TRIXIE-----The New Girl In Town

[kritter]

This will be my third cat transport. One to St Louis, one to Pensacola, and now one to Albuquerque.

The first two were through the Ebay Animal Board.

Trixie is used to huffy cats. She will just ignore him and play with her toys.

[Deleted]

Yay! When Val has Trixie it means we get pics of her forever and ever and ever!

[allikat]

Trixie and Hootie, it has a nice ring to it.

[Deleted]

Plus you get to buy cat toys, Val! Not to mention an extra litter box, lol.

[kritter]

Trixie will be bringing her own cat toys. My kittens always go prepared.

[Deleted]

Of course, Kritter. But you don't want to deprive Val of the joy of buying extra ones, do you? And she might need some that you don't provide. Like a dangly thing on a stick. And a turbo track. And a laser pointer thing.

[val2525]

Got the dangly thing on a stick and the laser mouse, but she'llh have to share with Hootie.

Hootie is a pretty laid back cat. He came down the hall when Pooh was here, tail up and curled, ready to check him out. However, he came up behind Pooh so he startled Pooh, Pooh turned around and hissed (not like Pooh usually) and for the next 3 days whenever Pooh would try to mend the rift, Hootie was like, 'nope, you hissed dude. You HISSED." He's been ok with Pooh on subsequent visits. So he'll be OK with Trixie. And she's little.

I have to figure out how to kitten proof the crappy useless fireplace I have, though. There are several places in it a little bitty kitten could get stuck.

[Deleted]

If it was me I'd actually hold Trixie up for Hootie to investigate. Let him touch noses with her and smell her bum. If he doesn't swipe or hiss you could give them something delicious to eat. Trixie won't mind, she'll be all eyes for the new big cat, and Hootie will feel included in her arrival.

I know all the stuff about keeping them separated for days, blah blah blah, but I don't think it's necessary for every cat. I was reading a post the other day by someone who said that only after 6 months did they leave the cats together when they went out. For heaven's sake!

[allikat]

My sister and her now husband moved in together and she had a border collie and he had a cat. The dog and cat were fine together from the beginning no hissing or barking but the first time they went out and left the dog and cat together alone they apparently worked out all their problems. They came home to dog fur everywhere and the cat and dog sleeping together best buddies from there on out, lol. Sister says she had no idea what went on while they were gone but it never happened again, she feels the cat just wanted the dog to know it was his house and he was boss, animals are so funny.

[val2525]

When I got my puppy years back, I brought him in, put him down on the floor and told the cat (not Hootie, this one was Boo) that she'd just have to deal with it. They ended up best buds and my dog, until the day he died, prefered cats to dogs. We'd be out walking and a cat would see him and hiss. His ears and tail would droop and he'd give me a really sad look like he was thinking, "mom, what did I do? sniff".

I don't have the space to do the the separation thing, so maybe Kritter or Shirley will chime in with some more tips. I kinda like your idea, MissP.

[val2525]

Jan 12, 2016 2:05:14 GMT kritter said:

And a pic in case she puts herself on Ebay.

Buy a Coach backpack and she will travel inside right to your front door.

this is the cutest pic. She's grinning. She looks so happy with herself, like we probably do after a good day of eBay shopping. I've never seen a cat grin.

But then, Hootie sighs when he's had enough poking at the vet and it cracks the vets up. So they'll love the grin.

[kritter]

I would just put her down on the floor and let her do the exploring while Hootie watches her. Trixie is used to being with big cats including those who like her and those who don't care if she stays or goes.

Kenya hisses at her when they cross paths and Trixie respectfully retreats. She and Sabrina touch noses when they meet and then go on their separate ways.

Daisy wants to flip her over and groom her which never goes as planned. The others pretty much ignore her.

When Trixie was around 6 weeks old, I just put her down on the floor in the den and she made her way from there. A kitten is so much easier to integrate than an adult cat.

[jellybeanscloset412]

I'm so glad she is staying in the family!

[Deleted]

Jan 15, 2016 1:29:01 GMT allikat said:

Trixie and Hootie, it has a nice ring to it.

Trixie and Hootie,
In a cat tree
H-I-S-S-I-N-G

[kritter]

I don't think I have ever heard Trixie hiss. She lays her ears back and yells when Daisy gets too aggressive with the grooming but that's about it.

[Shirley U Geste]

She seems totally laid back and purrfect to fit in with an older cat like Hootie.

[kritter]

Hey, she fits in with Sabrina so that is passing a big test right there.

The two of them don't snuggle but I haven't seen her really snuggling with any of the cats. The Missy family rarely sleeps together unless it is in a place that they all want to be.

[val2525]

Hootie isnt nearly as fussy as Sabrina

[kritter]

I have to say that Sabrina is doing so much better. She still prefers her own world but that's OK. I can certainly understand that.

[Deleted]

Interactive toys/dangly things on sticks are good for integrating. Play with one while the other watches then move over and play with the other. They focus on the toy while having a positive experience in the presence of the other.

[kritter]

Trixie just weighed and she hit the two pound mark so she is ready for her spay.

[Deleted]

Kritter's advice about just putting Trixie down and letting her do her own thing works too, but I was coming at it from Hootie's angle. NO WAY would I be wanting to upset my beloved, so I'd want to make it clear to him that he's still the boss, still my number one, and that this new kitty is for both of us and in no way a replacement for him. That's why I'd call him over and display the kitten for him, talking to HIM the whole time. And have the treat food ready in hopes that Hootie's cool. It's not likely that Trixie will do any swiping or hissing, so Hootie's the one to focus on.

Trixie will do her own investigations of Hootie later, sneaking up to smell his tail etc.

[kritter]

OK, looks like a done deal. Trixie is going to live in New Mexico.

When I called the airlines last night to add her to the passenger list, the CS asked me about the return trip date and time so she could get on that pet list too.

When I told her that Trixie was being adopted and staying in New Mexico, there was a few seconds of silence and then the CS asked me if they didn't have kittens in New Mexico.

I told her that this was a special kitten and there weren't any others like her anywhere. 

[jellybeanscloset412]

Woo Hoo!

Cheers to Kritter and Val! I'm so excited! Trixie looks and sounds like a lovely kitten.

Val, you are sooo lucky! Happy for everyone!

[val2525]

When I told her that Trixie was being adopted and staying in New Mexico, there was a few seconds of silence and then the CS asked me if they didn't have kittens in New Mexico.

[val2525]

I told the cashier in Petsmart last night that it was official, I was getting a second cat and would be a CCL. She laughed. Said she didn't think CCL applied until one had at least a half dozen cats.

I'm so relieved.

[allikat]

Of course Trixie is special Kritter and her pack have taught her to sparkle and shine.

[val2525]

Jan 16, 2016 19:12:48 GMT kritter said:

I told her that this was a special kitten and there weren't any others like her anywhere. 

Yes, she is. And Hootie, at 15 YO, deserves a special kitty who will understand he's older and not make him feel like he's being edged out. I think they'll do well together. He's really a softie at heart.

[kritter]

Trixie is used to older cats and she doesn't try to take their place. She will defer to the grouchies like Dorie, Gracie, and Kenya.

She goes in to Sabrina's room with me at night and she usually lays on the blanket while I read and Sabrina lays on the back of the couch right above me. That seems to work for everybody.

[val2525]

Oh, I think she'll have Hootie wrapped around her dainty little paw in no time. He probably won't know what hit him.