A CATS EYE VIEW OF LIVING WITH HUMANS
BY SNOOZE, SOX AND MILLY.
21st July 2016:
UPDATE:
Well, this week the cats have had 3 lots of visitors, and have responded very well - all keen to meet and greet, and happy to interact - and relax in the same space. Sox (usually the least interested) even settled down between two of our students on the sofa after strolling over their laps, which was really good to see.
They have also reacted well to noise - suffering Henry the Hoover with little more than wary disdain, and coping with our noisy air-conditioning units - which became rather necessary in the unbearably hot weather. I was suffering with the heat, so wearing a long fur coat must feel much worse! Snooze even stretched out to get her head into the cooler air flow! Because of Snooze's white skin we have also shaded their pen with blankets and towels, and all have enjoyed lounging on the cool patio slabs in the shade - although all seem to enjoy worshiping the sun if they can!
Arthur went away to see friends this weekend, and Sox really missed him! However he was welcomed back with open arms (and paws) and she pinned him down for a while.
Sox is also enjoying being brushed, and is quite happy for tangles to be removed from her tail. Snooze is rather suspicious of the brush, although she keeps her fur immaculate, and is happy for me to clean the 'sleep' from her eyes. Milly would rather not have the brush anywhere near her - although her coat is much softer and dense than Sox's, and seems easier for her to groom by herself.
This week we also introduced some boxes of grass to the outdoor pen: Snooze approached rather warily, Sox made it plain she would rather find her own grass outside the pen, whilst Milly reacted by treating it as her new bed (just like our old cat Kali did!). Indeed a series of rather amusing poses followed....
All 3 are slowly getting on better together, and indulge in 'chase me, chase me' quite a bit - with Milly often taking the lead. The hissing now is mainly restricted to surprise encounters, and all 3 have done face to face and bum sniffing (I thought only dogs did that?!) and on two occasions Milly and Snooze have almost snuggled up together. Sox is still the least sure if Milly is part of the pack - although they all share food and treats without any aggro at all. Their favourite game is running after us as we trail boot laces up and down the hall - and I have also found that Snooze will 'retrieve' when we play with balls of rolled up paper up and down the stairs (the free playthings always seem the most popular!)
They have also been quite happy to pal up and work as a pack with some live prey - as evidenced by them taking it in turns to subdue a hapless moth that was unfortunate enough to stray into their pen (don't worry, we rescued it more or less unharmed!)
Note to self: must check washing machine drum before putting in a new load.... Having just taken out a load of clean laundry, Snooze (the most curious of the 3) decided to check the new hidey-hole out - the pictures are a bit blurred as I was chuckling so much! they say that curiosity .... etc ... so this will ensure I keep the washing machine door pulled too when not in use!
There will be some new pictures after the weekend, as it looks as if their jungle gym is being delivered on Sunday - it will be interesting to see how they react - and if the expenditure has been worth it!!!
13th July 2016:
UPDATE:
Well, Mark and I are looking a little less bleary-eyed, and the cats are all now very much at home. It was good that we visited them so much whilst they were still with the RSPCA cattery, as I think their familiarity with us certainly has helped them settle in very quickly! It has been fascinating to watch their personalities develop, and see them beginning to make friends. Milly has been playing 'chase me chase me', especially with Snooze - and they all chirrup to each other, which is lovely. 'Chase me' involves arched backs and fluffed out tails, and dashing about with ears back and tails up... then laying in wait for each other behind sofas and curtains. We have even seen nose-touching without hissing, and twice Milly and Snooze have almost shared a chair. Sox is a little more cautious, but Snooze is the more trusting of the pair - lets hope it will not be a case of two's company, three's a crowd! They have all become a little more vocal too: Snooze is very chatty and meows loudly when she greets you or wants to know where we are; Snooze has the loudest purr when she gets going; and Milly does the most chirruping.
MILLY'S DEFAULT SLEEPING POSITION: belly up - preferably with the legs stretched as far as they can go (to allow for better digestion?!) chair... stool... sofa.... who cares
One reason for getting 3 cats was to have one each! Of course, as usual I am relegated to bottom place (literally) being chief slave (i.e. litter changer / feeder). Sox cannot wait for Arthur to get home from work, and has spent more time on his lap (draped over his legs whilst he sits at his computer) than on anyone else. Milly enjoys snuggling up to Mark best, although I do get a look-in from time to time. Snooze is best at spreading the love - and although she is not much for sitting on a lap she seems to want and enjoy company more than any of the others, and is happy settling in a chair or at the other end of the sofa. as long as someone is in the room. For some reason she also wants to accompany you to the bathroom - although she is not so keen on the sound of the shower running. Milly tightrope walks the edge of the bath, and one day will fall in I am sure. Then we will find out just how thin she really is beneath all that fur!
FUN PLACES TO HIDE: who, us?? just two cats in a box - nothing to see here... Snooze, somehow squeezed between the crystals, behind the curtain on the windowsill.... Milly, ON squeaky toucan, IN a box of crystals on a shelf....
All 3 are eating quite well and have put on weight - which we are recording until they reach 4kg. Milly is a bit of a pig and wants to hog the dish until she has licked all the jelly / gravy off, and then moves on to the next bowl. Snooze is a grazer, and still needs encouragement to eat - although she lets me know when she wants something. Sox is a secret eater, and seems to prefer eating alone, and still only in small quantities. We have found that none are keen on the meat in gravy tinned food options, but all love dreamies! We have also found they eat the RSPCA kibble ok, although having researched dry foods we have decided to try feeding them on Orijen, which they all now love (this is a high-protein (80%) kibble that is grain and cereal free, which is designed to mimic a natural diet) and we hope this will be good for them. Their coats are certainly nice and glossy. You read so much conflicting information about what to feed your cat - it is just as confusing as human dietary info in fact - although many sources infer that feeding kibbles approved by vets (Hills etc.) is NOT a good idea... I guess you have to trust your instincts - I know that Kali ballooned after we fed her Hills Science diet. The only drawback to Orijen is that the outcome is a little smelly - Milly is especially flatulent, which when her bum is 12" away from your face is not good news at 2am! Hopefully once they are at their ideal weights (all are still underweight) we will have found the ideal food for them, and can stick to it. Luckily all 3 seem to drink water very readily - but (as with Freya) ONLY from a pint glass in the lounge!
CUTENESS: Snooze asleep with paws tucked up under her chin; Milly's fernlike tornado-tail; Sox greeting Arthur with a little leg-stropping; Milly emerging from her hidey-hole IN the base of the sofa.
We have ordered their 'jungle gym' (see letters 4/7) and hope to have it delivered and installed by the end of the month. To this end Mark has been busy repointing the patio slabs, and we are also weatherproofing one end of the cat run to make it more sheltered in the wind or rain. Of course, cats being cats they have found just as much fun in a good old cardboard box, which allows for great play experiences.... perhaps we should have just ordered 100 of these boxes, rather than the jungle gym! We are also researching cat flaps, as ideally it would be great to put them all to bed in the kitchen, and leave with access to the run at night. None of us are getting a full night's sleep with them loose at night - although they are not as demanding as Freya used to be if she was allowed to stay up all night! We have also had a couple of nights letting Milly mingle with the others too, although ALL 3 were knackered the next day (probably from having to keep more on the alert). This was after a particularly potent poo from Milly that meant me getting up to litter change at 4am, and which had almost required Mark and I to sleep in gas masks!
WAITING FOR OUR NEW PLAY EQUIPMENT....
Hope you can visit us all soon!
4th July 2016....
LETTER FROM MILLY....
Hello! Its Milly here...
Well, its been a busy few days for me. I have to say I was not keen
on the journey home – and, despite my piteous kitten mews, I could not get out
of my basket until I was in my new home. My human Mum told me I looked like a
cat from a film called ‘Shrek’ – although I might not bother looking like
that again, as it had no effect whatsoever!
My first few hours at home were spent sniffing out my new sitting
room, followed by playtime and a few treats. I guess I will get used to my new
sisters eventually, and the treats are worth it I suppose! After a while a door
was opened into my new world, and I enjoyed cautiously exploring all the rooms,
which were (I was pleased to see) well furnished with lots of comfy cushions and
blankets. I was also happy that there was a good choice of food on offer at
teatime, and after eating my fill I curled up for a nice long nap!
You will all be pleased to hear that I am keeping all my humans on
their toes – a little spitting and hissing at my new sisters ensures constant
vigilance, and it is amusing to see everyone wear themselves out playing games
with us all to keep us busy – in fact running after long laces and leaping
after green fish on the end of a fishing rod seems to tire everyone out.
My humans are amazed at how high I can jump and how quick I am – just let them
wait.... they aint seen nothing yet!!
I also tried the Shrek-kitty look again at bedtime, and managed to
con my human Mum into sleeping on the sofa with me, to keep me and my new
sisters apart! I suppose I had to reward her though, so spent most of the night
curled up under her chin to keep her neck nice and warm. A few purrs seemed to
be appreciated too... what suckers humans are!
Day 2 dawned early – I’m not sure why all my humans had dark
rings under their eyes. I felt very well rested. It was certainly a day for
taking it easy though – and I enjoyed a chuckle when I managed to find a way
into the base of the sofa, and kept my humans searching for me for 10 whole
minutes! Actually it’s a nice quiet hidey hole that will come in handy
whenever I need some peace...
After another day of exploration and helping human Dad watch the
Grand Prix, bedtime came around, and this time I shared the biggest cat bed
I’ve ever seen with my human Mum and Dad. Litter tray, snacks and water all to
hand, I had a great night’s sleep curled up with human Dad or sleeping between
their pillows, where it was cosy and warm – although I succeeded in freaking
out my human Mum by staring into her face from 6” away when she first woke up!
You have to keep them aware of who is in charge around here, after all... I am
also having great success in getting her to learn to type one handed, so that I
can sleep in her other arm: this somehow stops her from using something she
calls a mouse (although it doesn’t look anything like one to me).
Anyway, I may see some of you when I feel like running some new
humans ragged!
Love from Milly xx
LETTER FROM SOX:
Hello! Its Sox here (Snooze is too busy climbing into the
wardrobes)...
Luckily Snooze and I had a quieter trip back to our new home than
pesky Milly did! We too were glad to get out and explore our new accommodations
– and I loved the windowsill and the view over the neighbourhood. Snooze was a
little bolder than me at first, but then she seems to take most things in her
stride! Once we were introduced to the rest of the house, everything seemed so
big – but then my human man-boy let us play on his bed, which was massive,
with lots of room for Snooze and me to play, hide and sleep while he played with
his ‘mouse’ and looked at his moving picture devices. I think I may
explore those a bit more some time...
Do you know, I had forgotten about the joy of stairs! Snooze and I
have spent ages chasing each other up and then back down – and even better,
the floors are really nice and skiddy! That means we can play great games with
catnip mice round the curtains and rug in the hall – which certainly is a
source of great fun for us, and an amusing source of surprise ambushes for our
humans! My new human Mum has also remarked how useful Milly and I have been in
cleaning out dust-bunnies and cobwebs from under and behind the furniture –
honestly, I don’t know how she has been spending her time. She will have to
pull her ‘Sox’ up (geddit?!)
I am still not sure about our new sister, but hope she will turn out
ok. Snooze is much more laid back about her, and although she would happily pin
Milly down for a good cleaning around her ears, her approaches are so far being
rudely rebuffed. Luckily man-boy’s bed remains ‘our’ territory in the main
– reinforced by copious amounts of sleeping on and in everything from pillows
to sheets to dressing gowns! My human Mum can hardly see I am there at times,
the mattress is so deep and my body so flat. Snooze and I have also managed to
get away with sleeping on this nice big bed at night too, and have tried to be
good – although it is always tempting to get up and play at
There has been talk about how to persuade me to eat more – but I
do sneak down and have a few mouthfuls from time to time – and my man-boy can
also be relied on to pass me a few extra meaty chew-treats. Human Mum has
(embarrassingly) remarked that as long as something is coming out the other end,
I must be reasonably ok – I also think she now realises how hard she needs to
work to keep us happy, as it seems we are always getting her on her feet to
feed, water, muck out or supervise us... still, its wise to start as you mean to
go on, and show ‘em who’s really the boss!
Human Dad put extra wire netting around our outdoor pen today, and
so we have enjoyed some fresh air. Unfortunately this means I wont be able to
get out and explore all the garden (boo hoo) but I have heard him arranging to
have a cat door put in the back door, and something he calls a ‘jungle gym’
installed in our run (hooray). So maybe it will all turn out well in the end. I
will have to ask him to send you some pictures when it is all done. Who knows,
there may even be one of Milly curled up with Snooze (but don’t hold your
breath waiting for one of her with me!)
Anyway, maybe we will meet some of you soon!
Love from Sox and Snooze. xxxx
LETTER FROM THE HUMANS:
We are slowly getting used to our new routine... Milly is still sleeping in our room - and she is very well mannered, on the whole. Sox and Snooze are able to sleep with Arthur and also have the run of the house, as they seem quite trustworthy so far. At least, nothing has been damaged or broken - although we are glad we have old leather sofas! We had forgotten how sharp tiny claws can be. Mark may have spent too much time painting the hall floor, which is now so slippy that all 3 cats do the 'cartoon' running on the spot thing when they try to pick up speed - and seem to love skidding into the hall curtain, which is also a great spot for hiding and playing in! Milly gets better traction on the rugs... and is quite an athletic leaper!
Milly is eating well (!) and processing it too (!!). She is still growing at 9 months, and I think she might be quite large. She is very long in the body, although her legs are quite short - and her tail is so long she has to carry it curled up at the end - like a fern when it is beginning to grow. She seems quite psychic, and obviously 'sees' spirit energy, as she stares fixedly into 'space' whenever Kali or Freya come to visit. She has also been fascinated by the crystals in our cupboards, and has already snuck into the treatment room and tried to hide under the couch for a nap! In the cattery she slept in an 'igloo' bed, which she loved. So we bought one for her, and it has been pretty much ignored - until yesterday, when I found her asleep ON TOP of it (not IN it!)
Snooze loves to be near us, although is less sure if its 'ok' to sit on us. It seems she also has to be invited to eat - seemingly needing to be reassured that its ok to help herself. Hence we have to be aware if she is asking us for something, and then need to follow her to the kitchen and watch her as she eats. Like Sox she is underweight at just under 3kg - but (like Sox) this is probably due to having had a couple of litters of kittens before she was 15 months old. She could be friends with Milly, but they still need to relax with each other and learn to 'read' when play is being invited. Snooze play tussles with Sox, and Milly watches with - I think - a touch of envy. Maybe some day... Yesterday she slept on the table beside the big crystal, and this morning I found her lying on the windowsill on top of the big tabby smoky quartz. It seems she likes the energy - and it also seems to help chill her out.
Sox is probably the most nervous of the 3, and a bit hissy with Milly. Despite her long coat she is underweight at 2.4kg, and we hope she will eat a little more each day. Interestingly the food bowls seem to be empty in the mornings - and we know that it is not Milly scoffing it, as she is in with us. So much for 'these cats will eat anything': in fact Sox prefers the more expensive brands of catfood, and loves expensive dreamies! Oh well... She too has discovered crystals, and spent all morning yesterday sleeping by the big crystal on the table - even hugging it at one point. Having taken some photos, you might see how she has several orbs round her head, so I think it has been giving her some healing (this crystal's guardian is the Overlighting-Deva of Green Tourmaline!) Sox also enjoys company, although she doesn't seem to need it as much as Snooze - but she and Arthur have become best buds! Sunday she slept on his lap for nearly 2 hours - and she loves sleeping with her head over his ankle in bed at night!
We have also introduced all 3 to catnip - and they love it. A great deal of drooling happens, and they were all a bit blissed out for a while. This seems to help when they need to be more at ease with each other - although I have also asked our gnomes to help them learn how to tolerate - and even enjoy! - each others presence. We are also ordering a jungle gym to go in the outdoor cat cage, to give them something to enrich their outdoor life (seeing as we have no plans to let them roam further afield). If you want to see these amazing products check out www.cat-climbing-towers.com We are hoping to get a sky ladder and a royal mews - and connect them by a pair of suspended walkways in the rafters! If only I was younger (and a lot smaller!).
Perhaps you might even see them in action some time...