Introducing Cats and Dogs
Here’s a terrific contest: FIDO Friendly wants advice about introducing cats and dogs. Just leave a comment and you could win a whole TON of stuff, including the publishing of your advice. Now, you have to respond in 150 words or less, but here’s the long version of my submission.
FIRST MEETING
My husband, Tim, and I introduced two 3-month-old kittens to our Newfoundland and crazy hound in the evening, after all their crazies were run out. The cat carriers had been left with the dogs throughout the day so the cat scent wasn’t entirely new, and the cats were made comfortable in their own room.
When we made the big reveal, Tim and I cuddled each cat in our arms, keeping the kittens safely above the dogs’ eager noses. The dogs were asked to sit and a good sit was rewarded with a quick sniff of this new and exciting “treat.” The dogs learned quickly that too much excitement would remove the treat from reach.
Fido and Wino’s R.O.A.R. Squad
WHAT’S A R.O.A.R. SQUAD
R.O.A.R. stands for Rescue Owners Are Rockin and this Squad is being assembled by Shauna Stewart from Fido and Wino, a blog where fine dogs (and fine wine) are very much appreciated. “Our goal is to make having a rescue animal THE coolest thing around. Ya game? Perfect! We’d love to have you!”
WHY THE R.O.A.R. SQUAD?
Shauna’s inspiration for this project stems from the love she has for her own rescue dog, the lovely Miss Kayloo, as well as her deep concern for the 6-8 million animals housed in US shelters every year, as estimated by the US Humane Society.
Bucket O’Cat
Like an episode of Seinfeld, nothing monumental happens with the cat or the bucket in this video, but it’s fun to watch all the same.
Episode Synopsis
Jed (or Jeddy) likes chasing his own tail in small spaces and, really, there’s nothing wrong with that. Neighbors drop by… yada, yada, yada… the end.
And now for our feature presentation…
The Care and Feeding of Kittens
FROM CAT TO KITTENS
After the passing of our beloved 16-year-old cat, my husband and I almost immediately became the proud parents of two affectionate and rambunctious 4-month-old kittens. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. No free parking. In fact, let’s donate $200 to the shelter and, as we take our new kids to the car, let’s admire our lovely parting gift — a parking ticket plastered to the windshield in the rain. No worries. Nothing could dampen the spirits of our baby parade. We had just won the kitten lottery.
WHAT WE’VE ACCOMPLISHED
Satisfying my biological need to mother and nest, my new family and I have already accomplished a great deal together: dog introductions, two wellness visits, two dewormings, survival of four respiratory infections (my husband and myself included), 28 days of Bartonella treatment (x2), growth spurts of up to a pound a week, trying on several sporty scratching posts, adjusting to wearing collars (the cats, not us), scheduling two neuters (again, the cats) and offering a sundry of toys. Wait. We’ve had these guys just four weeks?
WHAT I HAD YET TO LEARN
“Welcome to fresh, new parenthood!” I said to myself as the little lives of my purring boys rested literally in my hands. Having cat companions since I was 6 (I’m now 39), I thought I had this gig down. As it turns out, I knew nothing-zilch-nada-zero about kittens. You can bet, after a month of full immersion, I do now. Here’s what I’ve learned:
Squirrel Hunt
THE PROBLEM
Living in a log home, the natural look of wood is not only aesthetically pleasing, it provides a vast array of uses for the wonderful world of wildlife. While we feed birds, squirrels and chipmunks without discrimination, we don’t necessarily want critters freeloading within our lodging. For this reason, we’ve been forced to enter into a Cat’s Eye pest control program.
THE SOLUTION
As clients with great respect for the general animal kingdom, we pose an interesting challenge for Cat’s Eye. Typically, exterminators hunt to kill. We’ve asked, instead, that ours hunt to preserve. So far, we’ve found the following ways to achieve that end:
- When mice infiltrated the basement, Tin Cats were baited but never poisoned. Rattling traps prompted Tim to blindfold captives, drive them to an undisclosed location and release them under witness protection until holes were sealed.
- To dissuade wasps and bees from encroaching upon my imaginary allergin relief zone, our annual phoebe hatchlings are kept safe from preventative dusting.
- When “redirecting” a legion of carpenter bees deeply entrenched under the gutters, Cat’s Eye engaged in combat while the majority of bees were on a pollen mission. This was to ensure minimum collateral damage. Tunnels were dusted with organic, peppermint-scented powder, the entrance was barricaded, and surveillance continued throughout the season. Eventually, the bees moved on.
Bottom line: we take no prisoners.
There’s a Cat Fight On My Head!
Working from home certainly has its perks.
- Perpetual pajama wear? Perk.
- No commute? Perk.
- Ability to set my own hours? Perk.
- Being my own boss? Perk.
Yes, yes, it’s all well and good in theory.
In reality, our animals are my boss.
- To punch in, the Newf sticks his face in his water bowl and lays his soggy, drooling lips on my keyboard. I, apparently, am the keeper of his time cards.
- During mud season (which may include spring, summer, fall and/or winter), the dogs dictate constant floor mopping during “work” breaks.
- Emmett, for attention, slams his head onto my [now broken] external hard drive. (I’ve considered docking his kibble.)
- And, as the Michief Police, I’m often called upon to root out the source of crashes, bangs, booms or an abundance of silence.
I Love You. I Hate You.
Our two young cats laid next to me on the couch yesterday, Jackson gently licking Jed’s head, each twin rumbling with contented purring in the comfort of each other’s arms. They seemed to revel in their deep sense of kinship, in the constancy of molecular connection since their dawn of time in the womb.
Being in the presence of snoozing kittens offers a peaceful calm like no other. My heart-rate lowers. My breath steadies. My thoughts come clearly… until that moment when, with mad ninja skills, Jackson wraps his white mitts (to avoid leaving incriminating paw prints) around Jed’s neck and exacts a choke hold. He sinks his razor sharp teeth into Jed’s moistened skull, a spot he had carefully prepared just moments prior. As 40 knives emerge from 8 fuzzy paws, back feet thump and kick. Jed tries to wriggle away but manages a mere body twist. His opponent braces his head firmly in place for one more tasty chomp.
Introducing Cats and Dogs
BEST LAID PLANS
With the prospect of introducing a new cat into our household, we tried to prepare our family and home as best as any new parents could. We read about introducing cats to new environments, to dogs, to us, new food, a new schedule and to each other (in the event that we brought home two). We were prepared to acclimate the furry little beastie(s) to one room at a time. We fully expected that said beastie(s) might sit under the couch for a week. We thought, perhaps, having the little beastie(s) sleep on a towel and introducing that towel to the dogs could be a beneficial pre-introduction tool. Every aspect of this adjustment had a plan. We would be fully in control.
A Cat Tail Tale
I took the kittens for a wellness exam just over a week ago. While the two of them frolicked around the room, hopping in and out of their carriers and chasing each other over the chair and exam table, they drew the attention of several staff members. Everyone who visited was enamoured with their frisky behavior and their affectionate snuggles. And then a trend began to occur. The more visitors we saw, the more I heard, “Those are the longest four-month-old kittens I have ever seen!”
Last night, our friend Doug came to visit. When Jackson greeted him at the door, Doug’s first words were, “That’s a cat.” Taking another look he added, “That’s not a kitten. It’s a cat.” Doug later watched as the kittens ran about, tackling each other and clutzing about with spines like Slinkies. “Okay, maybe they act like kittens, but really, they look like cats.”
Kitten Obsession
Jed was sleeping in Tim’s spot on the couch as Tim came home from work last night. Knowing full well that the little beasties spend gobs of time pouncing and bouncing around, Tim asked with a note of sarcasm, “Is this all you do all day? Sleep?”
I answered for Jed. “Are you kidding me? He’s busy growing up – right there in front of your eyes!”
Jackson and Jed already seem changed since Saturday. Their confidence is building, their connection to us is strengthening, and their little bodies are stretching and lengthening. The changes are happening at a perceptible rate.
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