March 3

After writing the Week 1 post, I went back in to see the cats and Henry decided to come lay down near me! He also didn’t move away when I stood up to leave.

His new routine is to go in the window, once I open the shutters and he’s had his breakfast. Gwen was the same way!

While I was giving Cali her Churu, her whiskers touched my hand! And as I held the Churu closer to me, her paw touched my leg! I tried to hard to remain calm and NOT pet her. While I was giving her the Churu, Henry came over and sniffed my foot. He does seem to check on her whenever she comes out. He chirps at her.

In the evening, my son brought his girlfriend to meet them. Cali ate her Churu, but only from inside the pyramid (again). Henry didn’t come out from his spot behind the tub (again).

Both were out after we left! They both ate. Cali cleaned herself out in the open and Henry ate some more. Cali was out for a while and then went back toward the tree. She sniffed his green spring like WTF is this thing you’re so obsessed with.

March 4

While giving her the Churu, she stood on my leg! And she sniffed my foot. Again, I have to keep from trying to pet her. I know she will NOT enjoy that. I have to just keep earning her trust that I’m a nice human who won’t hurt her.

I gave the tiniest pet to Henry’s front paw. Went in for a second one and he raised his other paw in a nice warning, but no hiss. Progress!

She’s coming out more after I leave the room. Happy she’s learning this environment is safe.

Henry heading to breakfast, while I give Cali her Churu. Henry at the window again after breakfast. And I decided to lay on the floor and scroll my phone for a bit, when I could feel him near me. He sniffed my head and I managed to get this blurry pic.

March 5

Overnight he messed up her pyramid, like jumped on it and squashed it and flipped it over. I heard growling and went in to investigate. I had to turn her upright and unsquash the pyramid. Poor thing was not happy and I didn’t realize she was actually IN it at first, so she gave me a little warning swipe when my hand got too close to the opening.

So the morning and evening routine is that I go in and put food in bowls. Henry eats from bowls while I give Cali her Churu. Well today I went in early and gave her her Churu, but didn’t do the bowls (I needed to bring up more food). So I went in later and did bowls and just sat with them like I do sometimes. She popped her head out of the cat tree and looked at me. Either she was like “hey where is my Churu?” or she was saying “You can leave now, I need to eat”.

She comes out now right after I leave, again progress.

Bonus Gwen photo. I’ve been sick and she’s been taking care of me. I got Henry to play with a wand toy. Like ACTUALLY play with it, jump in the air and stalk the feathers. He’s definitely wary if he gets too close to me and won’t chase it, but will play if I keep it arm’s length away. And the last photo is Henry on the left (note the left ear) and Cali in the cat tree.

March 6

For this morning’s Churu, I accidentally got Churu on Cali’s tail. I thought she was just farther back in the tree, but it was sort of dark in the room, and she’s black, so I touched her tail with Churu-covered toothbrush. She was NOT a fan. I got a well-deserved swat and hiss. Happily though, she was still willing to eat her Churu as usual, once I stopped poking it into her tail.

After our morning routine, she came out (on camera), sniffed one of the blankets for a minute on her way to eat. Again, I’m happy to see her doing something other than just tree to food to tree or tree to litter box to tree. I want her to feel comfortable to be a cat.

I had to take her pyramid out of the room. Henry now seems to see it as something to crush and I don’t want him pissing her off if she’s inside it (or trapping her). So she hangs out in the bottom of the cat tree. I’ll keep an eye out for a stiffer cat house, but that may only be in cat tree form. I was also able to put the lid on the hamper a few days ago and get my dirty laundry back, I needed those socks!

I’ve been occasionally opening the door a crack so Gwen can see Henry and vice versa. It usually only lasts a minute before Henry hisses. I’ve also been continuing the scent swapping.

A glitch in the matrix, caught on camera, they were both cleaning up post-dinner. I decided to make a “cat cave” with a cardboard box and an old t-shirt, with a towel inside. Henry immediately went inside. And caught from the camera, Henry’s ears poking out of the tub.

March 7

I started cleaning/cat-proofing my bedroom. That will mean I can let Cali and Henry out to have a bit more space. They didn’t seem fazed at all by the noise, which is great.

Up to two times per day of cracking the door open so Henry and Gwen can see/sniff each other. I close the door once he hisses. I throw in a treat, too. Continuing scent exchanges.

March 8

Woke up to cat puke on the only rug in the room. As I was doing my cat chores, I noticed Henry ate part of the box of the cat cave I made, which explains the cat puke. So I had to go out and buy a non-crushable, non-edible cat cave.

Other fun things Henry has done: unrolled the toilet paper (had to put a band on it), flipped his bed, knocked all my washcloths into the water bowl, and ate part of the bathtub stopper. Again, just normal bored cat things. So I bought a new cat toy when I bought the new cat cave. This one has had much success as entertainment between Henry and Gwen with the door ajar. No hissing, just playing, and watching when the other cat has the toy. I’ll increase how often I do this, and for how long. Eventually I’ll get out the pet gate and put that in between them. Slow progress, is progress.

Henry in the new “cat cave” (that isn’t really a cave, but is more protected than just an open bed. Henry, the moment I left the drawer open. Cali sleeping in front of me. She may not be out and about, but she at least is comfortable enough to sleep when I’m in the room now. Henry playing with the new toy, while I hold the door open a crack.

March 9

No major updates, continuing to play by the door, which is going well, no hissing. Henry seems to be more interested in me, coming close, sniffing me, but still skittish. Cali seems to be settling into our routine. I try and lure her out farther, or hold the Churu out farther to start. Very slow process, but still process. She seems more comfortable with me as long as I stick to the routine.

I gave Henry some treats, he doesn’t seem to care for Churu, but likes hard treats. Got him to come close enough to me to bat the treat off my leg before eating it. I tossed a couple over close to Cali (she hissed in the past when I did this, no hiss this time!). She came out and tried one, but wasn’t interested in the second. Or at least wasn’t willing to come out for it. Henry came over to try and eat it, and got a swat for his troubles.

Second Cali treat in the corner of the photo. Henry relaxing after his treats.

March 10

Two weeks! Here we are at two weeks. It’s felt like nothing, but also like forever. Ha!

Henry often waits by the door, and his meowing has added in some yowls like Gwen does. I’m starting to suspect he’s calling for her to come play at the door. But that may be wishful thinking. He often goes over to Cali, who doesn’t seem to want to snuggle with him like she did at the shelter, so I think he may be happy to befriend Gwen. I hope she’ll snuggle with him.

I look forward to them all integrated. Partly because my life will be much easier. But mostly because I hope Gwen will show them how to be cats and that I’m a nice person.

Multi-cat owning friends were right, that the extra work of cat boxes and whatnot isn’t that bad. Right now the big effort is just keeping them all separate and cat-proofing the rest of my house in preparation. Yes, I already have a cat, why isn’t my house cat proof? It’s Gwen-proof, but it needs to be Henry-proof. As well as eliminating hiding spots deep in my basement that mean I’d never see Cali again.