Pippi and Patina became kitten friends in foster care and then found a home together. They've been keeping their mom busy and entertained. We've been lucky to have lots of photos and updates shared with us.
First update from Pippi's and Patina's mom:
I think we could use some kind thoughts and prayers. I will have a few more gray hairs before the week is done. Where to begin?
My AC went out last week and I had to have the furnace replaced today. But the heat and humidity were hard on the girls - even though we were in the coolest room in the house with 3 fans going at all times. I made sure not to play hard with them the last 24 hours in a way that would tax them, it was quiet play. And I made sure they had plenty of water with and without ice in it. I didn't want them to get heatstroke! They would play and then want to cuddle. But I think they were warmer than normal.
Sunday we spent most of the day getting to know one another in the master bedroom / bathroom of my house. I actually have a loveseat in the room for a reading space. I sat on the loveseat most of the day while they explored. Playing with them at different times, but really letting them go at their own pace.
Pippi is fearless! I love her for that. She is also funny. She would be off somewhere in my bedroom exploring and then will remember that this is new. She then would stop and start crying. I would say something to her and she would stop, then run to me, jump in my lap, cuddle for 5 seconds and then be off to explore again. She is the one pushing boundaries - exploring, getting into things, etc.
Patina was fine as long as she kept me in site. She would either be on the bed watching me, lying next to me on the loveseat, or checking out the other furniture in the room. I didn't hear a peep out of her that day.
Sunday evening we were doing so well we explored the living room for a few hours.
Monday afternoon I came home to work and wait for the AC service man. I let them out of the bedroom and they were ecstatic! I could not get them to stop pulling on mouse cords, electrical cords, investigating the office area, chewing on box corners, etc.
Pippi thought it was great fun to walk across the keyboard, laptop keyboard and desktop. She was even exploring behind the computer desk. She had to see it all and do everything!
Patina on the other hand was more interested in the shadows on the wall. I had noticed the day before that she will sometimes fall over if she is cleaning herself and shifts her weight. It is as if she doesn't realize that her body is changing. I think she is that awkward teenage stage.
So she is perfectly fine, but she gave the scare of a lifetime.
My office space is a loft area that overlooks the living room on the floor below. She was chasing those shadows while sitting on the ledge under the loft railing. I was successful at chasing her away the first time by just talking sternly to her, but the second time instead of moving off the ledge, she sat down and then fell off. When I ran down stairs to pick her up and check to make sure nothing was broken or hurt she gave me the funniest look - both embarrassment and something that said, 'I meant to do that.' I have not seen her near that ledge since. And then I checked her again this morning when she woke up to see if she was stiff or sore. And she was fine. I will say that she does love the top tier of the cat tower.
Few days later:
Here are the pics of the girls on their pink blanket. I use it to mark 'their space' on the bed. They often bring toys onto the blanket to play. Only Patina sleeps on it. She guards it from Pippi at night and then often snuggles next to me anyway. But I make sure that Pippi gets time with it too. I try to play with her on it for a few minutes each day. What is really funny is that both of them get upset if I move it to make the bed or pull the spread back.
More kitten fun:
My Fur Kids. I think they are part flying squirrel.
Yesterday I attempted to turn the AC off. There was little or no humidity in the morning when I turned it off, but it seemed to creep in throughout the day. As the sun was starting to set I turned it back on (with a chilly temp) and forgot to adjust when we went to bed. And I guess that it was a little too chilly for the fur kids.
I woke this morning with one tucked in behind my knees (Patina) and the other under the covers playing with the bow in my nightgown (Pippi). When I tried to adjust the undercover kitty (UCK), she went deeper undercover to my feet and promptly began to nibble on my toes. Well, as you can imagine, sharp kitten teeth nibbling on your toes doesn't feel the best when you are not fully awake and I began to wiggle them in an attempt to get her to stop.
All this did was attract Patina. She took full advantage of undercover kitty not being able to see what she was doing and pounced! Pippi retaliated by clawing my legs and biting my toes. I extracted the UCK and placed her on the bed next to her attacker.
They wrestled for just a bit. I was about to break them up when the Patina ran as far away from Pippi as she could. She then turned around, ran back toward Pippi, launching herself the last couple of steps. She didn't stop, but then ran away again and then launched herself at Pippi. That must have been pretty fun since they then took turns running and launching themselves at each other from every corner of the bed.
All this before 6am today. Should be a fun day!
It doesn't always happen, but if you watch for it, you will see the nap when it happens.
Both kittens have now fallen from the loft. They are both fine.
I have been very short on sleep since getting the kittens. I said I was going to sleep in the guest bedroom last night, but I didn't. I paid the price. See those three times that I have highlighted (3:30, 4:10 & 4:40)? Those were Pippi's attempts to wake me up to play!
And the solution for the loft, added a couple days ago.
New kitten barrier. Let's hope it works.
Kittens!! They can certainly be a handful :)
Patina and Pippi have the purrfect perch
First update from Pippi's and Patina's mom:
I think we could use some kind thoughts and prayers. I will have a few more gray hairs before the week is done. Where to begin?
My AC went out last week and I had to have the furnace replaced today. But the heat and humidity were hard on the girls - even though we were in the coolest room in the house with 3 fans going at all times. I made sure not to play hard with them the last 24 hours in a way that would tax them, it was quiet play. And I made sure they had plenty of water with and without ice in it. I didn't want them to get heatstroke! They would play and then want to cuddle. But I think they were warmer than normal.
Sunday we spent most of the day getting to know one another in the master bedroom / bathroom of my house. I actually have a loveseat in the room for a reading space. I sat on the loveseat most of the day while they explored. Playing with them at different times, but really letting them go at their own pace.
Pippi
Pippi is fearless! I love her for that. She is also funny. She would be off somewhere in my bedroom exploring and then will remember that this is new. She then would stop and start crying. I would say something to her and she would stop, then run to me, jump in my lap, cuddle for 5 seconds and then be off to explore again. She is the one pushing boundaries - exploring, getting into things, etc.
Patina was fine as long as she kept me in site. She would either be on the bed watching me, lying next to me on the loveseat, or checking out the other furniture in the room. I didn't hear a peep out of her that day.
Patina
Sunday evening we were doing so well we explored the living room for a few hours.
Monday afternoon I came home to work and wait for the AC service man. I let them out of the bedroom and they were ecstatic! I could not get them to stop pulling on mouse cords, electrical cords, investigating the office area, chewing on box corners, etc.
Pippi thought it was great fun to walk across the keyboard, laptop keyboard and desktop. She was even exploring behind the computer desk. She had to see it all and do everything!
Patina on the other hand was more interested in the shadows on the wall. I had noticed the day before that she will sometimes fall over if she is cleaning herself and shifts her weight. It is as if she doesn't realize that her body is changing. I think she is that awkward teenage stage.
So she is perfectly fine, but she gave the scare of a lifetime.
My office space is a loft area that overlooks the living room on the floor below. She was chasing those shadows while sitting on the ledge under the loft railing. I was successful at chasing her away the first time by just talking sternly to her, but the second time instead of moving off the ledge, she sat down and then fell off. When I ran down stairs to pick her up and check to make sure nothing was broken or hurt she gave me the funniest look - both embarrassment and something that said, 'I meant to do that.' I have not seen her near that ledge since. And then I checked her again this morning when she woke up to see if she was stiff or sore. And she was fine. I will say that she does love the top tier of the cat tower.
Few days later:
Here are the pics of the girls on their pink blanket. I use it to mark 'their space' on the bed. They often bring toys onto the blanket to play. Only Patina sleeps on it. She guards it from Pippi at night and then often snuggles next to me anyway. But I make sure that Pippi gets time with it too. I try to play with her on it for a few minutes each day. What is really funny is that both of them get upset if I move it to make the bed or pull the spread back.
More kitten fun:
My Fur Kids. I think they are part flying squirrel.
Yesterday I attempted to turn the AC off. There was little or no humidity in the morning when I turned it off, but it seemed to creep in throughout the day. As the sun was starting to set I turned it back on (with a chilly temp) and forgot to adjust when we went to bed. And I guess that it was a little too chilly for the fur kids.
I woke this morning with one tucked in behind my knees (Patina) and the other under the covers playing with the bow in my nightgown (Pippi). When I tried to adjust the undercover kitty (UCK), she went deeper undercover to my feet and promptly began to nibble on my toes. Well, as you can imagine, sharp kitten teeth nibbling on your toes doesn't feel the best when you are not fully awake and I began to wiggle them in an attempt to get her to stop.
All this did was attract Patina. She took full advantage of undercover kitty not being able to see what she was doing and pounced! Pippi retaliated by clawing my legs and biting my toes. I extracted the UCK and placed her on the bed next to her attacker.
They wrestled for just a bit. I was about to break them up when the Patina ran as far away from Pippi as she could. She then turned around, ran back toward Pippi, launching herself the last couple of steps. She didn't stop, but then ran away again and then launched herself at Pippi. That must have been pretty fun since they then took turns running and launching themselves at each other from every corner of the bed.
All this before 6am today. Should be a fun day!
It doesn't always happen, but if you watch for it, you will see the nap when it happens.
Both kittens have now fallen from the loft. They are both fine.
I have been very short on sleep since getting the kittens. I said I was going to sleep in the guest bedroom last night, but I didn't. I paid the price. See those three times that I have highlighted (3:30, 4:10 & 4:40)? Those were Pippi's attempts to wake me up to play!
And the solution for the loft, added a couple days ago.
New kitten barrier. Let's hope it works.
Kittens!! They can certainly be a handful :)
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