Sunday, January 30, 2022

Slow Progress

Minuet is doing all right. I woke in the middle of the night and went to the bathroom where she was sleeping, and found that she had wet on the floor. I thought this strange, as she had, hitherto, used the litter-box without exception. I had previously noted that the amount of litter was diminishing and had planned to renew it in the morning. I did so at that moment, instead. She has since resumed using the litter-box.

Why Minuet needed more litter, if that indeed was the solution to her temporary lapse, I don’t know. Perhaps the Cat-Attract loses its effectiveness after a while, though I would not have thought a mere twenty-four hours would have been the limit. There are, of course, any number of possible reasons, though I intend not to add to the litter tonight, to see if the episode is repeated. If it is, perhaps a thin layer on top will suffice.

My other newcomer, Auric, is making slow progress in the right direction. Slow progress. Since his neutering, he has calmed down a little. A little. He sleeps more, which is a blessing to us all.

He continues to chase Hector, and this remains his biggest problem. He seems to bother Neville not much at all, while his attention toward Renn appears – and appearances may be quite wrong – to be those of a youngster looking for an older brother. He will try to lie near my big boy now and then; Renn wants nothing to do with this relationship, but is not as hostile to Auric’s proximity as he once was.



Auric is nonetheless a mischievous kitten in spirit, and I can’t yet leave him out with the others while I am asleep or absent. He will stay in the bedroom during my work-day, while Minuet is given the library. This will greatly restrict the space for the others, but they will have to live with it. At least they won’t have to live with Auric’s antics.

But the Golden Boy does have a charming side. I have learned that he enjoys extreme physical closeness if I am horizontal. My attempts at a nap today were ruined by Auric deciding that he would re-enact a part from a movie. Do you recall the scene in Alien in which John Hurt’s character is attacked by the hatchling from the egg? It attaches itself immovably to his face. That scene apparently found favour with Auric.

What is needed is the patience which I counsel others in this situation to have. With time, my two latest houseguests will integrate well. I think a decade or two should do.

 

16 comments:

  1. HaHa! Bless! As l said yesterday..
    It's ALL coming along nicely..! :)

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  2. Let's hope it doesn't take a decade or two. LOL.

    I hope Minuet's issue is that she just prefers deeper litter. You'll work it out in the end, I know.

    As for Auric, I hope he finds a forever home, preferably with a young cat to keep him company and to play with, sooner than later.

    In the end, slow progress, even with a sidestep or two, is better than no progress! :-)

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  3. I see Hector still sleeps on a tiny corner of your bed next to the pillow. Hope he doesn't get too big next thing you know he'll be rolling off onto the floor. You have your hands full with new kitties, but you do so well with them and they certainly Thrive for it. Keep up the good work and I certainly love seeing all the pictures.

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  4. I have hopes Minuet will go back to the litter box. That may have been a fluke or she indeed requires a bit more litter. Katie (and all cats are different) likes hers about three inches deep. But regardless she will use it. A story about her. When I first got her, I showed her where the box was several times. She saw it...stood there a half a moment and left. After 24 hours I was worried and bought a box of Cat Attract. She finally used the litterbox and I took it, in my lack of knowledge that she needed the added scent. I was wrong. She simply wasn't ready to use the box until then. But I have always bought her Cat Attract since as she is use to it. She never had an accident but I didn't want to upset the apple cart. It is excellent litter and does not lose its effectiveness as your wondered.. The scent is strong and gets stronger, so don't be surprised when you notice that. I use a sprinkling of baking soda in the bottom of the box just to tamp down the scent of the litter.

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  5. Auric is bold to stretch out his arms and touch Renn! Made me smile!

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    Replies
    1. Auric's actions have no limits but the limits of his desires.

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  6. Minuet has very exacting standards, now that you know what they are.
    Am purring that she finds comfort with you, John.
    Auric still has plenty of hormone, but they will subside.
    Or he'll be a brat, but a very cute one!
    The visual from "Alien"...hahahahaha!

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  7. I was wondering is you had a indoor camera monitor you could put in the bathroom and monitor Minuet with? Maybe that would help figure out why she wets outside of the litterbox?
    Auric is such a handsome boy and such a character!

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    1. I wish I did have video cameras in the apartment; I’d have them all over to monitor these beasts.

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  8. I loved the pictures of Auric and Minuet. They're real characters. Auric is a typical kitten who enjoys getting into everything. My Joey is 9 years old, and has never outgrown kitten-hood. It will be interesting to see how Minuet does using her litter box. Perhaps she is just fussy and likes her box filled with a certain amount of litter.

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  9. Sharing an apartment with Auric AND Hector must be like living in a moving train. An out-of-control moving train.

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  10. minuet and auric.....can we say ya kinda look like each other !! ☺☺♥♥

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  11. What a character Auric is. I hope it won't take a decade or two for a truce to come about.

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  12. Hopefully the extra litter will be enough for Minuet.
    I had to laugh at Auric tentatively touching Renn.

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  13. Those two have become the new dynamic duo!

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  14. Now it seems the cozy apartment has become the temporarily unsettled apartment! Hope it all calms down sooner than later...a decade...LOL!!

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