and I don't mean my husband and I but rather our 2 long suffering moggies.
They both viewed the visits by the children with horror and took to hiding for the duration but all of a sudden they were here and not going anywhere at the end of the day and it was quite a shock for them.
At the moment they have fallen into a routine, get up when I do and have their breakfast quick then outside. During the day they seem to alternate between sleeping in the rooms that the children are not in and on the stairs in between the 2 stair gates - almost as if the stair gates is their comfort blanket, they must realise that the children can't get to them without our help. During the evenings they both come back out and have their 'fuss' time with us in the lounge before coming to bed with us.
It is taking time but one, the braver cat, is starting to be more and more brave and will now sit with the oldest child and allow some fuss but only on his terms and as soon as there is any giddiness he is off like a rocket. The other cat will barely tolerate being in the same room and that is when she knows that she is out of reach of grabbing hands. Right now, at past 7.30pm, they are both curled up doing what they do best - sleeping. In the same room as us.
I am hoping that with time, interaction and even more time they get used to small people around the house.
I sometimes wonder how much harder things would have been with Munchkin if it wasn't for the cats. For a while I think it's the only thing she really wanted here, and they were having none of it of course!
ReplyDeleteShe used to chase them round shouting "cat, cat, cat... gone" (sad face) then run after them shouting "cat, back, cat, back". It was incredibly funny and sweet. The cats learned to stay well away of course, but we, especially my husband who she was definitely scared of to start with, spent a lot of time holding them, and her, and getting her to try and be quieter to stroke them. They really helped her learn to be more gentle, she was just so incredibly rough and physical with everyone when she first came here, but she was desperate to make friends with them and really made a big effort with them, which seems to have transferred to with us and other kids now. She's brilliant with them really now for a two year old.
One of them still tends to stay fairly well clear if she's sleeping, but the other will let her stroke her and occasionally roll over for a tummy tickle, albeit with an occasional glower at us and a resigned look on her face.
I'm also fighting a losing battle to keep them out her bedroom now, regardless of whether Munchkin is in the bed or not, they like to sleep there!
Slight problem is that one has taken a bit of a fancy to her favourite toy, and I keep having to stop her (the cat) savaging it, if it's left unattended. Probably as well she didn't see what happened to her Tigger when he was dragged off into the kitchen while she was in the bath tonight!