I realize I've been writing almost exclusively about Silver Grey and her baby. My guess is because, like everyone else, I'm a sucker for a kitten (or a puppy for that matter).
Anyway, I don't want anyone to think Annie is being ignored during this process. In fact, Annie is participating in it. I've incorporated her into the feeding routine so she doesn't feel left out. She has a tendency to bark at the baby, scaring the daylights out of him. The poor baby heads for cover never to hear her cry and whine after the initial couple of barks.
Annie just wants to play. I give her access to the back porch while I prepare food and water. Once she's been out a reasonable amount of time I bring her in then I put out the food and change the water. Annie sits by the kitchen door waiting for me.
Artie has gotten into the habit of calling from our train station to let me know he's almost home. Annie gets excited because she knows the phone call means she gets to go out front and wait for Artie. I take the remainder of the food plus more water and the both of us head for the front porch.
While I clean up, change the water and put down food Annie sniffs the entire porch including the furniture (she's a beagle after all). In the beginning she tried to snitch cat food but after a few "ahh, ahh's" from me she doesn't do that anymore.
Once she has a nose-full of all the scents she finds so enticing, Annie will stand on the furniture checking the block for Artie. If she doesn't see him, she proceeds to patrol the fence along the front of the porch looking and listening for him.
As soon as she spots him, she snaps to attention then the tail starts to wag, she starts to whine and her body vibrates. Before long, she's running all over the porch and as Artie gets closer to the house, Annie positions herself by the gate, dancing around until Artie lets himself in.
And so it goes every day except on the weekends when we all feed the cats together.
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