Friday catblogging: Cassie, dark and mysterious

Well heck, Maryann, I didn't know you had ANOTHER site. (one I'll be reading, too...i can only hope your own life is as entertaining as your reviews, har har) I've been through quite a few cats; my first, Ben, being killed by my arch enemy(okay, not really, she was just a strange, ADHD afflicted little girl)when I was 5 and she thought chasing him across the street would be a grand idea. I remember distinctly that day, watching as he crawled up our driveway, hearing him purr in my arms as he died. I also remember running to my room, burying my head in a pillow, and screaming in utter horror and disbelief. We also had a pair of cats at one time, both of which I loved dearly, but my mom was going through a stressful time and decided that she'd take both of them to some random farm where they'd naturally adapt perfectly and frolick with the goats and lap the cow's frothy nipples, or something. I almost killed her. I went for about a year with no cats...but would you believe it? On a night I was feeling particularly miserable about my loss, in fact I had been conveying my despair to mom, one of the cats my mom took away was sitting on my porch..we still have him today. He's a corky little thing, aloof and also very loving.(when it's convenient for him of course) The resiliency of that act amazed and touched me so deeply, something I'll remember forever-there is no doubt that I'll be a cat lover forever.( i don't think there was before, heh) Okay this is officially way longer than your post. The moral of the story-Cats rule. *high five*

MaryAnn - I love your blog, and I love that you are devoting a day to your cats! Cassie is an adorable and fine-looking, regal lady. At our house, we've just adopted a two-month old-kitten Lily, who has no tail. She crawled into a car in a Food Lion parking lot and had her tail mangled (and severed...) in the fan belt. We saw her at the shelter and, well, had to bring her home. But reading your post, I wonder what kind of cat "integration" issues we may have, since we already have two fine ladies of our own at home. The fur may start flying. Any recommendations to fellow Geek/X'er Cat lovers about maintaining a happy home when a new cat arrives in a home with older ones?

Advice for getting the new cat(s) and the old cat(s) to get along? Yeah: go away for a long weekend. About a month after Sammy arrived, I had to head out to Balticon, an SF convention, and was gone for four days. I figured I'd come home to a federal disaster area... but instead, the cats seemed to have worked out some issues in my absence, and everyone was a bit calmer after that. I think without me around bestowing boons (ie: petting someone preferentially over someone else, however untentionally) the cats managed to figure out that they could all live together.