Today's the day!!! (kittens!!!)

They are all out together. Abby is doing remarkably well, considering! She was laying on the chair next to me when I let them out. She looked at them and craned her neck to see them. After a few minutes of me petting her and talking to her, she jumped down and settled on the floor. I think it was Spencer that got within a few feet of her. They both hissed at each other. I kept talking to Abby gently telling her "No!" and "Be nice!" and assuring her that no one was going to hurt her and that she is a pretty girl and that Mommy loves her. She settled and just watched the kittens.

Just now Abby was sniffing their bed and Spencer came up behind her and sniffed her butt! She turned around and gave him a hiss but didn't make a move toward him. He scurried off after Katie.

I'm trying to take pictures, but they move so fast it's a blur!!

Katie just checked out Abby too. Abby on one side of the cat bed, Katie on the other. She moved around one side to get within 6 inches of Abby and Abby hissed and Katie growled...if that's what you want to call the sound I heard....it was a rather pathetic growl! Then Katie ran off. Now Abby is in meatloaf position by the cat bed watching them run around.

Oh Linda, Abby is taking this SO WELL I can't believe it! Tink's right - she sounds confident of your love, and IS probably figuring out how she wants to take to them.

Keeping up the for all of you!

Abby laid in meatloaf position on the furry blanket on the table for about an hour or so while watching them run around. The cat tree is near the table and one or the other would get on the tree. Abby just sat there with a watchful gaze.

When I was on the couch, Abby came and laid on top of me as per her usual and I gave her lots of loves and brushes. Plus I removed 1 more suture. Just 3 more left in her head/neck. All the ones from her back are out.

Next she laid on the cat bed and then on the floor watching them. Then back to me for more lovings. Finally she went back to the table where she resumed her meatloaf position and she's still there. The table is near the couch so I was talking to her and telling her how much I loved her and reached out to give her brushes when she would hiss at Katie (see lower down).

One kitten, I think Katie has been on the window ledge and on the chair under the table peeking out at Abby. Abby just watched until Katie peeked out too much and then Abby sat up and hissed which caused Katie to hiss. But Abby made no move to be aggressive towards her other than the hiss.

I'm tired and am going to head to bed. Last night I put the kittens back in the bathroom for the night. But I think I'm going to chance leaving everyone out and hope for the best. Abby seems to be doing pretty well and I haven't seen her chase or stalk or swipe at the kittens at all. And given their size and speed, I think if she did, they would be gone in a flash.

In all the years I've had Abby, she's shown herself to be a pretty mild/gentle cat. Even when Chynna was with us, Abby never made a move to try and be the dominant one. She always deferred to Chynna. I don't think she's going to defer to the kittens, but her gentle personality has been shining through so far.

Aww, sounds like they will get along in no time!

Abby seems to be acting a lot like Genever with Dorothy. She does a lot of intent watching. And if poor Dorothy gets too close, Genever hisses. But no smacking or anything. Yet.

You don't seem to be too worried as it is, but if it makes you feel any better, it sounds like Abby is acting toward the kittens just like Delilah acts toward Belle (her littermate who she's never been apart from) when she's in a crabby mood. Actually, I think Abby is probably a little nicer to the kittens than Delilah is to Belle. But, within a couple of days, they seem to have it all worked out and are best friends again. I bet that's what will happen with Abby and the kittens!

They did well being left out all night. None of us got any sleep, but they did well!

Abby would come up and cuddle with me on the bed, then one of the kittens would jump up and come around wanting "in". Abby would lay there and hiss. But what do kittens know....and they just sat there looking or hissed back. Abby would then get down, and come back later to try again. Rinse and repeat!

One time Abby was laying on the foot of the bed by the corner so she could watch the door. I guess Spencer was on the other side of the bed and jumped up to get a few pets from me. When he saw Abby, he pounced over to where she was and was about 4 inches from her back side watching her tail move intently. Abby eventually noticed him and hissed, he growled, and she hissed again and then decided to get down. When she was leaving the bedroom Katie was in the doorway. Abby gave her a wide berth, hissing as she went.

Abby got some cuddles this morning, and some brushes. I also removed 3 more sutures. 1 more to go!!!!

I'm going to take the chance of leaving them all together today while I'm at work. I think Abby has proven herself to not be a threat to the kittens. I figure if she was going to hurt them, she would have done it already.

Oh...and they are all using both litter boxes.

Wow! This seems to be going so well! Congratulations on a smooth transition. What fun it must be watching them interact. It's such a cool study in behavior, isn't it?

So, "yay" for you and your kitty family!!

Don't you wish you could get into their brains and translate their kitty thoughts about what's going on?

It is fun watching! Spence and Katie seem to be attached by an invisible piece of string. Where one goes the other follows. It's like a synchronized ballet....run, run, run....turn, run, run run....turn....

Too cute!

I'm loving having them at home. Not sure Abby feels that way so far.

And I've yet to see any kitties sleeping together. I guess they do all of their sleeping while I'm at work. I can't wait to see a pile of kitties all snuggled up together!!

I love all the updates as the little ones are settling in. They sound adorable and Abby is being such a good girl.

Originally Posted by eilcon

I love all the updates as the little ones are settling in.

They sound adorable and Abby is being such a good girl.

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And I love the way you tell the stories.

Spencer is going to be a pillow boy! He came to lay down on the pillow next to my head (where Chynna used to sleep) several times over night. Didn't sleep, but he laid there for all of 30 seconds each time allowing me to give him head rubs, before he was off and running again.

This weekend I'm going to turn them around to my schedule. I plan on keeping them awake and active all day long so that they sleep during the night instead of running around playing all night long. Me and Abby were totally exhausted this morning!

I'm enjoying all of the kitty updates! Sounds like everyone is adjusting well!!

Just got home. No kitties around at all!!!

Abby came out of the bedroom. Still no sign of Spencer and Katie.

Then Spencer and Katie came out of the bedroom.

Abby was sitting on the floor by my computer chair. Spencer walked right up to her and stood about 3 inches from her. Abby sat there looking for a few seconds, sniffed and then hissed, but quieter than before. Spencer walked away.

Now Abby is laying on the floor, on her side, belly exposed. Spencer walked by and Abby hissed once, but didn't move.

I would say it was a good day!

Oh YAY!!!! Sounds like today went great!

As to this one...

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Spencer is going to be a pillow boy! He came to lay down on the pillow next to my head (where Chynna used to sleep) several times over night. Didn't sleep, but he laid there for all of 30 seconds each time allowing me to give him head rubs, before he was off and running again.

This weekend I'm going to turn them around to my schedule. I plan on keeping them awake and active all day long so that they sleep during the night instead of running around playing all night long. Me and Abby were totally exhausted this morning!

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I love your optimism! Good luck with that!

Originally Posted by LDG

Oh YAY!!!!

Sounds like today went great!

As to this one...



I love your optimism!

Good luck with that!

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It really does work. I've done it with all of my cats/kittens when I get them home. When I got Abby she was 4 months old. I was on vacation so I was able to turn her schedule right away.

When I say I keep them awake all day, I really do. I pay extra attention and keep a constant eye out for them trying to nap. If I catch them napping, I wake them up and play with them. It works like a charm. I feel really awful when I see them so tired that they can hardly stand up sometimes....but it's only one day.

I had a kitty pile!!! But by the time I got my camera, one of the kittens jumped off of the chair.

Abby is sleeping on the table, having been cuddled and brushed and loved on.

I'm heading to bed, so Abby will likely join me soon. Going to remove the last suture tomorrow morning. Hopefully the kittens will let us get some sleep tonight. I was falling asleep at my desk today

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

It really does work. I've done it with all of my cats/kittens when I get them home. When I got Abby she was 4 months old. I was on vacation so I was able to turn her schedule right away.

When I say I keep them awake all day, I really do. I pay extra attention and keep a constant eye out for them trying to nap. If I catch them napping, I wake them up and play with them. It works like a charm. I feel really awful when I see them so tired that they can hardly stand up sometimes....but it's only one day.

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Wow, that's really amazing! One day! It's a great idea - people are always asking how to get kitties on their schedule in the behavior forum.

Thank goodness I've never had to get a cat on my own schedule. Both Hannah and Tumbles adapted well to the schedule in our house with no night crying or playing. As a matter of fact, if we want Tumbles to calm down at night we turn the lights OFF. He settles down almost immediately. Of course, this means no reading in bed for me!

Originally Posted by LDG

Wow, that's really amazing! One day! It's a great idea - people are always asking how to get kitties on their schedule in the behavior forum.

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Yep. One day. But you have to be completely dedicated and vigilant about it. That means spending every minute of that day watching, stalking and playing with the cat/kittens in order to prevent them from napping for long periods.

A couple naps for 15 or 20 minutes throughout the day is ok, but when they power snooze for hours, that's not ok.

If they nap, they aren't tired when it comes time for you to go to bed.

Well, Abby gave Katie the first bop on the head (that I saw anyway). Katie was pretty insistent about Abby's tail this morning and refused to stop stalking it! Abby actually growled at her, but Katie just kept right on playing with Abby's tail. Abby twitching it around didn't help!

Abby finally raised her paw and finally bopped Katie on the head. Katie laid down on her side, ears back in a submissive way. Abby settled down. Katie got right back up and went to the side of the cat bed that Abby's tail was hanging over and started playing with it again! She'll learn!!!