on Tuesdays we like to do this:

We take it very seriously.

training with Millie

Millie makes me run; up and down, up and down. Faster! she says. Faster! Fair takes it out of a kitten. I need a morning off now.

Zzzzzzzzzzz...

So tired..... only little legs.....

Maybe the human will write a note excusing me from games for a bit.

Let me in. I'm escaping from that kitten. He makes me run about too much.

Maybe I could get a note from the human excusing me from games for a bit....

Zzzzzzzzz......

nothing to see here

but lots to hear: the pounding of kitten and cat paws up and down the stairs, the chirrups and little mews of enticement and delight in having a playmate, the rustling of wrappers as fishy treats are dispensed to waiting throng, the squeaks of dangling pig toy as it gets well bashed, the vigorous digging in litter tray, the warning sound made by a phone knocked off its base yet again, the warning hiss of a Lottie put out of countenance yet again, the comforting sounds of a human making a fuss of said Lottie... and so it goes on. There may be photos later, but I'll bet that mostly they'll be the blurs of feline traffic passing at speed.

and with one bound, he was free!

Most of the doors in the house are shut, the cat flap is set to 'entry only', toys are scattered liberally, and a watchful Millie is supervising. Black kitten has left the sitting room.

I have pictures of Millie at much the same age, doing much the same things, and also some less desirable things. I've just had a look at them, and been reminded of what an exceptionally naughty villain she was. This kitten isn't in her league yet, and hopefully he will never be, for my own sake. I aged five years bringing up that girl.

a week is a long time

in politics and kitten acceptance.

How these two have watched each other! How hard that little kitten has worked to get Millie's acceptance! And how ambivalent and cautious that acceptance is!

But today....

new mouse

Any more? This one's lost its flavour.

crossed wires

My phone was down for most of the week, which was really rather pleasant. I know that there is an element of my personality that, if left unchecked, would sometimes ignore phone and doorbells ringing, and I can get quite unreasonably harrassed if both ring at once. And my basic mobile phone is kept for texting and emergencies, neither of which happen often, thankfully, so it's been email or visiting for five days. Given the black fuzzy attraction currently making the sitting room look like Paddy's Market, there have been lots of visitors.

But the line was fixed, and I had some catching-up calls to make today. I rang Ann, PARRT's home visitor, to report on black kitten's progress, and to enquire tactfully how long the rehoming process might take. To my surprise, she seemed to think I was keeping him, so we had a careful conversation about this. No, I'm quite sure that I don't want a third cat yet, and certainly don't want Lottie to stay as distant and disengaged as she is, so fostering with breaks in between might suit us much better.   

I rang Karen, the original foster carer for Lottie and Millie, who had put black kitten on the rehoming website this week. I think she had hoped I might yield to his charms, but she told me that there was a possible home for two kittens in the offing, but four kittens to choose from. So, fingers crossed. Millie and dog, you have work to do - our boy has to be the Chosen One!

Good morning!

Good morning, dog! Purr purr.

Good morning, Millie!

Good morning, fluffy prey! Grrrr.

 Good morning, Lottie upstairs!

ok, so I lied

(An evening with the black kitten. Too much fun to keep to myself.)

Ooh, ooh, it's my Millie! Chirp, chirp, lovely to see you, Millie!

Play with me, go on!

Ask her to play with me....

It's a bit late for playing, mind you.

Someone's on the other side of this door. I can hear her hissing. Miss Fluffy Drawers, I'll bet.

A bit of exercise before bed. In and out of the box.

No fun without Millie.

Watch a bit of tv instead.

Pull the throw onto the floor and settle down. No one can see me..... Ni-night!

Tails up!

I'm going to stop going on about this kitten now, except to update you.

We had a long playing session this morning, interspersed with little treats to encourage him to come closer to me, then an enthusiastic breakfast. It's been tails up all day since then, pleased to see me, the dog, Millie, food, toys. Especially Millie, who is greeted with little chirrups and invitations to play. Loud purring, hardly any spitting (sometimes at the same time as purring!), and this evening, approaching me to be picked up and placed on my lap, where he stayed till my cup of tea went cold, just out of my reach. Major progress, I'd say. Well done, black kitten. Millie and the dog have been wonderful allies, modelling fearlessness/friendliness/high-speed removal of treats from human hand. Millie also demonstrated how to extract maximum play value from a cardboard box, the kitten watching with eyes like saucers.

Millie made several visits, and is definitely coming round. Lottie looked in, made an unpleasant noise, and stalked out, majestic bloomers and enviable whiskers ensuring that a small moggie would be sure of his place in the pecking order. She has presence, and something of Margaret Rutherford about her, does Lottie. She spends her time snoozing on the chair beside my computer, and has been promised lots of attention when this despised interloper goes away.

And he's now on PARRT's website, although I see that he seems to be named Artie on that - I suppose they all have a marketing name - but he's still the nameless kitten to me. I hope someone finds him soon, because he is growing at an alarming rate, and they may miss out on all the baby cuteness.

moggie!

Most times, he looks like a cute little kitten, even when he's wrecking the furniture.

But when he's stretched out - and purring at top volume, here - he looks like an alley cat.