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A Quiet Change
In recent weeks, something has changed again for us. A small, quiet change—but one that has made our daily life considerably more colorful.
Missie has moved in. An older cat, around 15 years old, with a lot of life experience—and especially experience with dogs. She previously lived with two dogs, and you could immediately tell.
Lina Knew the Drill
Lina had lived with cats before she came to me in 2020. Back then, Charly, an older tomcat, was living with us. But Lina knew exactly how to behave around cats. She was also aware that cats can be “dangerous.” Charly was definitely a bit dangerous at times 😼. So I had no concerns that there would be any problems with Lina.
With Ayla, I was less certain. She hardly knew cats or only knew them from outside, where she certainly showed her hunting instinct… But Ayla is a very calm dog, and I was actually quite confident that it would work out.
And Missie? Missie entered the house with such a natural confidence that immediately put me at ease. No nervousness. No hiding. No rush. She simply assessed the dogs.
The First Hours
I kept an eye on Ayla during the first night. We still had our recovery setup from the surgery in the living room anyway, so we were all downstairs. That helped.
What I find challenging about cats is: They move silently. You never really know where they are. It doesn’t make it easier for the dogs—or for training—when the cat suddenly appears out of nowhere.
I blocked the stairs to the upper floor at first. Missie could get through, but the dogs couldn’t. This way, I could also place the litter box “dog-safe.”
Dog in a Cat’s Body
Missie has a few traits that seem almost dog-like 😉. She lines up between the dogs at feeding time, quite confidently and without hesitation, which I find remarkably brave. After all, she doesn’t yet know the dogs well and is significantly smaller.
After Just One Night
In fact, for Ayla, things were settled after just one night. I am very grateful to God for that. The dogs respect Missie. They don’t chase her around the house. Very soon, we were able to sit and relax on the sofa together—all four of us.
I know that’s not something to take for granted. Such an introduction can take significantly more time, sometimes weeks or months. We were very lucky here, and Missie certainly played the biggest part in that.
What’s Next
Now, Missie is allowed outside. This brings its own challenges, as the same cat outdoors is not the same as indoors. Lina and Ayla shouldn’t chase Missie around the garden. But I believe we will manage this too, step by step. And actually, it’s already going quite well 😊.
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In the past few weeks, I haven’t taken many photos. The light has become much brighter, the snow is melting, and mostly gone now. However, there are no flowers yet; that will take a bit longer up here. I hope to get some beautiful spring shots eventually, maybe even with Missie right in the middle.
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