A case of sibling rivalry?!!

Shoomi has been wonderful with Tilly. I'm not sure if it is a delayed reaction to her arrival but twice in the last two weeks Shoomi has had a limp. Different legs both times. Shoomi was and is still our furry daughter and we care about her a lot but she has been neglected, no longer do we let her sit on our legs until they go numb, I can't I never sit down for long enough for her to even get on my knee.

I've noticed that everything we get for Tilly, Shoomi adopts as hers. When we put the cot up she slept in it. When I put the donut out, Shoomi sat in it. The playmat, Shoomi lounged on it. The baby bouncer, Shoomi sleeps in it. The only thing she hasn't managed to use is the Tippie Toes - but I'd love to see her try. Is it a case of sibling rivalry?!!

Now I'm not sure if she has had enough of all this lost attention and this is an effort to get some more, if it is she is one smart cookie. The first limp (in the front leg) started almost as soon as she saw the suitcases packed for Brighton. After a quick trip to the vets and a thermometer up the bum, she stopped limping. A quick refuel with treats and hugs and we went off to Brighton and when we came home she was running around.

Yesterday I noticed she was limping again, almost hobbling along, this time the back leg. What is she doing? I fussed over her and she looked up at me with her big eyes, all forlorn. I made her walk up and down the living room trying to assess the limp, trying to find the part that hurt. I pressed and pinched each bit of the leg but only a slight whimper, nothing agonising. I gave her some treats (which she rushed towards) and she went off upstairs for her usual long lazy day of mammoth sleeps. Walking around Sainsburys I stocked up on chicken, treats, wet food and milk for her.

Today, her limp appeared again. It is occasional and not always in the same leg. Is it possible for her to be tricking us? Can cats be that conniving? Surely not our Shoomi. She came downstairs to meow at her sorry looking food tray, after seeing I was busy with Tilly I'm sure she affected a limp as she walked towards me. As I started to put out some new food she came running through. What is going on? Is this some clever trick she has devised? Am I wrapped around her little paw?

Look at Shoomi lurking in the background.