A week after adoption, Martha and Amelia are pretty well settled in. At the end of the first day, we introduced them to the rest of the place, along with various cat toys and scratching/biting implements we had purchased for them. They had a noisy and playful first night of running and jumping about, but have since generally learned to quiet down at sleep time.
The kittens are still not allowed in the bedroom without supervision, as they keep going after the plants we have by the window, one of which is a Norfolk Island Pine, sharp and potentially toxic. We hope to fix that with a few plant stands, some bitter apple spray, and extra cat-proofing.
Before adoption we wrapped exposed cords and cables in split loom tubing, which turned out to be a good preemptive move since the kittens are still teething and prone to occasional cord-nibbling. Amelia especially shows more signs of teething discomfort, frequently biting on the edges of her play cube, cardboard box flaps, and occasionally our fingers. When this happens we guide the offending kitty firmly to an appropriate chew toy.
The kittens’ feeding and litterbox behaviors have been exemplary so far, and it didn’t take long to condition them to come running at the sound of a can tab pop. For their water needs I got a ceramic pet fountain, which they like immensely, as many cats naturally prefer flowing water — and the filter frees me from daily water changes and bowl washing.
The litter box is in a bathroom corner, and they’ve had no problem with that location; no accidents or confusion on their end, and they even know to patiently wait their turn at the door when the bathroom is in use.
Martha and Amelia are definitely a rowdy pair, prone to rough play and inquisitive curiosity, like many kittens their age — but they’re also cuddly and affectionate when they’ve tired themselves out. And of course they decided the best place to rest would be not on the blanket or scratcher lounge or cube we got them, but on the chairs under the table.
Now we have to be careful about sitting.
