First, let me just say how darn helpful this site is - I may not post a lot but I read through various forum topics almost daily...very helpful for a 'reluctant' rescuer like me who didn't know anything about cats but quickly fell in love!
Pepsi and Koopa were 3 weeks old when they came into our lives, less than half a pound each. Koopa is the smaller of the two and survived a near death when, a day after I got him, he began the 'failing to thrive' nightmare and only constant care of syringe feeding, warming towels, assisted bowel moving, etc. turned him around.
Now 14 weeks old, happy and healthy and I'm regretting some of the spoiling I did early on. But seriously, who can resist a kitten that sleeps curled up in the palm of your hand? Even when they're trying to eat out of the same bowl you are when you're snacking on the couch? So cute, so harmless! (That's my sarcastic tone as the disciplinarian counter part to my boyfriend coddling them!) Needless to say, they have no boundaries now and forget snacking. Pepsi cries and tries every possible angle to get to your plate. Or popsickle. Or bowl of steaming hot chili. Koopa, who is only now realizing he has a voice and doesn't really know how to use it, is more stealthy, preferring to wait until you're out of the room or back is turned to sneak a bite. Tips on how to curb this behavior are welcome.
But my real issue is a new behavior that's popped up in the last 2 weeks. We have several blankets that are a fleecey material scattered through the house on couches and chairs to protect from claws. Koopa started to do the whole kneading thing on these blankets before going to sleep (sort of like a dog turning circles before plopping down). Then he added this weird thing where he bites the blanket, closes his eyes and kneads. For a long time, until the blanket is really wet in that spot. Now Pepsi is starting to imitate him - no blanket sucking yet, but it may be a matter of time. I thought it might be something related to hormones, but am not sure if it's that or somehow just now manifesting that they were taken away from momma cat too early. I keep stopping them because it's just so weird, but need to know what you all think...?
Pepsi and Koopa were 3 weeks old when they came into our lives, less than half a pound each. Koopa is the smaller of the two and survived a near death when, a day after I got him, he began the 'failing to thrive' nightmare and only constant care of syringe feeding, warming towels, assisted bowel moving, etc. turned him around.
Now 14 weeks old, happy and healthy and I'm regretting some of the spoiling I did early on. But seriously, who can resist a kitten that sleeps curled up in the palm of your hand? Even when they're trying to eat out of the same bowl you are when you're snacking on the couch? So cute, so harmless! (That's my sarcastic tone as the disciplinarian counter part to my boyfriend coddling them!) Needless to say, they have no boundaries now and forget snacking. Pepsi cries and tries every possible angle to get to your plate. Or popsickle. Or bowl of steaming hot chili. Koopa, who is only now realizing he has a voice and doesn't really know how to use it, is more stealthy, preferring to wait until you're out of the room or back is turned to sneak a bite. Tips on how to curb this behavior are welcome.
But my real issue is a new behavior that's popped up in the last 2 weeks. We have several blankets that are a fleecey material scattered through the house on couches and chairs to protect from claws. Koopa started to do the whole kneading thing on these blankets before going to sleep (sort of like a dog turning circles before plopping down). Then he added this weird thing where he bites the blanket, closes his eyes and kneads. For a long time, until the blanket is really wet in that spot. Now Pepsi is starting to imitate him - no blanket sucking yet, but it may be a matter of time. I thought it might be something related to hormones, but am not sure if it's that or somehow just now manifesting that they were taken away from momma cat too early. I keep stopping them because it's just so weird, but need to know what you all think...?
