For many months now, there has been peace in Bunny’s Place.
Bunny had his pantry chairs, Indy took over Pole’s condo and Cow had a comfortable basket in the room with a towel which he thoroughly loves even on hot days. The basket was meant for Bunny but Cow got it first and in any case, Bunny didn’t want it, so it’s all good. Everyone had his own space.
But then, the heavy rains started again and when it’s really heavy, there is a slight leak at the location of Bunny’s pantry chairs. It’s beyond repair because it is due to an overflow from the gutter on top. So, Bunny needed a new location whenever it rained heavily.
We tried bringing in one of the chairs into the room, we tried baskets, boxes, mats and towels in the room as well as in the pantry, but none of it worked. We even brought in his favourite Blue House into the pantry, but no, the Blue House (which is a very old carrier) had to be left where it was – in the patio at that specific location. Anywhere else just didn’t cut it. Bunny spends a lot of time in the Blue House when it doesn’t rain, but that’s at the patio and we have to ensure Ginger doesn’t bully him or Bunny doesn’t accidentally bump into Ginger or else all hell would break loose resulting in trips to the vet’s…for Bunny. By the way, Indy’s wounds from the Ginger-Indy fight have healed. There were no complications from that, thank goodness.
Finally, after weeks of trying to find Bunny a “rain shelter”, only this worked…
We removed the door from this purple carrier and was hoping Bunny might go into it since he loves his Blue House so much, but no, he simply won’t go in. But we left the purple carrier where it is to create a cul-de-sac for Bunny. The purple carrier also acts as a barrier against the strong winds during thunderstorms.
It’s not a perfect rain shelter, but it’s the only one Bunny would accept. There is actually so much space in the room, but what can we do? Bunny refuses to go in when it rains. He regards the pantry as “his space” and wants to remain there. The pantry is dry when it rains, but the winds can be quite strong.
So, this cul-de-sac space worked…but only for two days.
Cow wrestled the space from Bunny. He actually gave up his comfortable basket in the room and took over the mat and the space.
We had to run intervention and coax Cow to go back to his basket but Cow simply refused. Instead, he went off to a faraway chair as a sign of protest.
From then on, Cow had completely abandoned his basket.
The tussle lasted for a few days. Luckily Indy did not participate in this.
Finally, I think (and hope) Cow understood that the cul-de-sac was prepared for Bunny, so Cow found a new spot for himself.
One of the wooden chairs in the room.
Okay, Cow, anywhere in the room is fine. Just please don’t take over Bunny’s new spot. He needs it. Bunny is blind and it is not easy for him to find a space where he feels safe enough to rest comfortably.
As of this afternoon…
…Indy was seen on one of Bunny’s chairs.
And Bunny decided to sleep here, under the pots. It’s fine as long as it doesn’t rain.
It’s really not easy creating spaces for cats because the cats themselves must approve of the space. At the end of the day, it’s really all up to the cats.
As for the queen, nothing has changed. The whole bed is hers.
Cleo owns the entire bed. She’s happy.
And none of the Alphas have dared to wrestle the bed from her.