A new baby

It is. Just like having a new baby in the house. The first day was not fun. T had to go to work, so it was just us. Shep suddenly decided that he was madly in love with me and imprinted on me like a little duck. Except he wasn't. Little. His paws look like a baby lion. 

And then T came home from work and I reported that he hadn't used his litter box. At all. That all he wanted to do was sit in my lap. I did try to play with him a bit, which he loved....but I do have terminal cancer and my stamina level is nearly non existent. I lasted about ten minutes. In that time, he learned to fetch his ball and bring it to me. Pretty damn smart kitten for not being quite four months. But mostly, we just slept in the chair together. Or watched movies. But....no litter box use. T patted his bed and quickly removed her hand. 

"He's peed in his bed," she said. 

Oh No. 

I had told T that this would be the one tipping point with a cat. I would NEVER live with a cat who didn't use the litter box. 

We did research. Found that bengals are very picky about their litter. So, we called his breeder to find out what litter she used and T replaced it. We also bought a big crate(5X4) and placed a new bed, blanket, litter box, a few ping pong balls, and water in it for him. This would be where he stayed now when we left the house or slept. At least until he used the box. 

We left to go grocery shopping. He used the box. We tentatively took him out and watched him like a hawk. He immediately went to the new litter box, smelled the familiar litter, hopped in and took a huge shit. 

Good boy! And not one problem since. 

Except that he is incredibly in love with me. He looks at me as if I am his soul mate. When he sits in my lap, he often kneads at me and then tries to nurse. I think he was weaned from his bottle too soon, although he does eat well. His breeder reported that he liked to nosh on 3 cans of Fancy Feast per day and that she always kept dry kibble out for him in case he wanted a little snackie.

 We had already decided that we wanted to transition him to raw food but worried that he wouldn't eat it, so we mixed his kibble in with it. We shouldn't have worried. He took one taste of raw chicken and looked up at us as if he'd been living on soda crackers and was suddenly given a banquet. According to the instructions, he should only be eating a half cup twice a day, but since he acts as if he is starving, we are giving him more. He has his first vet appointment on Friday and we'll check with his vet. I see pets the way I see children. There is no excuse for them for to be fat since WE are the ones feeding them. 

I also did some research on bottle fed cats, bengals in particular. 

Your kitten may be excessively needy at first if weaned from his mother too soon or bottle fed. Do not be worried if he tries to "nurse" on you when you first bring him home. He is simply stressed and trying to comfort himself and this is actually a compliment. He sees you as his protector, his mother. Gently scratch under his chin and reposition him. 

That worked well. And now that he is getting to know our house, he is getting bolder. He has learned how to go under the dishwasher somehow. I have had to put up all my bowls of rocks (and I have A LOT of bowls of rocks) because he was trying to eat them. He loves his cat gym. It is over 6 feet tall and he quickly learned that when I reject him (hey....I need to read sometimes!), he can get in the top swing and watch me from there....or watch the birds and leaves outside. 

I think Shep will be fine. And the house doesn't stink. I'm just so tired that I feel as if he is getting the short end of the stick. He's just this playful little (sorry....HUGE) kitten and he is being forced to live a much more sedentary life than he is wants. T says not to worry about it, that she will be his playmate in the evenings. 

So, far this is the case and he already seems to know that I am his very quiet mother and T is his buddy who will lay on the floor with him and play let's go crazy going after the red dot on the floor or can you catch the ribbon?


He loves her, too. He just only really wants to sleep and cuddle with me. Maybe that is okay. We'll see. 

So...report finished for all of you who have been asking 

"When is the cat coming home?"

He's here and pretty soon he will own the place.