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I just emailed my colleague and asked if he could please bring a sibling on Monday. The baby's world has been turned upside-down -- he was living in a room in my colleague's house with his mom, 2 siblings, and my colleague's cat, and now he is by himself, of course he is scared! I think I got spoiled yesterday because he was on top of the bed (I'd moved his food, water, and litter box up there, as it's where I opened the cat carrier) and so when I went in there, I could lie on the bed and cuddle with him. But overnight he discovered he could leave the bed and go hide underneath, and that seems to be his new "safe spot."
Hopefully I'll hear back from my colleague soon!! I'm going to go back in and visit the baby in a few minutes ... I want to try to find a little ball so I can play with him, hopefully ...
It will take the little one a little while to settle in. I sure having his/her sib will help. I remember when we got Josette. She didn't know what was going on. I didn't put her in a room by herself. I showed her where the food was and the little box was and then just let her explore her new home. The other two kitties were really nice to her. They knew she was only a baby. It wasn't until she had been with us for a few weeks that Elvira started picking on her-and still does today. lol. Elvira just wants Josette to know her place and the fact that Elvira is the boss. But, they do play together from time to time.
I just emailed my colleague and asked if he could please bring a sibling on Monday. The baby's world has been turned upside-down
It will make a big difference to your little one! I have a similar story of kittens missing siblings, from when we brought our two furballs in the house after feeding and giving them shelter in the shed for a few months. We were able to lure Checkers in with food, but as soon as we shut the cellar door, he climbed up the back of the refrigerator, and settled onto the foundation sill. He came down for food and to use the box when the house was quiet, but as soon as he heard us walking around upstairs, he scrambled back up onto the sill. When we finally trapped Cookie, after three heartbreaking days of hearing her cry because she was hungry and Checkers was AWOL, Checkers came down from his perch and there was a joyous reunion. They had a rough start to their life, and being together made the adjustment easier.
It took us about three or four months to socialize them, but they were six months old when they first showed up at our house. Younger kittens should be easier.
I hope you can get a sibling soon! What fun, to have two kittens in the house!
All, thanks so much for the replies -- I have tried to rep everyone (or will as soon as I finish writing this) although a couple of you, I've rep'd too recently!
Catwoman and Ohiogirl, thank you for sharing your kitty stories! Ohiogirl, I have read many times about your kitties but didn't know their "story" -- those 3 days with only Checkers must have been so sad (for all of you!!).
This is a photo I took on his first day (this past Friday) to text to my sister ... I put a Nyquil bottle next to him so she could tell his size ...
And I actually just finished with a feeding/cuddle session, so I am a happy camper at the moment. He ran from the top of the bed to underneath the bed as soon as I entered the guest room, but I sat down on the floor and coaxed him with food. At first he started eating the dry food (the same food he was eating at my colleague's house) -- it was further away from me -- so I kept pulling it an inch or two closer to me, and he followed ... I was able to catch him looking up at me ...
I then added a bit of water to the wet food and he went to that ...
Oh, that's a Fiesta fruit bowl (about 4" wide), for size! He (or she!!) is just so, so adorable. He let me pet him while he was eating, and as soon as I started that, he started purring his little head off. When he had just about finished all the wet food, he let me pick him up and hold him close, and he snuggled into me -- I think he has WANTED to cuddle (I mean, come on, who wouldn't? ) but he was afraid. We stayed like that for about 10 minutes, then he used my face as a bridge to get back on the bed, LOL! I put the remaining wet food up there and he was eating that as I left.
Yesterday was rough -- I could tell he was eating and using the litter box, but he wouldn't come close to me -- but today was promising. Still hoping to get his sibling tomorrow, but I haven't yet heard back from my colleague. More updates soon!
Haha, before I scrolled down enough to read your description of the bowl, I thought: That lucky kitten gets to eat from a Fiesta bowl!
(My kitties are not that lucky ... They like to bat their empty food bowls around on the floor.)
He will be fine. Give him time. It was a few weeks before I could even touch the cats, and then I could pet them fleetingly only when they were eating. He has his own pace, and once he realizes how nice it is to be petted and snuggled, he'll be all over you.
Haha, before I scrolled down enough to read your description of the bowl, I thought: That lucky kitten gets to eat from a Fiesta bowl!
Ha! I thought you would be appreciate the Fiesta bowl!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81
He will be fine. Give him time. It was a few weeks before I could even touch the cats, and then I could pet them fleetingly only when they were eating. He has his own pace, and once he realizes how nice it is to be petted and snuggled, he'll be all over you.
I will definitely be patient with him, but I am sad that he was not more socialized at my colleague's house (and he is apparently the MOST socialized among the kittens -- which scares me a bit!). When I have adopted kittens in the past, it's always been in pairs (though not always littermates) so they would have each other, and I always got them from the Humane Society, which has foster families that definitely socialize the babies to get them ready to be adopted. So with all my others, I would keep them in a separate room for a few days but (1) they had each other and (2) they would always run to me for petting and cuddling (and food, of course!) as soon as I opened the door. So this is a noticeable difference.
I forgot to mention in my last post that when I was in there a little while ago, Quinn was just outside meowing, and the baby heard and started meowing back. It broke my heart but I really can't have Quinn in there yet -- he is literally about 6 times the baby's size (18 lbs. vs. 3!) and I think would scare him more than anything else. I would love to let Annie go in there, as she is TOTALLY non-threatening (she's almost 10 and I have NEVER heard her hiss at one of her siblings, not even once -- she's incredibly good-natured) and much smaller than Quinn ... but I don't think I should let the others in until after I go to the vet and the baby has his first shots. That'll be this coming Thursday.
Hi again! Thought I would post another picture ... I had put a pillow on the floor and it has become the baby's favorite lounging spot ...
I also broke down yesterday and let Annie go in the baby's room for a few minutes -- she doesn't have a mean bone in her body so I knew she wouldn't scare him. Annie was pretty indifferent about him (she just hung out at the heater -- she's a total heater hog), but he was very clearly ECSTATIC to see another kitty. He sniffed her, ran away, came back, sniffed her some more, rolled around on the pillow, went back to sniff her again, and overall just seemed totally delighted by her. AND every time I have gone in there since (by myself), he has been a little happy camper -- doesn't run away from me at all, but lets me pet him and pick him up. Clearly him knowing that there are others of "his species" in the house has made him SO much calmer. Yay!!!
Hi again! Thought I would post another picture ... I had put a pillow on the floor and it has become the baby's favorite lounging spot ...
I also broke down yesterday and let Annie go in the baby's room for a few minutes -- she doesn't have a mean bone in her body so I knew she wouldn't scare him. Annie was pretty indifferent about him (she just hung out at the heater -- she's a total heater hog), but he was very clearly ECSTATIC to see another kitty. He sniffed her, ran away, came back, sniffed her some more, rolled around on the pillow, went back to sniff her again, and overall just seemed totally delighted by her. AND every time I have gone in there since (by myself), he has been a little happy camper -- doesn't run away from me at all, but lets me pet him and pick him up. Clearly him knowing that there are others of "his species" in the house has made him SO much calmer. Yay!!!
Aw, the poor little thing misses other kitties. Do you have any stuffed animals you could put out, or maybe buy one at a thrift store for cheap? I remember when our Sadie was tiny, she would sleep next to stuffed animals.
Hi again! Thought I would post another picture ... I had put a pillow on the floor and it has become the baby's favorite lounging spot ...
I also broke down yesterday and let Annie go in the baby's room for a few minutes -- she doesn't have a mean bone in her body so I knew she wouldn't scare him. Annie was pretty indifferent about him (she just hung out at the heater -- she's a total heater hog), but he was very clearly ECSTATIC to see another kitty. He sniffed her, ran away, came back, sniffed her some more, rolled around on the pillow, went back to sniff her again, and overall just seemed totally delighted by her. AND every time I have gone in there since (by myself), he has been a little happy camper -- doesn't run away from me at all, but lets me pet him and pick him up. Clearly him knowing that there are others of "his species" in the house has made him SO much calmer. Yay!!!
It sounds like the beginning of a beautiful friendship!
So happy for you Karen- the baby is adorable.
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update with more photos!
He (or she!!) is just so, so adorable. He let me pet him while he was eating, and as soon as I started that, he started purring his little head off. When he had just about finished all the wet food, he let me pick him up and hold him close, and he snuggled into me -- I think he has WANTED to cuddle (I mean, come on, who wouldn't? 
