Sable in the Dark

Sable’s integration is moving very slowly. I can understand her reluctance to mix with the others, though I have seen her at the threshold of the cat-room several times. Last night, I decided to move the procedure forward.

I have been closing the cat-room door each night, to give Sable a chance to be alone. But she has that chance all day. If there is a good opportunity to leave the door open for a long period, it is at night; I would be asleep, most of the time, but would still be present if anything untoward happened; it would be dark; there would be minimal activity among the other beasts. The worry I had was that Sable receives a meal about bed-time (her schedule is different than the others’, but will be changing soon); I didn’t want it uneaten by the time that I opened the door to possible other diners. Even more importantly, Sable usually visits her litter-box at night. Would she, if there were visitors about?

I needn’t have worried. Sable finished most of her meal before my own bed-time, so I left her door open. This morning, I found that she had indeed used the litter-box (her trademark is throwing much of the litter onto the pad I place for that purpose in front of the box.) She was clearly not disturbed by the other cats’ presence (if indeed they bothered her at all) and her bodily functions were not disrupted.

I will do this most nights now. Sable will still have my work-days to herself, with her door closed. The nights will be her time for exploring and socialising, if she wishes. It will also allow her to grow accustomed to me telling the kittens at three o’clock in the morning to stop playing and go to sleep. There are many traditions she will have to learn…