Gypsy and Raven - 1

First, there was lovable Gypsy, also known as Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. Born Halloween of ’88, I adopted her on my son’s birthday, two weeks before Christmas.  Gypsy had thick, black-satin fur, and she was built stocky and sturdy like a butterball turkey. The woman I got her from wouldn't let me take her unless I took her sister too. She said they belonged together. Different as night and day, they definitely were not twins.

Raven, also known as "She, of Whom Hell Hath No Fury",  was a black cat, too. Sleek, slim and pointy, as though descended from a Siamese, she was the meanest cat in the whole wide world!  If you tried to pet her or pick her up, she growled and swatted at your hand. Haughty, beautiful, and hateful, the evil queen in Disney’s Snow White movie had nothing on her. The perfect witch’s cat, she was unmercifully cruel toward her sister.

Obviously Gypsy became my favorite, but Raven wouldn't let her near me. If I paid any attention to her, Raven would corner Gypsy and growl at her. I figured they would have to work it out their dominance issues, and at first, didn't interfere. But I grew tired of Raven’s nastiness and decided to lean things more in Gypsy’s favor, so that she would become the Alpha female.

I began feeding her lots of extra food. Since she was more muscular, I thought she would simply grow bigger and stronger than Raven and the change in dominance would just happen by default. I also got Raven spayed, with the plan to have Gypsy done later. Shortly after that Raven decided not to stay with us anymore.

What happens next?
Click here for part 2