I live in São Paulo, Brazil in a multi-cat household. I have 4 cats:
- Merlin, male Maine Coon 2 years and 8 kgs;
- Noor, male red Siamese 2 years and 6 kgs;
- Khiya female turtleshell stray female, 1 year, 3 kgs;
- Aini,male siamese mix cat 8 months old, 4 kgs.
They live happily together under Khiya´s leadership and my loving supervision. She is extremely tough with her crew. If they don’t obey her quick enough she bites and slaps them. She is the queen of the house. She is the one who eats first. She is the one who goes out to investigate when the other cats feel there is a danger threatening them while they all hide waiting for her to signal everything is OK.
Last month, Merlin developed a mastocytoma on his right thigh and had to be operated. In spite of all my nervousness, everything went well and I got Merlin back after surgery with his leg stitched up and dressed and very unhappy with an Elizabethan collar.
When I brought him back, his brothers started hissing at him and I thought I would have to keep them separated for a while. But little Khiya came forwards and sniffed Merlin for quite some time. She then informed the other cats there was nothing wrong and in spite of what things may look like, that cat was actually Merlin and he was to be left alone. She sat by him and started licking him.
The next day, Merlin continued having a hard time with his collar and being very unhappy. Also his leg was itching and he was quite nervous. I saw him getting close to Khiya and staying by her for a while as if they were talking. I thought I was just imagining things but preferred to stay around to see what would happen as I was convinced Merlin had requested Khiya´s assistance for something.
I started doing some work at home and watching them when suddenly Khiya came in the room where I was. She started strolling, jumping on the window, eating, drinking, and litteraly fooling me. She ended up doing what she really had come to do which was to wake up the two other cats that were sleeping by me and ask them to follow her.
I waited a bit then got up and followed them only to see Merlin lying on the floor of my living room with his leg stretched out and the 3 cats tearing the dressing covering the stitches. After that, Merlin had to be separated from his brothers and sister until the stitches were removed.
This is only one of the many stories I witness every day with these four rascals with whom it is so fun to live.
