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felineosity
Jun. 24th, 2007 11:29 amBoomer - 1
Neighborhood Cat - 0
One of the reasons I agreed to let Boomer become an indoor/outdoor cat is because there are a lot of other cats in the neighborhood, and I figured it would be good for him to be able to interact with them (rather than depending on Pandora, who is not a social feline).
So there we were, all three of us on the porch this morning, me drinking my coffee, Pandora doing backskritches on the sidewalk, and Boomer trying to stalk a squirrel, when the black cat from across the street decide to skulk over and introduce him/herself.
Pandora, of course, wanted nothing to do with any intruder, and after a few hisses, retreated indoors. Blackie totally ignored me, and made as though to say "my territory! mine!"
And then Boomer wandered over. And for the first time -- all of his pounces on Pandora being of the annoying little brother variety, and never truly aggressive despite Pandora's usual 'not interested, Buck-o' hissing at him -- I saw Boomer in full alpha male My Territory, Bitch mode. Ears were flat against his skull, whiskers were quivvering, tail was low and straight out behind him. And he was snarling. My sweet-tempered boy was snarling.
This went on for about 30 seconds, me keeping very still on the steps (if I had to I'd get involved but not unless I absolutely had to), and then Blackie's tail fluffed out and his/her snarl stuttered, and then s/he was down on her belly, tail down and ears up. It wasn't a surrender but a cessation of overt hostilities.
Boomer was not appeased, and kept staring and snarling until Blackie rolled onto his/her side and stretched, breaking eye contact, and then, eventually, sauntering off.
The front porch has been defended.
(of course, this was an easy test. The gray tabby down the corner is the real bully of the block. Boomer wandered down there once and came running back licketyspit, so I think he already know that's a no-prowl zone...)
Fascinating. I just hope Boomer doesn't think he can pull that sort of shite inside the household, otherwise MommaTwoLegs is going to have a surprise for him he ain't gonna like.
Neighborhood Cat - 0
One of the reasons I agreed to let Boomer become an indoor/outdoor cat is because there are a lot of other cats in the neighborhood, and I figured it would be good for him to be able to interact with them (rather than depending on Pandora, who is not a social feline).
So there we were, all three of us on the porch this morning, me drinking my coffee, Pandora doing backskritches on the sidewalk, and Boomer trying to stalk a squirrel, when the black cat from across the street decide to skulk over and introduce him/herself.
Pandora, of course, wanted nothing to do with any intruder, and after a few hisses, retreated indoors. Blackie totally ignored me, and made as though to say "my territory! mine!"
And then Boomer wandered over. And for the first time -- all of his pounces on Pandora being of the annoying little brother variety, and never truly aggressive despite Pandora's usual 'not interested, Buck-o' hissing at him -- I saw Boomer in full alpha male My Territory, Bitch mode. Ears were flat against his skull, whiskers were quivvering, tail was low and straight out behind him. And he was snarling. My sweet-tempered boy was snarling.
This went on for about 30 seconds, me keeping very still on the steps (if I had to I'd get involved but not unless I absolutely had to), and then Blackie's tail fluffed out and his/her snarl stuttered, and then s/he was down on her belly, tail down and ears up. It wasn't a surrender but a cessation of overt hostilities.
Boomer was not appeased, and kept staring and snarling until Blackie rolled onto his/her side and stretched, breaking eye contact, and then, eventually, sauntering off.
The front porch has been defended.
(of course, this was an easy test. The gray tabby down the corner is the real bully of the block. Boomer wandered down there once and came running back licketyspit, so I think he already know that's a no-prowl zone...)
Fascinating. I just hope Boomer doesn't think he can pull that sort of shite inside the household, otherwise MommaTwoLegs is going to have a surprise for him he ain't gonna like.
