Cindy in Heat

Cindy is the smaller of my two cats(though strangely enough a little heavier), with finer, more delicate features- and thus, if my two felines were human, the more likely to get pregnant first. It almost comes as no surprise that she's been the first one to go into heat.

According to one of the Vets at the place I take my pets, cats will go into heat every three weeks or so for their whole lives. No menopause in there- which would actually be a relief. So I've now had two cats fixed once they started having trouble.

This was a big misconception of mine(no pun intended), that you had to wait until the animal has had a 'heat' episode to have them fixed. Cindy has had this problem for a not-so-good couple of months, and I've been waiting for her sister to follow suit so I could just have them both done at once. But Cindy had a particularly grueling siege just this last week and I just couldn't bear to see her in any more discomfort. So I just had her done.

Shoulda had them both done at once. The re-entry into the household was difficult, with her sister hissing at her and generally being a little shithead(after the surgery, she had the post-surgical smell of alcohol on her, which is anathema to cats ). Sis has since recognized her scent and gives her a conciliatory lick when near. They're not back to being buddies yet but their co-existence is much more amicable on this Sunday evening than it was Friday night. It's gotten a little better very slowly since then.

A rough go for Cindy, being boxed up in the carrier, hauled off and then cut open, then returned to a partly hostile home environment. But she is fixed now, and free from the monthly itch. I'm sure she'll thank me later. But not just now.

Cindy and Jill

Even though I give my pets human names and refer to my two female felines as 'the girls', I try not to anthropomorphize them in our relationship. They're still two cats and a dog, who have fur coats and don't shit in the toilet. Still, if Cindy and Jill were human girls, I can pretty much imagine how it'd go down.

They'd both be cute, and both would have guys lined up to talk to them. Cindy would have the edge there, though, with her finer features. More guys would want to get next to her, and Jill would get pissed off from all of them wanting to talk to her about Cindy. I can just see it. She'd probably be the first of the two to get pregnant- Cindy the cat was the first to go into heat.

And Cindy and Jill the two cats do share some other 'human' traits already. There's a bit of jealousy as far as my attention, so this is something I have to watch with them. So far so good with me and them.

It's been almost a year and we' re still hanging tough. A bit of discord between the two just this weekend, but it seems to be smoothing out. Cindy just got fixed, just this past Thursday, and in getting her home, her new 'scent' didn't hit home with her sister. Lots of hissing and some territorial bullying(the only time I intervened), all of which has disappeared in two days' time. They're not back to being buddies, but it's at least a peaceful co-existence once again.

I've been told by a reliable source that it's a good idea to get Jill fixed as soon as possible, so this is around the corner. Once again, one cat missing for the day, to return to what I hope is this time a more hospitable reception from the other cat. But I understand why it needs to be done. Has to do with their hoarmones and such. So more possible domestic quadraped upheaval.

It'll be nice to get everyone back to normal. That's the nice thing about having pets is that when everything's cool, you get a nice routine going between you and them. A groove. But, one more bump in the road first. One more cat to fix. And then hopefully the pavement will be smooth again. At least for awhile.