Photo by Jenny Rollo
It’s been almost four weeks since I found Tabby, and life with her continues to be interesting. Just when it seems we’ve made one adjustment, another dilemma crops up that we need to address. Lately it has to do with two things: how she treats poor Mr. Meow, and her seemingly insatiable appetite.
Mr. Meow
She’s hissed, swatted, and generally harassed him ever since we permitted her to wander freely in the house. Even though he’s tried to be nice to her, was curious and openly inviting to her, and even played the couple of times she’d allow it.
The only saving grace is she seems to respect his space if he’s already in it. She won’t seek him out to be ugly to. But if he comes upstairs at all, like to snuggle with us at night, she chases him all the way down the stairs and out to the sun porch. (Which she seems to concede is okay for him to keep as “his” space. I swear, it’s like a custody battle for rooms in this house anymore!)
Miss Piggy
All she wants to do is eat! If I even step foot near the laundry room where their bowls are kept, she comes running. She gobbles up whatever’s in her bowl, then generally barges her way in and takes over what’s left in Mr. Meow’s. (And he won’t argue with her. He just lets her have her way and runs for the hills.)
If we feed Murph first before the cats, she sticks her head in his bowl. Murph’s only saving grace is his kibbles are too large for her, or else he’d be fending for his life too!
In the last week especially her tummy’s grown at an inordinate rate. Which has me worried on several levels. I could be feeding her too much. It could just be that I need to monitor the feeding times more closely and make sure she only eats what’s in her bowl and not Mr. Meow’s share too.
Or…
Uh Oh
… she could be pregnant.
I talked with a woman at a local shelter today who said female cats are generally more territorial. However, if she’s only started chasing our other cat out of the room in the last week, it could be her momma instincts kicking in gear. As in she’s claiming her space for where she’ll have her litter.
Wayne is about ready to shoot me. First I bring home a stray, next I ask everyone to alter their schedules for her, and now it turns out she may be a package deal?
The vet I take Murph and Kitty to was closed today, but my top To Do for tomorrow is to call and get her in for an appointment.
Either way, more adjustments are in store. Either with figuring out the proper amount to feed her, or preparing a cat nursery!