Fraidy Kittens: Day 9

Who's Afraid of the Human?

or, Thus Endeth the Lesson of Making the House a Home

Ping-pong weather this week. Fog, ice and snow, pouring rain, balmy temperatures (51 now and sunny). How quickly the climate changes, and with it flower some beautiful things.

Outside and inside, too.

A week ago, two fraidy kittens entered the house and proceeded to huddle and hide, appearing mostly only to eat and poo or pee.

Now look at 'em: clumped on the bed, napping, while the human walks Abbo's Alley with her camera.

Fraidy kittens no more: they've investigated every nook and cranny; they have decided it's all good. They even know their names -- Cleome and Doodlebug.

Thus endeth the lesson. 

Fraidy Kittens: Day 8

O!

Red-letter day!

Vacuuming of living room and dining room: check.

Litter pan in upstairs bathroom: check.

Kitty food and water in upstairs studio: check.

Clean sheets and blanket on my bed: check.

Chair moved to end of bed: check.

Kittens napping on the bed: check.

Kittens responding to their names: check.

All that's missing: one night spent together upstairs. Here's hoping it works!

Fraidy Kittens: Day 7

She Who Waits

That's me. 

I'm still waiting.

When I come home, Clio races to greet me, lets me pick her up, and give her some love, and she purrs. She rubs my face, closes her eyes, proves she's a kitty.

Doodlebug (Clue) talks, and talks, and talks, and passes back and forth below us. She'll finally jump up on the back of couch and let me pet her -- a bit. But if I pick her up (and I do try, of course), she squirms. Should I try to plant a kiss, she hisses.

But when I'm on the sofa and tempt them with a flingy toy, I can pet either one and receive appropriate responses.

This too shall pass.

After all Clio decided to lie on her cat mat in the study this morning while I worked.

I shall be rewarded, and in the meantime I am content to keep waiting.

Fraidy Kittens: Day 6

A Tale of Two Kittens,

or How Clio Earns the Cuddles Medal and the Dog House Both

I

Clio has accepted her oral antibiotic three times without resistance, all the while purring and cuddling. 

Clio has taught her sister Clue (Doodlebug?) to accept my stroking and once, to join us in a group cuddle.

Clio plays with her smaller sister, happily, and sleeps with her under the Fraidy Couch or on one of their kitty comfort quilts.

She has set a good example in all things but one.

II

Early mornings, the kittens emerge from their Fraidy Couch, stretch, and work on their manicures.

Clue (Doodlebug?) frisks to the resistant carpet of the scratching seat, while her sister Clio races to one of my favorite rugs. 

Bad kitty. 

Bad, indeed.

III

Let's see what Clio thinks of the Febreeze pet treatment and a spray bottle filled with water.

Tomorrow is another day.

Fraidy Kittens: Day 5

Bounce Back

I

5:40AM

The sound that every human who lives with cat dreads: the loud ME-OOOWWWW followed by the unmistakable retching that means . . . well, . . . you know what it means.

By 7:30, Clio had repeated this action 12 times, so down we went to the Midtown Veterinary Services and Hospital. This on a day when ice and snow were predicted. (More about that to come.)

The new young vet (my vet was off today, though I saw her briefly there anyway) saw both kittens, just in case, and had good news: Clio purred happily even when he kneaded her belly. No blockage. But to be safe, she received an anti-nausea shot, an antibiotic shot, and a general checkup. He suggested a teaspoon of pumpkin for constipation (both cats loved it; who knew?) and twice daily antibiotics, orally. 

II

2:39PM 

Vigorous play with a flingy toy proves that a little TLC goes a long way.

And, not long after, the snow arrived, just in time for another nap.