Monday - Day One:
The kittens are huddled in the back corner of the carrier, one on top of the other. Brother (B) is hissing viciously and swatting! Sister (S) only hisses.
I removed the kittens from the wood pile and put them into the dog carrier, sitting by the back door. By the end of the afternoon, Mother Cat (MC) had found them and was out there meowing all night.
Tuesday - Day Two:
The kittens are no longer on top of each other, just side-by-side. B is still hissing viciously and swatting. S is still hissing, but ventured out to explore the carrier.
Chad moved the kittens inside. Maybe they'll tame faster if they're closer to us and farther from MC. I am concerned about them pooping. I know they're eating and drinking, but are they pooping? I spend part of the day with moistened cotton balls, pretending to be MC's tongue. (You fill in the rest of the actions.) No poop yet.
In the evening, MC jumped up to our window and tore an ugly hole in the less-than-9-mo.-old screen. After more than 30 minutes of trying, we trapped MC in the house at 9:30 and put her in the carrier with Brother (B) and Sister (S). She led us on quite a chase before Chad caught her on top of the girls' dresser!
She spent the night in the carrier and was very noisy.
Wednesday - Day Three:
The kittens are more playful than ever before. B and S are both hissing and swatting at me now. They are spending less time huddled together. I saw S use the litter box this evening!
In the morning I saw that she had pooped in the litter box. Since I wasn't sure how we were going to still get to the kittens to handle them multiple times a day, I let her go. She left willingly! The benefit? The kittens now use the litter box!
I carried each of them around part of the day. I have to keep them wrapped tightly so they don't turn me into an oozing scratching post!
After Chad and I held them this evening, they started playing with each other in the carrier - tumbling, pouncing and biting each other. It was very cute! I hug some shredded paper inside that they were batting at.
Thursday - Day Four:
Both cuties are still hissing and swatting, but they are hanging out at the front of the carrier now. They are getting braver!
They were watching me sweep and mop this morning. I had to clean out the carrier (which I've done every morning because I hate the smell) and they were still trying to attack me. They aren't so aggressive after I actually pick them up. I just use a blanket to put over them when I first take them out. They're probably afraid of the big blanket coming at them, but I'd prefer not to get some strange wild kitten disease from their bites and scratches.
I dumped out the litter box and put in fresh litter. I had left MC's poop in there for a bit to encourage them to use the box.
MC was at the front window when I went upstairs this morning and B was hanging with all fours on the front of the carrier. It was so funny! I didn't get to my camera in time, but I did get this video when she came back. This time, S is climbing the door!
It was a busy day so they didn't get held today except for removing them from the carrier to clean it all out. I put some dry kitten food in the carrier tonight. Hopefully, we can transition them to it soon so they don't have such yucky poops. Canned cat food is like eating whole wheat bread...yummy, but very cleansing! They are slowly getting used to us, but still not really liking us.
Friday - Day Five:
They are crying for each other when separated. They are very noisy! Yes, still hissing and swatting, but with a little less venom.
S got her foot washed off this morning and B got his whole hind end. Just like kids, they get very messy after being in the "bathroom." If they were a little older, I would give them a full-fledged bath. I hate the smell! (Glad I'm not pregnant and doing this.)
I was meowing last night and B was looking all around him for the source. He couldn't even consider that it was me. Today he came towards me when I did, but wasn't ready to get too close. He's very funny because he'll start to fall asleep while sitting up and slowly starts to tip.
They ate within a foot from me this morning. The first day they wouldn't leave the corner if they could see us. S is sitting in my lap right now and starting to play. I was scratching behind B's ears earlier and he was closing his eyes. He's enjoying it despite his resolve to hate me. My tricky ways are winning them over!
MC is STILL hanging around and meowing like crazy. I wonder if the neighbors notice that their cat in stalking us. I keep a bottle of vinegar water around to spray at her. I need a stronger stream because she's learned to be fast in her getaway!
I was browsing YouTube this morning and saw some video from a woman that has 28 cats (she's even married). Some of them are only outside cats, but I saw 13 in one kitchen shot. Her house must STINK and her neighbors must hate her!
Saturday - Day Six:
They are letting me pick them up without hissing! They have been sleeping at the front of the carrier. The kittens have become very attached to each other and will cry very loudly if left alone in the carrier. We have heard purring!
I was holding B last night while Chad and I were watching a movie. (First Daughter...not anything fantastic.) He was on my lap and suddenly fell off to the side. Instead of running away, he crawled back up, curled up and went to sleep! This is a small miracle. He purred last night while I scratched his ears and earlier today when I was holding him.
Both kitties got baths tonight. Their fur felt so coated with yucky dirt that I didn't really like to hold them. B's fur is much longer than his sister's, so it always looked a little matted. He looks much more handsome now. As I type this, they are each wrapped in a towel and sleeping in my lap.
I watched the two of them wrestling each other this morning. B had S's back to the mat and her shoulders pinned. A clear winner. I don't know if her bite was legal, but it gained her some freedom. They were quite cute!
I would be a liar if I said I wasn't getting a little attached to them. Someone hurry up and offer to adopt them! I think they would really like to stay together. (I feel like a feline social worker.)
MC is still hanging around and meowing a lot. The kittens have stopped responding as much to her. Maybe they think I'm their mom now. I sure feel like it. I hope that she'll outgrow her mothering instincts soon. Hopefully, she won't get pregnant again and deliver in our yard!
Sunday - Day Seven:
The kittens are ready for the next step: confinement in a small room. We'll be moving them to the downstairs bathroom where they can leave the dog carrier when they'd like, but not get lost in the house.
I let the kittens loose today to see what they would do. They went immediately into a small space and started hissing and spitting at me. Are we regressing? I think they just aren't completely tame yet.
They have become very skilled at climbing the door of the carrier. They want out of there! I hope to see enough progress in a few days to start finding a home for them. I really don't like the stink! (And it's only two little kittens!) B is so cute in his black and white fur. S has a more sophisticated look with her dirty white. I wish we could keep them.
Monday - Day Eight:
B and S sat in my lap for dinner tonight and B rewarded me with a purring thank you. They are wrestling each other and becoming very familiar with the bathroom.
B scaled the baby gate that we have up in the doorway. I put some plastic wrap along the top half of the gate and have had no more escapes. Apparently, they don't like the feel.
They started out the morning hissing and hiding when I went near, but by the end of the day, they were accepting of the attention.
B and S were sitting with us on the couch this evening while I crocheted. They were very interested, but wary of my yarn. B was swatting it pretty hard! He got a little jumpy with it sometimes and tried to bite it to death.
We need to start looking for a home for them soon. It's getting harder and harder because they are so cute. But I'm not sure that Rebekah isn't allergic to them, so that's something to consider.
One cat we'd love to get rid of is MC. She's still hanging around and meowing all night. How long will she be bugging us?
Tuesday - Day Nine:The kittens have learned how to climb the door of the carrier and have started napping on top of it. B came up to me today and started purring and pushing on me with his head. NO hissing or shying away today! *
I moved the carrier out of the bathroom this afternoon. Everything in there stinks so bad that I'm trying to get down to bare minimum. Now they have much more room to play.
I made up a flyer to try to get these guys adopted out. I put pictures on to melt hearts, but I want someone serious to take them so I made some stipulations. They have to go together and they have to give me a $30 deposit that will be refunded when they prove that both kittens have been immunized and altered (no more kitties)! We'll see if that scares away all potential families.
*I let the kittens wander around the family room this evening. After they had roamed a bit, their wild side returned. They hid under furniture and hissed (nowhere near what they used to do) when I went to retrieve them. This is after they came up to me and started purring as soon as I picked them up! Well, S is not so free with her affections. She's harder to win over. So I guess we still have a little ways to go.
Wednesday - Day Ten:
I awoke to the sound of MC at the front window with an urgent meowing. I stumbled to the living room to find both kitties at the window! They were hard to catch and B was (of course) hissing at me.
Those naughty kittens turned into little escape artists today. I found them upstairs one more time during the day. So the plastic wrap has lost its power. I have overlaid it with tin foil. Reynolds Release no-stick foil, no less! It has a few tears in it, but no kittens have escaped since then. I'll be shutting the bathroom door tonight for peace of mind.
I gave them a little yellow ball to bat around. They sure are energetic and B really likes to beat up on S. I hope she gives it right back to him! :)
I didn't feed them any canned food for the first time. It's really only because I was lazy. I still have a couple of cans before it's gone. Maybe they'll get it tomorrow if they're better behaved!
The tin foil is working so far! B and S spend a lot of time rolled up into one ball, sleeping, when B isn't chasing S for fun. They are still a little too wild for adoption.
The kittens got a big of a break today. I was busy elsewhere doing other things. I am pretty sure that Rebekah's runny nose isn't entirely from her cold, so I am starting to feel more reluctant about just picking up the kittens all day.
They stink and need a bath! The bathroom stinks, too. They are messy poopers!
Friday - Day Twelve:
It is a sad day. Sister kitten died this morning. Brother is crying for his sister.
During her bath, Sister got overly worked up and I am guessing she coughed up some undigested food and choked on it. She paid me well before as she bit me hard enough to draw blood. From there she seemed to be gasping and lost conciousness. I tried to take her to the vet (about 2 minutes away), but she was already gone.
B has shredded and ripped down the tin foil in an attempt to get out and find his sister.
I told the kids she went to live with Heavenly Father. They agree that He will be nice to her.
And then my fun started. I didn't have an updated tetanus shot. The event cost $82 plus 3 days' samples of antibiotic. I'm thankful for samples.
Now B can take out his sorrow on me. I'm all drugged up and ready for another attack.
Saturday - Day Thirteen:
B is getting more reign of the house. The kids let him out today and he enjoyed exploring the living room for a while.
His wild side is really fading away now. He let me catch him without hissing at me (except for the time I had to catch him by the tail before he got under the furniture) and he purrs quite loudly. He was trying to play with me this evening...I was just trying to avoid those really sharp kitty claws!
I still feel sad about S. It all happened so fast and I was the one to dispose of her. So sad.
Sunday - Day Fourteen:
B is free! He has been running around the house most of the day.
He climbed over the gate back into the bathroom to use the litter box, so I feel very relieved that he knows where to relieve himself!
He is very energetic and attacks a lot of things. He still hisses a little, mostly when Daniel comes running at him at high speed, yelling like a crazy person. I'd hiss, too! He hissed at me when I passed once, but he was a little wound up at the moment.
Since losing his sister, B has quickly become a people's cat.
MC is still hanging around the house, but she's keeping a safer distance. One more week of her or less? Let's hope.
Monday - Day Fifteen:
B is roaming the house and attacking at random.
This kitten is slowly becoming part of the family. I'm not completely sure yet that Rebekah is allergic to him. He has bonded with us much more since he lost his sister.
B is still learning what is appropriate behavior. I'm sure I would be a much better teacher if I was MC, but I'm not reintroducing them now!
He likes to sit in my lap, but gets there by climbing my leg like a tree trunk. He likes to play, but doesn't always know when to stop. He bites and scratches, but not to injure. He's just playing!
Tuesday - Day Sixteen:
B was left alone in the house for the first time today. I think he fell asleep.
I was worried that he would freak out and destroy something or attract his mother which would result in a missing window screen. None of that seemed to have occured. In fact, we were home for quite a while before I became curious about his whereabouts. He was found under a chair in the living room, sleeping.
He is bonding with Daniel now. I told Daniel he would if only Daniel would quit hissing at him and scaring him!
He hasn't spent a night out of the bathroom yet. Maybe tonight? Last night, he managed to open a drawer in the bathroom which prevented the door from opening more than 1/4 inch. I had to stab the side of the drawer with a long knife to push it back into its recess. How did he open a drawer that doesn't even have a handle? He's a magic cat!!
Wednesday - Day Seventeen:
B spent the night out of the bathroom!
He really tried to snuggle up to us as we fell asleep. It was kind of irritating. I finally dropped him onto the floor and he didn't show up until morning.
He is still very kittenish...full of energy and attacking without warning. He hisses if you surprise him and he still runs to hide under or behind furniture when uncomfortable. But he isn't hostile. We've come a long way, Baby!
Thursday - Day Eighteen:
B has found a home (for now)!
Unless we have someone who wants him, or things just don't work out, B has a home here. He's weaseled his way in!
Rebekah may not be allergic to him. I'm still monitoring her to make certain.
He'll often come out from hiding if I call to him. He ended up napping on my back yesterday when I went down for my own nap. He is adjusting very well.
And MC? I only heard her meow once yesterday! I didn't see her though. I think she's finally lost that incredibly strong maternal instinct. If I find her with kittens in my yard again, I'll be taking her to the pound where she will have to be altered before returning home or being adopted out to a more responsible family.
This is a fond farewell to this post (thank goodness). A story of taming feral kittens. Too bad we had to lose one.
