Our semi- feral 2- week old kittens

I believe Phoebe and all four kittens (two with you, two with me) are all from the same father. Further, I believe the kittens' mother shares the same father. His name is Tom (how imaginative), and he looks like a much more muscular version of Phoebe.

The kittens' mother was mostly gray with a smattering of that cream color down both sides but other than Rainey, the other kittens have a lot more cream mixed into the gray with Slash having the most cream color.

While some folks like exotic cats, I really just like plain ole' 'alley cats' or what I believe are called a Domestic Short Hair in a solid color. To my eyes, Phoebe, and I believe Rainey, just about ring the proverbial bell regarding nice looking cats. My son has a smaller, more delicate female cat in jet- black and she is beautiful also, again in my eyes. But as you point out, personality can go a lot way toward swaying opinion and Slash can really dial up the ole' cat- lovin' when she wants to, which makes her nicer to have around of course. Gizmo is also slowly getting to like my lap though she does not sing, merely tucks in and goes to sleep (which is also quite nice). Phoebe still will not tolerate being in either one of our laps at all, and does really not care to be held for more than 20 seconds. So we have to take our cat affection where we can find it.

A very long time ago I dated this girl whose mother had several cats. One of them was a female Siamese named Toyon ('Toy') and that thing fell in love with me the day we met. She used to climb into my lap (if sitting) or climb up onto my shoulder, sing as hard as she could, and wash my neck. I could not put her down 'cause she would just climb back up. So whatever else was going on, and whatever I was trying to do, it had to include Toy 'cause she very much insisted. Kinda' funny but nice too.

As far as feeding, we have a slightly different situation: all three cats (two kittens and Phoebe) far prefer the kitten food but the last thing Phoebe needs on this earth is high caloric food. So we feed Phoebe in the kitchen, and the kittens in the laundry room while keeping Phoebe out but the kittens eat so little in each feeding, they end up eating Phoebe's food. We fill that bowl with as much as is needed so all three get enough food, although it is NOT high protein kitten food. Phoebe is excellent about not being aggressive with the kittens and will actually allow the two of them to force her out of her own bowl, at which point she sits back and waits until they are done (always less than one minute). But Phoebe is too fat while the kittens are a bit scrawny so we are looking for a better solution.....

Brian

 

Off to the vet. today for last distemper shots- the kittens were actually quite calm with the vet. staff. Slash weighs 4.6 lb. and Gizmo is 4.5, and both are in great shape.

Next step is spaying. I would love to have my local vet do it but they want ~$350 each while the "Spay and neuter clinic" down the road will do it for $75 each. ?? Not sure what to do here but leaning toward the clinic; that is a huge difference in price. By all accounts, including my local vet., they are competent and have a similar survival rate as anyone else. The only downside is the production- like environment. We will have to chew on this some more.....

Brian

 

Spay and neuter clinics usually run a lot on donations - including donated vet time. So that is the difference in price. However, I don't know if there is aftercare support if there is an issue. My vets (the practice has 3) actually give me their home # in case of issues or questions after hours / during weekends.

 

Oh, there was never any question that my own private vet. clinic is "better", just that it is a bit painful to pay $350 for a procedure that is available from very well regarded professionals (the surgeons) for $65! That said, I have been thinking about it and in the end I probably cannot stand to 'cheap- out' on the little guys. While we all KNOW they are going to the pound for adoption, truth be told, I am losing a little bit of my hatred of the little rascals..... and would hate to have or cause anything less than the best care available chosen for them. Especially now that the little 'jewels' are getting truly destructive; they managed to knock over a ceramic table lamp a couple of days ago and tore down the [under the counter] kitchen lights. Cuteness like that really does need to be protected.

I will probably approach my vet. (also a practice of several vets. but only one does surgery so I would approach him) about a 'two- fer' discount. And when Phoebe was ill after/ from spaying, he called several times at night, on weekeneds, etc. to check up on her- ain't gonna' get that from a discount clinic. He really is a good guy and was very concerned about her condition, apologizing profusely and offering whatever he could do to make the situation better.... and we do not even know if the fault was on 'his watch' anyway; Phoebe apparently vomited and the aspirated it, causing pneumonia but that could well have happened after we brought her home. At any rate, we certainly do not blame him or the practice- hey, stuff happens.

Brian

 

My big question about the two options before you would be, the anaesthesia. If the $65 option seems lacking, I would pass it up.

 

My two have been accidently turning off the UPS that services the main floor pellet stove or A/C (depending on weather) and occasionally I walked into a very warm house when the A/C was supposed to be on. I plugged the pellet stove back in on Saturday because the house had gotten cold. The little chits have learned how to deliberately turn on/off the UPS. Caught them doing it Monday night. They turned it off. Then turned it on and ran over to the stove to investigate its test (it tests every time it is plugged in). Then they turned it off, then back on and ran over to investigate the stove again - seems to be great fun to them. That is when I jumped up and yelled at them (didn't even scare them, but I did get them to look at me in that wide-eyed innocent way they have). I went over and picked them up and deposited on the couch so I could distract them with playing catch the hand under the quilt.

Gonna have to figure out a system to keep them from doing that in the deep of winter.

 

Something as simple as a piece of cardboard (or tiny box) taped over the switch?

 

Rainey just made her first (that I've heard) almost meow. Up until now both kittens have been squeaking or purring. Spot can't be far behind in making more "adult" noises.

 

I am surprised to hear that- both of ours cry and have done so for quite a while now. The more interesting thing is that both of them trill a lot, with Gizmo basically doing it all the time when she is playing. I believe they learned that from Phoebe, who also trills constantly.

Brian

 

9 Oct. 2018: Well, the kittens are getting bigger and into far more trouble than I would have thought possible. Andrea calls them 'The Terrorists' and it is about the truth- one or both are seemingly always up to something that varies between mildly destructive to things that are really dangerous / damaging. They managed to knock over an Ideal Steel door that was leaning up against a wall and I would have bet money they were not physically up to that yet. Any paper towels they find, including a new roll, must be shredded with the utmost speed and efficiency; they go up onto the counter top, drag the end of a roll down to the floor and shred the sheets until it is all gone. Looks like it snowed in the kitchen.

Last night was a new high (or is it a new low?): I started a fire with a handful of small splits. Just enough to heat the stove up and have it chug some heat into the house. Slash kept standing on the ash pan door with her front feet on the glass, both watching and 'trying to get at' the flames before the stove got too hot. But after the burn was over, while the stove was still quite warm, to my utter amazement, Slash jumped up on top of the stove! Surface temp. was reading 108F but I could not hold my hand on the steel; I hollered and she jumped right back off but did not even bother to leave the room. Unbelievable! I am now wondering if she is going to try that again when the stove is running a little more steadily and the top is in the 350F range?

Some lessons learn easy, some lessons learn hard, and some lessons never learn. I am confident that sooner or later this lesson will 'learn' but I am afraid that it might 'learn hard'.

All of that said, they are still cute as can be and are actually nice cats..... almost all of the time.

Brian

 

The Destructo Duo at my house has been up to no good also. Saturday they tore down the drapes that cover the bay window in the bedroom. No, they tore the bracket out of the wall and the drapes fell down. Okay, not too tough to fix that (for now, I have no doubt ) and they didn't harm the drapes any, but that was after I spent literally all day working on the floor in the basement and I was looking forward to just sitting down for a minute.

This morning, while I was in the shower, I heard a huge CRASH. Later found that they had taken out not 1, but two plants in heavy clay pots from the bay window in the kitchen. Dirt, plants and busted pots were all over the kitchen floor.

Oh, last Friday I was reading on the couch and I heard a minor crash and then water spraying all around. Ran into the kitchen to find they had managed to turn the water on to the faucet that serves to feed my portable dishwasher. It was a good thing I was home or the whole house would have been flooded (including the basement floor) since that faucet is turned parallel to the the wall when not in use. Even with the water running less than 15 seconds there were a whole lot of towels used to mop up the floor. Lesson learned - keep both faucets centered over the sinks.

Fortunately, they have never been on top of the pellet stove as far as I can tell. No little paw prints in the dust and they are inclined to get up on the arm of the couch or the table beside it when it is going (those are in the direct path of the warm air). I'm sure your guys are smart enough to not get on there when it is too hot!

Still a bundle of fun and great cuddlers!

 

Mine have learned how to turn on the kitchen faucet and seem to have a great time doing so. We found they did this once in the morning and again the other night. Andrea wrapped the faucet with some Velcro straps she has and that has stopped them..... but now they are pawing and chewing at the strap. It is really kind of beyond belief what the little 'destructors' can do given a few minutes.

I think it is considerably worse because there are two of them; they seem to egg each other on and when one finds something interesting, the other comes along to investigate / help.

Brian

 

Good reason not to have kittens!!!! Interesting thread, though.

 

Exactly. Spot is the lead and Rainey watches and learns

The things you forget about when you've adopted older cats for 18 years (Year 2000 was the last time I had kittens in my house). Still, gotta love them, they look so innocent when they do something undesirable

 

A little off topic here...but since this is where all the cool kitten experts hang out is it really true that it's a bad idea to Craigslist black cats in October? We have 3 really nice kitten/cats (6 months old or so) that we need to adopt out...

 

Nobody has even an opinion on this?

 

That's what I was thinking.

Thought about it...they are great cats too!