Cat Three appeared at the empty house next door in January last year. He was dirty and thin and sleeping under the house.
We started leaving food for him, then set up a bed for him in the garage. We got a camera so we could watch him. We treated him with Advocate and brushed him while he was eating.
He started hanging around the front door, looking in. We started letting him into the house. By March we decided to take him to the vet, check for a chip and adopt him.
This was unpopular with Cat One and Cat Two, but enthusiastically accepted by Cat Three. I posted in May? last year about the difficulties I was having with hostility from Cats One and Two and keeping them separated. I was advised to just leave them to it.
Well, it’s working out beautifully. Cat Two was the most displeased with Cat Three in her immediate vicinity, and he had scratches on his nose if we didn’t keep her claws trimmed. Now she plays with him sometimes and allows him to follow her about.
She had a rule that there could not be three cats on the bed which made for exciting times in the middle of the night when Cat Three tried it on, but now she is much more relaxed about it. He has to stay on the blanket though, or all bets are off. One night he snuck up within reach of me while Cat Two was snuggling and I gave him scritches. Error. Another exciting time in the middle of the night.
I had to buy Cat Two another bed because Cat Three commandeered hers, but she happily sleeps next to him. He also commandeered Her Chair which she doesn’t sleep on any more.
He loves having three food dishes and will have a little snack at all three before settling down to eat from one. He comes running to the door with Cat One whenever we return home. He waits at the door for DH if he is late home from work. If DH isn’t up by seven, C3 climbs onto his chest to check he is still alive.
He goes outside with the other two, but is always the first to come back in.
Has his favourite beds and chairs. He doesn’t like being picked up but flops down in front of you for scritches.
He loves playing but is not good at jumping and catching. He is so proud when he actually catches the feather toy. His ears are all frilly with notches from where he has lost fights with possums/other cats.
He is rather fat now, and has a Marilyn Munroe wiggle when he walks. He is so happy. Food! Beds! Scritches! Toys!
We are absolutely full of cats now, and would need a new house to fit anymore in.
Here he is, sitting next to me while I have a cup of tea.