Kitten update

[conuly]

With her sister for company, Nellie has decided she is scared of humans after all. Luckily, a little more food helped there, and once they'd eaten enough to make their tummies bulge out, I tossed around a cat toy for a bit, gave them something to do besides hide in a corner and avoid me. Kid Blink still isn't interested (though she's interested enough in food to get real close) but Nellie came and pet me a few times, and let me pet her so long as my hand wasn't at all in her face. I accidentally did that once and she bolted, and wouldn't come out again. Playtime is over, but I'll try another session in a few hours, before I go to bed. I'll also bring down some books and read there for a while. I'm contemplating the merits of sleeping down there. Pro: kittens can get used to me. Con: no a/c, and kittens are nocturnal. They might "get used to me" by jumping on my face!

Comments

[alatefeline]

But. But kitties. How can do anything besides stay with kitties?

[conuly]

Well, they don't really like me, so it's not like it's lots of snuggly cuddle time.

[alatefeline]

While that makes perfect sense, I have a mental glitch every time the topic of 'walk away from KITTY' comes up. It's the fuzzy spot in my mind acting up.

[conuly]

No, I feel ya. In this case, I think being isolated and bored is better for their socialization, paradoxically. They're starting to associate humans with food, and also toys and, very tentatively, snuggles.

[gatheringrivers]

Depending on the age, if they're non-stop run-run-run, you may end up being used as a launch pad and wake up covered in kitteh scratches. I don't necessarily consider that a bad thing, m'self. :)

[conuly]

Well, you're welcome to come to my house and try it out. Be warned, that bed is super uncomfortable. (LIKE OMG SO UNCOMFORTABLE I THINK THE FLOOR WOULD BE BETTER.)

[alatefeline]

:)

[archangelbeth]

(KITTENS! ...we had a poor born-feral (he was born INSIDE A HOUSE and was really never outside for his whole life) who was... afraid of human hands. Humans in general, but OMG hands. So eventually, if one was very calm and he was sure you weren't going to mess with him, he would come up and face away and let himself be petted. If he happened to see a HAND, he would run. But if he didn't see it, then he was fine.)

(...poor Hodgie. He was sweet and never deliberately bit or scratched when we caught him for going to the vet, but OH he hated being handled except when he couldn't see and it was entirely on his own terms. But so sweet.)

[conuly]

Some cats are just like that. Poor baby. But it sounds like you took good care of him and he was happy anyway, and that's what matters.

[archangelbeth]

Did our best. He was another one that Cancer claimed, in the end. O:(

[conuly]

Cancer will get anyone, if they live long enough.

[archangelbeth]

Took kidney failure and TWO cancers to take out our Baxter! And then his friend and wrasslepartner Ivan got nasal cancer shortly after... I'm unkeen on it when it strikes before 15, though. I know that when cats hit 15, the warranty runs out, BUT.

[jo]

Are you not at all worried that they might have fleas? That would be my number one concern re: bringing a feral animal into my home.

[conuly]

Oh, they definitely have fleas. All my animals are treated, though, and the kittens are isolated in a single small room. It's not going to be an enormous problem, except for the kittens - fleas are extremely detrimental to kitten health. If I could reliably hold them still, I'd treat them myself, but I plan to have them somewhere else soon.

[gatheringrivers]

My local vets suggested a mix of water and a little bit of Dawn dish soap, used with a flea comb, to get some of the nasties out of the fur.

[conuly]

If I could pick them up, I'd do it :(

[archangelbeth]

When we had fleas in the basement, from importing outdoor cats to being indoor cats, we vacuumed a LOT. It sucked up the larvae and broke the cycle.

Good luck!

[conuly]

Thanks :)

[rebeccmeister]

1. KITTEHS! We had a porch cat in Arizona who was a tortie, also named Nellie.

2. Hihi! :^)

[conuly]

Hi :)

We also have a tortie porch cat, though not so pretty as this one - Lola. Funnily, she's about their size, though I know for a fact that she's at least four years old.

KITTIES

[bibliofile]

Toy diplomacy! I've met very few cats who can't be lured into play with string (or mousies, or you get the idea). Also, fierce kittens are so damned cute.

Re: KITTIES

[conuly]

Kid Blink actually had no idea what to do with thrown cat toys until she saw her sister batting them around, and was completely scared of the dancing string at first! Now she's got the idea and she likes catching the string and dragging it away from me, but it took a few tries.