I just had my hair cut and was waiting for my wife to pick me up at an independent pet shop next door; I wasn’t planning to buy anything but ended up spending $45 on cat food since they had some brands I can’t get on Amazon or Petco.
Ella
- Thread starter Ken Anderson
- Start date
Shirley Martin
Well-known member
Awwww, you're a good kitty daddy. 
Ella slept upstairs with my brother rather than downstairs with my wife and me. She came down for a moment to check on me, then went back upstairs.
So far, she's liked the new foods I got her. It's frustrating when I buy something special and expensive for her, only to have her symbolically bury it without even tasting it. When she's decided (with her nose) that she is not even going to try a food, she will make digging motions with her paws next to the bowl and walk away. I've learned that means she's not going to touch it, and she won't change her mind even when I read the ingredients to her or talk to her about how much it cost.
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Ella was noisier on the first day of our return trip. She loves my brother, Gladwin, and I think she likes his house too, and doesn't want to leave. Still, she wasn't too bad. I'm not pulling her good traveler card yet.
A small, female outdoor cat that comes to the porch during the day to eat, whom I have named Franja, will sneak into the house whenever she gets a chance, but Ella hates her. Once, when I had the door open, talking to her, Ella got in front of me and vocalized something that didn't sound threatening to me, but which Franja interpreted as a demand to leave. Since then, when Ella is around, and I am feeding or socializing with a cat on the porch, she will check to see which cat it is. She's okay with it if it's Sobaka or Smoke, but does not approve of me feeding Franja.
A week ago, I was late feeding her, and Franja came looking for me upstairs by climbing the fire escape stairs. Ella was sleeping in a window bed by the fire escape window, facing away from it. I was in a chair working on my MacBook. Franja tapped on the window, probably to get my attention. Ella spun around and found herself face-to-face with Franja, with only the window separating them. She went nuts, and within seconds, both cats were slapping at the window, while Ella was screaming like she was in a battle for her life.
I went downstairs and outside to coax Franja off the fire escape, and, after feeding her, I went back upstairs to find Ella still all worked up over it, huffing and puffing.
Today, Franja had already eaten, and I was downstairs unpacking some boxes that had arrived when I heard Ella screaming upstairs. After eating, Franja decided to climb the fire escape stairs and annoy Ella again. To be fair, I don't know what her intentions were. Perhaps she was looking for me, or maybe she wanted to make peace with Ella. Either way, there was no peace to be made with Ella, who is not a Franja fan.
I don't know if she necessarily would be excited about either of them coming inside to live because cats can be weird about that sort of thing, but Ella has seen Sobaka in the house several times now. She usually ignores him, but when I called her over to meet Sobaka, who is a very large cat, while Ella is quite small, it went well. Ella came over when called (which means she wanted to because she does not feel obligated to come when I call her, otherwise). Sobaka positioned himself as low to the floor as possible without lying down, which seemed to be a sign of respect. Ella did the same, and they looked at one another for a while, with neither of them looking at all hostile. Then they stretched out far enough to touch noses. Then Ella walked away to lie down in a cat bed, as if she had satisfied her curiosity.
Usually, Sobaka comes in just as far as the landing or barely inside of my adjacent office, where he can eat without fear of being approached by another cat, or raccoon, or whatever it is that he's afraid of outside. When he comes in far enough to allow it, I close the door, and that doesn't seem to bother him. He places both paws on the door when he wants out. A few days ago, he spent about 20 minutes in the house, then didn't show up for a few days.
Ella has been introduced to Smoke through the door, although he has come inside only once. A couple of nights ago, while Ella was in the library, I invited Smoke in, and he immediately ran into the house and into my office, then, just as quickly, he ran back out again. Otherwise, Ella has been by the door while Smoke was in the porch, and they seem okay with one another, too. Several years ago, when Ella was allowed to go outdoors during the day, she didn't respond to my call when it was getting near dusk. I went looking for her and found her sitting only a few inches away from Smoke along the bank across the railroad bed. They seemed to be ignoring one another, but were clearly comfortable with proximity, given that there was no reason for two cats to sit next to one another outdoors.
As you might know from another thread, I have an opening for an outdoor cat to become an indoor cat, and my boss (Ella) seems to be okay with either Smoke or Sobaka, as would I. Smoke has been an outdoor cat for at least seven years now, while I think Sobaka has only been homeless since late winter or early spring, because that's when he first showed up here, very hungry and willing to be petted.
I have been feeding Smoke for about seven years, and he frequently lets me pet him or even pick him up sometimes, while, at other times, he acts like he's afraid I'm going to kill him. He hangs out with me in the backyard a lot. I'd love to take him in, but he has crossed the threshold only once and immediately retreated, while Sobaka seems more willing.
Ella would be okay with either of them, I think, but I don't know that they'd be okay with one another. Although Sobaka is larger and younger, he's afraid of Smoke, although Smoke doesn't seem to be hostile towards Sobaka.
A week ago, I was late feeding her, and Franja came looking for me upstairs by climbing the fire escape stairs. Ella was sleeping in a window bed by the fire escape window, facing away from it. I was in a chair working on my MacBook. Franja tapped on the window, probably to get my attention. Ella spun around and found herself face-to-face with Franja, with only the window separating them. She went nuts, and within seconds, both cats were slapping at the window, while Ella was screaming like she was in a battle for her life.
I went downstairs and outside to coax Franja off the fire escape, and, after feeding her, I went back upstairs to find Ella still all worked up over it, huffing and puffing.
Today, Franja had already eaten, and I was downstairs unpacking some boxes that had arrived when I heard Ella screaming upstairs. After eating, Franja decided to climb the fire escape stairs and annoy Ella again. To be fair, I don't know what her intentions were. Perhaps she was looking for me, or maybe she wanted to make peace with Ella. Either way, there was no peace to be made with Ella, who is not a Franja fan.
I don't know if she necessarily would be excited about either of them coming inside to live because cats can be weird about that sort of thing, but Ella has seen Sobaka in the house several times now. She usually ignores him, but when I called her over to meet Sobaka, who is a very large cat, while Ella is quite small, it went well. Ella came over when called (which means she wanted to because she does not feel obligated to come when I call her, otherwise). Sobaka positioned himself as low to the floor as possible without lying down, which seemed to be a sign of respect. Ella did the same, and they looked at one another for a while, with neither of them looking at all hostile. Then they stretched out far enough to touch noses. Then Ella walked away to lie down in a cat bed, as if she had satisfied her curiosity.
Usually, Sobaka comes in just as far as the landing or barely inside of my adjacent office, where he can eat without fear of being approached by another cat, or raccoon, or whatever it is that he's afraid of outside. When he comes in far enough to allow it, I close the door, and that doesn't seem to bother him. He places both paws on the door when he wants out. A few days ago, he spent about 20 minutes in the house, then didn't show up for a few days.
Ella has been introduced to Smoke through the door, although he has come inside only once. A couple of nights ago, while Ella was in the library, I invited Smoke in, and he immediately ran into the house and into my office, then, just as quickly, he ran back out again. Otherwise, Ella has been by the door while Smoke was in the porch, and they seem okay with one another, too. Several years ago, when Ella was allowed to go outdoors during the day, she didn't respond to my call when it was getting near dusk. I went looking for her and found her sitting only a few inches away from Smoke along the bank across the railroad bed. They seemed to be ignoring one another, but were clearly comfortable with proximity, given that there was no reason for two cats to sit next to one another outdoors.
As you might know from another thread, I have an opening for an outdoor cat to become an indoor cat, and my boss (Ella) seems to be okay with either Smoke or Sobaka, as would I. Smoke has been an outdoor cat for at least seven years now, while I think Sobaka has only been homeless since late winter or early spring, because that's when he first showed up here, very hungry and willing to be petted.
I have been feeding Smoke for about seven years, and he frequently lets me pet him or even pick him up sometimes, while, at other times, he acts like he's afraid I'm going to kill him. He hangs out with me in the backyard a lot. I'd love to take him in, but he has crossed the threshold only once and immediately retreated, while Sobaka seems more willing.
Ella would be okay with either of them, I think, but I don't know that they'd be okay with one another. Although Sobaka is larger and younger, he's afraid of Smoke, although Smoke doesn't seem to be hostile towards Sobaka.
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Faye Fox
Well-known member
For the first time in over a month, my neighborhood cat patrol returned. My Ring camera caught a new one that shot off like a bullet, when the ring told it, it was being recorded. The old patrol veteran, just stopped and struck a pose. The old vet made two rounds, posing for the camera both times.
I was glad to see them back and appreciate having an 81 year old cat lady next door that takes care of all the vet bills and keeps them in prime shape for mouse and vole extermination. They rarely eat their kill, but I don't mind being the undertaker since they do the ugly part.
I was glad to see them back and appreciate having an 81 year old cat lady next door that takes care of all the vet bills and keeps them in prime shape for mouse and vole extermination. They rarely eat their kill, but I don't mind being the undertaker since they do the ugly part.
I spent about half an hour on the porch petting Smoke, who was in the mood for it tonight. He would eat for a while, then come over to me to be petted. Then, I invite him into the house, while at the same time calling Ella to come over and meet him, because I don't want her to suddenly find him in the house. He looked like he was going to come in as he approached the door when invited. Then, Ella hissed at him. It wasn't an angry hiss, as I have heard her angry hisses, but it was more of a boundary hiss, either meant to communicate that he needed her permission too, or perhaps to say she's not ready for him to come in yet. Neither cat looked angry or defensive, and Smoke probably wasn't sure he wanted to come in anyhow, so he didn't. I petted both cats at the same time for a while, then Ella went to lie on my desk, which she wouldn't do if she were truly concerned about an invasion, and I went out and petted Smoke some more.
Mary Stetler
Well-known member
It's a cat thing.
Mary Stetler
Well-known member
My new barn cat is acclimated to the farm now although not to the barn. He stays in the barnhouse nites because daughter puts him there for safety but we found he definitely kills rodents.
He scares the chickens if he goes into the barn because there was an attack by something INSIDE the barn a couple of months ago.
Surprisingly he likes to walk with someone around the farm like my old Bonneroo cat did. Kind of like a dog, he likes the company of people.
He scares the chickens if he goes into the barn because there was an attack by something INSIDE the barn a couple of months ago.
Surprisingly he likes to walk with someone around the farm like my old Bonneroo cat did. Kind of like a dog, he likes the company of people.
Ella hissed at Sobaka last night when he came for food on the porch. Ella was nearby when I opened the door, so she came over, and there was no touching noses this time. She hissed once, fairly quietly, and Sobaka left and didn't come back to eat. Keep in mind that Sobaka is larger than any of the other cats who come around, and Ella is fairly small. She hissed at Smoke, and he changed his mind about coming into the house, but he still stuck around for a meal.
In fact, after she hissed at Smoke, I spent more than half an hour with him on the porch, petting him. At one point, he moved to the outside door to watch whatever it was he was looking for outside, and I might have dozed off, because he poked my hand with his nose when he wanted more petting. Smoke has come into the house twice now. The first time, he ran in and ran out just as quickly. The second time, he went through my office, which is adjacent to the front door, into the rec room, approached my old office, where Ella was lying on the futon, then changed his mind about entering that room and went out. That experience must have been too much for him because I didn't see him for a few days,
In fact, after she hissed at Smoke, I spent more than half an hour with him on the porch, petting him. At one point, he moved to the outside door to watch whatever it was he was looking for outside, and I might have dozed off, because he poked my hand with his nose when he wanted more petting. Smoke has come into the house twice now. The first time, he ran in and ran out just as quickly. The second time, he went through my office, which is adjacent to the front door, into the rec room, approached my old office, where Ella was lying on the futon, then changed his mind about entering that room and went out. That experience must have been too much for him because I didn't see him for a few days,
I just caught Franja on her way up the fire escape stairs to duke it out with Ella through the window again. I don't know her intentions, but I get the feeling she enjoys the interaction, particularly given that there is a window between them and no one is hurt. Franja is in a good mood following these window battles, while Ella is still huffing and puffing about it five minutes later.