Progress
Well, I've now started my flat viewings and the cats have made some tentative steps towards co-existence! Although the morning started with a bit of disaster. I got up, went to the kitchen to get breakfast, and when I went to turn the light on there was a there-goes-a-fuse snap. Now, this happened once before this year, and I know that the fuse box is up in a crawl space through the ceiling in the upstairs hallway. And I know I can't reach it on my stepladder. And I knew Kit was at a football game tonight so he wouldn't be able to help me, as he did last time. Just before I left for work I thought to check the storage cupboard and found a full-size ladder though, so I figured I'd be able to get up with that.
I had a chat with the manager at the shelter on my way home from court and told her what happened with the cats over the weekend, and that my plan is to just keep letting Anya out at dinner-time and giving them their evening meals together, then letting them do whatever they want, until Anya displays any sign of aggression, at which point I will return her forthwith to my room. The manager thought this was the only way forward. She said Anya is being an entitled little madam, as Leo's being so polite about the whole situation, given he was here first and Anya's attitude seems to be "No, MINE MINE MINE want it all to be MINE."
I got home and managed to flick the fuse without issue, but then the next problem was that the kitchen light had burned out. They're halogen bulbs in a fiddly light fixture that seems to need unscrewing before you can get the bulbs out to change them. Bugger. A friend on Facebook said "Candles!" -- "Of course!" thought I. Candles would have to do.
Then I tried again with the cats. I prepared their dinner at 6pm and called for Leo, but he didn't come in until about 6.15. So I bunged the dinners down right away and they proceeded to, well, co-exist. After she'd finished eating Anya went out of the sitting room again, and once again Leo tried to approach her bowl and I had to remove it. So Leo retreated to his cat bed, climbed up on top of it, and curled up. At first he kept a very wary eye out for Anya, but after she came back into the living room and didn't approach him for a while, he decided to close his eyes and have a snooze!
Meanwhile, I'd got all the candles up from my bedroom only to discover I could not find matches or a lighter any bloody where. I nipped out to the shop to get some matches and quickly lit some candles in the kitchen, as well as doing the dishes. Meanwhile, the cats seemed to have moved position. Leo was cowering under the table while Anya was wandering around half of the sitting room at her ease, looking as though she owned the place. *sigh* Leo then betook himself into the cat carrier to hide.
Then my first flat viewer arrived, and Leo went promptly out into the garden. I had two viewings over the next forty-five minutes -- a friendly Spanish lady who might work very well, and an Italian girl who either just has a cowed air about her or else didn't find me or the place to her taste!
After the second viewer had left, Leo appeared at the cat flap -- but appeared frightened to come in. I tried to coax him in with treats but Anya figured out what was happening and came running up for her share! So I put the treats away and went back into the living room, and Anya followed me. After a bit Leo got up the nerve to come in -- but ran downstairs and got onto Sarah and Darrin's bed. I took matters into my own hands and picked him up, walked upstairs with him, right past Anya, who meowed in annoyance, took him into the sitting room and placed him on his bed. He didn't struggle while I was carrying him but on being placed on his bed he immediately jumped off and went and hid behind the television stand. After a bit Anya came into the sitting room, approached the television stand and... hissed. And forthwith downstairs she went.
So, that's the end of that for tonight. But if we make as much progress each day over the next few days, I will be quite happy!
I had a chat with the manager at the shelter on my way home from court and told her what happened with the cats over the weekend, and that my plan is to just keep letting Anya out at dinner-time and giving them their evening meals together, then letting them do whatever they want, until Anya displays any sign of aggression, at which point I will return her forthwith to my room. The manager thought this was the only way forward. She said Anya is being an entitled little madam, as Leo's being so polite about the whole situation, given he was here first and Anya's attitude seems to be "No, MINE MINE MINE want it all to be MINE."
I got home and managed to flick the fuse without issue, but then the next problem was that the kitchen light had burned out. They're halogen bulbs in a fiddly light fixture that seems to need unscrewing before you can get the bulbs out to change them. Bugger. A friend on Facebook said "Candles!" -- "Of course!" thought I. Candles would have to do.
Then I tried again with the cats. I prepared their dinner at 6pm and called for Leo, but he didn't come in until about 6.15. So I bunged the dinners down right away and they proceeded to, well, co-exist. After she'd finished eating Anya went out of the sitting room again, and once again Leo tried to approach her bowl and I had to remove it. So Leo retreated to his cat bed, climbed up on top of it, and curled up. At first he kept a very wary eye out for Anya, but after she came back into the living room and didn't approach him for a while, he decided to close his eyes and have a snooze!
Meanwhile, I'd got all the candles up from my bedroom only to discover I could not find matches or a lighter any bloody where. I nipped out to the shop to get some matches and quickly lit some candles in the kitchen, as well as doing the dishes. Meanwhile, the cats seemed to have moved position. Leo was cowering under the table while Anya was wandering around half of the sitting room at her ease, looking as though she owned the place. *sigh* Leo then betook himself into the cat carrier to hide.
Then my first flat viewer arrived, and Leo went promptly out into the garden. I had two viewings over the next forty-five minutes -- a friendly Spanish lady who might work very well, and an Italian girl who either just has a cowed air about her or else didn't find me or the place to her taste!
After the second viewer had left, Leo appeared at the cat flap -- but appeared frightened to come in. I tried to coax him in with treats but Anya figured out what was happening and came running up for her share! So I put the treats away and went back into the living room, and Anya followed me. After a bit Leo got up the nerve to come in -- but ran downstairs and got onto Sarah and Darrin's bed. I took matters into my own hands and picked him up, walked upstairs with him, right past Anya, who meowed in annoyance, took him into the sitting room and placed him on his bed. He didn't struggle while I was carrying him but on being placed on his bed he immediately jumped off and went and hid behind the television stand. After a bit Anya came into the sitting room, approached the television stand and... hissed. And forthwith downstairs she went.
So, that's the end of that for tonight. But if we make as much progress each day over the next few days, I will be quite happy!