In the last few weeks, Pepper has been sneezing a lot, so we took him to the vet a few days ago. I was a bit concerned and thought he might have caught a flu of some sort. The vet said everything is fine, he's healthy, and the sneezing is most likely an environmental thing (dry hair, and such.) Aside from the fact that Pepper was due for his annual check up, another reason I wanted to get him check out was to make sure he would be healthy enough to be around another cat. Even though we had that little fiasco with Blackjack, we were still interested in trying out another cat (with a different personality.) The vet suggested a male kitten would be our best bet, as female cats are surprisingly more territorial, and the male-to-male bond can develop quicker amongst felines.
So, my husband and I went to the shelter to see some cats the next day. There was a gorgeous Siamese cat we wanted, but she did not do well with other cats, so we knew that wouldn't work for us. We went again a couple of days later and saw a cute little kitten available for adoption. I know kittens do tend to get adopted really quickly, so I knew if I wanted him, I needed to take him right away. So here we are again, with two cats. Just as before, the two cats are in completely separate rooms. Pepper is outside in the living room, with some new toys, a new litter box, and new gourmet food. (Just because we got a new kitty, doesn't mean Pepper doesn't deserve to be equally as spoiled.)
The kitten is a brown tabby whom we named Tiger, because he's vicious like a tiger. ;) It's been years since I've been around kittens, lately I've had more experience with adult cats. I thought Pepper was a hyper naughty cat, but he's nothing compared to this new little Tiger! Tiger gave me a hard time sleeping. He kept trying to attack my hands and feet at night and wanted to play. When he gets tired and sleepy, he gets super cuddly. He'll walk all over my legs, tummy, chest, neck, even my face for a little attention. He has the loudest purr, even louder than Pepper's. My husband had his heart set on another noisy cat who meows a lot, but Pepper is still the noisiest, most vocal cat in this apartment.
Tiger keeps sticking his paws out from under the door (wanting to play with Pepper, I think) but, Pepper is getting kind of annoyed. Pepper will smack the tiny kitten paws, then he'll give a little hiss and a growl. As my research indicated, both cats have to be in separate rooms for a week or two before they are introduced face to face, and it will be our responsibility to watch over them and slowly get them used to each other. I feel a bit more confident about Tiger, then I did about Blackjack. Anytime Pepper hisses and growls, Tiger does not respond. I think that will show Pepper that the new kitten is not a threat to him. Keeping my fingers crossed here! I'm being very persistent and stubborn, and not giving up on the idea of having two cats!
No comments:
Post a Comment