Josie is my oldest cat. For a fifteen year old, she’s doing well. She had all but three of her teeth removed not long ago; aside from the deteriorating teeth, now gone, and the beginnings of kidney disease (due to age), Josie is in good health. She still likes to jump from the bed to the cat-tree by the window and she is eating decently.
My Chubs has, however, started doing something annoying. She has discovered the little water-bowl I keep in the corner of the bedroom for Cammie. I placed it there for the blind princess to have easy access to water when she is lying on her towel in that part of the room. Cammie is spending more time in the sitting room, now that she has gained increased confidence in her sightless navigation of the apartment, but she still often comes into the bedroom for a drink of water. To find Josie already in position at the water-bowl is not only a rude shock for a blind cat, but it also deters her from drinking at all, as she then turns away with growls and hisses, and doesn’t bother to go to another bowl. As Cammie too is at the start of kidney failure (stage one, at this point), she needs water as much as Josie.
The other evening, I had to tell Josie to stay on the bed while Cammie drank her fill at the disputed bowl. She stayed, but she was not happy about it, and stared at me the whole time. I, for my part, had to remain in place to make sure the Great White did the same. It was a battle of wills between two old and cranky creatures, with neither one moving. Only after the princess had drunk what she wanted did I release Josie, who also drank.
It may seem unfair to favour Cammie - I’m sure Josie believes so - but my little Siamese can’t see, so her trek from the sitting room to the farthest water-bowl is long and wearying. She does lap from other bowls, but if she goes all the way to her preferred supply, I don’t want her to be disappointed. Having a drink is much easier for Josie. She of course thinks otherwise.
I made up for my intransigence later with extra attention to my Chubs. But such are the joys of a multi-cat household.
Yes, Cammie needs to have first dibs on the water and Josie can have some love to make up for it!
ReplyDeleteShe looks displeased in that photo. :-)
ReplyDeleteI would favour Cammie, too, as her challenges currently are greater than Josie's. What about a second water bowl in the bedroom? Would that satisfy them both, perhaps?
There are three bowls in the bedroom alone. One in the bathroom, one in the corridor, one in the library and a final one in the sitting room. Cammie's has just taken her fancy for the moment.
DeleteI have 4 bowls for 2 cats; tuna wont drink from mackerull's unless he's PARCHED, mackerull wont drink from tuna's period; tuna only drinks from the right, mackerull only drinks from the left and when tuna drinks and see's me looking at him, he quits
ReplyDeletenot quite the same as your house, but a "water right" none the less !! :) ♥♥
It sounds plenty complicated for a two-cat household. What creatures these cats be...
DeleteJohn, you need an striped black-and-white referee's outfit at home...or maybe a linesman's...
ReplyDeletePERFECT!
DeleteTook the words out of my mouth. I actually was going to say what creatures these cats be! Cat ridden people tend to think the same things many times it seems.
ReplyDeleteOf course Cammie must have precedence over her favourite water bowl. It is easier for Josie to go to another one. The only problem is that cats don't see logic in the same way as humans.
ReplyDeleteI don't think you were being unfair to Josie at all. Cammie needs a little extra attention, after all. I would have handled the situation the same way you did. My Danni sometimes gets bullied by my other cats, so at times I'll have to take her side to prevent the others from picking on her.
ReplyDeleteI do have this tucked away in my Pussy~Cat folder..
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6Upvt60vHc
I was not sure if you had a fountain. Cammie could hear this and find it whenever she wanted a drink. We added one last year and it has kept our elders water consumption up.
ReplyDeleteI'd have made Josie wait too, as I make Saku give way to Sasha. Sasha will only drink from the bowl I keep in the bathroom sink...which has to be kept in the sink because if I put in on the counter, the brat Saku knocks it off. I also have a fountain in the kitchen which Saku will drink from but Sasha will not. Cats are so much fun!
ReplyDelete