Give it time. It takes a while to adjust.
Don’t get me started on kitty weight. Wiji is 4 pounds overweight. She’s the ultimate lady of liesure though, and doesn’t eat a lot, so I don’t know what to do.
Poor Chaos – I hope he’s better soon (although he might not, if you’re feeding him tuna and rice).
My kitties went through it as well. It Scab and Bacon almost a good year to get along and sometime I think Bacon still wishes she was the only kitty. But, now they play together and Bacon doesn’t seem so lonely. It will work, it is just still so new.
I hope that your dear kitty Chaos is better very very soon. poor baby.
I have to agree with Wendy, moving his food is probably freaking him out more than May. I know I tried to separate Mae and Atticus at feeding time when he was on antibiotics, and she refused to eat, and was completely at a loss.
I’m sure they’ll be fine, especially if he’s grooming her.
Atticus is probably 4 lbs overweight…
🙂
they’re so cute together. 🙂
I think if he couldn’t adjust he wouldn’t already be as adjusted as he is. Oh Gawd. Does that make any sense?
I think he just needs time. If he’s grooming her that is a great sign! I’m sure all will be love and snuggles in the SOC household soon enough!
If he’s holding her down to wash her – I’d say he already thinks May is a part of his new family!
Agreed with others, he is probably still stressed out from other changes in the house – but extra attention and ‘Chaos-time’ (and praising him after he is exceptionally nice or playful with May) will let him know he is your special boy.
Best of luck! I know what you mean about the vacation thing – hope it works out.
Those two will be partners in crime in no time at all. Pretty soon there will be confusion all over the place and 2 cats looking at you with those “we have no idea how those cd’s got all over the living room” faces.
Oh, my – it seems like Chaos is doing much better with little Mayhem – much better than Bella and Ben are doing with Chester-the-pesterer!
Aw, poor Chaos. As others have said, it does look like he is adjusting. Maybe he could put off the diet until he’s resigned to May being part of the family. Poor guy shouldn’t have to count calories now!
Well, I know dogs better than cats, of course, but it sounds to me like he’s adapting . . . he’s just not happy about it! But isn’t that true of all new, big siblings? But, yeah, maybe having his dishes move at the same time he was getting used to the little sister idea was a little worrying…. (grin)
Maybe next time he’s on the exercise bike, he should reach for the pedals! At least his special diet sounds yummy….
Put a bib on Mayhem. That will make Chaos feel better.
I don’t think it’s been long enough for Chaos to totally adapt to May – so shrug off that bit of what the vet said. Especially if Chaos is trying to groom her – that looks like a cat who at least wants to try to work that relationship out! He could be upsetting his tummy by trying to eat too much too fast – trying to keep all his food to himself. And then he probably has been a lot more physically active than he normally is. I wouldn’t worry about it too much – and I used to be a vet tech so you have to take my advice! 😉
Poor Chaos! I think he’ll adjust. It’s tough on a single kitty to adapt to a new one but he just needs time. He’ll get there.
One word: Awwwwwwww.
That’s just too cute. I think Chaos is handling the stress quite well.
Just because he’s stressed, doesn’t neccessarily mean it’s bad stress. Good stress can stress out people (and animals) too.
We have 3 cats, and each one of them went through an adjustment period. They have to figure out the pecking order and all. And they’ll go through it again when Mayhem becomes a “teenager”, and again when she becomes an adult. Has she been nuetered yet? That always plays into it too.
If he was so aggresive that you are wondering if he’s trying to hurt her, or if he withdraws to the point that you have to constantly search for him. I’d worry.
I’m sure he’ll be fine.
Fiona and Madelyn (our oldest and youngest kitties) took a long time to feel comfy with each other. But now they are lovey-dovey. They sleep together, and Fiona is too fat to groom herself properly, so Maddy does it for her. Just tell Chaos he needs to be friends with May if he doesn’t plan on dropping those few pounds!
“Yesterday afternoon, I noticed that May was trying to nurse on Chaos’ jungle pouch. Hmm.” *SNORT* JUNGLE pouch?
Chaos will be FINE. We’ve introduced old pets (cats included) to new ones all the time. It’s rough, but they get used to it. And we’ve found all the animals end up happier for the company.
Your cats are super cute! I have two cats and my sister’s cat lives with me as well. I just got a new kitten almost two weeks ago (Petey). My other cat’s are not to sure what they think of him yet either, but I think they’ll be okay.
There’s a contest happening over at http://www.hilltopyarn.blogspot.com. It’s a Ballband warshrag contest and there’s lots of ways to play.
Sweet kitty cats. Older sibling jealosy is always a tricky thing…
Given that grooming is a sign of affection in cats I would say that Chaos is coming along nicely! Keep up the good work. For the first few weeks after I got Yogi I didn’t want to leave the house for fear that Neo would kill him. Now they are the best of friends and I think they love each other more than they love me 🙁
Poor Chaos, I was wondering if maybe he would say it might be better if he were a single kitty. I think he would have adapted better when he was younger but he’s getting older now and set in his ways 🙂 So used to running the roost, just like Sock. I swear Sockies would have a nervous break down if I brought another cat home 🙂
Yes, the washing thing would definitely NOT be happening if he weren’t taking to May. In your pictures they seem to be quite peacefully coexisting!
I wouldn’t worry too much–I think Stephanie is absolutely right, he may be eating more quickly so he doesn’t have to share, and/or be more active than he’s been used to (chase and pounce on a full belly, hm…I seem to remember my mom telling me not to play tackle-tickle-tag right after supper).
And if they’re also sleeping together and/or near each other, obviously Chaos isn’t at all uncomfortable around her (trying to drive her off the homestead, or hiding nervously from her). So they’re working it out!
I think cats (much like me, in fact, lol) in general find any change of routine unsettling, but they’re also very adaptable. And despite their reputaion for being very independent, they really are social animals–even feral cats tend to live in social/family groups. So give it a little time.
We adopted a several-month-old kitten when Grey Cat was about ten years old, and he had always been an “only” cat (not to mention extremely attached to me). It worked out just fine.
I’m glad Chaos is ok, it will pass the stress, its just like a child with anew baby sibling they eventually get over
Oh poor Chaos, maybe it’s just the whole change and stress, and as life settles he’ll get better. He definitely looks content with her, if he’s sleeping next to her, cleaning her, etc. to me that says accepting her. I’m not a cat expert, but they look “comfortable” with each other.
I think Chaos will be fine in time. He’s not looking too stressed—but adding someone to the mix always changes the dynamics, somewhat.