2 kittens becoming 1?

[catsintaiwan]

well, she was spayed and I gave her lots of attention and all's fine now. The boy kitten has settled down now from the stress. We have a solid offer for the boy and are close to taking it. He's definitely clingy/needy, and while it's cute, it's also hard work and we're busy. If we let him go but keep her, then I'm worried she'll miss him and/or get bored. Probably we'd be best to get a female kitten next year.

I called more places, but nothing definite has turned up-and spent a chilly 4 hours walking around a hillside housing community outside Taipei yesterday, chatting to people and trying for chances to allow both cats to live in a house with yard so they can play inside and out. Nothing definite, there yet, either.

They're both sleeping together on a blanket in front of a heater, she's on her back with legs stretched out, content. From the hillside up a tree (being chased by a dog), to 200m away inside an apartment, with hugs and pats and regular food, and in front of a heater. I hope it's an improvement for the sweet wee thing considering her lost freedom.

Thanks to all of you who spent a bit of time replying to me to help out. It's a good forum,

 

[otto]

I think you are doing the right thing, keeping them together. I abhor the practice of slitting up bonded pairs "so one can have a good home". How good is that home going to be for that cat who has now lost his or her life long companion? What kind of selfish person is willing to split a bonded pair? I would question the "good home" part of anyone willing to do that. It's a horrible horrible thing to do to adult cats.

Kittens, especially younger kittens, can adjust better, so it's not quite such a horrible thing. But I am really glad you want them to stay together.

Congrats on the spay. Once the boy is done too, you may have better luck finding them a home.

You're doing so well by them.

 

[catsintaiwan]

aargh! So torn. GF wants him to be given to a friend with an older male cat this Friday. I'd prefer they be kept together, but it's complicated. At least they are still young. I really do like this girl kitten, hope I can give her the best home or keep her somehow. Cheers

 

[otto]

Kittens adjust better than adults, so if they are to be split up, the sooner the better. My main concern is that the male is not yet neutered. If you are not positive the new owners will have him done right away, I would not let them have them until after he is done.

 

[catsintaiwan]

I am positive the new owner would have that done-he's a responsible person, and also would not like the kitten spraying around his apartment. He has another older male cat, so I'm not worried that the boy will have company-more worried about the girl, losing her friend. Although, it must be said that he's a clingy friend and within 1-2 years, will be dominant through size. This is a rationalisation for what I'm probably about to do-separate them, it seems best (can't find a good home for both of them, and can keep her more easily while looking for her future family)....

in the last 20 minutes, thrice she's made a small meow and jumped up on the sofa next to me and started purring, wanting a pat. First time, boy came over and they started play fighting. Other two times she's heard some noise he's making, ears popped up and she took off to check it out. When they play, it's for hours, they just can't bring themselves to stop. I'm thinking she can tolerate him at times, but he makes her uncomfortable so she must respond. 

Cheers and Merry Christmas.

 

[catsintaiwan]

an update...

after her op, I gave them a week to socialise and renew the close friendship. Initially they slept in different places, and it was lookign like they should be split without too much trouble. However, they soon started necking and licking each other, and being close friends, so my GF decided that I was right and we should keep them together-and she also wanted to keep them-but is worried about the long term trouble if we have holidays etc. They are adorable-sleep on beds/knees etc.

Cat olympics:

I have a cat mountain for their climbing in the living room-things covered by rubber yoga mat that they can clamber up and rest on the top of, connected by a branch covered in a blanket  2 ft off the ground to a wooden step ladder that's got the rungs covered in tightly tied small towels. They can clamber up and down and from one to the other at mad speeds, holding on to a rung and wrestling their body around it, chasing whatever toy, or each other. I trim his claws but not hers, so any size advantage he has is negated. Although as a punishment I have plenty of her claw marks on my legs, stomach, back where she's seen me as the quickest way to catch her favourite toy. They're lightning quick, strong and ferocious toward their favourite toy. 

More confidence:

she's more confident staying in one place purring happily while he comes and goes. That's a big plus for me.

killer cat toy:

That's why I'm posting this now: I recommend others try this simple toy: Go to a farm/market and get 5-10 real chicken feathers, from freshly killed feathers. Wash, dry, and fluff them out. Tie them to a 1m length of string.

That's it. The smell and taste will drive them mad. It looks like a bird tail, and they can play for ages.

eating like kings:

And to ensure they eat enough, I feed them a piece of chicken (3/4 cooked) each morning and evening, an egg (fully cooked) mid day and normal cat food in their bowls constantly whenever they want to snack.

 

[txcatmom]

Wow....I love the enriching environment you've given them.  It sounds like a cat paradise.  I wouldn't worry too much about any size advantage.  From a human perspective we think size matters but I'm pretty sure there are many other factors involved with cats.  You hear stories all the time about the tiny female cat ruling the roost.

And to ensure they eat enough, I feed them a piece of chicken (3/4 cooked) each morning and evening, an egg (fully cooked) mid day and normal cat food in their bowls constantly whenever they want to snack.

I just wanted to make sure you were aware that homemade diets need to be supplemented with things like taurine.  Cats can get very sick and die without taurine.  My cats eat raw meat but we stir in a supplement with taurine just to be sure they are getting enough.  They sell supplements to make homemade meals complete.  (There are ways to make it complete without the supplement but it involves carefully planned ratios of organ meat and bones.)  If the commercial cat food they snack on is the only taurine they are getting it is most likely not enough.  Just wanted to make sure you were aware.  If you have any questions about a balanced diet, there are so many helpful folks here.  You could start a thread in the nutrition section of the forum.

Good luck with the kitties!

 

[catsintaiwan]

thanks for your reply, compliment and suggestion, txcatmom...I'll get that supplement when take the boy kitten to the vet next week.

yes, we've also got a tunnel made from 3 boxes taped together end on end, hiding places behind sheets draped over things, a spot to sit in the window balcony separated by only mesh from the wild outdoors, heaters for cold days, an overhead fan that I can tie the feathers on a string to where it's just at parry height when they jump, a big plastic bag tied open so they can race through the middle of the cat mountain into the bag, then out through strategically cut holes in the side of the bag (or one cat will jump on the other while it's in the bag)

and I'm not finished.....it's really fun to watch them once they really get going, usually about 1am.....

 

[otto]

......so, they are yours now? They are forever home and forever together? Congratulations to all of you!

Here is a good place to start, to learn about proper feline diet:

www.catinfo.org

 

[catsintaiwan]

thanks otto, that's a great article/link, I've had a good read, and will make more effort to progress their diet to raw/partially cooked turkey/chicken. We feed them fish once a week, and beef once a week too-but I'll probably stop that, I couldn't imagine a domestic cat running down and killing a cow-no, not even our deadly little hunters.

one other thing-he's got bad breath, while she's fine. I'm going to brush his teeth, but if anyone has any other ideas on the causes, please let me know, thanks.

 

[my3grrlz]

i just read this thread and i am so happy for you and your 2 furbabies. i love happy endings.
as someone started above....they were meant to be with you. i am so glad that you both gave in and kept them.

they were meant to be (all along) in your home and your hearts forever.

and they are definitely 2 beautiful kitties.
 

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Aww!  It does sound like they are in kitty paradise! 

thanks otto, that's a great article/link, I've had a good read, and will make more effort to progress their diet to raw/partially cooked turkey/chicken. We feed them fish once a week, and beef once a week too-but I'll probably stop that, I couldn't imagine a domestic cat running down and killing a cow-no, not even our deadly little hunters.

one other thing-he's got bad breath, while she's fine. I'm going to brush his teeth, but if anyone has any other ideas on the causes, please let me know, thanks.

I'm not very familiar with breath issues.  Feel free to start another thread in the Care and Grooming section if you don't get as many replies here.  

 

[minka]

thanks otto, that's a great article/link, I've had a good read, and will make more effort to progress their diet to raw/partially cooked turkey/chicken. We feed them fish once a week, and beef once a week too-but I'll probably stop that, I couldn't imagine a domestic cat running down and killing a cow-no, not even our deadly little hunters.

Technically cats don't catch fish either.
Making a raw/homemade diet isn't about replicating what animals they would eat in the wild, but instead the type of foods their bodies were meant for. *
:nod:

Most people advise against feeding fish whatsoever because of potential for urinary issues or mercury, but as the owner of a cat who has to eat mostly fish because of allergies, I don't think of it as a big deal. Unless you buy organic, the meats we get are pumped full of hormones and what-not anyways. :dk:

one other thing-he's got bad breath, while she's fine. I'm going to brush his teeth, but if anyone has any other ideas on the causes, please let me know, thanks.

Some cats just don't have dental health that is as good as others. Brushing his teeth, taking him in for regular dentals, special cat mouth gels and chicken gizzards will do the trick.
:nod:






* You CAN make that kind of diet if you like. A few people will buy whole chicks and mice and feed them like that, but most people think that's a bit too much :lol3:

 

[catsintaiwan]

It's got some hard edges I intend to soften by covering with towels but it's stable and good looking.

I do have one question if anyone would be able to help, please:

When it's bed time the girl cat will often come to our room and meow, and we pat her for 10 minutes or so...then boy will come in and she'll quickly leave. And he'll sometimes stay all night curled up on the corner of the bed, while she sleeps in other parts of the house. Ideally we'd like her to be more relaxed and not jealous, and we certainly don't want it to exacerbate. Today they were sleeping curled up together on the sofa. Mostly it's hot so they avoid too much contact with soft furnishings or each other. So, if anyone can solve this dilemma and make them sleep together with us, relaxed and not trying to possess the room, it would be great. Cheers.