This morning, there was a war-cry incident at Ginger’s Catio.
Husband rushed out to see Robin chasing “someone” who looked like Rey, but he wasn’t sure if it was Rey or Smurfy or maybe even Lynx.
Robin is a scoundrel and a bully, but he is still very adorable.
Fights between Robin and Smurfy happen quite often, but today’s was exceptionally loud. I have never known Rey to be involved in any fight before, actually. Robin vs Smurfy – yes, very often. Robin vs Lynx – yes, too. Smurfy vs Lynx – yes, but not often. But Rey has never been in any of the equations before.
Soon after, it was breakfast time so I went out to feed everyone.
But Smurfy did not come to eat. Everyone else ate most happily and voraciously as they always do at breakfast.
Except Smurfy. He was lying down on the highest platform all by himself.
Smurfy: Sobs…I don’t want to eat. I’m traumatised.
Poor Smurfy.
This is the scoundrel, pretending to be a goody-two-shoes now.
After two hours, I went back to check and by now, Smurfy had moved to the other end of the platform.
He was still traumatised and even though we placed the bowl of food (and it’s his favourite – cut up chicken breast meat) up on the platform and coaxed him to eat, he refused. Poor Smurfy.
It was only after five hours later that Smurfy came down from the platform and settled in the big cage. He was taking a nap.
I could see he was more relaxed now and no longer afraid (of Robin).
He did not eat immediately, though. It took some coaxing.
See, the buttocks is down now, so he’s more relaxed.
He ate a fair amount. Phew! I did not see any injuries on him.
Everyone gathered down below, including the perpetrator.
That’s Minnie.
An aww-head-butt moment!
I think Smurfy is fine now.
As a senior vet once told me, cats can starve to death out of fear. And it isn’t a fear of humans, it’s a fear of other cats, of being bullied and intimidated. They can be so afraid that they will starve to death. The case of “sure they will eat if they are hungry enough” does NOT apply in such situations. Fear is an over-powering emotion.
So I do take such trauma incidents very seriously and ensure they are resolved.