Much prettier than her photos? Her pics are gorgeous, I can only imagine what she must look like in person. I hope this will end up being a perfect match for all. I think the boys will be happy with another female :)
Definitely a calico! Do you think the boys will be too boisterous for her?
Wow, hard to believe she is prettier than the photos, she is gorgeous. I hope all goes well and that you both will be very happy.
I spoke with Mrs. Ford yesterday afternoon. Mistress Phoenix has had her annual well kitty check, in very good health, and is up to date on her vaccinations. Cooper had the same on Monday, and Buff on Tuesday. Only hitch for Buff, his platelets are low and he needs a tooth extracted due to root re-absorption. Have a follow up scheduled for 14 January.
Cooper is a robust 18 lb 4 oz, and Buff is a lean 14 lb 5 oz. I think Miss Phoenix may tip the scale at 7 lb or so.
Also, the transfer of custody will take place early Monday evening.
That sounds good! What weights! I think my biggest cat is about Buff's size.
Mistress Phoenix has been tucked away in the kitty nursery since 4:30 PM Eastern US Time on 4 January. She IS very shy, and until earlier today, has only come out from under the bed at night.
I was laying on the floor next to the bed talking to her earlier. The body language is hopeful. She gave me the slow kitty blink a couple times, has not done that before.
She is eating, drinking and eliminating just fine.
I have 3 kitty cams set up. Phoenix is fastidious about her grooming, but had NOT been over grooming.
Also found out that Buff and Cooper work together to get the door open. Have the European style paddle handles, not knobs. Buff reaches up and can pull on the handle. Cooper pushes the door.
Now I have 2 baby gates stacked. Buff can jump over one. Cooper is jump challenged.
Buff did real well for his veterinary dental procedure yesterday. One tooth, pictured below, needed to come out. The other suspect one just needed a good cleaning.
These are the back 3, left side, lower jaw. The first 2 show light below the gum line, normal roots. The molar, dark, no roots. Vet said cats' bodies will sometimes re-absorb the roots of teeth.
https://
www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/766787?personal_page_id=861638
First thing Buff did after I let him out of the carrier at about 1:30 PM, head to the kibble bowl. I'd had to isolate him away from food, could have water, since 7 PM the previous evening.
While Buff was in isolation, Cooper was missing him. He followed me into the "nursery" and I thought it would be the usual supervised visit. Him looking under the bed and talking to Phoenix in his kitten voice, her growling a little. But, he went under to get to His Spot, and she objected. It was loud, but no fur flew. I was able to shoo him out after about a minute.
A few steps back in the introduction.
A few hours later, about 2 in the morning, she woke me up with her litter box excavation. After she was done, Phoenix came over to look at me, saw my eyes were open and hissed. "Dad! You let the Boy get near me!" Then she went back under the bed.
She does like to tuck into the Fancy Feast, even reaches into the bowl to grab some and lick it off her paw.
Bigger news, last night Phoenix let me pick her. The cuddle only lasted a couple minutes, but I'll take the small steps.
Tomorrow will make 9 weeks that Mistress Phoenix has been with us.
She is going up to the screen door many times a day either looking for Cooper and Buff, or to flirt a little. Yesterday she did the kitten hop turn when Cooper was by himself out there, almost like she was inviting him to play.
Miss Phoenix explored outside of Fort Fenix for close to an hour and a half on Wednesday. She was in the people bedroom again, for close to an hour. She even spent about 20 - 30 minutes napping on the pillows atop the bed.
https://
www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/766850?personal_page_id=40606
2 new pictures...
In the 1st, Miss Phoenix giving me a nose bump on 21 March.
https://
www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/766852?personal_page_id=40606
In the 2nd, Mr. Buff tried to visit, but she his under the bed. However, she was only a few feet away, and her complaints were not as loud
https://
www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/766853
Miss Phoenix has been with us 3 full months now. Chaperoned visits with the boys are going a bit easier. She is staying out longer before hiding under the bed. She is less vocal about her complaints and takes much less time to come out from under after they leave the room. In fact, last evening, she came out as they were crossing the threshold back into the hall.
The boys are getting better at not trying to get under the bed for a look at her.
I think she'll likely warm up to Buff first as when he's outside the screen and she comes to look at him, he flops over into an almost submissive pose. Cooper is rearing up like a bear less and less. She also seems to be mewing at them, as they have been at her.
Progress report: Missy is becoming quite and explorer and IS becoming used to the idea she has brothers.
Buff had a chaperoned visit, while Cooper sounded plaintive on the other side of the screen door. Missy was sitting only a few feet from the doorway and di not move when Buff came in, even though she was hissing. She did not go under the bed until he was past her.
Buf was most interested in the catnip on the cardboard scratch pad by the foot of the bed. The longer he was in Nip Ecstacy, the closer she moved, still under and still grumbling.
The grumbling ceased a few minutes before I shooed him out.
She has been exploring the other bedrooms, when I'm able to gate off the boys.
Last night she had a lengthy explore of the walk in closet in the people bedroom, ended up climbing one of my sweatshirts to gain the shelf above the clothing rack.
https://
www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/766936?personal_page_id=40606
Mistress Phoenix is definitely no longer scared of the boys, getting very comfortable with "contact" at the screen door. She is no long immediately hiding during chaperoned visits. Yesterday's, with both Cooper and Buff, lasted almost 20 minutes.
Here she was posing pretty: https://
www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/766963?personal_page_id=861638
Here's the 3 of them: https://
www.medhelp.org/user_photos/show/766964?personal_page_id=861638
She actually moved closer to get a better look at Cooper. When Buff tried to get in a social sniff, she turned and bopped him on the forehead, claws sheathed.
Yesterday's episode of the Phoenix and Buff Show...
He was lounging on her captured ball toy. Phoenix rushes at him from where she was watching him by the other corner of the bed. She stopped with about 2 inches between their noses. Buff stayed, calmly laying there. She did reach out, bump noses and then scampered away.
A little update, these 6 months after Gotcha Day.
It was funny, last night.
Phoenix came into the people bedroom.
Cooper then went into Fort Fenix.
She was looking under the bed to see if he was there.
He was doing the same in the other room.
She spent time sitting atop the taller bookshelf next to my bureau.
He spent time sitting on the blanket covered box by the window, where she naps.
She jumped down, and was peeking around the solid door at him.
Cooper got bored, I guess, and went down the hall to the crows nest at the head of the stairway.
Phoenix went back into the "nursery."
All in all, about 30 minutes.
Buff was oblivious, sleeping under his blanket on the downstairs couch.
The visits are getting longer, with fewer complaints. There has been no flying fur or blood droplets. The times she has bopped Buff, claws were in. The times the boys have chased her, they stopped short of catching her.
Miss Phoenix has, hesitantly, exchanged nose touches with both the boys, then bops them.
I had a beauty of a cat that never got over 6 lbs and I took her in as a stray! She had a terrible urinary problem and went all over the house but I think along with the problem, my two male cats bothered her just them being around. It took 4 years before they all laid on my love seat with me . But we dealt. It takes awhile
A bit of a while since I posted an update. Will upload pictures.
It looks like Phoenix is almost ready to tolerate Buff. He got up on the bureau with her a few days ago and was eating out of her bowl. She looked very displeased, but did not try to drive him away.
The day after, she was on the sill of the big window over the large soaker tub in the main bathroom. She hissed only once, when Buff tried to join her. She settled down as he lay atop his favorite tote (use the tub for storage).
Cooper, reviews are mixed. While he does not seem to be trying to catch her, he is still chasing her a few times a week.
(Got a 500: Internal server error when I tried to upload the pictures. Will try again later and post the URLs in a comment.)
Things are going along with 3 steps forward, 1 step back, 2 steps back...
Cooper is still being a tire iron upside the head insofar as trying to approach Phoenix.
I really think he is as afraid of her as she is of him.
Many more peaceful to neutral encounters between her and Buff.
Looks like Phoenix and Buff are at the junior high school "I like you, so I'm gonna hit you" phase. They are touching noses much more often, and she sneaks in social sniffs, too.
It is getting better between Phoenix and Cooper. He still chases her, but no longer tries to catch her.
Also, yesterday, found out Phoenix likes cooked bacon, as long as it is not too crispy.
Miss Phoenix and Mr. Buff are definitely the 2 kids squabbling in the back seat during along car ride now. She and Cooper ARE coming closer to an armed truce.
We did get her to the vet for her annual well kitty check a couple weeks ago, Gabapentin ear cream helped. When we tried in January, it was like we had a bobcat 4 times her size on our hands.