16 August 2010

Patches plays in the fiction section. (Jack joins in toward the end of the photo set).



Full set here: here.

15 August 2010

     The last few days has shown a huge change in the cats' behavior.  Patches is no longer the cowering Pariah Cat in the kitchen, but instead goes about the house as he pleases, eats out of Jack's bowl, and chases Jack away as much as Jack ever did to him.  For every few moments that the cat interaction seems like playfulness, not real fighting, there's one where an innocent sniff will lead to a battle over who's Top Cat, but overall, there seems to be a lot more of an even relationship between them.

12 August 2010

The cats were locked in the bathroom together for hours while the roof was being fixed.  Not a peep other than the sound of kibble crunching.  I'm amazed, but they are slowly making progress on being near each other without incident . . . when they're not tearing apart the kitchen, hissing, or taking stress out on the closest human hand.

10 August 2010

Patches is wandering around the house on his own more, and Jack is being better about letting him be.  Far from perfect, but much improved.  Experiments with catnip and a calming remedy in their water have been mixed: Patches enjoys it, but is a bit riled up, rather than calmed.  Every now and then he'll have a nervous episode and take it out on what or whomever is near by -- as both the curtains and my hand can attest.  Generally, though, he is still a cuddle-kitten and is becoming a more confident one at that.

6 August 2010

Here's a photo of his healing wounds and fur re-growing.

5th August 2010

     Patches now looks like a cat and not a fur-cover sack of bones, and is healing pretty well.  He loves Darkness, provider of chicken, is ambivalent toward me, cleaner of wounds, and hates Jack, territorial antagonist.  This is hard on me, as Patches O'Growley, is often no gladder to see me than he is Jack and Jack outright rushes Patches for exiting the kitchen (though Patches has claimed the kitchen as his territory and can chase Jack out when the mood strikes him).  We've even started dosing them with a calming medication in their water dishes.  With time, I hope, they'll be able to hang out in the same room without feeling threatened.

4th August 2010

     Over the last few weeks, Patches is settling in as the King of the Kitchen, while Jack retains reign over the rest of the apartment.  Jack is still very territorial and stalks Patches for venturing out.  Feeding them together is starting to help.  It's just hard to give Patches affection and free range without shutting Jack in the bathroom or otherwise restraining him from going after Patches.


     Patches is starting to put on weight and his wounds are healing.  He even has fur regrowth in some spots.  I'll try to post some pictures later.