Purr Purr

My boyfriend and I have adopted a new kitten which we have named Gimli, after the dwarf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. He, his mother and several brothers and sisters were found on the doorstep of a nice lady who happens to have a history of rescuing cats. Through a forwarded email I received a couple of weeks ago I learned of this little family. Mick and I had been talking about adopting a new furry one; the timing was fortuitous. This past Sunday we met little Gimli and quickly lost our hearts.

With a new kitten comes great responsibility, Peter. Neither Mick or I have ever had a kitten that small (Gim is about 6 weeks old) so we have worried about his food and water intake, his litter box usage and his interactions with the other cats. Yes, there are other cats in this story. I have 2 other cats, Lily and Spike, who live and love with us and they are amazing and wonderful animals. However, most cats need time to adjust to a new comer and Lil and Spike are not exception.

So this week we have heard our fair share of hissing and growling. The old guys are a little put out about this fluffy new guy while Gimli is just trying to figure out what the heck is happening. He has quickly adjusted to our environment. He spent his first few days or so under my dresser; then one day we opened the door to the bedroom (where we were keeping Gim separated from the other guys) and lo and behold, the kitty is roaming around the room, meowing and wanting out. We have gradually increased his outside time and last night we decided to leave the bedroom door open. Today (fingers crossed) is Gimli's first day with full access to the apartment.

My friend Coryelle has been a tremendous help. She is a great woman and phenomenal animal communicator. One of her tips really helped; we rubbed Gimli with a dish towel and left it out where Spike and Lily were. That way they could get used to his scent at their own pace while not having to deal with him directly. I have taken classes from Coryelle and using the techniques she has taught revealed a bit about what I fear and how I deal with it.

Basically, I quiet my mind and "reach" out to a particular cat. I call them by name and ask to speak to them. For this situation, I was trying to prepare Lily and Spike for the incoming new guy, telling them that they were not being replaced and above all, that they were loved very very much. After Gimli's arrival I have tried to communicate with all of them, checking in on their feelings and what I can do to help the process. Not surprising I have found it difficult to concentrate and get a connection when I am stressed or scared. I have had to really face these fears (will I be able to care for them all, what if they get sick, what if they escape, what if they harm one another) and know I can handle them if the situation arises.

Lily, the most dominant, hisses at Gimli, though that is slowly diminishing. She allows me to pet her but she is not as affectionate as usual. Through my communications, Lily's main concern appears to be the preservation of the order of things. As long as the other cats know she is number 1, all is right with the world. Spike is a little more sensitive; he worries about getting less attention and getting lost in the shuffle. Both Mick and I continually speak to them, telling them we love them and stroking them whenever we can. I hate to put them through the stress. I am glad to be able to give an animal a home. We have a lot of love to give.

Gimli, bless his little soul, seems pretty adventurous. He loves to be held and his belly to be rubbed. The last few nights have found him sharing our bed, which scares us because of his size. We are so afraid of rolling over him that I don't think either one of us got much sleep. I placed him on his blanket about 4 times during the night, and each and every time he climbed back up onto the bed. Last night I placed a small cat bed among our pillows so that Gimli could have a relative safe place to sleep. He likes to lay where our heads are, which is a little safer than say, at our feet. I have debated on what to do because I think he really misses some kind of contact when he sleeps at night. He may have been separated from his mother a week or so too soon and I want him to be comforted and feel safe. So for now we are keeping this arrangement; we may, once he has a more cordial relationship with the other cats, be kept out of the bedroom.

I can't wait to come home tonight.