New Additions in our Household
Well, it happens almost every year. A kitten arrives on our doorstep and we take him in.
This year it was Cricket. Last year, Annie, Ninja and Jasper though only Jasper survived the panleukopenia outbreak that took several of our friends.
When we rescue adult cats or teenaged kitties that have been able to survive on the streets alone, we have them spayed or neutered, get them medical attention and they stay outdoors. Some stay permanently, like Gud Gud and Silky. Others just visit for a regular meal, like Mama Fang, Spicy and Rusty.
But when we find a tiny kitten that is at risk out in the world, we have no choice but to bring them inside. It’s not ideal for us to add to our indoor population. We have 10 residents and there is tension and inappropriate peeing caused by stress and territorial issues. Adding another resident might exacerbate the existing stress, and it may also be very scary for the new arrival.
When the trio arrived last year – Annie, Ninja and Jasper – we were at a loss as to how they would integrate. A fatal illness sadly took that dilemma from us but in hindsight, I have an idea how it would have unfolded.
Annie, independent, unconcerned about other kitties, would have become like Shay. No enemies, no dramas, just living in her own little world.
Ninja, shy and timid, would have become a target for bullying. As he grew, it is likely that Pip, Chico and/or Tully would have targetted him, making his little life very stressful.
Jasper has thankfully integrated perfectly. He is sweet and placid, not aggressive or territorial, and formed a strong allegiance with Tully and Shay. He adores Shay and she has accepted him as a third in the tight relationship she has with her brother.
The only time we have transitioned kittens from indoors to out, is when Mama Luna moved out with her 3 kittens, Max, Sam and Jack. They had each other for support, and we migrated them slowly. First they spent a few hours each day in our secure garden. At the start they huddled in their carriers, fearful. Slowly, slowly, they ventured outside, until they came to enjoy the grass and the sunshine and the butterflies.
When we moved them to the front of the house, they spent some time in our “catio” and we supervised them closely before they are where they are now – roaming free during the day, snug in their catio and adjacent store room at night.
So now we are at a decision point with Cricket. He is unfortunately quite a feisty fellow. Though tiny, he harasses Tully and Shay mercilessly, biting their paws and ears while they try to sleep. A mama cat would teach them that this is inappropriate behaviour, but Tully and Shay know it’s not their responsibility, so they just walk away.
While he was tiny, underweight and malnourished when he arrived, he has rapidly caught up and his big paws give us a clue to his future size. I am expecting him to grow into a large feisty boy, reminiscent of Harper.
We do have an option to accommodate Cricket with “the naughty boys”, Finn, Harper and Valentino, but there is too much tension there too.
Consequently, we have started the process. Cricket is having a few outings with the indoor crew in our secure garden. When he’s no longer fearful of outside, he will start little outings to the front, and get to know the outside crew. Then we shall see.
