Sassy cats – Integrating Gus

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Gus and Sasha on the porch

It was three weeks yesterday that Gus moved in (I can’t believe it either!). He quarantined himself in a closet for three days. Then preferred staying in the cat room for another week.

By then he had an eye infection that required a vet visit. I hate taking a new cat to the vet. You are trying to gain trust so you jam them into a carrier, cart them off to a strange and funny smelling place and then put drops in their eyes for a week. Not a warm fuzzy beginning.

Morgan, Sasha and Gus napping in the bedroom! Or maybe only Morgan is napping!

He took his time coming out. Gracie spent a lot of time with him and Morgan too. Sasha not so much. She gave him stink eye and the occasional sneer. She blocked doorways so he’d have to jump over her like a quarter horse at the Kentucky Derby. She tried to steal his food and his beloved treats. Gracie whopped Sasha on the head to bring her in line. I find that amusing as Gracie is 8 pounds and Sasha is 12. You always want Gracie in your corner!

Sasha: I did not do all those bad things! Well, maybe just a little.

When I gave the drops, I followed up with treats, a well-deserved reward. Somehow that translated into all the cats except Gracie who doesn’t like treats, thinking they deserved some too.

When I pulled out the meds, Morgan and Sasha appeared out of the woodwork and Gus tried to blend into the woodwork. It’s over now except for the weaning off of the treats.

Gus, like his friend Gracie, is quirky. This is his first time in a house. He did a three-year stint in a rescue. He won’t walk on the carpeting on the stairs but walks down the 3 inches of wood on each side of the carpeting.  He likes cat grass more than catnip. Maybe it’s the novelty.

We’re teaching him how to play with toys. He watches but takes time to engage.

He lived in one room so the concept of multiple rooms amazes him, as did furniture, soft cushy furniture. It didn’t take him long to realize a bed was prime real estate. He hasn’t realized that hiding under it makes it hard to medicate him.

I don’t think he’s been down to the basement yet. He finally stepped into the screened porch on Wednesday. He was tentative. Thursday morning he was not. He was running laps to show a pesky squirrel that he meant business. That resulted in a very long afternoon nap in his yurt.

This is his yurt.

He likes yurts. He barely fits in them but he feels safe. They didn’t have yurts at the rescue but they had hidey holes. Sometimes I wish I had a hidey hole.

Three weeks down, a lifetime to go. Welcome Gus!

88 thoughts on “Sassy cats – Integrating Gus”

        • Sometimes I wonder if this rescue didn’t promote him enough when he was young and more adoptable. It’s “supposed” to be one of the areas best but that was 30 years ago. They worry so much about whether adopters are worthy that they miss the boat. I’ve had cats for over 50 years and I got two lectures from women my junior in both age and experience. I doubt I would go there again and unfortunately that’s not good for their animals.

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          • I have come to the conclusion that every rescue is seriously flawed because of 1) the people and 2) not enough money. And 2 won’t help with 1. So I guess your shelter is at least bad in the sense that it is erring on the side of extreme caution by having their staff or volunteers go through a “script” even if they can see that the adopter doesn’t need the info. And a lot of people in animal rescue aren’t good at talking to people either. That is why the person that I “followed” from my shelter was in part such a treasure. She definitely knew how to talk to people. You can’t imagine though how many people probably need that canned lecture those girls gave you.

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                • I did give feedback but not sure if it got anywhere. I had asked for two things — weight and nails clipped before I got him. They had to sedate to put the chip in so I thought it would be easy. I did’t get either. His nails were daggers when I picked him. He scraped one of the helpers bad while getting put in a carrier. The response was, “Oh, the vet must have forgotten.” Seriously? I believe they didn’t ask.

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                  • Are they staff or volunteers? My old shelter never did nails that I can recall. So weird that Gus sat there for all that time with no chip! Usually they neuter them right away and put the chip in. Now you are making me curious about the chip going in on the other cats. I don’t recall hearing about sedation. Hmm.

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          • About Gus being there too long. That is what I found when I started at the shelter, too. Cats who were there too long and not being promoted. Two of those are still living at my house HAHAHAHA.

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  3. It’s funny how cats deal with environments. Won’t walk on carpet. But if he’s overcome the distrust of the screen porch, he’s good. No matter the added problems ( and rising treat bills). watching Gus learn to be himself has to be fun.
    Go, Gus, go!

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    • Last night I started going up the steps. A lot of times one of the cats races me. This time it was him. He sprinted up the carpet, lost his footing and slid down three steps. Didn’t faze him at all. He got up and beat me to the top. We still don’t think he’s gone down to the basement yet. We have a cat door (always open — no flap) that he has to go through. The bigger litter box is down there although we have one upstairs too.

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  5. Aww, sweet Gus is coming out of this shell a little at a time. I take it his eye is better? Sounds like Sasha doesn’t like that she’s no longer the new kid on the block.

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    • His eye is better. Sasha is better too. When Mollie passed, Sasha took the banner of alpha cat and diva queen. She wants him to know that. At this point, she isn’t growly or hissy anymore but will sit in his way just to be annoying.

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  6. You had me at the name Gus! I’ll assume your husband is happy to have another man in the house. All the best to Gus, who doesn’t even know he hit the jackpot moving into your home.

    Ps. If you find a human hidey hole, please share the details.

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  10. I can’t believe that Sasha was a bit of a toot! But at least she wasn’t attacking, so I guess that was good. I’m proud of Gracie being more welcoming and accepting. A stranger in an alien situation needs all the help he can get! I guess it will take a while to get used to carpet, etc. River was a bit freaked out when she left the farm and came to our house, but homemade food started to win her over. I had to pick her up and put her on the big bed with us to sleep the first night. By the second night, she jumped up on her own — all resistance to the new place dissolved! It sounds like Gus has stopped resisting and is just simply adapting – because your home beats the shelter any day!

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    • We often laugh and say to each other, “So do you think he likes it here?” He is sleeping in one of his favorite spots, all cushy and happy. I worried more about Gracie. When I adopted her, she had a ginger sibling that she did not get along with. As it turns out, she loved him right off the bat. Sasha was the tool. She hasn’t hissed or growled in several days but she will still lay in a doorway that he has to go through although she won’t do anything else. He will jump over her. He has a very laid back personality. Almost a bit timid but some of that may go away.

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  11. I think the lady at Gus’s home has a gift for integrating cats with very little fuss. She must have a calmness about her that allows the cats to just be. The pictures tell the story… contented cats. I am glad all is going well, Kate. I am happy this handsome ginger boy found a home with the Sassy Cats. It will be interesting to see what approach Gus has to mousies!

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    • That will be interesting. Morgan has mostly deferred to Sasha. Gracie’s vision was never good enough to be quick enough. We’ll see how he does. I’m sure nature will toss a few mousies in our house this fall.

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  13. Gus fits right in, even if he is the thorn amongst the roses at your house. I’m glad he tried the screened-in porch since there are only a few more months left to enjoy it – looks like he made the best of it (poor squirrel). I like this line: “She blocked doorways so he’d have to jump over her like a quarter horse at the Kentucky Derby.” Ha ha … guess Gus has been initiated!

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    • It is sad. They have 365 cats at this particular shelter and they are mostly older cats that will most likely spend the rest of their days there. The youngest cat I saw was one.

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  17. Wow, he really seems to be settling in. Well done, Gus! You know you hit the kitty lotto, right? Yurts and treats should outweigh any short term medication. Enjoy that snooze spot on the bed. Cushy furniture is the best when you’re a beloved pet. 😺

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    • Gracie took a shine to him right off the bat. Even when he was isolated she would cry to go in and sit with him. It’s almost like he’s her baby (he’s 13 lbs.). She keeps an eye on him. Maybe she can feel his uncertainty. She has always whopped Sasha when she gets to be too much. Sasha can be over the top sometimes. I am grateful they get along. All of them.

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  23. Sounds like he is doing wonderfully with his massively expanded world! He is so lucky to have gotten a home with you and your crew. And you finally have your orange kitty!

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  25. Well since I have an obvious soft spot in my heart for gingers I have to say how very handsome Gus is – it sounds like he’s doing VERY VERY well adjusting and so are the other critters around the house. He’s a very lucky boy to have found his “forever” with you.

    Hugs, Pam

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