The Cat Report (last week's)

 

(So, I'm late in getting these notes posted but thought that since I did have them written up I might as well share.--JDR 2/11-22)

Today’s shift started with renewing my acquaintance with last week’s two new cats, MARKLEY and SMOKEY (the third, COLUMBUS ELLIE, having been adopted already), then meeting BONNIE (the new mother cat) and her five kittens: fluffy grey PEARL, sleeker grey SHADOW, yellow cat MR. LOAF, yellow-orange SQUIRRIL FLIGHT, and piebald BRISBY, the sole sister among them and, according to the behavior log in the cat room,  The Boss of this batch.

Once again Mr. Markley enjoyed a good long walk (about forty minutes), showing that he’s a smart cat (he’s now got down the lay-out of the entire store) as well as really sociable. Be wary, though: he’s found the location of the front door and needs to be watched carefully when up near the registers and all. His reaction to seeing a (small, quiet) dog was to give what I can only call a derisive mew. He got lots of attention and some petting, including over at Banfield, which he enjoyed.

Smokey was shyer this week than last (I suspect the abundance of kittens had something to do with that). Last week I was able to get her to settle down beside me on the bench for a nice quiet low-key petting session; this time she only stayed with me for a few minutes before heading back to her cage.  Last week I noticed that her ears need cleaning to get some of that black gunk out but didn’t make much progress, then forgot to follow up today. 

That meant it was time to Let The Kittens Out. I extracted Bonnie from her cage with friendly persuasion but to no avail; before long she’d made a beeline back to her safe spot. She gladly accepted being petted while in there but no interest at all in coming out. Pity. She more of less ignored the kittens.  Did find out that she loves the gopher game.

 The second  hour or so was Kitten Time. I lifted them out one at a time, whereupon they joined the Great Kitten Game of finding everything that could be a toy and making it one. They didn’t mind if I joined in their kitten games but they really didn't need any help. It was great fun to watch.  At times all five would be focused on the same toy. Interesting to see the different personalities. One of the grey ones (Pearl) likes to drag the toy off away from the others, while one of the yellow cats (Squirrel I think) would lie in wait for it, pouncing from cover when it got near. 

Health Issues. The kittens consider an empty dirt box a challenge. Each time I scooped another came running to use the newly cleaned box. Proof that digestions were working well. Only thing to look out for I noticed was some vomit or feces on the little flat scratching post in with the kittens. Someone threw up while I was there (has to have been one of the kittens) having somehow gotten hold of a hair-tie that he or she had swallowed. Luckily looks like no harm done.

Now it’s time for visitors to show up, admire such appealing cats (especially Markley), and see if there’s a cat-sized hole in their homes.

—John R.