Thanks to Lisa and to our driver (Rick?), this morning we went from a single solitary v. lonely kitten (NAVEEN) to a roomful of kittens, nine in all, all between the ages of three and six months old. I don’t think it’ll be long before they find homes.
While Lisa got the room ready for the pending new arrivals, I took little Naveen out for a walk. He was too small for even our smallest harness so I used the collar and short leash. He behaved himself but was clearly at a loss as to the point of the exercise, so I mostly just carried him around and let enjoy some new sights and sounds. I later sounded out BONNIE & BUBBA, who were more interested in smelling and playing with the leash than in letting me get it on them, so little N. remained the day’s only walker.
Of the new cats, the bonded black panthers Bubba and Bonnie were the most persistent in wanting out into the room, so despite Naveen’s mews of protest at having to go in, they got out into the room and played for a good long time. Bubba did more playing and Bonnie more exploring, but both enjoyed themselves. Bubba is definitely a predator who loves to drag toys away. At one point he went shopping, taking a tour of the room’s various toys and picking the one he wanted to play with. Afterwards they also set up a steady protest over being put back in their cage, sparked I think by Naveen’s repeated cries from the cage below. There were growls, and hisses, and some swatting, mostly from him (Bubba) directed to her (Bonnie), but it looked like mostly crabbiness, not aggression.
The only other cat who came out for any significant amount of time was sweet little tuxedo cat SUNSHINE. He liked being carried, and games so long as they weren’t too energetic, and most of all just being out. Once he’d been out for a while he carried out a cautious exploration of the entire room, getting his bearings I think. A very endearing little cat.
The other bonded pair, Siamese RAZ and panther MATAZ, preferred to stay in and cuddle each other. Very deeply bonded, those two. Late in the shift I was able to pull first Raz and then later MaTaz out for a little time being held, or climbing on the cat-tree. They didn’t play much, but they purred loudly when I reached in and spent some time petting them in their cage, both before and after their time out.
The final three I didn’t interact with much: PURPLE and MAGENTA and FUSHIA. Two stayed cuddled together in the big cage’s window, comforting each other in this strange new place. The third (the yellow cat) went in his little cat-cave as soon as I had it set up for him and stayed there all through the shift. He would purr loudly when I reached in and petted him (as did the other two when I petted them without making them move) but showed no inclination to come out. Think they’ll be more willing to come forth once they get used to the room, and us, and their new location and situation in general.
—Thanks again to Lisa for getting all the name cards and information folders sorted out for the newcomers.
—John R.
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