******When Worlds Collide!!!********

[bvar22]

His proper name is Houseboat Willie, but he answers to Bug or Bad Kitty. He was adopted from the shelter as a tiny kitten 1-1/2 years ago, and spent the first part of his life on a houseboat on one of the wilder sections of the Mississsippi River. He had free run of several boats and a good section of the river bank. He was wary of Eagles and Owls, avoided the beaver and coon, socialized with the geese and ducks, and kept the boats free of small critters. He LOVED it.



Last Fall circumstances forced us to sell the boats and temporarily move into a small apartment in a (semi)urban area. Bug was a family member and leaving him was not an option, but he has had trouble adapting to the confinement. He doesn't understand why we can't go home. So, we decided to adopt another cat to keep Bug company.





This is Maggie Mae. She is 16 weeks old.
She purrs loudly,and loves to be held.
It was love at first sight.






Everything that happens in our house is supervised by Bug.
He inspects all household changes, and examines all new items brought into the house.
He knows the regular schedule, and gets upset if things don't happen on time.
He is very spoiled, and knows that his natural place is the center of attention.
We weren't sure how Bug would take the news that he now has a sister,
so we left Maggie in the box for a little while so bug could get used to the idea.




















"We don't need no stinkin kitten!"



24 hrs. later, Bug seems a little more OK with the idea.
We are cautiously optimistic as they work out their boundaries.



Hi, I'm the new Kitty!

[Lorien]

1. What great photos! Boy, do they bring back (recent) memories!

Bug is SUCH a handsome kitty-and Maggie Mae looks like an easygoing little sweetie.I can see why it was love at first sight!

Oberon and Puck went through a similar period of adjustment. It took about a week before they could get this close (Oberon was actually more afraid of Puck!):


And for the longest time Puck would assume this subordinate position when Obie got close. Given the size difference (even though they are very close in age) I don't blame her!


Soon enough, she decided that he was pretty harmless:













Good luck to bug and Maggie Mae!

[bvar22]

2. Thanks for the encouragement.

We still don't let them in the same room unsupervised.
Maggie is fearless. Bug is much more cautious. If Maggie approaches Bug, he will sit up tall, and raise a paw high like he is getting ready to smack her, but if she takes another step closer, Bug runs away.

Bug will only approach Maggie from the rear. He will sneak up on her, and streeeeetch out his nose to sniff the tip of her tail. If Maggie turns or moves suddenly, Bug runs away. It is fascinating to watch.

The tensions seem to be diminishing, but it is still far from a cozy relationship. We are hopeful.

[Lorien]

3. Oberon reacted the same way towards Puck

but I found that if I really praised Obie every time he got close without hissing, it sped things up a bit. I read in some humane society literature that giving the older cat extra attention would ensure a quicker adjustment, and it seemed to work!

[Princess Turandot]

4. LOL Great pictures!...

I love the one where he first sees the carrier! They are both beautiful kitties.

Here is Tsar Ivan with Khan as a baby. The first pic is an early meeting, and the next is from several weeks later. I think you're making progress.






Then we have Khan & Sasha after she had been here about 2 weeks (she was 8 months old)




I think that in the next to the last photo, Maggie Mae is replying:
"You tawkin' to ME??!!"

[Longhorn]

5. What a great story!

Thanks for sharing it with us! I love cats but I'm allergic to them so I enjoy looking at the pictures -- they don't make me sneeze! :D

[Eurobabe]

6. Too funny!! Mr 48%er says 'oh is that Oberon?'

He starts to know the DU cat family we have here. I say, no honey, Oberon is white and grey maine coon with peachey cheeks, remember?

Thanks for sharing the intro, the pictures are great, especially Bug and "we don't need no stinkin' kitten!!" LOL!

Best of luck with your new kitty, she's a sweetie, looks like my neighbor's cat who I routinely threaten to kidnap (her name is Mooshu.)

[bvar22]

7. Update:

It's been a little over two weeks, and things are OK, but it was a tough two weeks. Both Bug and Maggie got very sick.

After four or five days of Bug being an old resentful curmudgeon and occasionally slapping (carefully, no claws) Maggie when he felt she had overstepped the boundaries (often), Maggie started sneezing. The sneezing became more frequent and wet until her nose became totally blocked and she was forced to breathe through her mouth. Her ears got hot, and she lost energy. All she could do was sleep and eat, with frequent bouts of hard, wet sneezing. The VET said to watch her, but as long as her lungs were clear and she was eating she would be OK. This phase lasted about four days, and then she started slowly getting better. That's when Bug started sneezing.

Bug scared us. After a couple of days of sneezing, his nose became completely blocked and he began breathing through his mouth. Because of his size and strength, his sneezes were 9.0 on the Richter Scale and very wet. Since he was forced to breathe through his mouth, long strands of drool would drip from his chin onto his chest and paws despite our constant wiping. He was miserable and tired and mostly wanted to be left alone.

One morning, he woke me up at dawn from the foot of my bed. He was pissed at the kitten who was on the bed. His ears were back, his eyes glazed from being sick, loud throaty growling, mouth breathing and two long strands of saliva clinging to his chin. I thought he was Cujo.

Bug turned down his breakfast that morning, and we were worried. We decided to try a Benedryl (which we had read about here). We cut a pill in half and managed to get it down his throat. It seemed to help, and he slowly began getting better.

Bug is still weak and sneezing alot, but getting better. Maggie is almost well with just a few occasional sneezes. She has taken advantage of Bug's debilitated condition to assume command of the house. She is running wild in all her kitten energy, cuteness, and curiosity. She has taken over all his toys and favorite spots, and occasionally torments Bug by jumping on his tail or his head. He is still too sick to challenge her, and she knows it. Maggie has also shown a very tender side.


On Bug's worst day, Maggie slowly and deliberately walked up to his face,
laid down , and gently reached out and touched him.




Bug is not a lap kitty or a cuddler. He likes to be petted,
but only on his terms. He prefers to sleep on a chair by himself.
Maggie is very different.



Maggie LOVES to be petted and held.
Her preferred place is on someone's lap.








Hi, 48percenter.
In answer to your question on the Scoopable Litter Thread that is a picture of Bug from last winter when he lived on a boat.



Other pics of Bug can be found here:
Kitty in the Tub

[Eurobabe]

12. Thanks so much for the photos, it is so cool

to see how the two cats are getting along now...and how Maggie is growing, she is really cute, looks exactly like my friend's kitten Mooshu!

[Beaverhausen]

8. This is so similar to when I adopted my youngest

Geneva, who was about 7 at the time wanted nothing to do with the wacky little kitten, but kittens can be fearless and also relentless.

Still, after 4 years it's still a prickly relationship. Annie the youngster tries to play and cuddle with Geneva. Sometimes they get along but sometimes Geneva will just not put up with her. It's amazing how different they are.

Hope your kitties recover from their colds soon.

[demnan]

9. This is a great thread

and your kitties are wonderful! Maggie is so sweet I'm sure she used her sweet personality to win over the perturbed Bug.

[underseasurveyor]

10. That is a fantastic story

When does the movie come out. I'd pay to go see it :-)
The Story of "Bug"

:think: Hey.........
A Bug Story:bounce: Oh no wait that title has been taken :-(

[Eurobabe]

11. pet group demands an update!!!

We wanna know how Bug likes his new sister? Everything okay?

[bertha katzenengel]

13. Glad this older thread isn't locked, because I have to tell you that

you folks are my kind of people. I don't mean "cat people" (I have a rep) but I love the way you write and your apparent devotion to living things. Thanks for a lovely story.

And that last shot is classic.

[bvar22]

15. Thank You for those kind words.

It is impossible NOT to love these guys. Maggie and Bug have added sooo much to my life.
I feel sorry for those who don't feel a sense of respect and devotion to all living things....they miss so much.
I haven't found ANYONE in the Pets Forum that don't share those values.:)

I was surprised to see this thread when I checked in.
Have you been messing around in the Basement???:)


If you would like to see more,
There are a couple of other BUG threads that are still active :



***Bug in the Tub***


***Bug on a Post***

[newsguyatl]

14. ha, wonderful post

really enjoyed the pics, especially like this one



the little guy's like "hiss all you want, see if i care, punk"

good luck with things, and keep us updated!

[bvar22]

16. Thanks....

You nailed Maggie. She has been absolutely fearless, and has won BUG'S respect in addition to ours.

In the early days while Bug was still hostile, she would use her small size and quickness on the hardwood floors to embarrass Bug, whose size and momentum would send him spinning out of control while she made it to one of the many safe places where Bug couldn't fit.

Now, they are the best of friends. Bug has even developed some maternal instincts toward Maggie. He grooms her, and if he loses track of her (if she is hiding from him) he gets upset until he finds her and knows that she is OK. They are both a delight.




***Bug on a Post***

***Bug in the Tub***

[legally blonde]

17. I'm so glad that Bug and Maggie

are buddies!

[Zuni]

18. I really enjoyed this whole thread

For a few months I was living with my mother after an apartment fire, and Sooty was there, my mom's cat Maggie was so aggressive and threatened by Sooty that I had to keep Sooty locked in my old bedroom (her food and litter were there too) 90% of the time.

It got real ugly. Maggie (who normally is a real sweetheart) became surly and hissy and actually went out of her way to hunt down Sooty and attack her. Since it is Maggie's house, I kept Sooty in my old bedrrom most of the time.

Your new maggie seems like a real wonderful cat. And she is uber-pretty.

[MrsMatt]

19. That last picture is priceless

it caused my seven year old daughter to scream with laughter! She's keeps repeating "Hi I'm the new Kitty" and starts laughing all over again.

Thanks - it's making my night!

[Robeson]

20. Those are sooooo good!!!!

Thank you so much. They tell a great story!..:hi: