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Monday, April 15, 2013

cats, continued

Remember how having Moetzel back on loan from my in laws was a bit of a disaster at first? What with cat fights at 2am and the like?

Well I've got to be honest, I don't want to give her back. She's a finicky cat (I've never met a she cat who wasn't), and won't tolerate being picked up and doesn't particularly like being approached. She's also a little too comfortable getting in the way of the other animals; I have to patrol when I'm feeding Phoenix otherwise she'll kick her away from her food dish.

Moetzel's a cuddle cat, though. She'll jump on the couch with us, or snuggle into my feet when I'm in bed reading. Her little head nudges just a little bit under my hand begging for attention. She's so sweet that it's hard not to love her. This is all somewhat hilarious, because she used to be the most skittlish, solitary cat before we moved and would have nothing to do with either of us.

Still, I'd be lying if I said the animal situation is perfect. Moetzel's given both Jethro and Phoenix a good swat on the nose in the last week, which I'm not happy about. I can't quite figure out if the cats actually like each other or not - they chase each other a lot, and often look like they're approaching each other in a friendly manner, but we still hear a hiss from one or the other every other day or so. No more growls though, and those worried me.

I'm still hoping that by the time construction finishes at the in laws the cats will be all cuddly and my mom won't want us to return her. I don't want to give her back, really.

2 comments:

  1. You're making me really really want a cat. We both want one. The only reason we haven't gotten one already is because we are having so much trouble conceiving at all, and I don't want to add an extra risk, if minimal.
    As a vet I know perfectly well that by washing my hands / using gloves / not getting near the litterbox the risk of toxoplasmosis is basically non existent. I also know that only a very small % of cats actually spread the disease, and it is normally cats who have access to exteriors and are weak / young / immunosupressed. It's from eating raw / uncooked meat (such as steak tartare) that most people get infected. Still I am so superstitious that I just don't dare risking it for now. It is totally irrational because I know a ton of people that have gotten pregnant and had babies while having cats, my fear is nonsense and not really scientifically founded. It's about basic hygienic measures. I think I am really starting to lose my mind.

    Anyhow, I hope that slowly the cats will get along better, it sounds like they are, and they are probably making sure they don't cross each others boundaries / showing each other who's "boss", whowe territories is whose, establishing limits.

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    1. Having Moetzel here has somehow reminded me how much I love having a cat.

      I can definitely understand wanting to stay away from adding a cat to the mix no matter how small the risk factor is. However small the risk, why add one more variable, right?

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