Frosty's Moving Day

This day has not come quickly. We've been working on getting Obi accustomed to Banu and Lupe's side of the house for many weeks now. Saeed has been unhappy that Frosty's been shut inside the computer room, but he has also been unhappy with the way his room began to show signs of a cat living there. He convinced me that we had to get Obi comfortable with living on the other side of the house so we could let Frosty back out. I was resistant at first, remembering how Banu had bullied Obi in the past. I didn't want to make him the target of another kitty, albeit a gentler kitty than Frosty. Eventually I relented; it was worth a try.

We chose to start with Obi and Lupe getting used to each other, knowing that Lupe doesn't have a mean bone in her body and gets along with everybody. We decided that if that worked we'd move on to tougher customers.

The first time on the other side Obi checks out Lupe...

 

... who is feigning nonchalance. Good girl.

He decides she's OK and relaxes.

 Pretty soon they're hanging out together, Obi in the sun.

Soon Obi goes upstairs to check out every nook and cranny, even the bathroom drawers, while Lupe watches. 

 This is where Banu was kept, behind a screen in our bedroom.

The next step was to get Obi and Lupe comfortable in the bedroom where they eat. A little catnip lured him in:

   

Soon they were hangin' out without too much trouble: 

 

I don't have a picture of it but at some point a couple of weeks after these pictures and videos were taken I let Banu out of my arms when Obi was upstairs. It was chaos; she went straight for him in an all out attack. Fortunately Banu is all "lunge and chase" and no" bite or scratch." We let a couple more weeks pass and tried again. Much better this time. Cautious slinking around each other, some chasing, but general tolerance. That's when I snapped this picture which you've seen already.

So that brings us up to today, the day Obi moves over to Lupe and Banu's side more or less permanently. We agreed that since Frosty does like the computer room we may let Obi come back from time to time to visit Tippy and Chappu, his two love muffins. So what were the boys doing this morning?

Frosty was looking bored in Saeed's office. (Actually he looks really comfy.)

Obi was at the saloon with a babe on either side. It was time.

First Obi went over to the other side:

 

For some reason he loved the smell of the rubber wheels of the dolly we brought in to move his potted plant into the piano room. I think that's what he was smelling in the carpet:

Then Obi came over to check out Banu on the bench. You can see how tense she is:

 

 Lupe watched it all from a safe distance on the stairs.

 Then it was Obi's turn to feel tense as he ran under the dining room table to get away from Banu. I think it will still take several weeks, months even, for them to coexist comfortably.

Now it was time for Frosty's release. I called Saeed in from working in the yard to enjoy the moment.

 My dirty yard boy.

 

Frosty had to check out every nook and cranny to refresh his memory. I love Chappu's reaction.

 

Frosty can't believe his eyes as he looks toward the open window.

Soon he was checking out some of his old toys.

  Frosty finally relaxes, see next video.

(it's yellow because of no flash)

Frosty began to settle down, so I went upstairs to process these pics.

 I went down an hour later to find him fast asleep in his favorite chair...

 ... and Chappu sleeping a few feet away, smiling.

Say a prayer for Obi to be happy in his new location.

ADDENDUM

It has taken several hours for the videos to upload, enough time for it to be dinner time for Obis Obis at his new kitchen table.

Lupe (left) and Obi (right) eating some yummy Fancy Feast wet food. Banu only eats dry food so she...

...just hung out in her favorite spot.

After dinner Lupe took a bath and...

 ...Obi went down to his laundry basket in the dining room while Banu rolled around and stretched a few yards away. No problems yet!