Not Back to Normal, But Getting There

Location: Campbellsville, KY (High 79, Low 51)

Other than working this week, our main task has been reacquainting the cats with each other. There were several tips in the online articles I read about how to help the process, but basically the bottom line was that the “family scent” had to be recreated. Our method was basically to try to intermingle their scents as much as possible, and give them as much supervised time together as we could.

On our three days off last week, we seemed to be making progress. While they weren’t cozy, Ariel wasn’t making overly aggressive sounds or movements either. But she definitely seemed to be on the alert whenever they were both free, and we didn’t feel comfortable leaving them alone together. We had to take Crookshank to the vet for his last checkup last Friday, and even though we took both of them, by the time we got Ariel home she was not happy and wanted nothing to do with him.

While we were working this week, we continued the same pattern…keeping Ariel in the bedroom overnight and then switching them during the day so that they could each get a good whiff of each other’s scents. They tolerated each other in the evening.

I think we are past the worst of it now. It has been several days since Ariel made any sort of aggressive action. On top of that, her demeanor has been very different, much more relaxed and not on alert all the time. Definitely a relief to have things getting back to normal!

 

 

 

 

On the work front, things are going well. Neither of us took any time off this week, although VTO was once again offered almost every day. Another full week! Harry walked 64 miles at work this week and I walked 60. We understand that when the work picks up we will walk fewer miles each day. I’m making good use of these exercise days but I won’t cry if I walk a few less miles during a work day!

Eight weeks down, nine to go!