Chronicles of the Xmas Kittens – Journal Entry 10

Little Miss Tortie-and-White is faring well but keeping her distance. She doesn't run away when I enter the room unless there is a loud clatter or commotion. She sits on the window sill and watches me – she is alert, intelligence but still suspicious. There is an aura of an old soul about her – more so than the other kittens. She's sort of like the little pig who built his house of brick in the Three Pigs story – not as playful or naive as the others but wary and wise. She has raccoon features in her face, or at least I think so.

I haven't told her how I caught her yet. After the other ones had left, she got a bit more plucky around me. I once nearly caught her while she was sleeping. However, the dogs came tearing around the corner and woke her up. She instantly fled.

I caught her because she underestimated my ability to sneak up on her. I had put a bowl of food into one of the cat cages near the drain and then stood a good 20 feet or more back. She thought I was too far away to get her so she went inside. I then lined myself up by the back of the cat cage where there are no holes or windows to peer out of and then quietly crept towards her until I had closed the distance. Then I slowly leaned down and closed and locked the door. She thumped around inside but then stopped when I picked it up. The mother cat watched this all happen but didn't respond in her usual way. I think she was beginning to separate from the kittens.

I took the photo in the evening a day or two before I caught Miss Tortie-and-White. That's her and Sweetie her mother. I think this is a great shot.

As far as the other kittens are concerned, the progress is still slow because I have not made that final touch connection yet. In all other regards they are fine. They are glossy and sleek. They explore all corners and levels of the room. I can also play with them – their favourite toy happens to be the emergency key on a string that you plug into the treadmill and attach to yourself if you are doing exercise (if you stumble or fall down then the key is pulled out of its socket and the machine comes to an emergency stop).

I recline on my side to mimic their relaxed behaviour and have been  pulling the string. The yellow key on the end makes a scraping sound on the concrete and on the carpet and is easily spotted. The kittens have climbed all over my legs and side in order to pursue it. However, when I have leaned across to stroke them, they just move away with a semi-hiss.

A few hours ago there was another positive shift. I came inside to sweep up the floor. At first they jumped out of the way, but then they emerged n fascination even to the point of getting under my feet and on either side of the broom as I cleaned the floor. I completely ignored them (which is one of the strategies for socialising feral cats and kittens) and then three of them came out to play while Miss Tortie-and-White watched. It was very cute.

I am thinking I will need to move them into my studio so they can be with me all day. The only thing that stops me is that Saffron is living there at the moment. He has been sick with an ear infection and he needs some time out. So we'll wait and see ...