Daisy Doo & TuxieGirl Betty#TuxieGirl #Betty 🐈⬛ STILL doing #SlowCatIntro heading in to Week 13 😼Staff is very fed up with this process. Last night's desensitization session in my carrier in the bedroom w/ #TabbyCat #Stevie & dad was... unfair. Why #Stevie gotta be all over sensitive n stuff? He hissed at me! THEN, Stevie got🍖ham! Mom says, "Late night food riles you up" . WTDuck!? 🦆 So I got hugs ❤️#CatsOfMastodon
Tom Streeter@666k9s If there was hissing and Stevie repeatedly approached the carrier aggressively, that’s less than optimal. But if it was just hissing and maybe one half-hearted swat? Strictly performative. And with the passing of my Porter, Betty is now my favorite Tuxedo. She’s gonna passive-aggressively annoy Stevie to learn how to manipulate him. That seems to be the tuxie superpower. Works on humans, too. Me, anyway.
@tom_streeter Stevie seemed half hearted with the swipe. He was easily distracted with tossed treats, and then sat down at a distance for less than five minutes and then took himself off to his Catio. It didn't feel violent. It felt like him warning her that he knows her now, and he's not putting up with any more bullying from her. We're still working on this.
Lojie 
@666k9s @tom_streeter
Excellent.
Cat Mom, what you describe is now basically regular cat communication.
Hissing and a half-hearted swat are saying "I dont want you to get any closer, okay?" "We are not friends (yet)."
Excellent.
Cat Mom, what you describe is now basically regular cat communication.
Hissing and a half-hearted swat are saying "I dont want you to get any closer, okay?" "We are not friends (yet)."
@666k9s @tom_streeter
(cont.)
You are now on a good road to both being in the same room without barriers, with lots of distance for peace. Then watch them how long it takes to "relax" somewhat.
....While the humans of course need still be on their toes: does one of them stare too long? Then break the stare, simply by pushing an object in between, or distracting the Starer.
That will cost some nerves from staff .... but you are almost there at that point!
@Lojie @tom_streeter We're really pushing Stevie right now. He's feeling the pinch. Dad staff has come home early and stayed home at least one weekend day for the last two weeks but can't keep it up. We're also outfitting more Catio high places as currently only one corner has a bed and a climber. Could cause problems.
@Lojie @tom_streeter I'm so glad to hear this! 😀😃😄😃😀😃😀😄😄😃 It certainly feels that way to me. The bedroom is going to be difficult for Stevie to adjust to I think. Dad comes home so late that mom n Betty have fallen into the habit of sleeping in her sanctuary room on the hastily purchased "COVID" bed we bought at the beginning of the pandemic. Stevie n dad sleep in the bedroom, but then he goes out the Catio after a bit.