I’m not good at blogs. Here are some pictures of cats

Hey, so, it looks like I’m not very good at remembering to update this blog.  I’m sorry!  I’ll try to be better, but no promises.  In lieu of a post (which I am once again too exhausted to write) here are some pictures of the cats!  All sparkling and new!  They’re getting huge.  Also, they got their rabies shots.  Yay.  Big thanks to the Indianapolis Humane Society and their low-cost vaccine clinic.  They also sell flea and tick treatments for WAY cheaper than most vet offices!

Thor maxin’ and relaxin’. 

Thor behaving and Loki moving around at the speed of light. Business as usual.

Thor is a model. Pardon my legs.

Thor and Loki, sleeping together… remind me of the symbol for Gemini.

 

 

 

First time at the vet + a food problem

On Monday, Thor and Loki had their first appointment with the vet.  I won’t bore you with the details of what shots they need and their health specs; everything looked pretty good.  We took them to a place called The Cat Doctor, with four veternarians and several technicians all specializing in cats.  They were all incredibly knowledgeable and great with the boys.  I was very impressed.  I got some tips on grooming, behavioral problems and toys.  As a new cat owner, it was nice to talk to a vet.  In fact, it was my first time there as well!  It also felt very strange to take someone else to the doctor.  As someone with a chronic illness and other health problems, I’m used to being on the examination table at the doctor’s office.  I even felt the same nervousness and apprehension.  It quickly faded as I discussed the cats with the tech.  Truly, it was a relief not to be poked and prodded; it also felt nice to care for someone else in that setting.

I mentioned Loki’s mischievous ways to the doc.  She said that it was all pretty normal, but if I wanted to discipline him effectively, I would have to be firm.  His cuteness does get the best of me, I admit.  And I hate to hear them crying.  However, I want them to grow up to be well-behaved and totally healthy.  I’ll just have to let them cry and stand my ground.

The only problem the vet noticed was that they are a bit underweight.  She told me that I should give them some wet food as well as dry food; kittens should gain about a pound a week at this stage.  Both of them are just over two pounds and approaching three months old.  In any case, her instructions seemed simple enough.  I bought them some Iams Kitten Food and brought it home.  I mixed in a little bit with their dry food (Eagle Pack) and I thought they took to it.  But after a few hours, I noticed they weren’t eating at all.  I tried to get them interested in the food and they turned away, meowing.  After a few more attempts, I realized that they simply don’t like it, which kind of sucks because I bought a bunch of cans of that brand.  I’m going to call the vet tomorrow and see what advice she has.  I really want them to catch up on their weight!

Thor and Loki have an appointment in three weeks for some shots and tests.  I’m hoping that goes smoothly.

Oh — I found Loki’s collar stuffed in the cushion of my wingback chair.  Phew.

I don’t have any more pictures of the kitties uploaded yet, so here’s another cat.  His name is Pusheen and has an awesome website:

Probably my favorite internet cat.

A preliminary look at each kitten’s behavior and personality

This is really for my own records as I’m trying to figure out ways to train them and get them adjusted to living in a new place.

Thor: He meows and cries a lot.  He’s very dependent on Loki, as well as Steve (my husband) and I, to entertain him.  He will cry when he wants to be held, much like a baby.  Although he’s very outgoing and friendly, he needs a lot of positive reinforcement and scares easily.  However, he can usually pluck up the courage to jump around and play if he sees Loki do it first.  Thor needs more guidance when it comes to eating, drinking and eliminating in his new home.  Also, he sneezes a lot!  Additionally, Thor enjoys riding around on my shoulder and crawling on the upper half of my body to lick and snuggle me; when he does this, it usually means he wants something.  Thor enjoys being handled and held. Thor is still a bit reluctant to play with his cat toys.  Judging by the fact that he loves to lick, lightly scratch and nibble me, I think getting him some kind of textured toy or stable post would be good.

Loki: He is extremely independent, adventurous and playful.  He never shies away from spirited play with any toy or seeing how high he can climb.  He needs no guidance in terms of feeding or elimination.   He is good about fulfilling his own needs independently.  He’s also very fast and likes to jump around my feet.  He also loves to nibble and chew the rough parts of my body, like the sides of my toes and my feet in general.  I believe getting him a toy with a rough texture and a “challenge” toy would work well.  Interestingly enough, he is aptly named — he loves to cause mischief for Thor especially.  He likes to grapple with Thor, trip him, bite his tail and roll around with him for long periods of time.  He will also hide in corners or in Steve’s shoes to pounce on Thor when he doesn’t expect it.  Loki strikes me as an effective predator.  Though Loki loves to play and run around, he’s very quiet.  I’ve barely heard him meow at all since we brought him home.  He will only let out a small cry if something annoys him, like Thor biting his ear.  Loki doesn’t like to be held and handled as much as Thor does.

Traits/behaviors in both kittens: Both love to hide and explore around the apartment.  They enjoy slipping under low tables, weaving around chair legs and chasing each other behind the couch.  More, they both like to snuggle against Steve or I when they are tired out.  They rarely sleep alone and would rather sleep on the couch instead of in the bed we got them.

Thanks for reading!  More to come… and hopefully I’ll be able to post some pictures today!

Thor sits around as usual and Loki gets ready to pounce on the dangling feather toy.