Hellchick

So that said, we've got a new four-legged entity running around the place these days. His name is Pico (because he's the smallest pet I've ever had) and he came to us from someone I know who's family cat had kittens. Originally, we'd said no to adopting him (well, okay, Len said no) because we felt this was a small apartment, too small for two cats. But at the same time, I really wanted to get another cat for Sam's benefit. I don't know what her pre-shelter life was like, but I suspect she must have had other animals around her, because she's a very needy cat attention-wise and in the few times we've taken her outside, she seems interested in other animals. Friendly interested, not a I-want-to-eat-you interested. She goes nuts when we leave the house, acting as if she was sure we'd never come back. I figured having another cat to hang with would help with that.

So when Pico was the last of the kitten litter to be adopted and the person I adopted him from said that he was only getting weirdos and crazy people he didn't trust, I convinced Len to let me bring him home.

He's really a cutie. He was only about two months old when I brought him home a few weeks ago (I've been too busy to update), and he immediately thought that Sam was the coolest thing ever. Sam was of a different mind. I let Pico stay in the office with me all day for the first couple of days, the door cracked so that Sam and he could sniff each other and get used to smells. Sam was at that door every minute, but didn't like it when Pico got up too close to her. By the second day, I just let Pico out of the office. Sam didn't seem intent on hurting him.

The result has been really amusing to watch. Again, I'm wary of sharing any semblance with crazy cat people, but animal behavior, especially that of domestic cats and dogs, really fascinates me. When two cats interact, it's like watching Klingons: there's a whole lot of posturing, a lot of scowling, maybe some symbolic fighting, but in the end, it's really all just ritual and no one actually gets hurt.

Pico seemed to think that Sam was a convenient substitute for Mom, but Sam had other ideas. While she wasn't aggressive toward Pico, she certainly didn't like him getting too close. But Pico had no fear (he still doesn't). Growls and hisses from Sam in Pico's language didn't mean, "get the hell away from me, you little freak." Instead, Pico was thinking, "oh, I see now's not a good time for you. I'll come back. In about three seconds." I was so happy that Sam was only defensive, though, and seemed intently interested in Pico while at the same time just wanting a little space at first. She generally kept her distance, despite Pico's constant attempts to barrel into her, jump her, and otherwise get her to play with him. At one point I watched Sam come out of the bedroom warily, looking for her new nemesis, and then stop moving. At that point, Pico, who had shot out from under the bed to follow, bumped into Sam's butt, surprising her. Freaked out cat noises ensued. It was great.

Now that it's been a few weeks, the two are on better terms, as you can see from the picture. I've caught them sleeping up against each other more than once, and now Sam seems to enjoy having Pico around, at least in a limited fashion, since Pico wants to play far more than Sam does. As Gabe said, "Pico is the best toy you ever got Sam." Sam has always been a playful cat, and even though she still hisses lightly at Pico and cuffs him on the head when his shenanigans get too much for her, I catch her sometimes goading him into playing with her, or see her get behind one of the doors in the apartment to play the Paws Under the Crack Game that she used to get us to play.

Sam seems to be trying to convince Pico that not all interaction between them has to involve play fighting, which is the impression Pico is clearly under. When the two get near each other, they sniff noses. Sam then looks interested in just hanging out with Pico. You know, maybe give him a bath or something. Pico immediately takes this interest to mean that she wants to play, so he jumps her, which prompts an annoyed Sam to jump him back and pin the little thing down as if to say, "would you just stop for one minute? I'm trying to be friendly, you know!"

Within the first two days of having Pico, he pulled the piano bench cover over himself, fell off the back of the couch, tossed his toy mouse into his water dish, tipped his food dish over, and tumbled into my office wastebasket. Twice. He's so cool.