My fiance is moving in with me this weekend, and along with him comes his psychotic little calico, Sybil.
Okay, I am NOT a cat person AT ALL, but I have had pet cats in my past that I have truly loved--however, they had very mild-mannered personalities and enjoyed doing things like dogs, like car rides and ambushing the dogs. I think that's why I loved those cats so much. They were sweet tempered and nothing seemed to ever set them off into a finicky, fickle, psychotic episode of hissing, spitting, growling, swatting, biting, clawing, etc.
Now enters my life, Sybil. This cat HATES me and my son with a passion, and she is all of the above behaviors (except she's declawed on her front feet). She wants nothing to do with us and makes it well-known. She doesn't try to come after us or attack us, and never has attacked us, but she will sit herself right at our feet and tell us just what she thinks. She intimidates my 4½ year old son, Trevor, to the point where he is afraid to be within two feet of her. She makes me uneasy because when she's not vocalizing her complaints at me, she sits and *stares* at me, unblinking, with a death glare--I seriously think she's tried to plot my torturous demise.
Well, I think I can make an attempt to understand this cat (forgive me for seeming so impersonal and impartial towards her) and realize that she is of the mindset that SHE is my fiance's one and only (doesn't help that she is "his baby"), as she has lived only with him, and only accepts his presence and attention, for the last three years of her little life. For the last three years, they have been living in a loft/attic in his dad's home, which is closed off, and it was her domain, her kingdom, and her "man." She has had to share neither him or her environment with anyone or anything for three years, except when my son and I have visited for a few hours on occasion--and boy, she makes sure *everyone* knows how upset she gets about that!
So anyway, I can understand that she's been spoiled rotten and isolated for years, but that's all about to change--TONIGHT. And I don't think any of us (her, me, or my son) are quite ready for this.
She is going to be moving into unfamiliar territory that is in a state of upheaval as it is, being that Brandon (my fiance) is going to make the full move-in tomorrow, then there's the unpacking and organizing to do.
Not only that, but she is going to be moving into a small, cramped home where she will not only have to share living quarters with me (and come to learn and accept that *I* am the alpha female here...lol) and my son, whom she hates with a passion, but also with six birds (which I worry about), a small tank with two guppies (I don't think that'll be a big deal), and two outdoor dogs who are welcome in the house on occasion, usually during cold winter nights (but they're only allowed in the kitchen. I really have no clue if they get along with cats...guess we'll find out?).
Anyway, then in only a few more months, her world is yet again going to be turned upside down when our new baby is born in February.
So I'm seeking advice or experiences in how to gain a psycho kitty's respect and love. I'm not a cat person, but I don't dislike cats; I simply have no desire to own one. Well, that's a bit out of my control now. I want Sybil to learn to like, or maybe even love, the *whole family* rather than only giving her devotions to Brandon. But I have no clue how to relate to this cat, because we've started off on such a sour note.
As for Trevor, he adores this cat (as he does all animals) but will not go near her right now and he gets really scared if she comes within a few feet of him and so much as looks at him, because she's been so verbally nasty to him. So if she ever becomes okay with him, I'm sure he'll dote on her just as much as Brandon does. He loves animals.
Me, however...I can't say I have any fondness for this cat, and as of tonight, she's going to be living in my home. What can I do to better this "relationship?"