What Good is Feliway? Suzi's Series 6

Dear Greyce, You said you would tell me why Feliway isn’t working in our household. You will recall that Herself bought a diffuser and installed it in our living room. While it has stopped us from scratching the sofa, it hasn’t made a difference in Sissi’s or Jack’s attacks on me. Why isn’t it working?

How Do I Get Princess Sissi Under Control? Suzi's Series 5

Dear Greyce, As you know, my prime tormentor is Sissi. So I am surprised at all the advice you have given about Jack (in your article, Suzi's Enemy: Bully Cat Jack) and yet you have not mentioned how to deal with her. And before you do so, let me give you some more information.

First as you well know, Sissi likes to attack me. At times we have had other female cats live with us. Sissi never bothered them. And she doesn’t bother the males. Just me!

Second, I have to sit very still or she will attack me the minute I get up and move. When I have been lying down in a place for a while, she will go over there and sniff it when I leave. When I am sitting still, she stares at me intensely. She never hisses or growls.

Third, when I use the litter box, she lies in wait for me behind the door and jumps just as I leave the room!

Fourth, Sissi behaves when Herself is present. For example, if I am sleeping on the sofa beside Herself and Sissi wants to be there, she climbs slowly and finds her place. But the minute Herself turns her back or leaves the room, I’m in for trouble. One day I was lying on the sofa next to Herself and Sissi was lying at her feet. So we were some distance from each other. When Herself went to the toilet, Sissi attacked me. Herself heard the fight and by the time she returned, Sissi was sniffing the place where I had been lying and I had a very badly scratched eye.

Fifth, Sissi never attacks me when she is eating. She can eat next to me without even looking at me. I can even try to steal some of her food and the only thing she will do is eat faster; she does not attack. Sissi just loves food.

So now that I’ve given you all this information, will you please help me deal with Sissi?

Bully Cat Jack: Suzi' Series 4

Dear Greyce, You know I don’t like Jack. He beats me up and I am afraid of him. I would like him to leave. But I would like him to be placed in a good home. So I need to tell you more about his problems.

I think you might have the impression that Rijko and Jack are littermates or that they came to our home together. They are NOT littermates. Rijko came to our home first (and stayed in the guest room) and Jack joined about a month later (and stayed in the bathroom). Jack was so scared that he did not leave his cat carrier for two months! Then Herself decided he needed to join the rest of us or he would never be socialized. But unfortunately, that just added to my troubles with another bully on the loose.

Even though he has coordination difficulties because of cerebellar hypoplasia, he can climb to the sofa, the chairs and the bed. He cannot climb to the top of the kitchen cupboards (which is one of the reasons I feel safe there).

I think that Jack believes he is playing games but his games are very rough. He just rushes at his target and then he and his play buddy become a furious ball. For example, sometimes Rijko and he stand one against the other, stare and make male sounds, and their tails start to swish back and forth; next thing you know they have formed a ball and are rolling around on the floor together.

When no one plays with Jack, he roams the room making horrible sounds as if he is calling someone. Does this mean he is musical?

Herself assures me that Jack will be leaving but she has a dilemma. Since he attacks/plays rough with Rijko, should they be adopted out together? Or should Jack go by himself? Rijko is friendly and gets along with everyone. Jack is not well-accepted by cats but if he is adopted as an only-cat, will he be lonely?

And by the way, Jack loves to play with anything that is small and can roll.

Playtime: Suzi's Series 3

Dear Greyce, After reading your article, Only on My Terms, Herself came home with a big fishing pole toy. She put everyone else in the bedroom and started playing with me, just like the article said. The main thing I liked about the fishing pole was that it enticed me to play. I wasn’t so thrilled with the toy itself (maybe because I prefurr soft balls that make no sound – sounds scare me). But after our interactive play session, I started running with Koko or climbing up and down the vertical cupboards; and I spent more time on the ground (rather than perched above the kitchen cupboards). And that was great!


Now let me tell you what happened when Herself let the others join in. Rijko just went crazy. So did Sissi. They love the fishing pole toy!

Time-share Doubts: Suzi's Series 2

Dear Greyce, I am worried about your suggestion for time-sharing space in my household in your article: Stuck in the Kitchen (4/21/20) - even though I like your idea of a place to keep me safe and secure from those bullies. The problem is this: When Sissi is confined to a room she cries to get out. It is very distressing to Herself and she would really worry if Sissi was kept in such a room for hours at a time. I thought you should know this.


Also you might want to know more about our current schedule. When Herself gets up in the morning, she puts everyone else in a locked room so I can climb down off the kitchen cupboards and use the litter box. I have about a half hour of peace before the rest of the cats are allowed to join in. During the day (from 9:00 to 18:30 while Herself is at work) all of us cats have the use of the entire apartment. (If we have other rescued cat guests, they stay in our special guest room). After Herself returns from work, she confines Sissi, Rijko and Jack (around 19:00) for about two hours, so I can use the litter box and so Koko and I can play together. After that, everyone has the use of the all the space for the rest of the night. You probably know that means I stay in my safe place up above the kitchen cupboards for most of the time because, Greyce, I really am the household victim. Sissi attacks me. Jack attacks me. Sometimes even Koko corners me and starts hitting me and I cry for help; he thinks he is playing but I am scared.


Sometimes on the weekends, Herself lets us sleep with her. I climb on the radiator and wait until everyone is settled and then take the last free spot. At this point I don’t have to worry about Sissi because once she is asleep, she sleeps deeply and won’t bother me.


Sometimes only Koko and I get to sleep with Herself; even then I first climb on the radiator and join them after about 20 minutes. It just goes to show that I am behaving like the victim, the cat who defers to everyone else even when it isn’t necessary to do so. Do you think Sissi should be allowed in the bedroom with us at these times?

Harnessing Facts (Indoors or Out Series 3)

For most of us, getting used to a harness is a BIG step. Frankly at first, it might feel like you've become a pack horse from the weight. Your purrsons will be amazed as you slink down to the ground or fall over on your side. They may even laugh. And if they do, they should imagine someone suddenly putting a sack of 30 bricks on their back and see how it feels! Better still, sneak into the gym the next time they workout and watch them trying to stay upright on a balance ball. That should tickle your whiskers.

Along with you, your purrson will have to get used to the process of getting you in and out of the thing. It will take a while for it to become part of your daily routine. But the bottom line is this: Wearing a harness may be the first step to going safely outdoors. So I recommend you try it.

There are several styles of harness to choose from:

1) An H-shaped Harness which has a collar attached to a waist belt by a piece of material. Many of your humans may find it is safer because there is more control over the size of the collar and the belt and thus less chance of your escaping from it. Measurement is important; that link also has a video, How to Measure Your Cat for a Harness, and it's worth watching before you make a purchase.

2) A Figure 8 Harness which is in one continuous, looped piece; your head fits through one loop and your body through the other (check out the information below the photo on the link for detailed instructions). I am so eager to go outside that having to wait any longer than is absolutely necessary sends me into a frenzy of meowing. So I prefurr this type of harness because it is easy to slip on (and out of) and is easily adjusted. Thanks to my colleague, Nuit, who no longer needed her apparatus, I was the lucky recipient of this version.

3) a V-shaped Harness (‘Come With Me Kitty’) in which the connecting piece - between the part that goes around your neck and the part that goes around your chest - is through the sternum (i.e., your chest) rather than along your back. That way you will never choke on it. The link shows magnificent felines sporting this get-up and has an Instruction Guide and FAQs (at the left of the photos). This is a harness specifically designed for our species. It is NOT to be used for tethering; it is a walking harness only.

4) a Walking Jacket, which is as the word implies – similar to the H-shaped version but made of material. Check out Cat Walking Jackets and Met Pet Jackets (instructions, too), along with  Safety Katz which have velcro tabs rather than straps with buckles. I'm not sure if these are suited for tethering (rather than walking) so you will need to check that out.

Most styles are available at pet supply stores (or via the web); so choose what will suit you best.


Adapting to the Apparatus

No matter which style you choose, the basic rule to follow is simply this: Get used to the apparatus s-l-o-w-l-y. Being feline, anything this novel is likely to be met with apprehension. And should your excited human try to put it on you, you are likely to squirm and then collapse as if a sack of potatoes has been put on your back. Fear not! Just remember: Slow and steady wins the race.

The wise human will first put the harness on the floor to let you sniff it. And if there is Feliway spray  on the premises, giving the harness a spritz a few minutes before putting it within your grasp would be even better. The patient human will allow you to explore the collar for up to a few minutes, up to several times a day (or until you lose interest). Alternatively, your purrson may leave it where you sleep so you can cover it in your scent and make it part of your territory. After all, familiarity IS contentment to a cat.

Once you have mastered the sniff test, you are ready for the next step – draping the harness over your body for a few seconds. No you are not yet ready for prime time, so do not attempt to have the harness fastened. Just have your human drape it over you for a few seconds and then have it removed. And over the period of several days, the amount of time it is draped on you should increase incrementally (that is, in small bits), until you adjust. Smart humans reward you with food treats if you accept the draping. Such humans will not reward you for any sign of intolerance or distress because they don’t want to give you a mixed message.

So you’ve mastered draping. Congratulations!

Now it’s time to fasten that harness. A good fit one in which your human is able to get two fingers under the collar and under the waist belt when they are fastened (if using an H-shaped harness). If your human is careful, s/he will read the instructions that come with the apparatus so make sure you are fitted properly. In any event, make sure your purrson ensures that your regular collar and tags are not caught because this will be uncomfortable. If you are like most of us, the first time you wear the harness you will immediately lie down as if under a pressing weight. We’re not used to having anything on our backs, thank you very much! Again the patient human will remove your harness after less than one minute and then refasten it on you a few times a day – and over a many weeks, gradually extend the time you wear it until you a level of comfort with it.

Even if you are wearing the harness with a view to being tethered outside, it would be wise for your purrson to attach the leash and take you for a walk IN your home. Now most humans think they are walking a dog and so they will attempt to take the lead. Fat chance! The smart human will go where want to go, at your pace. A small but very delicious food treat placed about a foot in front of you will encourage you to walk there and get it.

In case your purrsons need it, I've listed some video resources at the end of this entry that might help them help you.

Once this has been accomplished you are ready to try it outdoors.

If you are being tethered, then a brief outdoor period accompanied by your purrson is a start. Work up to being outside, tethered and with your purrson for longer periods (like 10 minutes or so); then right after such a session, try short periods without your purrson (like 1 or 2 minutes) if your purrson plans to be leaving you on your own and work up to a 5 to 10-minute segment on your own gradually. For tethering, that's about all you need to practice.


Should your humans so require it, here are some resources to help the process:
The article, Train Your Cat to Walk on a Leash is reasonably clear and complete.

Of course, some of your purrsons will prefurr the show-and-tell approach of the video. Herself and I poured over 50+ such entries from You Tube and were unpleasantly surprised at much of what was submitted. There were submissions that were too grainy or dark to be useful but these weren't the one that got my ears to fold back. It was the rather large number of submissions dealing with dragging the cat around the floor or the pavement, on leash and harness - with no attempt to assist the cat and usually accompanied by gales of laughter. I can only hope that the cats in question poop in their purrsons' shoes! We also saw entries in which the cat was obviously frightened by the process (and the people didn't have a clue), one in which the cat was incited to aggression by the whole process, and several where the people in question were just mean-spirited. It's situations like these that make me despair of the human race. Hisses and hairballs to all of them!

Here are my picks for video entries that may be useful to you:

Teach Your Cat to Walk on a Leash Tutorial by FBBMyspace. Click on the Cat Walking Tutorial to see the best video, by far. The purrson stresses the importance of patience and the length of time involved (about 2 to 3 months of training) and the demonstrations are clear and careful. The cat wears a walking jacket, so it's a good demo of how that works, too.

Exercise for Cats: Getting A Harness on Your Cat. Dr. Adrienne Mulligan, a vet, does the demonstration and it will give you some idea of what is involved. She has another video called Exercise for Cats:  How to Harness A Difficult Cat. I don't like Dr. Mulligan's assertion that the Siamese in question is spoiled, but there is useful information in this video. This episode demonstrates the use of treats to encourage walking.

Now are you eady for a walk? Then stay tuned for the next installment.

De-potting the Stove

Dear Greyce, I would like to ask a question on behalf of Herself. But first, I want to remind you of my history, just in case you forgot. Your last entry about me was Bear-y Good News (4/1/10).

As you know I used to pee on the kitchen stove because my sister, Bailey, and I would have tiffs there. She’d be high above the cupboards and I’d be on the counter by the stove having an argument. And I’d pee to mark my spot. You suggested that Herself cover the stove elements with pots to discourage me and to keep me and the stove safe. You also suggested I get a litter box for the kitchen. Here is what the stove looked like after taking your advice.

The good news is that I have not peed on the stove since early February. I use my kitchen litter box on a regular basis (and also use the other one that is elsewhere). Bailey and I have stopped having major arguments because my folks followed your advice about playtimes and learned about cat body signals so they could intervene before things got out of hand. We do have the occasional squabble on the floor (rather than with one of us being up higher than the other) but they are quite minor and we are soon back to playing again. And I no longer prowl and yowl throughout the night.

So now my purrson would like to remove the pots from the stove. She did remove some parts but is afraid that leaving the stove bare might inspire me to revert to my old ways. What do you advise?

Stuck in the Kitchen: Suzi's Series 1

Dear Greyce, I am a seven-year-old calm and affectionate female and live in an apartment in Bulgaria with my brother, Koko who is my sole playmate. Since we were kittens, we have lived with the same human. And we are all quite attached to one another.

Herself has a big heart and is involved in cat rescue. That unfortunately means that there are also other cats on the premises. Three years ago, Sissi joined us after being rescued from an animal collector. She is now six years old and temperamental. While she is fond of our human, she is independent and has no use for other cats.


At first she was kept in a separate room and then we were introduced through a glass door. Sissi was so distressed by seeing us that she punched her head against the door to try to get at us; one time she even made her nose bleed from the impact! In time she was put on a leash to be introduced to us; when Herself was not looking, Sissi would charge me! Why me? Well my brother pays no attention to other cats other than to play with them from time to time, so chasing after him would be of no interest to her.


When we moved apartments we were all on equal footing because the territory was new to all of us. But soon Sissi starting attacking me again. We were finally able to reach a state of mutual tolerance and then, about a year ago, two foster kittens arrived.


They are both males. Rijko is affectionate and gentle. The other has cerebellar hypoplasia. (Readers note: This is a congenital condition for which there is no treatment. Cats so afflicted have tremors and jerky movements; problems with coordination require careful watching or the cat can be hurt falling off furniture and the like.) He was shy at first but now plays rough and attacks me. Herself has been looking for a home for them but it is not easy.


So here is the current situation: We live in a two-bedroom apartment with a large living room. When Herself can supervise us, we can go out on the balcony. Sometimes she opens the window which is protected with net, and we can sit there and look outside. We also share a scratching post and two cat beds.


Living with Sissi was far from easy when there were just three cats in the household, but it was getting better. Now with two more cats, my life is unbearable. I now stay on the kitchen furniture and refuse to come down to the floor level unless I am protected by my purrson. And when I need to use the litter box and my purrson cannot protect me, I’ve used the kitchen towel instead. Herself just purchased Feliway but it doesn’t seem to be helping.


Help me, Greyce! Scared Suzi of Bulgaria

Tied Down. (Indoors or Out Series 2)

You want to go outside. You dart for the door anytime it opens. In exasperation, your purrson decides that letting you out is better than being meowed to death. But out of concern for your safety (that roaming look in you eye does not bode well), s/he tethers you in the yard rather than getting calls from the neighbours when you decide to poop in their tulip beds. If I look at the situation with human eyes, I see the advantages of this tethering option right off the bat: It is easy, it is inexpensive, and it requires little effort on their part. Besides, getting you outdoors means you won't have the interactive play needs of your indoor-only colleagues; and if your folks are too busy to play with you, outdoor experience is worth considering.

BUT not everything about this option is catnip and sardines: It is not my idea of a good time to be left defenseless should a growler prowl by, to be at the whim of the elements, or to get tangled in my lead and cut the circulation from my hind leg. So you MUST have the right equipment, MUST be in a safe place, and MUST be checked on periodically by a responsible purrson.

Indoors or Out? A Series Begins

How the Indoors versus Outdoors Controversy Began

For some time I've been praising the concept of outdoor experience and promised to write about it in detail. But this is a controversial subject amongst your human caregivers, so I want to put my praise in context before they get their knickers in a twist. Bottom line: When push comes to shove, I'm on the side of us cats.

Since time immemorial, we cats have lived with and without human companionship - largely as we wished, that is, going in and out of dwellings as we pleased. No one was particularly bothered if we wandered off for a while and some of us wandered off never to return. Of course, it wasn't all so wonderful given that cats have often been the victims of torture but I don't want to deviate from my main argument. Let me get back to my point.

In North America, our in-and-out scenario changed with the advent of urbanization (when more humans started living in cities rather than in rural areas). Humans still wanted us about but were reluctant to keep us in their homes. They didn't like the population explosion of kittens that resulted or the human-perceived need to get rid of them. And they didn't like our toilet habits inside their homes.

Sterilization (which humans who don't care to face the facts refer to as altering) addressed the first concern, for not only does it prevent us from having kittens but it also reduces or eliminates our spraying of human material goods for sexual reasons. Alas, cat overpopulation (meaning far more cats available for adoption than there are willing homes to house them) is still a fact of life.

The second concern was addressed with the advent of cheap litter, which made it possible for us to toilet in an acceptable manner in the human home. Alas our litterbox habits remain the number one problem for humans today - inspite of a variety of litters and litter boxes.

Regardless of the difficulties encountered by humans in attempting to care for us, we are the most popular pet in North America. Yet we remain second-class citizens when it comes to care for we are still the ones less likely to receive veterinary care (compared to dogs) and the list goes on and on. We are still viewed as the pet who can care for him/herself. And while there is truth to this, there is also myth.

There have also been advances in veterinary medicine and household practice that mean we live longer than we used to. A feral cat, for example, is expected to live around three years - long enough to reproduce - before meeting with sickness or an accident resulting in death. A household cat may live to 20+ years, depending on the genetics of the cat and the household circumstances. We have vaccines to prevent us from being prey to dreadful diseases. We have standardized food. And there is a strong effort to keep all of us indoors - for our own good.

The indoor-only camp comes from three streams: First a stream of cat caregivers, especially those who have seen the horrors of the outdoor life, who are concerned about our health and safety. There is no doubt about it, from a physical health standpoint we are better off kept indoors in a caring household. The majority of veterinarians, cat behaviourists, breeders and animal shelters endorse this concept. After all, they are the ones who get to see the seamy side of the outdoor life: the cat shredded by a fan belt after seeking the warmth of a car on a cold winter day, the remains of a cat after a coyote attack, continued batches of feral kittens, the cat flattened by a speeding car. I could go on and on.

The second stream is people who don't particularly like cats or what cats do when they are outside. They object to us pooping in their gardens, scratching against their trees, or catwauling during mating season. A few a concerned about allergies, rabies, or aggression but this is a relatively minor component. And since we live in a society where material property values are considered a very high priority, this lobby has been influential.

Add a third stream: responsible dog caregivers who are tired of keeping their animals tethered when cats run free, and paying for dog licenses whose fees subsidize animal control shelters that handle larger percentages of cats.

All of these parties are meeting in the middle - in the realm of community practice and law. The result: The requirement in many jurisdictions that all cats be kept indoors or at the very least inside the boundaries of the legally owned/used property of their caregivers. For most of us, that means staying indoors at all times.

The Challenge of Staying Indoors

Okay, before this gets to be too hot a topic, I want your to raise you paw if you agree with each of the following:
Do you want to live?
Do you want to be safe?
Do you want to be healthy?
Do you want to have access to care?
These are the argument used for keeping us indoors. There is no doubt about it: We live longer and probably in better physical health in an indoor-only environment. But like every good intention, there are also caveats and unanticipated consequences.

Here are the caveats:
#1 The easiest way to keep a cat indoors all the time is to start when the cat is a kitten and has had NO outdoor experience - on the assumption that what you don't know about you don't want. I started my life as a pampered, indoor-only kitten. But when one of my so-called caregivers dumped me I had to survive on my own for about a month before I insisted on coming to live with Themselves. By then, it was too late. I  demanded to go outside. Even though I was happy to have food in my dish and safe shelter, I still wanted my outdoor forays.

#2. The advocates of the indoor-only lifestyle add that ALL of our needs must be provided for in such an environment. And that means needs related to our natural predatory cycle (which require daily exercise to keep arousal levels in check), and our need for environmental stimulation to counter boredom and intellectual apathy. Alas most of our caregivers don't have a clue about what that really means. "But I give my cat lots of cuddles," they say - when we really need at least a twice daily workout. "Sure," I'd love to retort. "And you probably watch exercise videos on your TV while chowing down on chips. Not the same as a workout buddy!" Others tell me, "I give my cat lots of action. We wrestle!" Great, I think to myself. Reward your cat for interacting like a macho man and then wonder why your girlfriend insists that it's either her or the cat, because she is afraid of being attacked.

In short: It takes a really dedicated and knowledgeable human to provide the requisite amount of stimulation that can ensure you lead an emotionally satisfying life. Not only do many humans not have a clue about what these needs are and how to provide them, but many are loathe to spend the money making them a reality or exercise their own creativity to achieve them on the cheap. And even with good intentions, humans may fall short of the mark.

So what is the result?

We get bored with the same old toys and our purrson cannot understand why. So ask your purrson to imagine being locked up in an apartment 24/7 with only the same magazine to read. There is a reason why even the most hardened criminals fear solitary confinement.

We fall prey to stresses - fur plucking, aggression and the like. Even things that would usually roll off our backs now haunt us. North America which has the highest percentage of confined cats also has the highest incidence of behavioural disorders. Coincidence? I think not!

We go to the food dish and chow down far more than we need to and then get the lecture about going on a diet. So our reward is to feel starved as well as bored.

So if your human happens to be reading this with you, slap a paw on the screen when it comes to this paragraph. Listen up humans! A cat beyond kittenhood needs:
- interactive play (meaning it involves you, human) that is safe for both parties but also done in a way that excites our natural predatory drive AND exercises our intellect. Yes, we have highly developed brains which rot from boredom!
- unobstructed and safe access to varying levels of height.
- environmental stimulation in the form of slight, periodic changes to keep our senses sharp and life interesting.

What's A Cat To Do?

As I see it, the options for us depend on our humans. They are:

Option #1: Stay indoors. Have your caregiver learn enough about cat behaviour to provide a right indoor environment AND commit to regular consistent interactive play periods (regardless of how your human feels about engaging in play after a day at the office) AND to continued upgrading of indoor environmental challenges to help you keep your sense sharp. Resources: Check out the labels - play/predation/toys, environmental stimulation, and cat tree; particularly the entries Only On My Terms, Stimulating Ideas, Guys Just Wanna Have Fun, and A Cat Tree for Every Cat.

Consider this option is any of the following applies to you:
- You have allergies to grasses and plants that may be in your yard.
- You have asthma or other respiratory issues which may be exacerbated by pollen counts or associated allergies; you MIGHT consider an enclosure on a wooden deck (rather grass) as long as your purrson keeps a careful eye on weather and pollen counts (there are websites for each). Cats living in the USA can check http://www.pollen.com/ for pollen counts and forecasts in their area - a service that doesn't appear to be available elsewhere.
- You live in a neighbourhood which is considered unsafe (for humans or for cats); for example, the absence of a secure, fenced yard WITH the presence of aggressive dogs who roam the yard next door to you.
- You live on or near a very noisy street and find such sounds upsetting.
- You've had a history of life on the streets and are adamant about staying inside for the rest of your life.
- You live in a neighbourhood with a lot of roaming cats and their presence upsets you; later I will describe the kind of enclosure which might suit you, if you want to give it a try.
- You have no outdoor experience and the thought of such novelty frightens you; also consider a gradual introduction to the outdoors using one of the other options listed below.

Details related to the selection of the rest of these options (listed below) will be found in separate blog entries over the next while.
Option #2: Tether you outdoors, periodically.
Option #3: Work with you to have you accept a harness and lead AND commit to regular walks.
Option #4: Build a temporary (if renting) or permanent outdoor cat enclosure, so you can enjoy outdoor access.
Option #5: Surround your outdoor property with a cat fence, so you can enjoy your yard.

But before you direct your human to a particular choice, read my upcoming blog entries on Options 2 to 5. Because they each have pros and cons. Let's face it, even The Rolling Stones know that you can always get what you want.

I've Been Kidnapped!

Help me, Greyce! I am an 11-year old tortie who lived with my purrson all my life, even when she got married and had a baby. That's me on the right - right at home! All was well until the baby became a toddler who started to taunt me. I told her to back off, by hissing and growling. Even giving her the occasional swat wouldn't help. So what's my reward? I was kidnapped!

One day when I was minding my own business, I was taken from my home to a smaller place (called an apartment) where there is already another cat in residence. My jailer tried to put me in solitary confinement (in the bedroom) but I managed to escape. I'm camped out under a dining room chair, near by food and litter box. And I won't budge except to eat or use the litter box (which, thank goodness, are nearby).

 The other cat (shown on the left - his name is Filou by the way) lets me have my space but the jailer is something else. She talks a mile a minute and seems stressed. She keeps wanting to approach me! So far I've managed to get her to keep her distance by growling and hissing. But she persists.

I've been here for about a month. I'm scared and I'm angry. Why did this happen to me? Molly 

Bear-y Good News!

Dear Readers, From time to time a troubled cat who has contacted me, apprises me of his or her progress. You may remember, Bear, the stove-top pee-er who was having stand offs with his sister, Bailey (see blog entry, The Stove Top Pee-er, 2/25/20) ? His latest news is like a waft of aromatic vole on a spring breeze to me. Read on!