In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Our semi- feral 2- week old kittens

Discussion in 'Everything Else (off topic)' started by BDF, May 26, 2018.

  1. BDF

    BDF

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    Phoebe is also doing well with the kittens, at least Slash. They have been playing (really playing) a little bit on and off, and overall, Phoebe has not been aggressive toward Slash. Last night, I found Phoebe and Glasses sleeping against each other but I do not think Phoebe knew Glasses was there. But today Slash got up, walked over to where Phoebe was sleeping and flopped down against her- and Phoebe turned around and gave Slash a couple of licks and curled back up.

    I am taking this as a good sign:

    17 July 2018 Phoebe and Slash.JPG 17 July 2018 2 Phoebe and Slash.JPG


    Brian
     
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  2. Midwinter

    Midwinter

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    th5PWpH.jpg
     
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  3. B.Brown

    B.Brown

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    Great job of raising the kittens, it takes a lot of dedication. I was working for a farmer in eastern oregon once up on a time. It was fill in work until the construction industry got back on its feet. I was in a new swather, i was running along at a nice even speed, when i saw something of color go under the header. I slammed on the brakes and raised the header. There was 2 kittens one, i had totally missed, the other had a little spot on its back that was more of a rub than anything. No mamma cat around at all, so i picked them up, dumped my lunch pail and turned off the AC so they'd stay warm. Man, turning off the AC , phew, but, they stayed comfy. I took them home after work, the girls and my wife bottle fed them, and raised them up to a good size. They gave both of them away, one was a perfect cat. The other, was a monster, if the owners left the house, the monster would knock every thing off the table, pull the curtains down, just flat mess up the house. It was pretty neat raising them , and our girls learned a lot about patients, and pet dedication, lol.
     
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  4. bogieb

    bogieb

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    Sounds like Pheobe is really getting used to the new world order :thumbs:!

    And, because BDF and his wife couldn't believe I could coral kittens with child gates, here is a picture of the gates I use (and have used for other cats and kittens since 1999). First is to the steps and is 28" at the tallest part and I can accordion it open as well as swing it. I have used that since day 1 and they haven't even thought about climbing it; they don't even give it a second glance.

    Kitten control at stairs.jpg

    This is in front of the bedroom so I can have the window fan blowing cooler outside air from the window directly down the hallway and into the living room. I have only used it since last night (I had kept the door closed previously and then opened after the kittens were in the pen). This one is 23" tall and easy to step over. The kittens have noticed it because they can see the room that they didn't see before. But they just rubbed against it a couple times then walked away. It is of no interest to climb or jump on.
    Kitten control at bedroom.jpg

    BTW - Spot is not a very good typist - she has learned how to get on my desk and is helping me with this. Poor Rita, that was her last in-house refuge.
     
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  5. bogieb

    bogieb

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    Good for you taking on the kittens. Too bad the one turned destructive. Sounds like it had separation issues.
     
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  6. Midwinter

    Midwinter

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  7. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

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    I can't help but wonder if those two have the same momma.
     
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  8. BDF

    BDF

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    Not sure about mom but I <believe> that a big, dark gray male named Tom, that my neighbor feeds, is getting all the cats around here pregnant. I believe Tom is Phoebe's father, Mama cats' (the kittens' mother) father, and the kittens' father as well. He moves slow and lays down a lot but I bet he has just enough energy to eat and..... well, you know.

    BTW- Andrea ran into the 'cat feeding neighbors' and mentioned we had a litter of cats from the dark gray / beige mottled female and the neighbor responded 'That cat is a whore'. Seriously. And this is why there is the face- palm emoticon: :picard:

    Brian

     
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  9. wildwest

    wildwest Moderator

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    :headbang:
     
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  10. BDF

    BDF

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    Yeah, that looks like a race- way to me thinking of how Runt used to race up that gridwork bed-table that we had leaning against the wall.

    Slash and Glasses are not good with the keyboard either- and it does not get better when one is chasing the other. :-(

    Brian

     
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  11. bogieb

    bogieb

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    Well, they will get a good long day to try it if they were waiting for an unsupervised time. This morning I left the pen open and put the second gate in the doorway between the kitchen and living room. Closed the door between the office and hallway. That gives the kittens 1/2 the accessible main floor of the living room and hallway (bedrooms and bathroom doors shut). Rita gets the kitchen and office, plus the downstairs (where her litter boxes are). I know being cooped up during the day must have been frustrating for them, so this should help them run off some of that energy.
     
  12. bogieb

    bogieb

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    Confession time - the shorter of the two gates has been breached. This is not surprising - Rita and Fuzzy could just jump it, I just used it as a reminder that I wanted them to stay on their side (which works for adult cats that have been trained). Rainey jumped it last night right as I was going to take a picture of her sitting there beside it. Then Spot saw her and jumped and made a perfect landing on the flat top of it. I was hoping for longer before they figured that one out :eek:. So, that gate has been removed.

    They don't try the taller pointy-topped one. I don't remember a cat/kitten ever trying that one (which is why it blocks the stairs). My theory is that it does no appear to have a "top" so they can't gauge it like they can the flat topped one. Hopefully my theory pans out with these kittens as I really don't want them in the basement until they are older and bigger. If all else fails I can put the door back on, but that is not ideal for various personal needs and perceived reasons.

    Not having the short gate to block off the bedroom will be a PITA during the warm season since I close that room off during the day (it is one of the hottest rooms in the afternoon). So now I have to know where both kittens are before closing that room up. Have been trying to get into the habit of closing the commode lid too - don't want any mishaps!
     
  13. BDF

    BDF

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    Yeah, from watching the kittens, those looked to me like very minor challenges at best.

    The one that shuts off access to the stairs I <believe> works because cats generally will not jump to an unknown or significantly different height than the launch point. What I mean here is that once over the barrier, they would be headed for a lower stair tread and that usually stops them, especially if the next treads are lower yet, inviting a miss and tumble down the stairs. Of course this only applies to going from the flat floor to the actual stairs; going the other way, they would not hesitate to jump onto a flat floor they can easily gauge the height of.

    Cats often appear to be cavalier in their movements and especially, their jumping but I have found quite the opposite to be true- they gauge exactly where they are going, whether then can absolutely make it or not, and what surface if available very, very carefully. And when they 'miss' and fall, they always look embarrassed to me. :)

    Brian

     
  14. BDF

    BDF

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    I think we may put Glasses up for adoption. We have been kicking this around and found what appears to be a great home; an older, single woman, for a kitten. The two kittens are stressing Phoebe and I believe she would have an easier time with just one. And she gets along with Slash better than Glasses. We are not 100% decided but leaning that way; I think it really would be best for all humans and cats involved really.

    Brian
     
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  15. bogieb

    bogieb

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    For stairs that is probably true, although I also use that gate to keep Fuzzy, Tory and Rita in the basement because I was moving stuff thru the front door and it has never been breached (yes, that gate has been there for quite some time). It was also used to gate other kittens in a specific room (8 week old littermates back in 2000 at my other house) and they never breached it. When I let them start roaming the house freely, I had to raise it off the ground so they could crawl under it to get to the litter box (kept the dogs out of there).

    Maybe I just have weird cats, since I've never had a full grown cat even try to get out of a chain link fence either. Wooden fence, sure, but not chain link. WIWAK, we had two cats that were outside in a chain link pen all day, then we brought them in at night.
     
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  16. bogieb

    bogieb

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    Best toy ever! Flexible plastic pant id/price tag

    best play toy 1.jpg

    Kittens helping me to clean off my desk :emb::eek:. Pictures all taken in the span of of less than 60 seconds (yes, I am at home on a vacation day - should really get something done, but Spot has settled on my lap, so I'm stuck here until she gets tired of pets and purring)
    havoc 1.jpg

    havoc 0.jpg

    havoc 3.jpg

    havoc 4.jpg
     
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  17. Chaz

    Chaz

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    Let us know when to send in the rescue team. :whistle:
    :D
     
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  18. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    Or dogs! o_O :eek: :rofl: :lol: ;)
    :whistle:
    :D
     
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  19. Chaz

    Chaz

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    Hopefully not cadaver dogs. :eek:
    :faint:
    That post was 12 hrs old at that point. :hair:
     
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  20. bogieb

    bogieb

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    I survived :D
     
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