My kitty Winnie

[Jilly_in_VA]

is back, after a period of disappearance following her sister Vicky's death, during which time she showed up only when we were not around, to eat a bit of the food I left and then disappear again (I have it on my back door cam). I suspect she may have been back to wherever Vicky was when she was so badly injured she couldn't make it home. But for better or worse, my little spitfire is back in all her tortietude, hanging out in the woodpile and complaining if I'm late with breakfast or dinner.

I'm considering adopting a sister for her after our gem show trip to Tennessee next month. The sister will be carefully chosen after consultation with the head cat person at the shelter and will reside in a "habitation crate" for 5 weeks to give them a chance to get used to each other through the bars. I expect a considerable amount of discussion and swearing between them during that time. I may decide to let Winnie come into my studio to be fed and spend the night--she ventured in the door last night and I would have let her stay had the upstairs door been closed. I'd considered that for both of them during the winter prior to Vicky's demise. In any case, a sister for Winnie will have to be able to stand up for herself without trying to take over. We need more rodent control than one cat can handle by herself.

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Good for you! You might find...

that 5 weeks is a bit long. When we acclimate, three weeks is a good amount of time but you know better than I do as they are yours. See where they are at 3 weeks. GOOD LUCK!

[Jilly_in_VA]

3. 5 weeks

is our shelter's policy for barn cats, as they are outdoors/working cats and need that time to acclimate to the area. It takes that long to acclimate them to a larger outdoor area. We usually start opening the crate at 4 weeks but feed them in it for another week. I'm not sure how Winnie is going to take to another cat. Someone suggested a boy, but in my experience they tend to roam and are not always good rodent control officers. The ladies tend to stay closer to home and do the job they are hired for.

[Karadeniz]

2. Always like being informed of people's animal caretaking! They're acts of kindness we can all do

amidst the insanity.... we need reminding to stay balanced !!!

[SlimJimmy]

4. So pleased to hear that Winnie is back.

Since Winnie is a barn type of girl, I think getting another female is the best plan. They tend to hang out together and are not as territorial. Of course, getting the male neutered will help with the roaming, if you go that route.

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. All our shelter kitties

are spayed or neutered before being adopted, so that's not a worry. Winnie's temperament is the worry, now that she is top cat.

[SlimJimmy]

6. We have a Maine Coon mix that thinks she's the queen.

Even the boys give her space.