2007 Apr 29 - Cats, the search for room-mates, and WHAT is that smell?

I have 4 cats.

Three are c/o of a ex-who bugged because we had THE argument.
She took two, left the rest. The two I liked the best went; and left me with
(a) the Manipulator (see --- I'm cute, feed me...),
(b) the shy one (somebody MIGHT get me!),
(c) and the Pisser; who for some reason never every figured out that the litterbox isn't just for turds... Dammit!

The three girls (fixed of course) just categorized have co-existed for almost 6 years together, hmmm... same amount of time as the now-departed ex; and the rules are pretty much set in cat-concrete.

Molly owns the house, gets first dibs on all the chow, and (at 15 no less) can still leap an entire couch in one bound... (well, she *had* hyperthyroid issues, but now she's better thanks to modern science). She had radioactive therapy; and damm... it worked. IT also slowed her down some; and she has CRF issues, but at least... no more flying overhead while I'm watching 24.

Pippi is younger; very very shy (allegedly a lab-rescue cat), and will only cuddle if you are prone, unmoving and have been that way for at least half an hour. Move... and she's gone. Did I mention that she's got all four of her climbing equipment? (So does Molly, btw). She wouldn't be caught dead wizzing outside her box, unless you didn't clean it for a couple days; then the laundry hamper will do just fine. Folded is better, but stinky mashed will do in a pinch.

Saido (aka THE PISSER) is a sweetheart, very cuddly and will pretty much come when you call; unless she's just squirted the TV set, the wall, the stairwell, the kitchen cabinet... you get the idea. Ex's Mom and stepdad had her for years before we got her, and they NEVER said MUM about any of that... gee...

But, once you've got her; what are you going to do? I'm not shelter'ing her; I doubt that anyone in their right mind would volunteer to have a furry watering truck zapping your interior space. She's just get dead... which is what one of my friends keeps suggesting. NO way.

SO...

She wears extra small size FOUR PAWS plastic garments (for female dogs in heat, but...) with a cut up depends pad stuffed inside. With a little tape, a little persuasion, I don't have to hunt her down even anymore.

She comes when I call; jumps on the toilet seat on her own, and allows me to change her at will. NO trauma, no stress, and usually no leakage.

Yay.

So a friend who knew I was going to be catless; because it was assumed that the ex would take all... (silly me -- and I was almost as depressed about her leaving as the cats)...

He shows up and tells me that his cat (which he had adopted out already once), was available --- because the person who took him was having a "life change", and wouldn't be able to have him anymore.

So, I get this underfed, scruffy but sweet tom, named "Taffy" of all things, and we start with a truce. He stays in the basement, away from the other cats...
I don't pet him; and he doesn't bite me. Apparently, he's got some trust issues. Well, I've dealt with toms before, so I figure that we'll sort this out.

---
6 Months later...
---

All four cats are "integrated" into the household; they sniff each other's front and rear, and see who's gotten to eat what; and is it better than what they're eating in THEIR dish... and I put Saido (pisser) into a bathroom late evening, so she's not depends 24x7, and the other three crash on my bed; although I have the same argument with Taffy every night... "It's MY damm pillow, cat". He likes to sleep on my throat. Can't pet him much... still bites! He weighs upwards of 20 lbs now...


So, I'm trying to get a room-mate, because the interest rate on my condo is going up... and I don't have the leverage (right now) to fix it.

...

Now, I just have to figure out who pisser passed the torch to.