Thread: My New Kitten!

I know Jackie! He's a bit like a kitten version of Dumbo! Most of this littermates have big ears too and we've actually seen one of the 16 week old kittens who hasn't got a home yet - she had big ears when we visited the first time but when we went back she had grown into them a bit!

I'm still not sure where we stand with Dave's family. His dad, who's allergic, is actually the least bothered. He should have told them from the beginning rather than springing it on them now but that's men for you! We're sure his sister will find some way of coming over to check if our flat has been destroyed and our lives have been ruined by Teddy. Eugh. Part of me wants her to meet him and see how cute he is and another part wants her to stay well away and keep her negativity with her!

Poor you, having to contend with this negativity. For goodness' sake, it's a kitten, not an elephant! Why are they making such a fuss - it's your life after all and you're not doing anything unusual. Don't let them rain on your parade! xxx

Just keep a bag of nice smelly poo somewhere at hand & if you want to get rid of her tip it out into his tray,waft the smell about a bit & when she turns up her nose just say you are lucky it normally smells worse than that,should work in making her do a quick exit & don't think she would want to come back just in case....
Anyway MC's do not ruin anything {hardly }they just want to be loved by everyone.
Looking forward to reading your posts after family have visited !

Stacey, if she doesn't like it, quite simple ... don't come over!! My mum isn't an animal lover at all. She wouldn't hurt one, but can't understand where I get my love of them from. She used to feed my ratties when I was away and she's been over to see both of mine and even gave Moto a little chuck under the cheek. Saying that, she's not a nasty person. She loves me and all my foibles, including animals!!

He's such a fab looking wee man and he'll bring you more joy and love than she ever could, so just think about that (she says as she's being licked on the ear by my little man!!).

Sian
x

I know that some people prefer certain animals and aren't fans of others - I'm pretty terrified of most large dogs, for example. But I think it's just good manners not to go around telling people what you think of their pet. She's like that about everything though, not just Ted!

We've started calling him Tedders all the time...poor thing won't know what his name is!!

Originally Posted by Stacey

We've started calling him Tedders all the time...poor thing won't know what his name is!!

If it's any consolation, Freyja's nickname is Bubidy-boo, or Buby, or Bubs. No idea where it came from, or why, but her ears will prick to that as much as to Freyja, and she comes when she's called to both (when she feels like it!).

Two of my friends are not cat lovers - neither are hostile but one is clearly nervous around them and the other just doesn't know what to do with them (bizarrely, the latter friend Freyja curled up on his lap - turncoat doesn't do that on MY lap!). But both have massively warmed to Freyja (they've not met Wicca yet, although the one that's nervous of cats saw a photo of her mum and thought she was the scariest cat he'd ever seen!) and are starting to see we're so attached to them. I'm really lucky, all my family have always been pet lovers and the only time my parents have made the trip to my house in 5 years was the week after Freyja moved in!

I must confess that I also was opposed to getting a cat at first because I believed they would be destructive. After having had cats for nearly eight years now, it is not clear to me which is more destructive, cats or dogs. Both can damage and soil things in your house, and if you cannot live with that then you should not have either. I now have speaker grill cloth with a bit of damage (from cats), but I also had two male dogs lift their legs and pee on those same speakers. To me, the cat damage is by far the lesser problem of the two, and adding double sided tape strips has eliminated further cat damage. Our first cat, Karma, shredded an old couch we had downstairs before we got him enough scratching surfaces, but the couch was a light color, and the dogs had pretty much wrecked it already by soiling it just by lying on it frequently and, again, peeing on it. Dogs definitely leave much more dirt and "doggy odor" on furniture than cats do. I always thought a litter box sounded quite yucky, but compared to having to take dogs out in the rain and snow, picking up poops in the yard, and still ending up occasionally stepping in some, I now think the litter box is far preferable. I also have to say that I do not miss the barking.

I have been following this thread with so much interest and have to say that so far Roxy has destroyed not very much in the three weeks we've had her (there have also been no little 'accidents' whatsoever), but she sure is a clever girl, figuring out ways to get to where she wants to. She did chew through the telephone cable (and the first we knew about it was when the phone rang in another room upstairs when I was sitting next to the portable one). Despite that I still feel cats rate very low on the 'hassle' meter. The butter- wouldn't-melt cute face more than makes up for any damaged furniture - who could resist...

We've been quite lucky in that ours haven't been great chewers of things, at any stage, even though as musicians there are plenty of cables lying around. It probably helped that the OH works from home so the lads are never left alone for long periods, and there's usually someone there to say 'OI- NO- GET OFF!' Having said that, the lads have caused some damage simply by stampeding around the house and knocking things onto the floor. (another good reason to get your garden enclosed so that they can work some energy off outside!)

Things they have smashed so far: a large fruit bowl, a Denby teapot (ouch! - a really nice one!), the butter dish. Luckily there is a really good charity shop down the road so these things are quickly and cheaply replaced. They have also knocked over wine bottles; if you leave the lid off the milk and walk away, they will have the milk over and then all 3 of them will lap away at the puddle; the bedside glass of water will be pulled over just for a laugh.... The worst one was the android phone getting hoofed into the kitchen sink.....and it wasn't insured!!!! Still, our fault for leaving it within hoofing distance.

This is another reason why you shouldn't allow them onto the kitchen counters, I know I know....but the thing is, we don't mind, they're hilarious and loveable and gorgeous...we just have to remember to put things out of their reach, which we're much better at now. I couldn't care less that I've got an 1980's style 99p teapot from a charity shop instead of a Denby one. Funny how your priorities can change, eh?