Feline totem pole issues - was Fibonnacci potencies

[Irene de Villiers]

Dear Bob,

Sounds like he is desperate to have a place to call his, with cat slaves included.
The hardest cat to introduce is the one who wants to start out top cat and male. So that's what this is. But there is a way.
I see three main issues:
1. Cats need to know who is who and you will need to introduce him to the others that are already family, in a way that tells him they are already family. Otherwise it looks like you are condoning his takeover coup.
2. Every cat needs territory they can call theirs, and they will sort out who gets which between themseves. BUT a new cat needs to get NEW terrritory, not be allowed to take over another cat's territory that thay already staked out.
3. Each cat needs special time daily with you - need not be long, even a half minute will work - so they KNOW they are special.
So here's what I suggest:
Give him Bach Vine adn Chicory (reduce that dominance attitude) and Rock water (to encourage felxibility of attitude, a really important cat remedy) while you set up the territory:
He needs his own litter, scratching post, bed, feeding and water bowls, and initially a room he is confined to for a few days, during training in which HIS personal territory will always be, such as a new shelf by a window high up were he feels superior without having to act it.
And a way to get there if necessary.
If he specially likes the bedroom with you than set him up there - but make his setp the longterm one for him.

Then introduce him to the other cats one at a time, with him on a leash held by someone else and one current cat on your lap. (Repeat later for the others) Let him get near to sniff, and tell him "be good or you get time out" he will get time out if he is nasty. And follow through with time out, cats learn that fast and start to do what is in their interests.
After all introductions are done, still keeping them apart at times when he is not under control, then put the food bowls of the new guy and the current cats closer and closer together and let them have meal times together. usually tht is the best introduction time with least aggression.
Either have a room divider between so they can sniff and not attack or use a leash on the new man, and remove it when it looks unnecessary.....Rememebr that cats work mainly by bribery and corruption training, so give frequent good guy treats to whoever is being nice.

Figure out one special thing that each cat likes that you will do with them and with no other cat, at the same time each day. Also teach them the words for it and for other things too. Language builds strong relationships with cats, they are amazing linguists. SO for example in my house, Minerva got to play hide and seek to find a lost mouse after supper, and I'd tell he if she was getting warmer or colder or it was higher or lower in finding the mouse. No other cat had her brains to do this game by the way (she was a Lach).
Lygny liked to spin the knives and forks and I helped him do it during supper preparation, by sending them flying across the floor so he could catch and spin them, and no other cat did that.
Frigga like to play with the printer and push the print button and run round to the other side to watch the paper shoot out,. SO she got to do this a few times and knew whar "only one more" meant - when I started work each day. (I had to rermemer to switch the printer off) and so on. Gyda gets to go play on the porch followed by a yummy treat, and/or listen to me play the piano, which is her favorite thing.
The point is to find out what the cat liks and do some interactive thing they can count on.
There is one drawback. If you go away for a week, some cats may get very upset that their games are not happening, and depending on ICT may get quite depressed. Ignatia for example will definitely get depressed and needs someone to come in and ensure continuation.
This will get your new guy several exclusive things and places and activities, without violating the needs and fairness to the current residents.
This is to do with the feline social system, rather than something to do with personality as such, so the above should sort out the social totem pole. If THAT fails, then it will be time for a remedy.

Namaste,
Irene
--
Irene de Villiers, B.Sc AASCA MCSSA D.I.Hom/D.Vet.Hom.
P.O. Box 4703 Spokane WA 99220.
www.angelfire.com/fl/furryboots/clickhere.html (Veterinary Homeopath.)
"Man who say it cannot be done should not interrupt one doing it."

[Bob Needham]

HI Irene

Well it's good to know, we were fundamentally on the right track, but what you have provided gives us a road map to follow rather than tracking by the North star. We may have our hands full as Felix is one our outdoor crew assigned to rodent patrol (we live in a rural area); but you have provided us with some great thoughts and I fully appreciate your input here, thanks so very much.
bob