- Joined
- May 8, 2010
- Messages
- 22
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My two orphans are doing really well. They're eating soft Royal Canin from a bowl now - still sticking their paws into it and swimming through it. They have gained to 19 ounces! Vet did an early Lukemia/AIDS test and both were negative (I'm going to re-test when they reach 2 pounds just to be on the safe side).
Given the good result, I'm trying a little socialization with my housecats. I'm letting them visit through a pet-gate. Two of my housecats won't care at all about the kittens, the other two may be upset.
The two who may be upset are an 18yo female and 6yo male. They both seem most interested in the kittens, though. The other two stop at the gate and watch.
The 18yo female is the alpha and she was furious when I adopted the male (now 6yo). He was 1yr when I brough him in.
She lays by the gate and trys to paw the kittens. No aggressive vocalizations. The kittens paw back and they played like that for awhile this morning. The old female layed on her back and reached through the gate, seemed playful.
I don't know if the 18yo female is being "friendly" or if she thinks they're some new cat toy without a string that she can pounce and chew the heck out of if she gets ahold of them (although she only has 1 canine and a couple of molars left...like I said, she's old!). I first tried taking the old female into the kittens room for socialization and she freaked... growled, hissed, etc. She doesn't display any aggression if I bring a kitten from their room into the rest of the house.
She hasn't seen a kitten of this age for 14 years. I took in my other two housecats when they were 7 weeks old (also from an abandoned litter). She was 4yo then and she took over as the "mother" for them. Carried them around the house, groomed them, etc.
Anyone have an suggestions or techniques for socialization?
Given the good result, I'm trying a little socialization with my housecats. I'm letting them visit through a pet-gate. Two of my housecats won't care at all about the kittens, the other two may be upset.
The two who may be upset are an 18yo female and 6yo male. They both seem most interested in the kittens, though. The other two stop at the gate and watch.
The 18yo female is the alpha and she was furious when I adopted the male (now 6yo). He was 1yr when I brough him in.
She lays by the gate and trys to paw the kittens. No aggressive vocalizations. The kittens paw back and they played like that for awhile this morning. The old female layed on her back and reached through the gate, seemed playful.
I don't know if the 18yo female is being "friendly" or if she thinks they're some new cat toy without a string that she can pounce and chew the heck out of if she gets ahold of them (although she only has 1 canine and a couple of molars left...like I said, she's old!). I first tried taking the old female into the kittens room for socialization and she freaked... growled, hissed, etc. She doesn't display any aggression if I bring a kitten from their room into the rest of the house.
She hasn't seen a kitten of this age for 14 years. I took in my other two housecats when they were 7 weeks old (also from an abandoned litter). She was 4yo then and she took over as the "mother" for them. Carried them around the house, groomed them, etc.
Anyone have an suggestions or techniques for socialization?
