Introduction

We have had Bumper for 5 or 6 years. I can't remember how long it's been. He's been a part of our family since he was a puppy and we think he's pretty special. He does stay outside most of the time, but is allowed to come in to eat, sleep and hang for a bit. Then he's ushered back outside. He's a sweetheart. Has never hurt anyone and usually is even a little skeptical of people he doesn't know. We rarely hear him bark and growling......forget about it. It just doesn't happen. He's a stuffed animal inside the body of a Black Lab.

Harmless. To say the least.

Tonight, I decided I would introduce Bumper to his new housemates. I grabbed Limerick. Julia had Tymin. Oliver has decided he doesn't like venturing too far outside of Joe's office and was under the desk. I let Bumper in.

Whenever Bumper comes into the house, he's little jumpy. After all, he loves his human housemates and is happy to see us. He wants some lovin' and some food, then some time to either lay on the couch watching TV with Julia or lazying around my bedroom waiting for bedtime.

Tonight was no different. When Bumper came in the house, he did his usual tailwagging, circle-running, bouncing up in the air stunt that he's done for years. Did I mention he is harmless?

Unfortunately, I forgot to tell Tymin. The first meeting did not go well. Tymin came just short of having a coronary in Julia's arms. Limerick didn't seem to be too terribly concerned. Tymin........Yikes!! He jumped out of Julia's arms, taking some skin with him and began arching his back and hissing and trying to 'beat up' Bumper. Bumper just stood there trying to check Tymin out, but Tymin was having none of it. He freaked again. Julia meanwhile, began crying and clutching her arm. I yelled for Josh to grab Bumper and put him back outside. Julia continued crying. The boys weren't exactly sure what to do. Limerick just let me hold him. Tymin then hid under one of my chairs and waited til the calm came.

Oliver turned out to be wisest of all the cats as he stayed right where he was.....in the office.

Once things got quiet, I went to fish Tymin out from under the chair and thankfully, he seemed fine. Not knowing too much about cats, I really expected him to be totally ticked off at me, but he didn't seem to be. He let me pick him up and love on him.

Julia on the other hand has decided that Tymin is no longer her favorite cat. I tried explaining that Tymin wasn't picking on Julia, he was just doing what comes naturally......defending himself in a situation that he deemed dangerous.

I do not want Bumper to be relegated to outside life hereto and forevermore. But if the cats won't be comfortable in the house with him, I guess I don't have a choice. If anyone has any wisdom for me, I'd sure appreciate it. The cats lived with a dog at the foster home.....a lab mix who seemed to be as jumpy as Bumper, so it's not that it's a dog. Maybe they just have to get used to Bumper.

Hopefully, time will tell.