Time with Ava in our bedroom
The state of separation continues. And we have stepped up the site swapping.
Our second night was better - Ava either cried less, or I slept like the deaf. Actually, somewhere just before midnight I was awakened by really loud cries - Ava calling for attention, and KATO giving a meow after every one of hers as he sat outside her door. I couldn't quite work out his tone, but he sure was loud, so I knelt down and reassured him. They both stopped. And I took Kato back to bed with me. Weird.
This morning Kato showed interest in Ava's door, so I opened it just a crack. They both smelt and eyed each other, both hissed, and Ava tucked her tail between her legs and sank back. As far as I know, this is great. They are communicating, and Ava shows enough spunk to say she's a cat (not prey to be hunted), and enough submission to mollify her elder. About 10 minutes later, Kato again showed interest in the door - I opened it a crack once more. Kato hissed and Ava backed off into her room with a sad expression as if to say 'Why does the big cat keep hissing at me?'
At breakfast, Ava quite happily ate close to the door - Kato wouldn't even try at 3 feet away. So we went for a walk. But this time I let Kato into the garage and closed the door, and relocated Ava to the downstairs room with all her necessaries. Kato couldn't work out why I'd shut him in the garage! But he quickly forgot on his walk.
When we came back, I did another switcheroo - this time Ava in our room, Kato in the downstairs, with the door open to his garden and his breakfast given to him there. Ava had me for the next three hours as well as the run of the upstairs territory. She's a bold girl! No hesitation, off she went exploring and sniffing. And then we played with 'Da bird' - so hilarious, and she's amazingly quick!
After lunch, Ava was relegated (reluctantly with cries) back into her room, and Kato came back upstairs.
The result is that now Ava's scent is all over our home. Kato had a perturbing day of finding her scent EVERYWHERE. Each time he went into a new place, he'd slink around smelling her, and smelling her on 'his' stuff (I didn't let her go into his sleeping cave or litterbox though...I need to avoid Kato getting to the miserable 'on strike' stage). No more hissing at her scent though.
And he is still giving me loves :)
Our second night was better - Ava either cried less, or I slept like the deaf. Actually, somewhere just before midnight I was awakened by really loud cries - Ava calling for attention, and KATO giving a meow after every one of hers as he sat outside her door. I couldn't quite work out his tone, but he sure was loud, so I knelt down and reassured him. They both stopped. And I took Kato back to bed with me. Weird.
This morning Kato showed interest in Ava's door, so I opened it just a crack. They both smelt and eyed each other, both hissed, and Ava tucked her tail between her legs and sank back. As far as I know, this is great. They are communicating, and Ava shows enough spunk to say she's a cat (not prey to be hunted), and enough submission to mollify her elder. About 10 minutes later, Kato again showed interest in the door - I opened it a crack once more. Kato hissed and Ava backed off into her room with a sad expression as if to say 'Why does the big cat keep hissing at me?'
At breakfast, Ava quite happily ate close to the door - Kato wouldn't even try at 3 feet away. So we went for a walk. But this time I let Kato into the garage and closed the door, and relocated Ava to the downstairs room with all her necessaries. Kato couldn't work out why I'd shut him in the garage! But he quickly forgot on his walk.
When we came back, I did another switcheroo - this time Ava in our room, Kato in the downstairs, with the door open to his garden and his breakfast given to him there. Ava had me for the next three hours as well as the run of the upstairs territory. She's a bold girl! No hesitation, off she went exploring and sniffing. And then we played with 'Da bird' - so hilarious, and she's amazingly quick!
After lunch, Ava was relegated (reluctantly with cries) back into her room, and Kato came back upstairs.
The result is that now Ava's scent is all over our home. Kato had a perturbing day of finding her scent EVERYWHERE. Each time he went into a new place, he'd slink around smelling her, and smelling her on 'his' stuff (I didn't let her go into his sleeping cave or litterbox though...I need to avoid Kato getting to the miserable 'on strike' stage). No more hissing at her scent though.
And he is still giving me loves :)