[Straysmommy]

A stray whom I'd been seriously hesitating between her and Princess and in the end I chose Princess, tonight got into my apt. building, the elevator with me, and into my home when I opened the door. I'm hoping Prince will chase her out, because 3 cats is definitely too much for a small apt. But Prince, much as he's kept Princess in terror for over 6 months, is now scared of the stray and is hiding!!

What should I do for the sake of all 4 concerned????

 

[Straysmommy]

3 may not be too much, but I know someone that this way got to 10 cats and then wasn't able to find a place to live by rent. I'm terrified!!!!!

 

[Straysmommy]

Or, keep him He chose you!! lol.

I guess so.... She'd been trying to get into the elevator for about a month now but I always discouraged her without kicking her, and she was a bit apprehensive of the elevator. Once she had climbed all 7 floors to my apt. but Prince didn't let her beyond the entrance corridor of the apt. so I wasn't worried, I thought the same would happen last night...

We all slept peacefully through the night, they all purred contentedly, she chose her bed where she doesn't let Prince anywhere near.

My cats are so used to her, the three of them have sat together for over a year now in the feeding station and in the building lobby, a couple hours daily, maybe they don't notice any difference....

Or maybe all **** will hang loose when they wake up...

Part of me is utterly blissed - that is the big problem.

 

[Straysmommy]

I'm so torn about this I have a knot in my stomach. I left the 3 of them alone all day as I went to work, I must've been crazy. Now I came back, gave them a nice dinner and the 3 are eating peacefully as if we'd all lived together forever. Bianquita (that's her name) uses the litter box and her bed naturally as if she'd lived here forever. Even Princess seems a lot more relaxed now. This is all surreal...

Bianquita was the first cat to ever have a relationship with me. Then came Princess, and last it was Prince. Prince was just the first to follow me to my apt., that's why he got adopted first. Princess was a tough decision between her and Bianquita (I decided on Princess because Bianquita is VERY assertive. Then I spent nights sleeping with Bianquita in the building lobby last winter so she wouldn't have to sleep in the streets. She'll cost me less living inside than outside, that's for sure, less vet bills if she's not in the streets. I'll have to lie and say I have only 1 cat when I need to move to a new rented place.

For now, I agree that if the 3 of them get along, she can stay...

 

[Straysmommy]

So far so good... Just seeing her sleep between pink fleece blankets instead of all wet and covered in mud under a car, in the storm, as I used to see her each night , makes my life worth living... She hasn't made any moves to leave, doesn't sound like she's desperate to go back outside. And she's so used to Prince, Princess and me, the live beings' sights, sounds and scents are not new - just the food and the facilities are more comfortable, and she's very used to going to new places with me, on strolls and inside the building, so for her nothing has changed much. She's getting a visit to the vet very soon, though.

 

[Straysmommy]

Should I put new adoption back in the street?

I feel at a loss. I adopted a new, stray cat last week when she followed me home. She had been spending a couple hours with Prince and me each night when I feed the strays, for over a year. She has a problem that if a cat gets too near, she attacks it. Because my apt is small, it happens a lot with Prince (not with Princess, who won't go out of my bedroom because Prince attacks her if she does). I don't have another room where I could confine the newcomer, and I also don't think it'd help, as Prince and her (Bianquita) have been sharing the building lobby and the garden for such a long time. They do have lots of vertical space to run to, but the problem arises only when Prince passes by quickly near her, or stares at her for a few seconds. She was like this before too, with the other strays. She'll attack, get the other cat to run away scared, and immediately she'll go into hiding and become depressed and lie down for a very long time, sometimes she even wouldn't come to eat the next day.

My 3 cats are all street, sure-death rescues. We don't have shelters in this country, so putting her back outside kills me. But I'll do it if this continues, because I know Prince will escape if I don't, and that would kill me a lot more. He's my all.

All well-meaning advice will be welcome for the sake of these 3 poor rescue cats who now have a chance at a bit of a life instead of horrible death.

 

[Straysmommy]

I wanted to rescue these 3 cats ever since I started feeding the colony. She was the last I adopted because I knew she had an aggressivity problem, and I wouldn't have adopted her if she hadn't made the firm decision herself not to budge. I even took her to the street "for a stroll" a couple days ago, hoping she'd want to stay, but she didn't even go out of the building lobby, as if she knew I'd never take her back home if she did (which was probably true). I love her with all my heart, she was the first cat that ever came close to me and became a companion, following me everywhere in the streets around. She's also beautiful in my eyes, and so tiny and fragile (because she was neutered as a kitten, she never grew much). She's very young, and I think her paranoia will receed with time, but I'm in panic that Prince might escape.

I also wanted to mention that in this country there are zero adoptions of adult cats (and very few of kittens).

I'm waiting for the vet to come examine and give her all shots on Monday evening, counting the hours.

I have a huge, beautiful cat loft (dog-training cage, for a cat it has 2 floors) in the living room where I could confine her, it's sitting right next to her. Just a question of closing the door when she goes in there to play during the day. That might get her used to Prince running around her without her being able to attack him. I don't know, just an idea.

Since they're both neutered, the attacks are only scary to Prince, not physically painful. But he's acting distressed, although he took her presence in the house very naturally because he's used to having her with us all the time, up to the door of the apt.

 

[Straysmommy]

Thank you, jusjim, I too think it's jealousy and fear. I'll discuss it with the vet tomorrow.

 

[Straysmommy]

Here's a photo of the sweetie...

 

[Straysmommy]

Tricky, what happened then?

Alpaca, you give us all hope in the threads with your story, thank you for that.

Last night she tried to escape after she got furious at me for letting the bad man hurt her with the long claw (she got her vet check-up and shots). But when she saw the streets again, just from the lobby, she turned back and went willingly into the elevator and back home.

She seems a bit calmer tonight, hopefully that'll improve the relationship with Prince too...

 

[Straysmommy]

Your words are very comforting, Alpaca. Knowing that things can continue improving along the first few years is a great thing. And with all the stress and tension in the house these days, I still feel that they much prefer to be in this situation with each other than all alone... It breaks my heart to see the Prince of the house reduced to hiding in the dark corners, but I think as she calms down it'll improve.

 

[Straysmommy]

I'm glad to report that things are almost normal now, with Prince still cautious of Bianquita but not hiding anymore. And Bianquita has calmed down almost completely, she rarely goes after him anymore if he passes by close. She got her vet exam and shots (she was already neutered). She's terrified of being left behind, so she always goes out with me when I feed the strays and comes running back home with me. She doesn't want me out of her sight. Prince was the same at the beginning. She's stopped eating all the time, she's not obsessed with food anymore. And she doesn't swat me anymore when I fuss around her and surprise her with a movement.