A Reverse

Dabney’s integration suffered a set-back last night. It happened almost at the very last minute of my holidays. I was ready for bed and checking on the cats before I turned out the lights. I was in the library, where Neville was on the bookcase under the window, and Dabs was lying down at the room’s threshold, as he often does. I had just seen Percival reclining about six feet outside the library.

Without warning, Dabney screamed and launched himself at Percy. There was fur flying before I could intervene. But even with me standing between them, the new boy wanted to rush at Perce again. I was able calm both of the boys down and coax Dabney into the library again. He spent the night alone in there. This morning, he was reasonable again, but I didn’t want to take a chance, and he is in the library while I am at work.

I don’t consider this an insurmountable problem. I think Dabney was trying not to hurt Percival; in the instant between the contact he made and my separation of the two, there could have been bloodshed. A cat bent on doing real damage would have grappled with his opponent. I have seen several battles in my home - between Josie and Wixie, Tungsten and Luther, Parker and Tucker - and each was more serious and severe than this. (Of those three pair, Wixie and Luther were adopted, while Parker and Tucker came to an accommodation with each other.) I believe that, for whatever reason, Dabs has decided he must intimidate Percy, show him who’s boss. He was, in effect, demonstrating what could happen; this was a warning, though what Perce could do to avoid a similar or worse occurrence, I don’t know, since he was not in the least threatening, so far as I could see - and probably in his own mind. To Dabney, the situation was different.

But before I left this morning, I did let the little combatant out, and he behaved as he had formerly toward Percy. Nonetheless, the latter was wary, and Dabney was eyeing Percy rather diligently. I will allow everyone their freedom this evening and see how things develop from there. Dabney may require another week in the library during my absences. We will see what follows upon that.