Behaviour learning

[temperpolk]

Mojo has been in the house for one week now. He is 6 weeks old today. From moment one, Dusky, my 2 year old spayed female that I rescued from the park next door when she was about 6 months old, treated him like her own little kitten. Two weeks after I took her in, on the second vet visit for the booster and to talk about the spaying he told me that she was pregnant already. I made the painful decision to abort because the pregnancy was still early enough. I still feel guilty about it though. I'm wondering if Mojo's super easy introduction had anything to do with the fact that she was pregnant back then. Any ideas? Also, one thing I observed that left me astounded... when I first brought Mojo home, just a tiny 5 week old kitten, he would go straight to the litter box but would fail to cover his "business". I started to notice that Dusky would go to the litter box right after and cover Mojo's stuff. Yesterday and today I'm noticing that Mojo is successfully covering.

 

[otto]

Some cats are nurturers by nature. Sounds like Dusky is one of those, how lucky for your new little boy!

For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing with the spay/abort. I would choose that option too. There's too many unwanted as it is, and why put the cat through it if it's avoidable.

Please share more stories about Dusky and Mojo! (and pics!)

 

[temperpolk]

thank you! have you noticed how hard it is to take a good picture of a cat. They have the best pose but as soon as the camera is pointed they turn away..

But here is a picture of Dusky and Mojo's introduction the day I first brought him home (last Friday night)

 

[temperpolk]

 

[temperpolk]

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._8080392_n.jpg

 

[otto]

Awwww...! that is an adorable picture! thanks for sharing.

 

[strange_wings]

That is cute. Some cats accept others easily, and some adapt more easily to kittens then you'd think. Probably cause something that tiny doesn't look like any sort of threat.

Has Mojo been to the vet, yet? It's right around that time he should go in for his first checkup and you need to discuss kitten vacs with your vet.

 

[temperpolk]

I found Mojo at the vet. I think I posted before that I feel that Mojo was a gift from Polkie, my 17 year old that I had to let go because of prolongued and severe CRF. The night that I had to say goodbye to my beloved Polkie was the first time I ever noticed my vet having kittens for adoption. Mojo came home the very next day. He has had his first deworming and has an appointment on the 11th for the second and also the first booster. I am aware that he could have passed something nasty to Dusky, but I have a small space and the crying the first night made me give in. I do plan to have Dusky tested for "nasties"in the near future as well..

 

[strange_wings]

^I figured either a friend or someone else gave you a healthy kitten and this wasn't a foundling - you would have been asking different and more questions if that was the case.

Since you got the kitten from the vet, it's probably healthy. Make sure your little one is getting a good canned kitten food and maybe even some kmr in his food. I'll be looking forward to future post about him growing strong and driving you crazy with kitten antics.

 

[temperpolk]

Thanks so much! the advice is much appreciated (in fact..you don't know how much..). Dusky has been eating kidney diet food for about 2 years because Polkie was on it and I couldn't aford 2 separate diets and when I did try she just wouldn't eat anything else. Now Mojo is here. He is on wet Performatrin Ultra (all stages) and Dusky is slowly converting (mix of dry K/D and Performatrin Ultra Lamb & Rice and getting on the wet stuff as well) So far I haven't seen any alarming signs except she is looking for her KD dry. But I am hopeful. Also, I stopped free feeding

 

[darkimager]

He's SO beautiful

And that's such a cute picture.