Tabs shows her alpha-ness

Ever since the vet told me Tabs is on heat, and being a young kitten, she can come on heat every two weeks (!), we've been keeping her confined in the house until she can be spayed as there are tomcats around the area.

And Tabs is NOT happy!

It's ironical that a few days ago, when we closed the windows for Indy's sake, Tabs was dying to come INTO the house. Now, we have to close the windows for both Indy and Tabs' sake, and Tabs is dying to GET OUT.

 It's as though Tabs knows something is coming up for her, so she's trying to escape from it.

Something = Spaying

 I locked her in the cage, but she goes absolutely berserk.

 So I let her out inside the room and she takes over Tiger's Cardboard Palace.

 And Tiger politely asks for help.

 I give Tabs another box nearby, but she's not too happy.

She WANTS the highest place, ie. Tiger's Mount.

 

 Cow approaches and she hisses at Cow.

Oh gosh...Tabs IS an alpha, as the vet had said.

Oh me, oh my...

 Discipline them, Dr Susanna says.

Well ok...so I lock Tabs in the cage. If you don't behave, you go into cage.

 Tabs go berserk.

If I let her inside this room (which only has a sliding door), she has also perfected the art of opening the door, so that's not good either.

Looks like I have to either lock Tabs in another room, or she goes into the cage. This morning, she just discovered that you could go out through the kitchen windows (the only windows now left open so that we have some air to breathe). She went out and climbed up the ledge and now she knows how to get to the back alley and out back on the street.

This is one crafty and street-wise kitten we're dealing with here.

Poor Tiger didn't dare come into the room (his Cardboard Palace) anymore. Tabs is just too fierce for him.

Maybe after being spayed, she will mellow down. The mating instinct will be gone. Otherwise, it could be a case of "I come, I see, I conquer" and she will be the new alpha in my feline colony!

I'll see if I can arrange for a spaying slot for her today, though it's under short notice. We'll do it at our other panel vet.

The vet said yesterday just to watch her stools in case of diarrhoea, but she's poo-ed twice and there is no diarrhoea. Her stools are all well-formed.

Indy has just two more days of confinement to go, after which we can open the windows again and he can sit under all the cars he likes. AND I can take a breather. No more car trips, Indy....until we move, that is.

If Tabs can be spayed today (her meal was at 5.30am this morning, so by 1.30pm, she can be spayed already), confinement would be for 4 days (hopefully in a cage) and we can all breathe again after that.

There's also so much work to do for the new house.

One thing at a time...but it must get done, one by one.