Kitty & Muffin….Playing!

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Over the last few days, there’s been a change in the wind.  Kitty is no longer hissing or growling at Muffin.

And that would be enough cause for celebration. But wait, there’s more!  Now, she’s fascinated by him and follows him from room to room. When she can catch him (he never stops moving) she gives him a good grooming, or tries too – all that long fur – she doesn’t know what to do with it. But she keeps trying. In her eyes he must appear to be a really messy looking kid.

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And she desperately wants to play with him, but he’s a little afraid of her and runs away at most of her advances to play.

Here, a couple grooming sessions turn into play:

There are changes every day now as they become more comfortable with each other. Just this morning while I was doing my hair, Kitty ran past me at top speed, with Muffin in hot pursuit! I thought it was a fluke – why would he be chasing her? Up until now it’s been the other way around. But later, they did it again: Kitty did a little “please chase me” dance in front of Muffin, he stood up on his back legs, and then she took off running full out with him right behind, tearing through the house like their tails were on fire.  For years Kitty has invited me to chase her  – I’ve clocked a lot of miles running around the house after her. Now, she’s got Muffin doing it too. So funny to watch a little furry David chasing Goliath around!

We’re so glad they’re getting along! I really didn’t expect Kitty to warm up to him this well, or this fast. Remember, Kitty hasn’t played with another cat for at least 7 years! She’s a little rusty in her social skills, but is getting things figured out.

Muffin’s not living in the house full time just yet, he’s out in a heated room in the garage with his sister and brother, and his visitations into the house with Kitty, a few hours a day, are still supervised. I’m going to keep him in the house all day tomorrow. If all continues to go well, Muffin will move into the house full time, and we’ll give his brother and sister up for adoption. That will probably happen next week. Muffin loves to play with his siblings, and we’ll feel sad to see them go, but 4 cats in our small house would be a bit much. Hopefully we can find someone who will take both his siblings so they can stay together.

Have a great weekend all!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Suzanne

Cattle, corn, wheat, beans, mud, snow, ice, and drought. Plenty of fresh air and quiet. Our life is sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes joyous, but never boring.

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35 Responses

  1. Shari K. says:

    I am so happy so see the great progress. I’ve been following daily, hoping for new updates. Soon they’ll be great friends. What a lucky day in darling Muffin’s life when you rescued him and his siblings. You are an angel. LOVE your blog (and recipes). Merry Christmas to all.

  2. Lorraine says:

    She is showing that she is the dominant cat of the two of them. He smart boy is learning and allowing her to dominate. Very cute. He is just adorable. He will tolerate just so much then he runs away and that is how it should be.

    Waiting to see the video of when the tree go up and he notices it….Lorraine

    ps. What a gift you gave to yourselves this Christmas!

  3. Glenda says:

    I see a lot of confusion. Kitty starts to groom then lapses into going for the throat, etc. than back to grooming. Hope it all works out!

  4. Becca says:

    this is so cute! I love the video!I so enjoy keeping up with this little saga.they both seem to be doing so well. And I’m just as excited as you are that things are moving along so quickly!
    Florida hugs, Becca

  5. Before you know it they’ll be inseparable. Been so long ago, I forgot that I had introduced a kitty to a grown cat. They hissed and spit for a while, too, but became best buds. When she got out one time, he wandered around in the house crying almost constantly trying to find her. When she finally came home, he just couldn’t get close enough to her and all she wanted to do was eat and sleep. I’m so glad Muffin and Kitty are becoming friends.

    • Suzanne says:

      When I take Muffin back out to the garage, she looks around for him going room to room. She’s getting attached to him I think.

  6. Debbie says:

    This just made my day!!

  7. Lynne says:

    I love this whole ‘storyline’! Much better than most of what is on television. Your cats are beautiful, and I know they add much joy to your home! Thanks for the updates. Please keep them coming as you have time.

  8. Debbie Chapman says:

    Oh, I am so happy for you all!
    Great to see them playing! Love that Kitty is grooming Muffin….so funny …..your comment about her thinking he is a messy little kid!
    I have a big smile on my face reading all these updates!

  9. Dianna says:

    Oh, this makes me so happy… it’s making me seriously think about a playmate for Sundae…..I’m glad they’re getting accustomed to each other! Look at Kitty….acting like a frisky little kitten!

    • Suzanne says:

      We’re hoping with her increased activity she’ll lose some weight. But even if she doesn’t it’s so good to see her engaged and having fun.

  10. Debbie Chapman says:

    I forget if you said, but how old did the vet think the kittens are?

  11. Jeanne says:

    If you can see a big glow in the night sky from the direction of Oregon, don’t worry! It’s just me – sitting here grinning from ear to ear!! I’m just sooo tickled that they are getting along so well so soon! It should be all down hill from here! … Unless Kitty develops Muffin-sized hairballs!! 🙂

  12. Linda says:

    What pure delight this is. I’m going to do a re-post of my Cat Carols this weekend, and I’ve decided to dedicate it to Kitty and Muffin, with a link back to your blog. There surely are others out there who would love to follow this story!

  13. Amy C. from NC says:

    I’m enjoying the updates about the friendship developing between Kitty and Muffin! Kitty will surely love having a full-time play friend!

    A delightful read! Thanks for sharing!

  14. Evelyn says:

    just too cute! So glad that things are working out. I would love the other two just to keep them together but the 5 I have are enough! The best to all of you!

    • Suzanne says:

      The other two found a forever home yesterday, so it’s turned out well for all of them now, and we’re SO glad we stopped to pick them up from the road.

  15. Adorable watching them get to know each other. I bet in a few months it’ll be as if they were together all along. She’ll mother him a bit and he’ll adore the attention. I love kitties; my current “house” cat is so much of an outdoor girl that it is very rare that she does more than eat a few bites, get a drink and head back out into the sunshine.

    Thanks for sharing this journey with us.

  16. mary m says:

    HI SUZANNE,
    JUST LOVE FOLLOWING THE KITTIES “TALES”..THANK YOU FOR SHARING.
    MY NEIGHBOR USES A LIGHT WATER SPRAY BOTTLE , AND WHEN HER KITTIE
    IS CLIMBING WHERE HE SHOULDN’T, SHE SQUIRTS HIM GENTLY FROM THE
    WATER BOTTLE….BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION?….
    MM FROM VANCOUVER, WA.

    • Suzanne says:

      Good advice – Muffin has discovered he can get onto the kitchen table and we’re going to need to set some boundaries with him, the little imp.

  17. Patti says:

    That is just too sweet to watch the two of them playing. It will keep Kitty younger to have Muffin to play with. Love your cat posts!

    • Suzanne says:

      Kitty’s certainly not living the sedentary life she had a few weeks ago. We’re hoping besides keeping her young that she’ll shed some pounds too. 🙂

  1. December 13, 2014

    […] and Cherie’s Dixie Belle is with us only in memory this year, but we’ve been joined by seven year old Kitty, who’s learning to live with a new pal named Muffin up on the Tallgrass Prairie.  Merry […]

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