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Advice for getting a new kitten...
Aug. 17th, 2013 01:04 pm... don't do it while feeling crappy, when you are assuming that you just strained your neck doing exercises, when, in fact, you may have a (relatively mild) case of viral meningitis[1].
But I do have a lovely new black kitten, sleek and pantherish, and a bit shy, about four months old. I wanted a kitten so Leo would have a playmate he wouldn't drive crazy, and besides, I've seen stuff saying kittens are easier to integrate than grown cats.
Her name at the shelter was Kate, which I might keep; "little kitty-Kate" flows nicely. But I'm waiting for her personality to tell me more. Alas, she's in seclusion for now (which is proper - at least a day of contact with a door between them is good advice, everyone agrees). But I wish I had more energy for playing with each kitty for a while, and didn't have such a rough time laying down in the seclusion room with its hard wooden floor and lack of pillows. (Getting down to kitten-level helps keep them from being too nervous about us big two-legged people.)
And I'm really nervous about the live introduction if I'm not energetic enough to chase them around the house. But we'll see... it'll work out, somehow.
Updated:
Kittens introduced. They seem to be a bit standoffish to me right now, but they seem to be getting along fine with each other. It's almost like they're saying "Hey, mack, what do you think we need *you* for? We've got a *cat* to play with!"
[1] Viral meningitis symptoms are headache (check) stiff neck (check - remember, thinking I'd strained it doing exercises?), fever (check - though relatively low), and fatigue (whoo, boy). Without confusion, photophobia, rash, etc., it's probably viral (it's like the flu; rest and wait) versus bacterial (GET THEE TO A DOCTOR). Don't worry I have some people checking on me for walking down the river and trying to drink the water, because mosquitoes may bite - er, I have people checking on me to make sure I'm coherent, just in case. But whatever it is, it seems to be passing, slowly, so it's probably not serious.
But I do have a lovely new black kitten, sleek and pantherish, and a bit shy, about four months old. I wanted a kitten so Leo would have a playmate he wouldn't drive crazy, and besides, I've seen stuff saying kittens are easier to integrate than grown cats.
Her name at the shelter was Kate, which I might keep; "little kitty-Kate" flows nicely. But I'm waiting for her personality to tell me more. Alas, she's in seclusion for now (which is proper - at least a day of contact with a door between them is good advice, everyone agrees). But I wish I had more energy for playing with each kitty for a while, and didn't have such a rough time laying down in the seclusion room with its hard wooden floor and lack of pillows. (Getting down to kitten-level helps keep them from being too nervous about us big two-legged people.)
And I'm really nervous about the live introduction if I'm not energetic enough to chase them around the house. But we'll see... it'll work out, somehow.
Updated:
Kittens introduced. They seem to be a bit standoffish to me right now, but they seem to be getting along fine with each other. It's almost like they're saying "Hey, mack, what do you think we need *you* for? We've got a *cat* to play with!"
[1] Viral meningitis symptoms are headache (check) stiff neck (check - remember, thinking I'd strained it doing exercises?), fever (check - though relatively low), and fatigue (whoo, boy). Without confusion, photophobia, rash, etc., it's probably viral (it's like the flu; rest and wait) versus bacterial (GET THEE TO A DOCTOR). Don't worry I have some people checking on me for walking down the river and trying to drink the water, because mosquitoes may bite - er, I have people checking on me to make sure I'm coherent, just in case. But whatever it is, it seems to be passing, slowly, so it's probably not serious.
