Too soon to hope for lasting peace, I guess. Or maybe it’s one guy’s or the other’s or my mood of the day. In any case, ever since my last post I’ve been prying the boys apart. It’s getting old.
I took these pictures yesterday, while the mood was somewhat lighter. Today not so much. Bugsy seems in a particular snit. I of course am in a particular snit. I’m upset at a client stiffing me for $825.75 and another professional disappointment too complicated to go into here. Those of you on a paycheck? Enjoy your security. This is why lots of folks don’t try to work from home.
Here comes trouble.
Face-off.
Admire Bugsy’s wide stance.
He’s putting his back into it.
The bitey.
The looming presence.
Bugs, if you put your snooster in there . . . .
What did you expect?
Now it’s Barnes on the offensive.
The right haymaker.
Barnes checks OutTV; Bugs keeps his eye on the ball.
Bugs is down.
But not out. The gut-punch.
Is Bugs reconsidering?
Well, whatever. Enough time for me to drop the camera and call a time-out.
Today? Rinse, spin, repeat.
Sigh.
catself 
So sorry to hear about the client… As for the boys, I should say that this amount of fighting is still pretty good for such a recent adaptation!! Plus the full moon is making lots of people and pets a little edgy (me included). Better days are coming, I’m sure.
I am really glad to hear it’s still pretty good by you, Ivy, because I’ve pretty much lost perspective at this moment. So how about you please be the one to explain the moon and all like that to the boys. At the moment I have turned my face to the wall.
My dear friend… Believe me: if I could, I would! Explain it to the boys, I mean. What you’ve got to consider here is how recent it all is. Remember how it was with dear Fangie? There’s always an initial period when both cats are testing each other. Establishing how things will be. Wait a couple of days more. Let’s see how it goes and then we’ll freak out!
Great reminder, dear Ivy — there’s always still time to freak out later! How can my memory be so short. If I wasn’t still grief-stricken, I’d go back and look at the old posts — but I’m sure you’re right. I can remember lots of trash-talk, lots of edge then. Case in point: I just heard Bugsy do his little duck-quack thing, I looked over, and the two boys were rumbling again — but in slo-mo. Then a turkey sashayed by on OutTV (yes we really do have turkeys on this farm, running free), and the moment passed. Was it Bugs and Fang, nothing would have interrupted the proceedings, except me. Thank you for that reminder!
Oh my, a turkey! No need to thank me, I’m just happy I can participate in these adventures!
Some days… they’re just gonna fight. Even the best of buddies have days of snit. They don’t look like they’re doing any real damage, except to your peace of mind… So maybe give them a break from each other, let the snit fade and try again? If you’re upset, and it sounds like you have every right to be, they’re going to pick up on it and echo it back to each other. Definitely time for a break.. and maybe a strong drink!
I agree with Andrea, they do pick up on what we feel!
Oh yeah. I secondy-third that. They know EVERYTHING and that is ANNOYING sometimes!
Perfect advice, Andrea and Ivy. Yesterday was a pretty lousy day. You can see next post, today looks a lot different. And all without any strong drink whatsoever! Well — I imagined a strong drink. It was a margarita with double shot of Hussong’s tequila, fresh lime, and crushed mint leaves. It was just the ticket.
Yum! The crushed mint leaves sound like the perfect touch to already perfect order! You made me dream of it… ha ha ha!
Damn client. Deception. Grrrrr….
Good response, your face turned to the wall–easier to quiet the input (she said, wisely!).
Also: ditto strong drink and drunken wailing! >:-D
Hugs….
THANK YOU!! (imagined-drunken self-expression. past the point of wailing.)
some day it will settle down again! really! trust me!
Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. OK, trusting. Mostly.
Yeah, me too, waiting and trusting. Sucks doesn’t it?! muhahahahahahaha!
I wish I lived closer to you, Anita, I would be the right person to share a strong drink with today! LOL (following Andrea and Lahgitana’s recommendation!) — I desperately could use a drink right now… Cheers!
Did you like the Hussong’s margarita I whipped up for us?
Oh, yeah, delicious!!! 😀
Agree with the previous comments! And so sorry about the client 😦 That is the real downside of working for yourself! Tomorrow is another day for the boys. Keep going! x
CAT, we need to bottle what you got. You made tomorrow happen!!! Do you have an agent?
It occurred to me that as fun as this is having Big Ole Barnes, it’s also fraught because of Fangie’s absence. Lots more strain as a result. Timeouts for everyone is a good idea, girl.
So true, Lahgitana. I keep forgetting how raw I still am. Just thinking about it and I feel the tears again.
Yep, there’s that non-poof grief….
It might bother you, but I would guess that this is mostly or entirely play. The scripted scenario – one lying down, the other trying to get in, then switch off. The ears on the cats being forward except in contact. The casual ‘look away’ to give the other an opening to pounce…very familiar.
As long as it isn’t too loud or one isn’t being terrified by it, I’d try and relax some.
Done, OldCat. Thanks to you.
I used to have a pair of female cats who did a little gladiator show once a week or so for 10 years. No harm was done on either side.
So good to know.
One question…are they hollering? If not, then they’re not really fighting. A true knock-down drag-out serious cat fight comes with sound effects. MAJOR sound effects. And a LOT of trash-talking up front before the real combat begins. LOL
If they’re not growling and/or yowling & howling, they are probably just testing each other, getting the pecking order set up and sorted out. This is actually natural for cats that share space, especially in the beginning.
From your pictures, it really doesn’t look very serious to me at all. What I see is Bugs rather carefully explaining “The Rules” to the newcomer. ‘You may be bigger, but I am still the boss. I claim first discovery of the bean, you can have what I say you can.’ What I also see is Barney pretty much accepting Bugs as the boss.
Your best bet may be to just let them sort it out in traditional cat fashion. As long as no one is complaining verbally, they are probably just fine. I think they (and you) are doing great!
See next post, Mell. Your comment here is SO helpful. Thank you so much!
The full moon made every cat I know a bit crazy. Barney is playing the submissive and it doesn’t look that aggressive. I don’t see claws bared. Sorry about the client.
Ditto you, Layla. Thanks and thanks.
All Barney has to do is wrap his tail around Bugs’ face and smother him
I personally think a fight between cats that don’t know each other for so long is normal. 🙂 Maybe they’re just trying show each other, (or bugs is…) who’s the boss around your place.
Sorry about the client. 😦