Well, I used to think I could speak it well enough to get by, but lately my cat speak must be off.
For almost a week now we have been here at the new place, sort of settling in. I have finally got it down to one last box to unpack, and a small pile of empty ones to break down. As you must know, it has been a busy week. Unfortunately, the other resident here has been having a harder time adjusting.
Hiding for the most part under the covers of my bed for the first 4 days, and venturing out only when I come home from work has been Gilligan's fun first week. When friends stop over, away run and hides Gilly, which if you know him, that's not unusual behavior. It has always taken Gilly a few days to adjust to new people in his environment. For company that is not coming by on a daily basis, it takes longer.
Today, knowing how bored he has been being alone, I made a point of finding a few new cat toys, some cat cookies, and some spring grass in a pot to gnaw on. He is finally eating again, for a few days he did not take in more than a little water and a few bites..and Gil has always been my big eater. I would rather he not eat as much since his exercise will be far below what he has been accustomed to, and getting bigger would not be healthy, but I was getting concerned. I can tell by being the cat box cleaning lady that he was not really eating.
I make a point of having the bedroom window open so he can catch some fresh air for a while at night, though the nights here have not been very temperate, mostly rainy and quite cool. I have tried to engage him in games he used to enjoy with paper or foil to chase, and milk tabs. He runs after and then does not fetch, which he used to do. So, tonight armed with new toys, we played for a while and he was getting into the spirit of things. Then the meowing began.
If you know Gilly, he is a very quiet cat, the E.F.Hutton of felines, he only speaks when he has something important to say. Well..he has been in his own way, yelling at me tonight. Not a roar like Raz or a whine like Jasper, but a steady stream of 'meeoowws' that I cannot interpret for the life of me. If he is asking to go O-U-T..well, that is not going to happen, parking lot and local feral cats have removed any possibility of outside time. So, I pick up the toys again, he plays for a few, then with proper feline disdain he ignores them. I am so at a loss...usually I am pretty good at understanding cat talk. The meowing continues...and I sigh.
Gil has also been a gentle cat, no biting or scratching has ever been done on purpose, only in defense. I have more scratches on me this past week then I have ever had, even with a past history of 6 kittens and 2 adult cats in a one bedroom house. He is not doing it on purpose, he just keeps jumping up, standing up and poking, and jumping off..all with claws dug in. (I hope I don't have a doctor appointment anytime soon..I look like a torture victim under my clothes)
It comes down to me needing a book on translation or a sudden cosmic gift of Dr.Dolittle abilities to figure out what he is saying. I think I can guess some of it, and but I can do nothing to fix it. "Meeeooww= where are my friends? I checked the closet and they are not there." Yeah, he really misses his fellow felines from Ford Circle. I don't know how long this anxiety adjustment period will last, but for his sake I hope it goes by quickly. The other 3 would have an even harder time of adjusting to no outside, and there really is not enough room for another cat here, it would quickly become the Zoo.
I'll try to keep you abreast of Poor Gilly's breaking in period. The new noises from our neighbors (which is every move they make, every sound they issue) make him perk his head up and listen to see if it might be a four legged friend. I know how hard it must be for him to go from a big happy family down to being the only one, since that is what happened to me as well.
We both are going to have to get used to having only each other.
Until the next time, Happy Tails to you.
kel
Tonight's song dedication: " Memories" from the musical Cats.
For almost a week now we have been here at the new place, sort of settling in. I have finally got it down to one last box to unpack, and a small pile of empty ones to break down. As you must know, it has been a busy week. Unfortunately, the other resident here has been having a harder time adjusting.
Hiding for the most part under the covers of my bed for the first 4 days, and venturing out only when I come home from work has been Gilligan's fun first week. When friends stop over, away run and hides Gilly, which if you know him, that's not unusual behavior. It has always taken Gilly a few days to adjust to new people in his environment. For company that is not coming by on a daily basis, it takes longer.
Today, knowing how bored he has been being alone, I made a point of finding a few new cat toys, some cat cookies, and some spring grass in a pot to gnaw on. He is finally eating again, for a few days he did not take in more than a little water and a few bites..and Gil has always been my big eater. I would rather he not eat as much since his exercise will be far below what he has been accustomed to, and getting bigger would not be healthy, but I was getting concerned. I can tell by being the cat box cleaning lady that he was not really eating.
I make a point of having the bedroom window open so he can catch some fresh air for a while at night, though the nights here have not been very temperate, mostly rainy and quite cool. I have tried to engage him in games he used to enjoy with paper or foil to chase, and milk tabs. He runs after and then does not fetch, which he used to do. So, tonight armed with new toys, we played for a while and he was getting into the spirit of things. Then the meowing began.
If you know Gilly, he is a very quiet cat, the E.F.Hutton of felines, he only speaks when he has something important to say. Well..he has been in his own way, yelling at me tonight. Not a roar like Raz or a whine like Jasper, but a steady stream of 'meeoowws' that I cannot interpret for the life of me. If he is asking to go O-U-T..well, that is not going to happen, parking lot and local feral cats have removed any possibility of outside time. So, I pick up the toys again, he plays for a few, then with proper feline disdain he ignores them. I am so at a loss...usually I am pretty good at understanding cat talk. The meowing continues...and I sigh.
Gil has also been a gentle cat, no biting or scratching has ever been done on purpose, only in defense. I have more scratches on me this past week then I have ever had, even with a past history of 6 kittens and 2 adult cats in a one bedroom house. He is not doing it on purpose, he just keeps jumping up, standing up and poking, and jumping off..all with claws dug in. (I hope I don't have a doctor appointment anytime soon..I look like a torture victim under my clothes)
It comes down to me needing a book on translation or a sudden cosmic gift of Dr.Dolittle abilities to figure out what he is saying. I think I can guess some of it, and but I can do nothing to fix it. "Meeeooww= where are my friends? I checked the closet and they are not there." Yeah, he really misses his fellow felines from Ford Circle. I don't know how long this anxiety adjustment period will last, but for his sake I hope it goes by quickly. The other 3 would have an even harder time of adjusting to no outside, and there really is not enough room for another cat here, it would quickly become the Zoo.
I'll try to keep you abreast of Poor Gilly's breaking in period. The new noises from our neighbors (which is every move they make, every sound they issue) make him perk his head up and listen to see if it might be a four legged friend. I know how hard it must be for him to go from a big happy family down to being the only one, since that is what happened to me as well.
We both are going to have to get used to having only each other.
Until the next time, Happy Tails to you.
kel
Tonight's song dedication: " Memories" from the musical Cats.
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