Minnie, Flo and Fate Getting to Know Each Other

fate and flo

I find it fascinating to watch Minnie and Flo get to know Fate.  At first Minnie ran and hid in the barn, which she does when ever anyone comes into the yard.  A couple of days later, Minnie was in the house when we got home from a walk.  Moments after coming in  I heard one of those strange cat sounds coming from the kitchen.  Minnie was on the windowsill in the kitchen, a place she’s never sat before, hiding behind the curtain.  Fate was  already gone, but I know she’s what made Minnie hide.

Later that same day, Minnie held her ground.  She sat on the dog bed in the living room and Fate slowly walked up to her in a crouch.  She stopped two feet away.  Then, the stare down.  It didn’t take long before Fate backed up and left the room.

What took Minnie five days to do, Flo did the first time she saw Fate.  It was basically the same stand off scene.  I think it’s a look that passes between them and makes Fate back off.  I can feel the charged space between them.  They’re both so still, frozen in the moment before fight or flight. Something primal is occurring right in my living room, right in front of me. And it’s kind of thrilling to watch.

After the stand off things changed between Fate and the cats. Now Flo struts around Fate like the queen  and if Fate gets to close, she just hisses at her.  It’s all very calm and cool.

And I can see, once they get used to each other and Fate calms down, that she and Minnie will be cuddling together as Minnie tries to do with all the other animals.  I have a feeling Fate will like that.  Today she fell asleep next to Red for the first time.  Her legs resting on his.

Seeing one of my animals natural instincts come up is always fascinating to me.  It’s the part of them I don’t really know.  And when they interact in that way together, without any human interruption, I feel like I’m watching two animals in the wild.   I remember when the sheep were pregnant, there was a communication that passed between them that I have never seen so clearly before.  The way they looked at each other, how a ewe would wander off alone and the others watched her, but kept their distance. What happens between them is palpable.  I can feel it, like somewhere inside of me I once had knowledge of their way of communicating.  Instead of feeling a human animal connection  as we usually do, it’s more like animal to animal.  Like just watching them awakens some animal part of me.

3 thoughts on “Minnie, Flo and Fate Getting to Know Each Other

  1. Love all the photos of Fate! Maria, I have to ask–in this photo, is that a chair that has been crocheted over? It looks like a really interesting piece.

    Just curious–
    Thanks,
    Anne

    1. It is Anne, I made it over 10 years ago, it was something a friend an I were doing for a exhibit. I unraveled an afgan and crocheted it around a chair. I sit on it when I write.

  2. How I LOVE all the writing and photos you’ve shared with us about Fate!! I think my most favorite has to be Jon holding her and singing! But Fate and Red together on the car seat is a close second. This is pretty fascinating, how Fate and the cats are working things out. Annie

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