Mercy

[kittens mom]

 
Isn't though?  I keep telling people that Hekitty rules my house with an iron paw.  They think I'm kidding.  They have obviously never lived with a cat.  Ever.

Interestingly Mook is not demanding. Mercy on the other hand has an opinion on everything and lets you know about it. Birds. Feed me. Hold me. Play with me. If that girl needs something she'll make all her talky sounds. Although you should have heard the cussing when she encountered the two sided tape half way up the drapes. Yes I am evil.

Mook will come ask to play or get rubs but she doesn't run on an agenda. She's also a self player. Usually several hours a night in the kitchen crashing and banging and various songs of her people play out.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Such little individuals they all are!  Hekitty isn't clingy at all, in fact, for the most part she's rather aloof, although she's far more affectionate post-pancreatitis than she was pre.  But she is most insistent on things being done her way and at her convenience.  If patting my face in the morning doesn't get me moving quickly enough to suit her, she literally kicks my fanny out of bed...gets up on the pillow, charges down the bed, and mule-kicks me sidewards as she passes said bit of anatomy.  This is accompanied by a squall that sounds as if I were torturing her to death...Does late breakfast count as torture?  I suppose it does in a cat's world.  And she has learned how to "knock" by hooking her paw under the lower kitchen cabinet door and releasing it to thump shut...repeatedly.   This continues until I get up and get her a treat.  If it's a "healthy" treat, I can expect the knocking to resume within 10 minutes.  If it's Temptations (Kitty Crack), I'm good for up to 4 hours.  She will also sit in the bedroom door and yowl until I come to bed if she considered that I've sat up too late.

 

[kittens mom]

 
Such little individuals they all are!  Hekitty isn't clingy at all, in fact, for the most part she's rather aloof, although she's far more affectionate post-pancreatitis than she was pre.  But she is most insistent on things being done her way and at her convenience.  If patting my face in the morning doesn't get me moving quickly enough to suit her, she literally kicks my fanny out of bed...gets up on the pillow, charges down the bed, and mule-kicks me sidewards as she passes said bit of anatomy.  This is accompanied by a squall that sounds as if I were torturing her to death...Does late breakfast count as torture?  I suppose it does in a cat's world.  And she has learned how to "knock" by hooking her paw under the lower kitchen cabinet door and releasing it to thump shut...repeatedly.   This continues until I get up and get her a treat.  If it's a "healthy" treat, I can expect the knocking to resume within 10 minutes.  If it's Temptations (Kitty Crack), I'm good for up to 4 hours.  She will also sit in the bedroom door and yowl until I come to bed if she considered that I've sat up too late.

LMAO. That's what it was like with Kitten.  She used to get my husband by picking his controller wire up in her mouth and going nah nah nah , Never left a tooth mark in any cord but you could hear the threat. Get me what I want or else the cord gets it.  Me not so subtle. I'd get smacked. Or she would use silent back to me laser beams to the spine to show her indignation at being fed late.

Mercy had seemed much more like a young kitten the past two days. Playing for hours , taking naps and soliciting companionship. She still is in the crate for 4-5 hours every night but that's from my direct observation of her in the day. The girl needs to be watched. It also gives Mook that one on one time I think is really important right now.

Yeah healthy treats. I have a drawer full.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

 
LMAO. That's what it was like with Kitten.  She used to get my husband by picking his controller wire up in her mouth and going nah nah nah , Never left a tooth mark in any cord but you could hear the threat. Get me what I want or else the cord gets it.  Me not so subtle. I'd get smacked. Or she would use silent back to me laser beams to the spine to show her indignation at being fed late.

Mercy had seemed much more like a young kitten the past two days. Playing for hours , taking naps and soliciting companionship. She still is in the crate for 4-5 hours every night but that's from my direct observation of her in the day. The girl needs to be watched. It also gives Mook that one on one time I think is really important right now.

Yeah healthy treats. I have a drawer full.

I'm sure that Mook is lapping up the one on one time.  Yes, it is so important.  So many catastrophic changes in such a short time, and I'm fairly sure from your previous posts that The Mookers considered Mercy a catastrophic change in the beginning!

Perhaps we should write letters to the makers of the healthy treats, suggesting that they get advice on flavoring from the makers of said Kitty Crack.

 

[donutte]

Temptations, I remember offering some of those to Lucky when he was sick and not eating, just to see if he would, not expecting anything. And he devoured them. I gave him as many as he would eat after that. Non-healthy be damned at that point.

And that is why I don't even bother with the "healthy" treats. Sara is probably the only one that would eat them because she eats everything.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

 
Temptations, I remember offering some of those to Lucky when he was sick and not eating, just to see if he would, not expecting anything. And he devoured them. I gave him as many as he would eat after that. Non-healthy be damned at that point.

And that is why I don't even bother with the "healthy" treats. Sara is probably the only one that would eat them because she eats everything.

Yep.  Cat's are very, very quick to "vote with their teeth."  There's no sense in paying a small fortune for something a cat wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole...or two 5 foot Italians, for that matter.

 

[kittens mom]

 
Yep.  Cat's are very, very quick to "vote with their teeth."  There's no sense in paying a small fortune for something a cat wouldn't touch with a 10 foot pole...or two 5 foot Italians, for that matter.

I have bought every healthy offering on the shelf. And KittyKrack is the only one that they'll touch. Mook does on occasion think the Belly Rub Bonita Flakes are just wonderful. The baby rolled in hers swatting them all over the place made a chirp and took off running.

 

[donutte]

My cats (all but one) like Pill Pockets. So much so I used to give them all one when Sara got pilled. But those things are expensive, so found something called... I keep forgetting the name. Oh, Meow Mix Irresistables. They are the only other "soft" one I could find. They like those too.

Penelopy doesn't eat treats at all. She sniffs them then walks away and rolls on the floor. I've never, ever had a cat that didn't like ANY treat at all before. Even the vet that saw her on the wellness visit was shocked. They never saw a (healthy) cat that didn't like treats either.

 

[kittens mom]

I try and make sure their overall diet is balanced. Kitten loved her dab of ranch dressing , sprinkle of parm cheese and her dollop of lactose free milk. That dab of cream cheese. Treats that didn't come often but she soooooooooo enjoyed. I cannot imagine now depriving her of those little joys. We had a morning ritual where she would hover while I made tea and wait for that sip of milk. Half the time she didn't drink it. It was the act of procurement that was important. Mook waits on the corner of the table for her KittyKrack. I've known parents that were militant about every morsel of food their children eat. We want to keep our pets healthy but I like mine to enjoy the little pleasures of their choosing in moderation of course. House cats rely on us for their nutrition but also some variation and treat times here are bonding times.

 

[kittens mom]

I have been putting Mercy in the small crate and taking her to the back room while I vacuum the living room and the rugs in the kitchen. ( cold winter floors I put down a rug). Tonight was her first being loose while cleaning. Such a good girl. First scooted under the table but then climbed on the bench like a big cat and watched. When I turned it off Mercy came right over to see and sniff. Right now she's playing with her new Catit track. Quite proud of her. Mook has a bad rap for attacking the vacuum when I turn it off. Something about slaying the dragon...

 

[margd]

Mercy sounds like a very happy kitty, secure in her new home. Funny Mook attacking the vacuum cleaner!

 

[zed xyzed]

What is it with kitties and vacuums?  My guy hisses at it like it is his mortal enemy.  

 

[kittens mom]

 
What is it with kitties and vacuums?  My guy hisses at it like it is his mortal enemy.  

It is.

 

[kittens mom]

Mercy sounds like a very happy kitty, secure in her new home. Funny Mook attacking the vacuum cleaner!

The past three days Mercy has acted more like a baby kitten and lost that slight nervous edge. Much more relaxed playing by herself or with Mook a lot and sleeping a lot more. She was not sleeping nearly enough for a baby her age. Her coat is getting a nice little gloss to it now. Growing like a weed.

I've seen Mook looking around at Kitten's haunts. I don't know their exact emotions but Kitten had always been a part of her life. I'm really trying to keep normal routines in their care up no matter how much I want to lay with my face in the rug and scream.  Some days I think it was unfair to bring Mercy in so soon. But she's really a low impact kitten. She'll ask Mook to play but not pursue it . The sad part is you can't really explain squat to them. I let her into the back room where Kitten loved to hide and I know she was looking for her. She isn't doing anything that isn't well described in following a patter of grief/change in her life. Mercy has had to learn to live in a new home with new people and a new big cat. We're trying to learn to live without the big fluffy puffy calling all the shots. Really we are a pitiful lot.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

 
I have bought every healthy offering on the shelf. And KittyKrack is the only one that they'll touch. Mook does on occasion think the Belly Rub Bonita Flakes are just wonderful. The baby rolled in hers swatting them all over the place made a chirp and took off running.

Cats can give a whole new meaning to "playing with one's food."  Especially kittens.  I buy two of the big tubs of KittyKrack a month.  Not that she eats all of it, but over the course of three months, I have 6 flavors to rotate out, so she gets a variety.  Spoiled much?  Well, maybe!

 

[kittens mom]

 
Cats can give a whole new meaning to "playing with one's food."  Especially kittens.  I buy two of the big tubs of KittyKrack a month.  Not that she eats all of it, but over the course of three months, I have 6 flavors to rotate out, so she gets a variety.  Spoiled much?  Well, maybe!

Why else do we keep them as pets ?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

When I see the offhand way that some people treat their animals, I wonder why they bother.  This isn't the small group who abuse...they need shooting and be done with them, but the larger group that seem to just put down food and forget the poor things till next feeding time.  I can't fathom what they are thinking.

Hekitty is rotten.  All of her predecessors were rotten to the core.  All those who come after her (dang...would that be postdecessors?) will be rotten to the core.  Any neighbors' cats I come into contact with on a regular basis will have small rotten spots.  Jes' sayin'

 

[kittens mom]

Oh my animals are indeed spoiled to the point of reeking. Many animals are treated in a rather offhand way. MNFH go through them faster than some people use up a roll of toilet paper. They think it's cruel to spay /neuter and that keeping my cats inside a form or torture. I've had to scrape more than one of their cats off the road. I suppose there are arguments for both sides except for the S/N. I have seen homes where it is torture for them to be inside. The total lack of modification to suit a vertical animal is appalling. Lack of proper scratching surfaces, toys. Filthy litter boxes. And I have been to some wonderful farms where the outdoor cats have accommodations rivaling a good hotel room.

On a isn't that cute note I was going to leave Mercy out last night loose in the living room and kitchen. She showed me how she can almost squeeze her body between the wall and the stove. Yikes. Despite her protest of honest mommy I would never really do that she spent the night in her crate. She gets the baby kitty crazies at least 3 times a day. I know some think it's cruel but a baby kitty in a crate when they aren't being reasonably supervised is a recipe for disaster. She's a very good baby. However her antics are totally normal for her age. That and the total lack of judgment.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

 
 She gets the baby kitty crazies at least 3 times a day. I know some think it's cruel but a baby kitty in a crate when they aren't being reasonably supervised is a recipe for disaster. She's a very good baby. However her antics are totally normal for her age. That and the total lack of judgment.

Yeah, she's at that age, all right!  I think crating in that situation is not only acceptable, but pretty much necessary, unless you have a kitten-proof room available, and many of us don't. 

Hekitty has never liked her crate.  Dunno why.  She just doesn't.  Luckily, the only time I have to crate her is for trips to the vet.  Oh, wait...that's why (I know why the rum is gone, thinks Cpt Jack Sparrow).  Went to Ace Hardware Store this week, and the nice people attached a sturdy D-link to a 25' length of nylon rope for me.  This is to attach to the handle of the crate, in case there is a fire, and I have to go out the bedroom window.  Fire ladder for me is on order.  But the rope will allow me to crate Hekitty and lower her down.  I'll sleep better knowing that we can both get out.  For 7 years we had...never mind.  This is fodder for another thread.

 

[kittens mom]

 
Yeah, she's at that age, all right!  I think crating in that situation is not only acceptable, but pretty much necessary, unless you have a kitten-proof room available, and many of us don't. 

Hekitty has never liked her crate.  Dunno why.  She just doesn't.  Luckily, the only time I have to crate her is for trips to the vet.  Oh, wait...that's why (I know why the rum is gone, thinks Cpt Jack Sparrow).  Went to Ace Hardware Store this week, and the nice people attached a sturdy D-link to a 25' length of nylon rope for me.  This is to attach to the handle of the crate, in case there is a fire, and I have to go out the bedroom window.  Fire ladder for me is on order.  But the rope will allow me to crate Hekitty and lower her down.  I'll sleep better knowing that we can both get out.  For 7 years we had...never mind.  This is fodder for another thread.

That is a brilliant idea about attaching a line so you can lower your cat out the window. Everyone should have a plan. Gotta laugh you took care of evacuating your cat before yourself. I'd do the same.

Crating at night is a reasonable solution. I have gotten beaten up on other sites for doing it. Of course then I read where the baby fell off something and is now limping or worse. And at this age nothing is kitten proof. Kitten was crated, Mook was crated and Mercy shall be crated until such a time as the parole board finds her safe to roam at will. ( She's only in the hoosegow for a max of 4-5 hours at night or when we are both absent from the house). She's growing like a weed. Height/ length and body filling out nice. We don't want them fat but she was on the skinny side when I brought her home. Fodder for another thread. My opinion about animal behavior issues and diet. It is more than a health thing. When retraining a problem horse the first thing I looked at was diet and the second exercise and environment. You may never make cat nirvana in your home but you can come close. And a housecat has no idea about another type of life anyhow. Of course right now we're just trying to keep the new one in one piece. She can vault the baby gate now. I'm going to pass it on to my niece. I doubt her one year old child is quite than nimble. And Now I want to know what you had for 7 years. Sounds like delightful fodder.