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

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

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.

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I had to do that for Ootay when she was a kitten. She would stay up thundering around the house all night, and then go off and hide somewhere secret and sleep all day. I finally found her hiding place, way WAY up in the rafters of the barn part of the house. (we were turning a barn into a house and living it it while doing it, the litter boxes were in the barn part accessible by cat flap)

So I had to catch her in the morning after breakfast, before she got up there, and keep her up all day.

I don't remember having any trouble like that with any other cats, they've always seemed to settle right into the routine.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

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!!!

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Aww, that's too funny! Well poor Katie just can't help herself! I mean, what better toy is there than a twitching tail? I suppose she'll learn eventually though, with enough 'discipline' from big sister Abby.

Have fun on your 'training day' too.. sounds like a great idea!

Originally Posted by DarkMavis

Aww, that's too funny! Well poor Katie just can't help herself! I mean, what better toy is there than a twitching tail?

I suppose she'll learn eventually though, with enough 'discipline' from big sister Abby.

Have fun on your 'training day' too.. sounds like a great idea!

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TOO CUTE! Shelly used to let - even encourage! - Flowerbelle to play with his tail (but he's our Ambassador boy). Ahhhhh kitties - it's been a long time since we had a kitty, and I'm loving these stories! Keep 'em coming!

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

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!!!

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Tumbles never learned not to play with Callie's tail! No matter how many she hissed at him and bopped him on the noggin', he never "got it"!

Spencer and Katie are doing so well! They had a good wet food breakfast this morning.

I'm starting to be able to tell them apart (well for the most part ). Katie is darker and Spencer's tail is thicker. When in bed Spencer is the one who is all over me wanting loves and he likes to lay like Abby does. Next to me, bum under my arm pit hugging my arm so I can give him belly rubs Katie tends to want to be in my face or laying on top of me.

Abby is adjusting well. She sat there waiting for the kittens to pass by before continuing to the bathroom for her morning routine of loves and snuggles. I took the last stitch out yesterday. Her incisions are looking great. Completely healed and the scabs are sloughing off. I can rub and scratch her head properly again, and she absolutely loves that!!

Oh....and Katie has an affinity for the colour red....just like Abby does. The kittens found the toy basket and there are dozens of toys all over the house, and Katie constantly gravitates to the red ones. Abby even let her play with her red furry mouse and didn't have a fit about it. Abby even played with it a little when Katie was done with it.

Thanks for the happy update! Sounds like the integration period is over, and they are all one big happy.

Glad Abby is all healed up too.

Oh Linda this is FABULOUS! I'm just busting smiles! You must be SO HAPPY - and in kitty heaven!

I'm with Laurie! I constantly smile when I read this thread, and I'm picturing all the stuff that's going on. I love your description of the way Spencer sleeps, and that he wants loves. They sound like they're so sweet and happy in their new home!!

And wonderful that Abby healed up so well!

Well done, on all counts!!

Oiy! I forgot how bad kitty poops can smell! Spencer and Katie are peeing and pooping machines!!!

I'm noticing that all 3 seem to be using the box in the bathroom more than the one in the bedroom. I may end up being able to get rid of the box in my bedroom if they all continue to want to use the one box. I'd rather only have one box, and preferably not one in my bedroom. I find it too dusty. But the layout of my apartment would mean the box would be in my living room/dining room or kitchen. Definitely don't want that!!

I remember those days! I felt like all Tumbles did was eat, play, poop, eat, play, poop...

I would actually add another box for them since ideally, you should have 1 more box than kitties.

Linda, as Stephanie points out, the rule of thumb is one more box than kitties. That said, we've got 8 cats happily using three boxes. It depends entirely upon the cats, their preferences, and how clean you keep the boxes. You might want to wait until the babies are a bit older to cut out the box in the bedroom, but you can always add a box (or two) back if you need to. Always a good idea to have a spare one around just in case someone gets sick and doesn't want to have to get all the way to the bathroom.

Also, just in case... there is furniture for boxes - some of it quite nice (though usually a little expensive), so if you decide to have a box in the living room/dining room, you could.

When I had both Chynna and Abby, both happily used the one litter box. I scoop at least 3 times per day. Morning, when I get home and before I go to bed. And sometimes in between if I am in the bathroom and notice that someone has used it.

I still have the one in my bedroom, and see it's been used about 3 times over the last couple of days. The one on the bathroom seems to be the primary box for all 3.

I'll keep both for now. As the kittens grow they may decide that they actually want a second box.

I still won't have one in my living room though. Poops can smell bad, and I wouldn't want my cats to be using a litter box when I have someone sitting right next to it.

I've been taking pictures today. They seem to have grown in the week that they've been here!

Monday is their post op check up. I don't really need to take them because the incisions look like they've healed up nicely and since I changed their food back, no more vomiting or diarrhea from either of them.

But I suspect part of the reason that they want me to bring them back is so that they can see that they are being well cared for, so I'll oblige them. Besides, the girls there had gotten quite attached to them while they were there.

So how did your campaign preventing them from sleeping go?

And I'm SO GLAD to hear their tummies have adjusted.

Also, I'm sure you're right on both counts (re: the post-op check up). But doesn't that mean they have to go back in another two weeks for the vaccination follow-up? Or they were old enough they'd already done the course? That's what we did when fostering/adopting out. We'd give the distemper booster right before adopting out the kitty so that the new family would have to take them back for the booster (and the vet could make sure they're being well cared for).

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

When I had both Chynna and Abby, both happily used the one litter box. I scoop at least 3 times per day. Morning, when I get home and before I go to bed. And sometimes in between if I am in the bathroom and notice that someone has used it.

I still have the one in my bedroom, and see it's been used about 3 times over the last couple of days. The one on the bathroom seems to be the primary box for all 3.

I'll keep both for now. As the kittens grow they may decide that they actually want a second box.

I still won't have one in my living room though. Poops can smell bad, and I wouldn't want my cats to be using a litter box when I have someone sitting right next to it.

I've been taking pictures today. They seem to have grown in the week that they've been here!

Monday is their post op check up. I don't really need to take them because the incisions look like they've healed up nicely and since I changed their food back, no more vomiting or diarrhea from either of them.

But I suspect part of the reason that they want me to bring them back is so that they can see that they are being well cared for, so I'll oblige them. Besides, the girls there had gotten quite attached to them while they were there.

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Can you just keep two boxes in the bathroom? Side by side, or put in a platform and one on top of the other?


As for this (bolded) I bet they don't doubt the kittens' care, but I bet they are dying to see them.

I know, during Queen Eva's long stay in the hospital my vet got very attached to her, and is dying to see her. I called her and asked if I could bring Queen Eva in for a weight when Tolly has his check up on Feb 8, and she was thrilled with the idea.

And hey, yeah, I want to know also how the keep-them-awake-during-the-day-so-they-sleep-at-night is going.

Worked like a charm! They slept all night long!!! It always works.

I so need a better camera! They are running around and leaping/jumping and every time I try taking a picture with my crummy Kodak Easyshare, it's nothing but a blur.

Yes, yes, get a new camera!

And YAY! Now I know what to recommend to people in behavior! I'll have to bookmark those posts!

Originally Posted by LDG

Yes, yes, get a new camera!

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I'll soon be able to take action shots and even some movies! A fellow TSC'er contacted me and told me that they recently got a new camera and had an old one that I could have. I don't really know anything about cameras, but this one has a shutter that can take several pictures in a row, plus it can make movies. So I'll be able to capture Spencer and Katie in all of their goofiness!

Katie is definitely the more aggressive player. They both love the laser pointer, but Katie is psycho when I pull it out. She runs across the room and does her ninja moves and literally lands/hits 1/2 way up the wall! She's quite the little athlete.

I discovered that Spencer likes to lay on his tummy with his front and back legs stretched out. It's just too darn cute!!

Abby is getting better with them. Yesterday evening, all 3 were sitting in a triangle formation, about 3 feet apart from each other. Katie was going crazy with her red felt knot toy and Spencer and Abby were laying there watching her.

I'm starting to be able to tell them apart a bit more easily. They have different mannerisms. They approach me for cuddles in different ways. Spencer's face is longer and his head is a bit larger (not readily visible, but I can tell when I am cuddling which one it is) Spencer also likes to lay on his back. Katie not so much.

I took some pictures over the weekend. I'll post them later today in pictures. I can't believe how much they've grown in the week they've been here.

The vet estimated their birthday at September 18, 2010. So they're still little but growing!

Oh Linda, what WONDERFUL news! And how generous!

But of everything, I'm just so so so pleased that Abby really seems OK with all of this.

I can't wait to see more pics!!

Well, they've both discovered the fridge!!!! No sooner I open the door, one or both climbs in I get one out, and the other hops back in