There is so much going on right now! Managing the dynamics between Peekaboo and the kittens and attending to their well-being (mental and physical) takes a lot of time and energy. I think it will be a while before our household regains equilibrium and life as we know it, returns to normal. Peekaboo, our twelve-year-old cat, and the kittens coexisting peacefully is still in the future. Yesterday reminded me of the “showdown at O.K. Corral”…Peek had gone downstairs and as the coast was clear, I took Jackson and Cooper into the bedroom. As they were exploring, Peekaboo came up the stairs just as Cooper was heading in that direction. There was a tense moment as Peek arched her back, hissed and growled. Cooper, who is one-third Peek’s size, stood his ground…that teeny kitten stared her down and Peek retreated down the stairway. It looks like it’s going to take a bit more time than I thought, but I’m confident they will get along eventually. In the mean-time my job description is cat psychologist, cat mom and wrangler, maid, playmate, referee, cook and bottle washer…all tasks that eat into my creative time! Dogs have masters…cats have staff!
I am sure they will find an equilibrium they can live with. Peek needs to be boss, i think, and the kittens need to accept that. When we introduced Mitch to our girls, he was distained by one, mothered by the other until he began to reach sexual maturity and then neither of them tolerated his ….erm….advances. We had to get him neutered earlier than if he’d been a lone cat.
Now, the girls have my bedroom where Mitch is not allowed and he has my daughter’s room where he applies the same rule to them. I think it’s important to let them establish their own territories.
Cats and beads……are 2 of my joys in life too 🙂
I’m confident they will work out their issues in time, but having had a previous bad experience introducing a kitten to an older alpha cat, I’m being extremely cautious and letting Peek take as much time as she needs to adapt to this life change.