Happiness was...

Rained here yesterday; neither Blondie or Stunt Double were around for most of the afternoon.  Blondie finally showed up around sunset.

Opened the side door, Blondie (soaking wet) came into the breezeway and laid down on the carpet - happy to be inside where it was dry and warm.  Our duo were not freaking out; very much accepted the new addition.  Blondie came up out of the breezeway and explored into the kitchen, found the pile of cookies for the duo and the bowl of dry food we leave out.  Snacked and went back down to breezeway.  Husband and I looked at each other and said "...okay.  I guess we have a third cat, now."  By now it was time for us to turn in. I figured I would be getting up in a few hours to address any carnage going on in the house, but... it was a night of very odd silence in the house... duo parked in normal spaces on bed and bedroom chair.  Quiet. No caterwauling of an animal in an unfamiliar location.   

Then around 1:30am... the smell.  Apparently, Blondie is a male!  And managed to spray in just about every room on the first floor, and since we have forced air ventilation in the house, permeated the entire house.   It woke me up.  Found Blondie touring the basement game room (aside from the bathroom, our house has no interior doors to let me block off areas), followed me back up to the first floor and begrudgingly exited when I opened the side door.  I watched it slowly go over to the bed box and climb inside. 

Not my first time at this rodeo; I had Sam, a very wonderful male tux for many years that, even though neutered, would occasionally spray inside, especially when he got older.  So later today, it will be a Murphy's Oil Soap / Clorox house cleaning, and a thinking through a new game plan for Blondie. 

Going back to my original assessment - I suspect the cat was abused and abandoned.  Probably for just doing cat stuff like that. I was able to train Sam to primarily do his markings around the yard, I suspect Blondie can be so trained as well.  On the plus, nothing in the house was shredded or looked like some crazed animal was trying to escape.

...onward...

R