What he didn't say is that it was all my fault. Mine. Mine alone. I knew better than to befriend a strange cat. But I allowed myself to believe that I could control the interactions so that none of them came face to face. That the plexiglass barrier, while allowing for brief (and I mean brief, I never let them interact more than a minute) glimpses, would be enough.
I was always on the alert that neither Thor or Loki came into actual contact with White Cat.
I never dreamed they would turn on each other!
After the incident yesterday morning, I kept them apart. Loki was hiding in the laundry room. About four, he came slinking out, sniffed a sleeping Thor without any problem, then walked cautiously to the site of the battle. But Thor woke up and jumped down to see his brother and scared him.
A second major battle ensued.
Loki spent the evening under the bed and then I put him in the room-formerly-know-as-my-son's with food, water and a litter box. Then I couldn't sleep and went to read with him. (Thor in the meantime is going APESHIT behind the door in the kitchen. We had to barricade the door.) Loki was very sweet with me, very loving and wanting to lick my thumb, which is his way of comforting himself, like some cats with suck cloth, Loki licks my thumb.
By this morning, Thor had learned that if he climbed to the top of the barricade, he could pry the door open enough to pop the lock and set himself free. And I could not spend the entire day in the kitchen with him. So I moved Loki into the above mentioned room and let Thor have run of the house. (In between crying jags over how I've totally ruined my kitten's lives forever)
But, there might be a glimmer of hope. They have been sniffing and meowing at each other through the door. Loki wants out. I opened the door a teeny tiny crack and let them be nose to nose for a skinny second and there was no hissing. So maybe letting them be able to hear and smell each other in a safe environment will help mend this riff.
But will they ever do this again?
I'm a bad cat mommy.
2 comments:
You are a good cat mommy and this is not all your fault.
We just have to keep them apart for a week or so and then gradually re-introduce them, like the vet said.
I better put a real bolt lock on that door this weekend! Dang Thor is like Streaky the Supercat!
First - you are NOT a bad cat mommy. Listen to your husband.
Second - this same thing happened to my sister and her husband (well, to their cats, actually), so you are not the only ones going through this brotherly hatred syndrome.
I hope that you are able to conquer this. Could you possibly drug them both with nip and then let them share a bag of whatever the equivalent of Fritos would be for a cat? Might help...
GOOD LUCK!!!
- M
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