Kittens at Home

The kittens came home on Friday evening. I was supposed to be finishing on time so we could go and pick them up straight from work. Except, that never happens when you want it to - didn't finish til just after 6pm so we didn't get to the breeder until nearly 7. Anyhow, we got home safe and sound. I was really worried they'd be nervous and not come out of the carrier for ages. As it was, I didn't even get a chance to pick up a camera before they were out and exploring.

We managed to decide on names for them both at last. Cleo has a purple collar in the pictures - she's slightly lighter in colour, has a pink nose and a broader face. Callie (short for Kalea - joy and happiness in Hawaiian) has a red collar and is darker with more defined markings, a mostly black nose and sharper facial features.

They ate a bit that night and settled really well downstairs together to sleep. When I came down in the morning, I found them curled up together on a chair underneath the dining table - it's one of their favourite places so far. Whenever we sit down to eat, they jump up on the chairs and try to climb on our laps. We're not letting them on the table - it's the only place they can't go really, so obviously they want to get up even more!!

We put collars on them for a few hours on Saturday so they can get used to them. It also helps to tell who's who when they're not together. It's been so funny watching them get used to wearing a collar. Cleo kept trying to back up out of it and couldn't work out why the collar moved with her! Mostly they forget the collar's there but occasionally they catch sight of the end out of the corner of their eye and then they try to catch it. Of course, every time they turn their heads to bite it, the end moves with them. It's so funny!

They ate quite well yesterday - their appetite seemed to get better through the day. They're definitely eating more today that yesterday. Callie gets her head in the bowl first to eat so Cleo has to push her way in and get some food out to eat on the floor next to the bowl. I think we're going to need another food bowl!!

We've had lots of lovely playtime since they came home. They've pulled the feather tail off the fishing rod we've got already! Mostly they like chasing each other around the house. They're quite clumsy sometimes and fall over backwards or off the sofas. They're busy destroying the backs of our sofas climbing up them with their claws out. I've already got scratches on my hands, legs and feet where they've climbed up me or scratched me while playing. They slept well Friday night - didn't hear a peep out of them. Last night, they were a bit less keen on being left outside while we went to bed. Originally we left the bedroom door open but we were rapidly joined by 2 kittens who thought it would be great fun to play on the bed. They pounced on anything that moved under the bedcovers and looked so funny that we were shaking with laughter - which only made things worse. We put them out and shut the door - they cried for a couple of minutes then decided to play on the stairs.

They seem to really like the washing machine - I think because it goes round and round. They also like a dead plant they we have on the windowsill (I should have gotten rid of it) - they've been pulling leaves off and playing with them. This morning, Callie managed to climb all the way up the coatstand in our hall - it's about 5 feet tall! They're very interested in small spaces too - they like squeezing onto the bookshelves or into the kitchen cupboards.

Anyway, that's enough for now - more pictures and stories later, I'm sure. They're so sweet and funny and I keep getting the camera out!