24 Jun California Cat Is Saved From Death Row

“It seemed like such a terrific thing to do,” said Lane. 
Her partner, Jane, had heard about a Maine Coon about to be put down at the local pound. They already had Greenie, a Maine Coon who didn’t set off Jane’s allergies.  And they felt Greenie would take to another Maine Coon. He’d lived with another cat until a year ago. The best part is that they could save this cat from death row. 

Greenie was now a geriatric kitty (17 years old) with renal failure, who’d been on daily fluid therapy for the past couple of years, along with other medications, but perhaps they didn’t want to think there would be a clash — or at least not a catastrophic one.

But when Jane arrived at the pound, the alleged Maine Coon, turned out to be a neutered white cat with black spots. Although  a far cry from what Jane had expected, she couldn’t desert! She would somehow figure out a way to overcome her allergy. So off she went with this kitty, whom they dubbed Noodles.

They kept Noodles separate for a while, but the day of introduction was total warfare on Greenie’s part. When they tried to intervene, they became Greenie’s “enemy” and ended up in the emergency room. They contacted me with hopes of a home visit, but realized a phone consult would be faster. 

“We realize there’s a lot to overcome, but we’re determined to make this relationship work,” they said. I told them I would give them a behavioral program to start to bridge the gap and a distant Reiki treatment. 

The consult would take place in Greenie’s favorite room, as he was the principal and top cat.  Although Noodles was in a different part of the house, he would still benefit. He would feel and sense the conversation and music that I initiated to defuse the tension and spark relaxation. Call it cat radar.
The morning of the consult we used speaker phone so Greenie could be front and center. (Notice how he stretched out by their phone). 

Greenie And Noodle’s Treatment Program
I emphasized that with the following treatment program, a tolerable relationship could slowly develop — maybe more.

• Place a flexible gate on the doorway to Noodle’s room so the cats can view each other without physical contact.
• Place their food on their respective sides of the gate. This will encourage them not to deny the other’s presence.
• Dangle a toy on each side of the gate so they will focus on play. This diversion will chip away at their angst and fear of each other. Gradually, tolerance will start to build.  
• Lane should hang out with Greenie as he was originally her cat, and Jane should be there for Noodles. If each cat has his primary person it will keep the boundaries from becoming blurred.
• The music that played during their phone session should be on a continuous loop to carry on the relaxation mood from the session. The more their bodies relax, along with their mind and spirit, the better they will feel toward each other.
• Sisal Rugs Direct has a sturdy, scratching post and other objects to give them a fun-filled workout.  
• ACKNOWLEDGE, ACKNOWLEDGE GREENIE
  Praise, refer to and mention Greenie’s name whenever Noodles receives verbal or bodily attention. Remember that Greenie now has to share your attention, whereas before he was solo. So now it’s critical that he be constantly acknowledged.  You can’t overdo this.  This is a template or mantra that must be front and center for Greenie to accept Noodles. 
  A guardian once said to me after a therapy session, “ Your acknowledgement words totally resonated with me in relation to my guys Xena and Desi, when I realized how good I feel when I’m acknowledged.”

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The manatee and the peacock symbolize traits we want to manifest with Greenie and Noodles.