Nimbus vs. Sansa Part 1

Previously, I talked about the friendship between Nimbus and my cat Sparta. They have an interesting but safe relationship with each other that involves easy play and just coexisting with each other. And then, we have Sansa.

Sansa, also known as Princess Sansa from Game of Thrones, is a stray that walked up to the door the week of Thanksgiving. After my graduation on December 14, Sansa started spending the night in the house as the temperature just plummeted outside. I have a huge heart for animals, if that's not clear, and I couldn't stand the thought of this older kitten sitting outside in the cold all night. I just can't take it. So, she began coming in at nights and returning outside in the mornings. She's just the sweetest kitty in the world, and while I'm trying to find her a permanent home, we've become quite attached to her.

Some intense kitty yoga by Sansa

Even Sparta, who doesn't enjoy the company of other cats, has fallen in love with her. They tussle on the floor, sleep next to each other in the sun, and he'll even bathe her face on occasion. They're just the cutest couple, and I'm worried that if she sticks around much longer that Sparta will be the one suffering from the confusion of "But, where's Sansa?" when we find her a home.

There are two big problems with Sansa, however. 1) She eats everything, which means we can't leave Sparta's food out for him because she'll gobble it up. Not only can I not afford all the extra food that she'd suck down, but it also means Sparta has to fight for his food. 2) She is desperate to eat Nimbus!!!

So far, we've tried several methods in order to keep Sansa away from or ignore Nimbus hopping about in his cage. They are never allowed to interact with each other when Nimbus is playing outside his enclosure, except in the video below.

1. Spraying water with the squirt bottle: This is my preferred disciplinary method for the cats. They, of course, hate the water and soon learn that if you don't want to get wet, don't repeat the bad behavior. However, Sansa can be as stubborn as Nimbus sometimes. This works 5 out of 10 times.
2. Cage covers: It's important to place a dark sheet around your chinchilla cage in order to give your pet a sense of security. When Sansa's around, we occasionally add an extra blanket to block her view. Still, she knows he's in there and will sneak under or around the blanket and sheet. This works 3 out of 10 times.
3. Play time: To distract Sansa, we have begun pulling out toys, especially "flyer" toys, to change her attention to something she actually can "hunt" and "attack." Depending on how active Nimbus is, this works 7 out of 10 times.
4. Less access: Now, Nimbus's cage doesn't stay in the living room all day. Instead, his cage is moved into my bedroom with the door shut where he can sleep in complete darkness, not deal with Sansa and have more peace and quiet. His cage returns to its normal spot in the living at about 6:30-7 p.m. 
5. Can they be friends, too: I'm hoping that if Sansa sees Nimbus less as food and more of a pet that plays around the house, she'll lose her appetite. Sansa, though, is just under a year old and has an unbelievable amount of energy! It's like living with a Bengal. We can play with her and play with her, and I've never seen her at the point of exhaustion. She could go for hours. Hers is not the type of personality that Sparta possesses, which means she's going to see Nimbus more as a toy. If Sansa is going to remain part of the family as I refuse to put her in a shelter, she has to learn that Nimbus is not something to bat around. 

So, now, we're slowly introducing Sansa to Nimbus outside of the cage. Here is our first attempt working with them. As you can see, I am holding Sansa not only in a harness but also with a Thundershirt. A Thundershirt is a pretty awesome product that helps with stress, fear of thunderstorms, seizures and several other types of behaviors for both cats and dogs. The heavy cloth wraps twice around the body and once around the neck, which makes a secure hugging feeling and limits movement. Do not try if with your own pets! Unless you are willing to take the chance of having an animal get injured or you know how to properly restrain a cat, you need to think about other methods for happy coexistence in the household. If anyone has any other suggestion, please, please message me!! I'd love to hear from you and get some new ideas. Honestly, it's becoming a problem and if it comes down to keeping Sansa vs. Nimbus's safety, I'm going to choose Nimbus. He was here first, this is his house, and it is easier to rehouse a cat than a chinchilla. So here goes our first attempt: