Tiger's new playmate

You know how I have four cats from the Cow family and they don't get along with anyone? These would be Cow, Bunny, Pole and Cleo. Cow is alpha and misunderstood. Cleo is alpha and longs for her mother, Pole's affections but Pole rejects Cleo. Bunny...well, Bunny is the Bunnyphant and even though he is not alpha, by virtue of his size, he is perceived to be alpha and he is a bully, too.

That leaves only Tiger and Indy and both are rather passive and docile cats, but terribly intimidated by the Cow family.

Indy used to be best of friends with Vixey, Kimba and Suki, but Vixey passed away and so did Kimba and Suki. After that, he made friends with the foster kittens, who then also got adopted, so Indy became a loner again. We sometimes feel really sorry for Indy because all his friends passed away. And my husband used to say Indy will be the last cat we'd ever adopt since the ones that we adopted after him all passed away in accidents on the road (Kimba and Suki).

Tiger was best of friends with Wii (also a tabby, and Wii was Vixey's brother), but after Vixey passed away, Cow & Bunny chased Wii out to the back alley and Wii had to live there. When the back neighbour hurled obscenities at Wii and started throwing things at him, I asked my friend, Roselin, if she could adopt Wii. Wii just didn't dare come into my house anymore because he feared Cow & Bunny; he would only come back for food in Mac's place, but whenever he did, he would mew to call me. The back neighbour couldn't stand the sound of any animal, and would go berserk whenever Wii mewed. That became a daily problem for us. Each time he went berserk, he would shout at the top of his voice and hurl obscenities towards our house.

After Wii went to Roselin's, he became the alpha there and started wreaking havoc in Roselin's otherwise peaceful 16-cat colony. Wii could not get along with any of Roselin's cat and finally became best friends with a dog called John Wayne, who coincidentally could not get along with any dog. It took Roselin TONS of patience and more than a year before Wii settled in and just the other day, I met Roselin and she says Wii is now the tai-kor in the house and Wii gets to sleep in her bedroom too. I had planned to take Wii back should he still fail to adjust in Roselin's household or continues bullying her cats, but I don't have to anymore now. Also, I have no idea what would happen if Wii met Cow & Bunny again.

But after Wii left, my heart really broke as Tiger had no friends anymore. Tiger missed Wii and spent the next few days looking up and down the alley for his best friend. I think it was harder for me to watch Tiger than it was for Tiger to miss Wii, or maybe it's just as hard. Anyway, I'm glad that's over now.

Tiger used to have a Tabby Club on the street where he would make friends with all the tabbies (and the pakcik down the  road has SO MANY because he refuses to get them spayed despite my repeated offers). All these tabbies would follow Tiger in a line.

But when at home, Tiger is always alone. I guess his only friend was Bobby. Tiger spends his time with Bobby and me in my room.

But now, lo and behold, Tiger seems to have found a new playmate....and who might that be?

Watch...

Yups, it's me, Tabs.

Tiger and Tabs have been playing all morning, running around the house. I think it's a game of hide-and-seek. I haven't seen Tiger playing in a long time, so this is really such a welcome sight.

 This is the house we made for Indy but he wasn't interested, now Tiger is using it as a playhouse to hide in and Tabs is supposed to look for him.

 It's wonderful seeing Tiger having fun again.

Previously, his highlight of the day was waiting for Wii to come back for food and they would touch noses and he'd spend time accompanying Wii as he ate. But that's more than a year ago now. Roselin adopted Wii in August 2010.

 Catch me if you can!

Just now, BOTH of them went inside the playhouse!