Things are going much better with the cat.

He spent the last week or so in a crate in the office, with a sheet over 3
sides of it. He no longer tries to hide from the dogs in his litter box (like
he did the first couple of days), and their approach to him is a little more
low-key and a lot less wary. Yesterday, he and Kenzie played a little. She
would yip, play-bow, and scratch at the cage with her paws. He would meow, and
scratch back. I could have sworn he connected with her face a couple of times,
but he must not have had his claws out. He appeared completely relaxed.

So today, I moved the crate to on top of the desk (which is a door), put his
food on a towel on top of it, left his litter box and a sheet to lie on in it,
and left the gate open. Then I let the dogs in the room.

They were excited but not barking. They attempted to jump up on the desk a
couple of times, but were reminded that the "paws off the desk rule" still
stands.

As for Tav, he jumped off the top of the crate (where I put him because they
can't reach him), and casually laid himself out near me on the desk. He's now
sleeping. The dogs got bored, and have asked to go outside.

Tav is a very cool cat. All I had to do to put him in the crate was say, "Go
to your room," and gently place him in front of it. He walked right in and
waited for me to close the door.

He's a very people-oriented cat - in fact, the cuddliest cat I've ever known.

Timing is everything. :} It's taking me forever to finish this post, because
he is now sitting in front of me, rubbing his head in my face and my hands. I
may have created a monster. :}

PetsMart Pet Trainer
My Kids, My Students, My Life:
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html
Last updated June 27 at 10:00 a.m.

In article ,
URK-OFF (Leah) wrote:

Things are going much better with the cat.


Timing is everything. :} It's taking me forever to finish this post, because
he is now sitting in front of me, rubbing his head in my face and my hands.
I
may have created a monster. :}

I'm so glad to hear everybody's getting along. I'll tell you, I cringed
when you talked about putting Tav in a crate and letting the dogs loose
in the same room. A lot of cats would absolutely flip over being so
confined when a potential dangerous predator was approaching. I bet
Tav's history of staying in a cage in the same room with dogs has stood
him in good stead.

As for the headbonks while you type...that's the joy of living with a
cat!

BTW, watch him closely, OK? This is a prime season for urinary troubles
to flare up. My Otis is a bit uncomfortable these days. We're almost
to the point I'll have to force some water into him. I could kick
myself, I gave him dry food last week to supplement a meal or two...

-Alison in OH

In article ,
URK-OFF (Leah) wrote:

Things are going much better with the cat.


Timing is everything. :} It's taking me forever to finish this post, because
he is now sitting in front of me, rubbing his head in my face and my hands.
I
may have created a monster. :}

I'm so glad to hear everybody's getting along. I'll tell you, I cringed
when you talked about putting Tav in a crate and letting the dogs loose
in the same room. A lot of cats would absolutely flip over being so
confined when a potential dangerous predator was approaching. I bet
Tav's history of staying in a cage in the same room with dogs has stood
him in good stead.

As for the headbonks while you type...that's the joy of living with a
cat!

BTW, watch him closely, OK? This is a prime season for urinary troubles
to flare up. My Otis is a bit uncomfortable these days. We're almost
to the point I'll have to force some water into him. I could kick
myself, I gave him dry food last week to supplement a meal or two...

-Alison in OH

In article ,
URK-OFF (Leah) wrote:

Things are going much better with the cat.


Timing is everything. :} It's taking me forever to finish this post, because
he is now sitting in front of me, rubbing his head in my face and my hands.
I
may have created a monster. :}

I'm so glad to hear everybody's getting along. I'll tell you, I cringed
when you talked about putting Tav in a crate and letting the dogs loose
in the same room. A lot of cats would absolutely flip over being so
confined when a potential dangerous predator was approaching. I bet
Tav's history of staying in a cage in the same room with dogs has stood
him in good stead.

As for the headbonks while you type...that's the joy of living with a
cat!

BTW, watch him closely, OK? This is a prime season for urinary troubles
to flare up. My Otis is a bit uncomfortable these days. We're almost
to the point I'll have to force some water into him. I could kick
myself, I gave him dry food last week to supplement a meal or two...

-Alison in OH

Alison Perera lid wrote:
I'm so glad to hear everybody's getting along. I'll tell you, I cringed
when you talked about putting Tav in a crate and letting the dogs loose
in the same room. A lot of cats would absolutely flip over being so
confined when a potential dangerous predator was approaching. I bet
Tav's history of staying in a cage in the same room with dogs has stood
him in good stead.

Yes! That's why I thought it may work. He already sees a crate as a place of
safety. I don't know that much about cats, but I do know better than to take
any old cat and throw them in a crate around dogs. They wouldn't feel safe,
they'd feel trapped.

PetsMart Pet Trainer
My Kids, My Students, My Life:
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html
Last updated June 27 at 10:00 a.m.

Alison Perera lid wrote:
I'm so glad to hear everybody's getting along. I'll tell you, I cringed
when you talked about putting Tav in a crate and letting the dogs loose
in the same room. A lot of cats would absolutely flip over being so
confined when a potential dangerous predator was approaching. I bet
Tav's history of staying in a cage in the same room with dogs has stood
him in good stead.

Yes! That's why I thought it may work. He already sees a crate as a place of
safety. I don't know that much about cats, but I do know better than to take
any old cat and throw them in a crate around dogs. They wouldn't feel safe,
they'd feel trapped.

PetsMart Pet Trainer
My Kids, My Students, My Life:
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html
Last updated June 27 at 10:00 a.m.

Alison Perera lid wrote:
I'm so glad to hear everybody's getting along. I'll tell you, I cringed
when you talked about putting Tav in a crate and letting the dogs loose
in the same room. A lot of cats would absolutely flip over being so
confined when a potential dangerous predator was approaching. I bet
Tav's history of staying in a cage in the same room with dogs has stood
him in good stead.

Yes! That's why I thought it may work. He already sees a crate as a place of
safety. I don't know that much about cats, but I do know better than to take
any old cat and throw them in a crate around dogs. They wouldn't feel safe,
they'd feel trapped.

PetsMart Pet Trainer
My Kids, My Students, My Life:
http://hometown.aol.com/dfrntdrums/m...age/index.html
Last updated June 27 at 10:00 a.m.