Kitty Contention

June 8, 2008

It's amazing how this relationship between Kitty 3.0 and Kitty 4.0 changes every day, and sometimes more often than that. Today the tables have turned again as the balance of power has, once again, shifted.

Last night it was Baby who slept under the bed. When I got up this morning, that's where she was. Meanwhile, New Kitty was running around as if the apartment was her domain entirely.

This was after New Kitty kept me awake from about 3:00AM to 6:00AM with her antics. Supposedly she is 10 months old. If that's the case, then she is still a kitten, and she's certainly beginning to act more and more like one as she gets over her fear. She's all over everything! And I am forever retrieving her toys from under the furniture. Of course, that could also be the Maine Coon in her. They are forever kittens.

Baby is much more laid back.

A weird thing I noticed: By Day 2, New Kitty had started drinking from my night stand water cup. Every night. Just like Martin used to do. I couldn't believe it. That must be the Tabby in her. Only her head is much skinnier than Martin's, so she can get to the water level no matter how far down in the cup it is.

That I don't mind so much - I was used to having cat hairs in my iced water (in the old Martin days). But chewing on my big fake palm tree, that I mind! That must be the Coon in her because Madison used to do that, too. It's a fake plant, so I don't understand the appeal of this one tree to both of the Coons I've had. I'll just have to chalk it up to being more silly Coon-like behavior. . . .

So New Kitty is adapting well. She is much more brave now, as of her fifth evening with us. Earlier this afternoon and evening, Baby was giving New Kitty more space. I was so proud of her! In fact, when New Kitty went nuts with the spinning mouse toy, she was playing literally inches from Baby's head; Baby sat by nonchalantly while New Kitty dove time and again at that mouse.

Later when New Kitty, (who is something of a contortionist--to the point I find myself calling her Upside-down Kitty), raised a paw to the toy, Baby took it as an aggressive moved toward her. So Baby reared back and raised a paw right back at her, but that was as far as it went. New Kitty just wanted that mouse.

It's all talk with these two. Neither is overly aggressive - they just aren't sure what to do with one another yet.

I thought, "Wow, Baby has chilled out," right? Yeh, but not for long. I guess Baby got into her nocturnal play mood later on because she started chasing New Kitty down at every sighting and cornering her in the bathroom or closet. She seemed more interested in playing than attacking, so I think she meant nothing by it.

Anyway, the alpha kitty struggle goes back and forth, back and forth. At least we are making progress! And both of them are starting to eat more normally now. That's a relief.