Learning How To Play Together: Part One
HIYA!! SAVANNAH HERE!!!
Those of you who have been with me from the beginning of my blog know that I suffer from being an ‘Adult Cat Survivor of Kittenhood Trauma’. I am not attempting to make fun of the humans who are struggling with this challenge. But I have always, with my blog, tried to bring to the attention of humans that many adult cats and dogs also must find ways to move through recovering from abuse which might easily have occurred when we were very young.
Lucky for me, I have a forever home which gives me all of my basic needs and lots more. About fifteen months ago Mom and Dad introduced me to a new feline family member. Her name is Sage. I have been struggling ever since to learn what the heck I am supposed to do with HER??!!
The Kid Sage
The Kid Sage learned very early in her life to play with other cats. She had a sister, Rosemary, and they played, laughed and loved their humans. So Sage knows about ‘playing nice with others’…sadly…I do not.
I have decided to share with my followers the attempts I have been making over the last month to learn how to play with The Kid Sage…who would play with ANYONE if she had the chance….sigh…
Seriously? You want to ‘surprise’ me?!!
She seems to believe that I, another cat, cannot ‘smell’ her when she gets close.
ummm….ya know I ‘know’ you are in there…right???!!
But she is so eager to play with me…she just keeps on coming…
Sheeesh! As though I don’t know she is right there
Sage seems to realize when she has overstepped her ‘boundaries’ with me…and she desperately searches for a way to disengage. At this point it is all I can do to not chuckle over her own self devised predicament.
I do try to respond; but most often it is with…sadly…a hiss…as I do not know what else to do. But…I snarl less and I try to find ways to disengage that will not cause either of us to ‘lose face’ so to speak.
I am leaving TKS. Another time perhaps
Be sure to visit again on Monday as I share another even more recent chapter in my diary as I learn to actually ‘be’ a cat.
Savannah's Paw Tracks 
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My marmie brothers still have ‘issues’ with one another. Maybe they always will. The rest of us, not so much.
Purrs,
Nissy
PS. Perhaps if TKS smelled more like tuna? Just a thought. purrs
My mom-persons dad´s cat Gustav don´t know how to play either.
So I don´t try to play with him when I visit anymore.
We do get along as long I don´t try to play run and chase 🙂
XOXO
Ms. Savvy, you KNOW I can relate. Though I didn’t go through the things you did early in life, I’ve had a hard time accepting Waffles. We’ve come a long way from where we once were. I’ve become more tolerant, Waffles has become more respectful. And sometimes, not often, but sometimes we actually sort of play. It will come, sweet Savvy. It will come.
purrs,
Katie
Mee-you Savannah yur doin pawsum with yur Sisfur Sage…mee understandss how hard it iss fur you as mee Aunty Tinkerbelle iss allot like you!!! Mee beein thee most playfull/aggressive of mee fursibss mee constantlee bothered Aunky Tink an shee did not like mee AT ALL!! Shee wood hiss, spit an swipe at mee….
Mee tried efurryfing to get her to play butt shee did not want to.
Shee dopted mee brofur Tyerrone beecase mee wood whap him allot (mee iss a bit of a bullie kat).
This hole scenario iss why Lady MaryEllen wanted mee dopted out beecause mee was too ruff on mee littul Brofur an mee Aunty 😉
Beein here with LadyMum mee can still bee a bit ruff butt LadyMum has payshuntss to deel with mee beehaviour…
Thee more wee look at Sage thee more convinced wee are shee iss allso a Burmese gurl….an if so shee will allwayss want to be yur furend 😉
***paw kissess*** deer gurls, Siddhartha Henry xXxXx
An LadyMum ❤
you will figure it out Savvy,just take your time sweetie,xx Speedy
It’s not always easy, but thankfully you have wise humans that know to be patient with the situation and don’t get frustrated with you.
I am totally convinced that you will figure it out Savvy, you’ve come so far and your journey continues!
Aw Sav, in the time I have been following your blog, you have really came a long way!!!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Some things take a very long time. We hope that the two of you will eventually become fast and close friends. It does seem as if progress is being made. Please join us for our Sunday Selfies Blog Hop. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo
We think you are doing really well Savvy. Tuiren can sympathize with your predicament. It took her awhile to realize that even though Fenris is bigger than her he won’t hurt her. She has started playing with him and he loves it. ~Scylla & Family
PeeS: and some of us cats just like to HISS, although Mommy was very rude today and hissed back at me.
Maybe you’re not really a cat but an adorable furry little human. That’s what TW used to call Chizzy. She didn’t think he knew he was a cat.
Oh Sage. And you too Savvy. Kisses.
You are in my reading list now. May we never be parted again!
xxooxx
SMOOOCHIES!!!
Here’s what I told mom to do. PUT THIS BLOGGIE IN BOOKMARKS! That cursed Google+ totally completely messes us up as we can never ever comment on it or find a way to your non plus account. FOUND it and want never to lose it again. I have been reading and unable to comment!
Savvy, y’know…even Ernie and me have tiffs and we get into some fights. Like lately it’s been happening a lot. So we know you’ll get there with the Kid. Besides, you gotta snarl and hiss at her to make sure she knows who’s boss! ~Wally
Don’t worry Savvy, I used to hiss at Eric sometimes. It is good that you spend time a lot closer to each other now.
Well, we are encouraged by the progress you are both making. Savvy, these pictures kind of made us giggle. Did TKS do the “slow walk” sneaking back out of the tunnel???
Sage really sounds like a good kid, Savvy, so we hope you do turn that huge corner with her.
Purrs,
The Chans
We are with the rest here and especially with Summer – baby steps Savvy. That’s all you could do now and those baby steps are huge towards achieving your goal. Emma hisses at Buster one minute and will baff him the next minute.
Emma and Buster
savvy….it’s Ok to hiss and snarl, after 12 years of living with my brother boomer; sometimes we get a long, sometimes we don’t …some times I antagonize him, sometimes he will antagonize me, very rarely do we sleep….close to one another; yet, in spite of it all…I guess I do love him ♥♥ hugs girl from dai$y =^..*=
Aw Savvy, you have come SO very far, baby steps indeed:) Love an woooos,
Nuk & Family
Savannah, your Mom and Dad love you so much! And they love Sage too. I am so glad that you and Sage have the time and the space you need. And as a human “survivor” I am never offended by what you say. I’m just happy for you!
Savvy it is so exciting to see you even acknowledge TKS. Slowly, slowly I know you’ll get there! Sage looks like a sweetheart to me 🙂 xx
Oh Savvy I think you have made AMAZING progress in adjusting to your life as a relaxed and happy kitty in your forever home. Having TKS there is, in the long run, maybe one of the hardest “adjustments” there has been for you – after you had learned to enjoy your space, there was an introoder to have to share it with BUT you are doing SO WELL…….everyone is proud of you and certainly your Mom and Dad are. Sage does seem to know she can’t play the same way with you that she did with her previous furrramily but she will continue to try I’m sure. You will purrrhaps in time be READY for that.
Hugs, Sammy
Don’t be so hard on yourself Savvy. Even after all this time I cannot predict how I will react to any of my “brothers”. The only thing my HuMom is sure of is that I’ll react better if 1- I’m up higher when the interaction starts and 2- we have something that has captured both of our attention. Like Mr. Sam Squirrel. He climbs up our outside window screens looking for birdseed and nuts. We all four can sit and watch that show for hours, even if it is regularly interrupted by him taking his bounty to his hideout. Seeing the complete underside of a squirrel is just amazing, and having him so close? Just Benito flakes n the tuna. Maybe you and The Kid Sage need a mutual interest? Our friend, Beta Bob, also allows us a meeting ground, although not all 4 at once. Maybe if you two have a common interest, like fish watching, it will take the pressure off and let you both relax. Just a thought. Head bonks, Mistletoe –
Not snarling as much is a big step, S. I’m sure Sage appreciates it and takes it as a good sign. If my toys started coming to life and tried to play with me, I’d be a little put off, too….
Love and licks,
Cupcake
of course, she knows that you know she is in there hehehehe after all it’s a progress and it’s amazing that even furKIDS have a fabulous sense for boundaries… humans could learn a lot :o)
Well, snarlin less are always good.
Baby steps, Savvy. They do count.