Claire, Momo, and I thank you for all your messages of sympathy received at the death of Loupi : messages, comments, blog posts, remembering candles, we really felt ourselves surrounded with your empathy to cross this sad event.
When the time of tears will be spent will stay only the attractive memories, as these last images of Loupi enjoying the garden in this early spring.
Claire et Momo ne sont pas très doués pour tailler les arbres et certains arbustes, alors pour ces travaux particuliers ils font appel à Isabelle, la paysagiste du village. Elle est venue la semaine passée ; elle a taillé ce qu’il y avait à tailler, ce qui a complètement désorganisé le balisage de notre territoire. La fin de la semaine a été pluvieuse ; nous avons dû attendre ce week-end ensoleillé pour nous mettre au travail.
Quel boulot ! Il a fallu faire tout le tour du jardin et signaler à nouveau clairement notre présence aux visiteurs alentours. Nous nous sommes aussi soigneusement frottés contre le nouveau lilas que Momo a planté près du tas de compost.
Il fallait faire attention de ne pas abîmer les bourgeons, car l’hiver a été si doux que toutes les plantes se croient déjà au printemps ! Espérons qu’il n’y aura pas un brusque coup de froid au mois d’avril et mai comme l’an passé…
LOUPI : When Zorro arrived in February, 2012, I was first totally indifferent to this small intruder … Seemingly at least. As he grew up, and although he was quickly neutered, I became more and more nervous and aggressive : I hissed at everything, anything, and whoever, I growled out, and I attacked Zorro with big slaps if he was at less than 1 meter 50 of me. It really became hard in autumn, 2012.
Claire had never seen that. I am a shy and emotional cat for a long time : when it is necessary to apply to me the fleas treatment to the nape of the neck for example, I kick up a fuss about it, I am terrified. Claire thus discussed with the veterinarian at the beginning of 2013. He knows me well, and after the narrative of some previous anecdotes upon the arrival of Zorro, he confirmed that I was a cat very put under stress by nature. A big anxious cat. The arrival of Zorro had thus completely put me in a whirl.
The veterinarian then suggested to Claire spreading permanently Feliway® everywhere in the house to calm my tensions. Feliway® is a product which imitates our facial pheromones and thus has so soothing properties. It exists in spray or in electric diffuser with refill. Normally, it seems that that gives very good results, but not with me.
After 3 months of diffusion, there was only not much change in my behavior. We are outdoor cats, it was summer, and windows were opened almost always. I did not thus soak permanently in Feliway®, and I think that it is possible that the product was not able to develop all its efficiency because of it. I would like to have the opinion of somebody from Feliway® on this matter, moreover.
Claire informed regularly the veterinarian. According to his advice, she stopped using Feliway®, and gave me Zylkene® daily during 3 other months. Zylkene® is a nutritional supplement with casein of milk which decreases strongly the answer to the stress. And there, it was great : every day, late in the afternoon, I was entitled to a small dose of liver pâté in Zylkene®, it was yummy ! Zorro was very interested, then he could also have it just a little, but without Zylkene®.
Claire, Momo, Zorro and I had happy Christmas 2013 : I was much less stressed, I could meet Zorro or be next to him at less than 1 meter without being aggressive, I began again to play even if he was there (not with him all the same, it’s not necessary to exaggerate!) and to go to sleep in several places which I liked but which I had abandoned.
We are not still close friends, but at least the atmosphere is relaxed …