Day 8: Kitten feeding milestone

hwc

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As I mentioned in my introductory thread A Tale of Two Kitties, I have two new kittens. One is a rambunctious male we've had for three weeks and the second is a very shy feral female we've had for a week, both from the same shelter. It's been an experience introducing these two to the house and to each other, with a steady stream of breakthroughs.

Today was a feeding breakthrough. They just ate lunch side by side from a two-sided dual feeding bowl!

Scaredy Cat started out eating in her private bedroom, first only when nobody was looking. About three days ago, I started feeding her from her own bowl on one side of the kitchen while Bubba Jr. ate from his bowl at the other side. Not easy because Scaredy Cat won't let anyone pick her up and plop her down at a food bowl.

Today, I fixed a nice wet food lunch and put half of it in each side of the two-sided cat dish. I waited until both kitties had gotten the scent and were lurking near the kitchen. Then, I put the bowl down where Scaredy Cat usually eats. They both walked up and ate side by side peacefully, switching sides about halfway through!

Maybe a few more meals like this and I can move the bowl back to the normal feeding station!


Oh, and yesterday Scaredy Cat ventured down the basement steps and explored the cellar for the first time, including the basement litter box. That's a good sign for the prospects of moving the temporary litter box in the hall downstairs, too!
 
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hwc

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And now a petting breakthrough:

OK, they ate dinner side by side again tonight. Life is good.

Even better, Scaredy Cat came over and rubbed up against my legs before dinner. She's been doing this for a couple of days, but bolts if I reach down to pet her. Tonight she just stood there purring and let me pet her. Had both kitties around my ankles petting one with each hand.

Life is really good! A kitty is a lot more fun if she lets you pet it! Plus, it will make life easier if we can get to the point where she'll let me pick her up.

Poor thing needs some practice hunting for dangling toys. When she stands up and tries to bat one over her head, she hits herself in the back of her head with her paws!
 

darlili

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Oh, what a lovely story to read this afternoon - you must be very proud of your little girl.

I was thinking, though, don't be too surprised if she's not a lap cat or doesn't like being picked up. Some cats are just like that. My girl follows me around constantly, sleeps with me, almost always stays in whatever room I'm in, demands petting when she's in the mood, and greets me at the door when I come home, yet absolutely will not be held and has never tried sitting on my lap, or any other extremity. The boy is the exact opposite.
 
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hwc

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Originally Posted by darlili

I was thinking, though, don't be too surprised if she's not a lap cat or doesn't like being picked up. Some cats are just like that.
I know. Our last kitty never liked being picked up. Carrying her always meant arms outstretched. She ended up being really loveable even to the point of sleeping in the crook of my arm (after several years), but she never once sat on a lap in the three or four years we had her.

I'm hoping Scaredy Cat comes around a bit more. Right now, her skittishness is making all kinds of things difficult. Like not being able to pick her up and carry her over to the scratching post, etc. I'm not sure what I will do for a vet trip in a couple more weeks. I'm really trying to avoid cornering her and doing the forced scruff capture as I think that is counter-productive right now.

The two kitties are just having a blast together. It's definitely a two-way street on instigating the kitty games as they chase each other around the house to the point of exhaustion.
 
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hwc

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Day 9

Kitties ate together out of the two-sided bowl for all meals today.

Scaredy Cat let me pet her twice. Both times she was relaxing on a dining room chair, let my lie down on the floor next to her, and pet her. Once she hopped down and and lay on the floor next to me while I petted her. Both times, Bubba Jr. joined the party so I had to pet two kitties at once. The second time, Bubba jumped up and started wrestlying Scaredy Cat on the chair, so I figured I better get my hand outta there.

Being so busy gnawing on Scaredy Cat has cost Bubba Jr. a lot of his pettin' time.

Scaredy Cat still won't let me approach from across the room, reach out, and start petting her, but she's flinching a lot less.
 
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