{"id":19716,"date":"2020-03-01T00:10:59","date_gmt":"2020-03-01T05:10:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/?p=19716"},"modified":"2020-03-01T08:17:45","modified_gmt":"2020-03-01T13:17:45","slug":"sunday-selfie-a-black-cat-shadow-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zeezoey.com\/blog\/sunday-selfie-a-black-cat-shadow-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday-Selfie: A Black Cat Shadow Update"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The pain is real folks, the pain is real…<\/p><\/div>\n

I\u2019ve been MIA for quite a while now \u2013 no time to blog like I used to, but I thought it would be nice to share a brief update on Shadow for Sunday-Selfie. He\u2019s been with us nearly 4 months now \u2013 clearly a part of our family \u2013 with the reaction of his permanent residence still receiving mixed reviews. Dan and me, that\u2019s easy, we love the guy with his bold personality and charming ways. The other seven cats, still, not so much.<\/p>\n

His acclimation continues to be the most difficult one I\u2019ve ever had to deal with in my near dinosaur amount of years of living in a multi-cat household. And it\u2019s not because he\u2019s a bad cat, he\u2019s not. But he\u2019s still a kitten at 10 months now, so he\u2019s far more active than the others would prefer. Not his fault they consider him an annoying younger brother and don\u2019t find his \u201ctag-your-it\u201d games amusing.<\/p>\n

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I happen to find Shadow exceedingly handsome, irresistible, and charming. The others, not so much.<\/p><\/div>\n

Also, not his fault he\u2019s found himself smack in the middle of a very strong mix of alpha males – Zee and Rolz – neither of which want to share the overcrowded top rung of the hierarchy ladder as well as one very indignant female, Jazmine, who continues to hiss her displeasure with no off-switch insight.  Shadow himself is an alpha in training, although I suspect much of it is the history that came with him, so you can imagine the heightened levels of tension at times in the house which translates to loud fights, territorial spraying, and more.<\/p>\n

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Rolz with his perpetual, “you may leave now look” anytime he sees Shadow.<\/p><\/div>\n

We weren\u2019t quite sure when Shadow first came to us what his story was. He looked well-cared for and was neutered. His ear wasn\u2019t tipped, a sign of TNR, so chances were good he was someone\u2019s pet. He was very friendly and accustomed to people, but he also had an unusually high need to bite and scratch with a viciousness that could quickly draw blood from Dan and me. I truly believe he was abandoned by someone who did not have the understanding or patience to deal with his behavioral outbursts that were probably rooted in the fact he was just being an active and playful kitten and he didn’t have the proper channels to exert his energies.<\/p>\n

Over time, we\u2019ve gotten him to a much better place. It seemed like the human hand represented something negative for him, which also translated to him acting out in an aggressive manner with the other cats if they happened to be nearby when we were attempting to pet him, innocently becoming a scapegoat for his frustration. Naturally, that has caused some trust issues, but there has been an improvement. Petting him is much easier, especially when on his terms, and he absolutely loves to cuddle. He typically sleeps next to Dan at bed at night, and with me during the day, he\u2019s tucked behind me, making biscuits on my back and purring away in pure bliss.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m no stranger to patience. It will eventually work out. Right now, he just hasn\u2019t found the right cat to bond with and once he does, the friendships and trust will trickle in. He\u2019s had a few peaceful moments, sharing close quarters next to Kizmet on occasion, and I\u2019m trying every trick in the book and then some \u2013 Feliway, group playtime, group snack time, alone time, calming cat music, prayers, begging \u2013 you name it, I\u2019ve probably tried it.<\/p>\n

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The photo isn’t the best quality, but when it comes to stealing fragile moments, you grab your iPhone and take what you can get!<\/p><\/div>\n

In the meantime, he truly is a treasure. He\u2019s very intelligent, loving, inquisitive, and happy. His fur is deep and thick and he\u2019s exquisitely handsome. He\u2019s also getting quite big as if we have a miniature panther living with us. That\u2019s it for now \u2013 I\u2019ll keep you posted as things progress.<\/p>\n

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Wild panther or domestic house cat? With Shadow, it’s hard to tell.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"hearts\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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It’s a Blog Hop!<\/p><\/div>\n