Freddie's come a long way from the hissing at and hiding from the dogs she did 2 weeks ago!Friday, April 30, 2010
Dinner time!
Below is the scene that's developing at dinner time. As soon as the dogs' food hits the bowl, Frederica shows up and immediately heads for Puddin's bowl. The problem is that Cupcake usually wolfs down her food and then shoves Puddin' out of the way and starts in on whatever's left in Puddin's bowl. Now Puddin' has TWO critters after her food!
Freddie's come a long way from the hissing at and hiding from the dogs she did 2 weeks ago!
Freddie's come a long way from the hissing at and hiding from the dogs she did 2 weeks ago!
Freddie and the Birthday Girl
Molly is 8 years old today. Yippee! Below is Moll snuggling Freddie, who has taken to napping in the family room. Who can blame her with all of the pillows and comfy blankets littering the furniture?
Such a pretty kitty! Her eye color has changed a little over the 3 weeks we've had her - they've gotten greener. I guess she's losing her baby blue!
Such a pretty kitty! Her eye color has changed a little over the 3 weeks we've had her - they've gotten greener. I guess she's losing her baby blue!Thursday, April 29, 2010
Oh, for my camera
Each of the cats has their special places & ways they like to receive attention. Mr. Bits doesn't like to be amidst the daily hustle & bustle of the house, so he can be found during the daytime napping in my studio. We usually see him around the house late in the evenings, during the night and early in the morning.
Late in the evening, he's waking up and coming down for what equates to his breakfast. At night, he likes to hop up on the bed, lie down on top of me and be thoroughly rubbed down... I just wish he didn't drool on me! Early in the morning, he comes around for his dinner before settling down to sleep for the day... but first, he visits me in the master bathroom while I get myself ready for the day. After a couple of "good morning" bumps around my legs, he hops into the tub where I obediently "scrub" his belly. He likes to play like he's going to escape, heads to the other end of the tub and plops himself down for more scrubbing.
While I was getting ready for work this morning, Mr. Bits hopped into the tub, obviously wanting to play. The metal tub tray had a pool towel draped over it to dry. Mr. Bits headed under the towel and waited for me to participate. I was running a little late and Frederica was eating her morning nummies just outside the tub... so I scooped up Freddie and dumped her into the tub, along with 3 ping pong balls. The two of them played (loudly) in the tub for 10-15 minutes... and me, with no camera.
Late in the evening, he's waking up and coming down for what equates to his breakfast. At night, he likes to hop up on the bed, lie down on top of me and be thoroughly rubbed down... I just wish he didn't drool on me! Early in the morning, he comes around for his dinner before settling down to sleep for the day... but first, he visits me in the master bathroom while I get myself ready for the day. After a couple of "good morning" bumps around my legs, he hops into the tub where I obediently "scrub" his belly. He likes to play like he's going to escape, heads to the other end of the tub and plops himself down for more scrubbing.
While I was getting ready for work this morning, Mr. Bits hopped into the tub, obviously wanting to play. The metal tub tray had a pool towel draped over it to dry. Mr. Bits headed under the towel and waited for me to participate. I was running a little late and Frederica was eating her morning nummies just outside the tub... so I scooped up Freddie and dumped her into the tub, along with 3 ping pong balls. The two of them played (loudly) in the tub for 10-15 minutes... and me, with no camera.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Nappy kitty
When she's not running around the house in pursuit of her new best buddy, Mr. Bits, OR playing "chase" with (i.e. running from) the dogs, Freddie's sleeping. Frederica's preferred napping spot is on my side of the bed, right beside my pillows. This is the scene I came upon one afternoon this past weekend.
Happy kitty, happy girl.
Frederica likes to visit Bri's room, too, but her door is seldom open. Freddie seized the opportunity to visit Bri in her natural habitat Sunday night and parked herself atop Bri's ankles.
Very cute, but wait until Freddie weighs 15 pounds!
Happy kitty, happy girl.
Frederica likes to visit Bri's room, too, but her door is seldom open. Freddie seized the opportunity to visit Bri in her natural habitat Sunday night and parked herself atop Bri's ankles. 
Very cute, but wait until Freddie weighs 15 pounds!Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Kitty in the house!
Frederica is getting used to the daily rhythm of our household... and is getting used to the dogs. Within seconds of taking the photo below, of Freddie drinking out of the dogs' water bowl, the dogs were hovering over her. She didn't panic at all and kept on drinking. Eventually, she walked away... a little nervous, but she didn't bolt for cover.
Frederica has discovered the spiral staircase, a favorite spot for the cats and much like a HUGE cat post since the post has been wrapped with sissal. From this vantage point, she can watch the dogs from a safe distance and wait patiently for Mr. Bits to descend from my studio...
... and there he is! Frederica hid under the stairs and when he got close, she popped out and caused him to hiss. He didn't run away, though. They repeated this a few times and when she didn't pop out quickly, he gently tapped her with his paw... causing her to pop out and him to hiss... it was so cute to see them play!
Frederica has discovered the spiral staircase, a favorite spot for the cats and much like a HUGE cat post since the post has been wrapped with sissal. From this vantage point, she can watch the dogs from a safe distance and wait patiently for Mr. Bits to descend from my studio...
... and there he is! Frederica hid under the stairs and when he got close, she popped out and caused him to hiss. He didn't run away, though. They repeated this a few times and when she didn't pop out quickly, he gently tapped her with his paw... causing her to pop out and him to hiss... it was so cute to see them play!
What's in a name?
In honor of National Poetry Month:
The Naming Of Cats
by T. S. Eliot
The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey--
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
Well said, Thomas! Our cats each have more than one name... more than 3 names, in fact.
Frederica Chopin has been with us for a little over a week and she's already acquired the following monikers: Freddie, Freddie C, rrrrRica ('not sure how you type a rolling "r") and Boba Fred... and the generic "Little Bits" that we've called all of the cats when they were kittens.
Link was given her name because she linked together the cats and dogs in our house... a peacemaker, of sorts... or maybe our missing link, found! Link is also referred to as Linky Poo, Winky, sLinky, Miss Bits... and "$*#&@!" when she's knocking water glasses over on cluttered table tops.
We adopted Mr. Bits a few months after adopting Link and since we were referring to both as "Little Bits" a distinction had to be made, so his supposedly-temporary name became "Mr. Bits." Christine & Molly wanted to name him something like "Prince" but his demeanor was decidedly NOT genteel enough for that... no prince would EVER create the foul air pollution that this kitten produced!! Enough time went by that "Mr. Bits" stuck. Today, he's also known as Bitty Boy, Bitty Kitty and (my personal favorite) Mis-Tah BITS... you have to say it "just so."
Vinnie's name is actually Vincent, after Vincent Van Gogh. I'd always wanted an orange cat named after Van Gogh, but his temperament was more like a rough-edged, New York "Vinnie"... and you can't fight Nature. His nicknames include Vincenzo, Vinnie C, Boba Vin, Vin-daloo, Vinnie-My-Boy and the variation My-Boy-Vin.
Topaz was given her name because of the rarity of female orange cats and the similar rarity of topaz stones with her coloring. Topaz is also known as Topie, Tope, Topie-Poo-Poo and The Topiary Creature (from the "Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo" computer game.)
Other cats we have known:
C.T. - named after the daycare center (Child Time) in whose parking lot I found him. I sometimes called him City-Kitty, but he was so reclusive that he didn't acquire many nicknames.
Bingo - A cat we adopted out of the back of someone's car in the Toys R Us parking lot when Bri was a toddler. Bri, whose vocabulary wasn't very large, named the cat. Bingo disappeared one night when she was still young and a neighbor told us (some time later) that she'd been found and transferred to a new home... her collar had slipped off, so they didn't know she belonged to us.
Albert - adopted at the same time as Vinnie & Topaz. He was Vinnie's playmate and was named after Albert Einstein. Albert was out one dark and stormy night and never returned. We have no idea what happened to him. Bingo & Albert are the reason why all of the cats that have been more recently adopted are indoor cats.
Charles - He was one of Dean's cats. Dean's friend Dixie rescued him at a roadside rest stop. His whiskers had been burned off, poor kitty. He was named by Dean and his siblings. When I got to know him (the cat, I mean), he became my first real pet... and also became known as Charlie and Boo-Boo Kitty (for the number of wounds I received while gaining his trust.)
Samantha - Charlie's buddy. The runt of her litter who Dean and Charlie nursed through intestinal issues she had as a kitten. She was very attached to Dean and tolerated me. Dean always called her Sammie... I can't remember any other nicknames for her.
The Naming Of Cats
by T. S. Eliot
The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey--
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.
Well said, Thomas! Our cats each have more than one name... more than 3 names, in fact.
Frederica Chopin has been with us for a little over a week and she's already acquired the following monikers: Freddie, Freddie C, rrrrRica ('not sure how you type a rolling "r") and Boba Fred... and the generic "Little Bits" that we've called all of the cats when they were kittens.
Link was given her name because she linked together the cats and dogs in our house... a peacemaker, of sorts... or maybe our missing link, found! Link is also referred to as Linky Poo, Winky, sLinky, Miss Bits... and "$*#&@!" when she's knocking water glasses over on cluttered table tops.
We adopted Mr. Bits a few months after adopting Link and since we were referring to both as "Little Bits" a distinction had to be made, so his supposedly-temporary name became "Mr. Bits." Christine & Molly wanted to name him something like "Prince" but his demeanor was decidedly NOT genteel enough for that... no prince would EVER create the foul air pollution that this kitten produced!! Enough time went by that "Mr. Bits" stuck. Today, he's also known as Bitty Boy, Bitty Kitty and (my personal favorite) Mis-Tah BITS... you have to say it "just so."
Vinnie's name is actually Vincent, after Vincent Van Gogh. I'd always wanted an orange cat named after Van Gogh, but his temperament was more like a rough-edged, New York "Vinnie"... and you can't fight Nature. His nicknames include Vincenzo, Vinnie C, Boba Vin, Vin-daloo, Vinnie-My-Boy and the variation My-Boy-Vin.
Topaz was given her name because of the rarity of female orange cats and the similar rarity of topaz stones with her coloring. Topaz is also known as Topie, Tope, Topie-Poo-Poo and The Topiary Creature (from the "Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo" computer game.)
Other cats we have known:
C.T. - named after the daycare center (Child Time) in whose parking lot I found him. I sometimes called him City-Kitty, but he was so reclusive that he didn't acquire many nicknames.
Bingo - A cat we adopted out of the back of someone's car in the Toys R Us parking lot when Bri was a toddler. Bri, whose vocabulary wasn't very large, named the cat. Bingo disappeared one night when she was still young and a neighbor told us (some time later) that she'd been found and transferred to a new home... her collar had slipped off, so they didn't know she belonged to us.
Albert - adopted at the same time as Vinnie & Topaz. He was Vinnie's playmate and was named after Albert Einstein. Albert was out one dark and stormy night and never returned. We have no idea what happened to him. Bingo & Albert are the reason why all of the cats that have been more recently adopted are indoor cats.
Charles - He was one of Dean's cats. Dean's friend Dixie rescued him at a roadside rest stop. His whiskers had been burned off, poor kitty. He was named by Dean and his siblings. When I got to know him (the cat, I mean), he became my first real pet... and also became known as Charlie and Boo-Boo Kitty (for the number of wounds I received while gaining his trust.)
Samantha - Charlie's buddy. The runt of her litter who Dean and Charlie nursed through intestinal issues she had as a kitten. She was very attached to Dean and tolerated me. Dean always called her Sammie... I can't remember any other nicknames for her.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Puddin'
Below are a few photos of last evening's visit with the dogs. Puddin' followed Frederica everywhere she went. The perspective on the first photo completely distorts the size difference between Puddin' and Frederica.
Freddie finally settled down on Dean's chair, where she could observe the dogs from a safe distance.
Freddie finally settled down on Dean's chair, where she could observe the dogs from a safe distance.A big Sunday morning
Frederica came downstairs this morning and socialized with the dogs some more. She'd visited with them extensively last evening and is getting more comfortable with them. The dogs are still a little too excited about her, so after a little visiting, Freddie returns to the bedroom to rest.
While she was out and about, though, she discovered Crystal, our pet corn snake. When she's active, Crystal is one of Link's favorite entertainments. She was very active this morning and Frederica took notice.
Later in the morning, it was bath time. I clipped a few of her claws before starting her bath and she still managed to grab my T-shirt in protest.
After the intital struggle, Freddie gave in to the inevitable and allowed herself to be bathed. The plastic squirt bottles we use for tie-dye are perfect shampoo dispensers!
I attempted to rinse her by filling a measuring cup with water and pouring that over her, but found that she struggled less when I held her under the running water.
Frederica liked being swaddled in the towels after her bath. I rubbed her face and ears before putting her in the crate to have her fur blown dry. Next time, I need to towel dry her hind-quarters a little more before putting her in the crate.
Frederica didn't seem to mind the blow dryer too much - it's a fairly quiet one. That said, she was happy to get out of the crate and have some treats!
Freddie was really playful after her bath, but not playful enough to interact with the dogs. She eventually settled down to nap.
'Love that profile!
While she was out and about, though, she discovered Crystal, our pet corn snake. When she's active, Crystal is one of Link's favorite entertainments. She was very active this morning and Frederica took notice.
Later in the morning, it was bath time. I clipped a few of her claws before starting her bath and she still managed to grab my T-shirt in protest.
After the intital struggle, Freddie gave in to the inevitable and allowed herself to be bathed. The plastic squirt bottles we use for tie-dye are perfect shampoo dispensers!
I attempted to rinse her by filling a measuring cup with water and pouring that over her, but found that she struggled less when I held her under the running water.
Frederica liked being swaddled in the towels after her bath. I rubbed her face and ears before putting her in the crate to have her fur blown dry. Next time, I need to towel dry her hind-quarters a little more before putting her in the crate.
Frederica didn't seem to mind the blow dryer too much - it's a fairly quiet one. That said, she was happy to get out of the crate and have some treats!
Freddie was really playful after her bath, but not playful enough to interact with the dogs. She eventually settled down to nap.'Love that profile!Saturday, April 17, 2010
Going to the dogs...
Frederica had an extended, supervised visit with the dogs last night. Dean sat on the floor between the kitten and the dogs and I sat beside the dogs to keep them calm. Cupcake & Puddin' were on their best behavior and Frederica gradually got closer and closer. Freddie has stopped hissing at them, but still isn't convinced that they won't do her harm.
Cupcake, our Bichon Frise, is very excited about getting to know Frederica. Her tail was wagging during the entire experience. I was glad she didn't do that whining thing she does when the other cats are around and she wants to play with them... it's more than a little off-putting. Freddie will undoubtedly warm up to Cupcake before Puddin'.
Puddin', our English Spring Spaniel, has thyroid issues and is, consequently, overweight. Her size, combined with the fact that she's, by nature, a hunting dog and never took her eyes off of the fluffy kitten, freaked Freddie out. Puddin's big brown nose is almost as big as Frederica's whole face! Puddin' was really calm during last night's visit and she didn't whine either. Our only concern with Puddin' is that Pud likes to walk around the house carrying her toys or the girls' stuffed animals or a shoe... anything, really, in her mouth. She's never attempted to tote one of the cats (when they were kittens) in her mouth, but... hopefully there's not really a first time for everything!
Given that Link is content to nap and play with the dogs, it's just a matter of time before Frederica does the same. Frederica clearly is done being contained in the master bedroom, so it's going to be a busy weekend of socializing... that and it's time to give Frederica a bath. It's' been MANY years since I attempted to bathe a cat - 'should make for an interesting post!
Cupcake, our Bichon Frise, is very excited about getting to know Frederica. Her tail was wagging during the entire experience. I was glad she didn't do that whining thing she does when the other cats are around and she wants to play with them... it's more than a little off-putting. Freddie will undoubtedly warm up to Cupcake before Puddin'.
Puddin', our English Spring Spaniel, has thyroid issues and is, consequently, overweight. Her size, combined with the fact that she's, by nature, a hunting dog and never took her eyes off of the fluffy kitten, freaked Freddie out. Puddin's big brown nose is almost as big as Frederica's whole face! Puddin' was really calm during last night's visit and she didn't whine either. Our only concern with Puddin' is that Pud likes to walk around the house carrying her toys or the girls' stuffed animals or a shoe... anything, really, in her mouth. She's never attempted to tote one of the cats (when they were kittens) in her mouth, but... hopefully there's not really a first time for everything!
Given that Link is content to nap and play with the dogs, it's just a matter of time before Frederica does the same. Frederica clearly is done being contained in the master bedroom, so it's going to be a busy weekend of socializing... that and it's time to give Frederica a bath. It's' been MANY years since I attempted to bathe a cat - 'should make for an interesting post!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Off to the vet we go!... I mean, "went."
Frederica had her first visit to her new veterinarian today. The waiting room wasn't busy - there was only one extremely large black dog. Freddie got her sutures removed from her April 5th spaying and her tummy has healed nicely. She weighed in at 4.4 pounds and checked out just fine. :-)
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Frederica's new feline brothers & sisters
First, there's Vinnie... the alpha-critter in our house. He's 11 years old and is my best buddy. We adopted him in 1999 from a local shelter a few weeks before I found out that I was pregnant with our middle daughter, Christine. Christine grew up with Vinnie snuggled by her side. He's a ladies man and loves to sleep with any of the females in the house... not so much with Dean. Upon meeting Frederica, he sniffed at her, hissed half-heartedly and went off to clean up the food Freddie hadn't finished. They've had a few similar encounters since then - I don't think Vin is impressed.
Topaz (below) is Vinnie's sister. She's big and soft and squishy and loves to sit on laps. Topaz likes to sleep with Christine & Molly and, only occasionally, me. She's had issues getting along with Vinnie in the past and he'll still occasionally squabble with her. Link likes to pick at her and so do the dogs... it's hard not to pick at her when she reacts so well! She's not exactly a fun-loving kind of a cat, but she's a great lap warmer! Puddin', our English Springer Spaniel, is determined to become her cuddle buddy - they'd be perfect together and they're both big, lazy things. Some day...
Topaz only had two brief encounters with Frederica and she was totally unfazed.
Below is Link. She's going to be our hard sell. Link currently holds the adorable, "meet and greet" cat status in the house. She came to us 2.5 years ago when we fostered a small litter of kittens for adoption. Her sisters were adopted out, but somehow Link wove her way into the fabric of our household. She gets along with Vinnie and Mr. Bits and the dogs (who she actually likes to play with despite the fact that they dwarf her!)... not so much with Topaz. Link isn't at all enthusiastic about Frederica's presence in the house. While I think they'll come to enjoy each other, the acclimation process is going to take a little time.
...and last, but not least: Mr. Bits. Bitty-boy was a foster kitten, also. He and his mother came to us in November of 2007. His mom didn't do well with the dogs and the kids, so she went back to the shelter. Mr. Bits and Link got along really well and Mr. Bits wasn't bothered at all by the dogs, so he stayed. He was REALLY tiny when he arrived in the house, but has grown into his big feet. Mr. Bits is my studio cat, preferring to spend his days napping on my chair at my big drawing table. He's somewhat reclusive & nocturnal... and he doesn't like to come out when there are strangers in the house. However, he's one of my best night-time cuddle buddies.
Frederica got to know Mr. Bits' scent quite well as he usually sleeps right on top of me at night. Their first encounter was Frederica's first night in the house: Mr. Bits wanted into the bedroom at 3:30am to snuggle, so we let him in and he found an interloper in his spot. He hasn't hissed much, but he doesn't seem too please to have Frederica sniffing at him a half-inch from his face. I expect that he'll come around very quickly - as soon as we can have our bedroom door open at night again so he can come visit me.
The last two nights, we've kennelled the dogs and supervised Frederica as she's explored the downstairs. All four cats have observed her exploration and not interfered with her. Freddie hasn't really met the dogs, yet. She's seen them from a distance and high-tailed it back up the stairs! The dogs get along well with all of the other cats and they're very excited to meet Frederica. It's going to take more "visits" while the dogs are safely kennelled, I think. More on the dogs later...
Topaz (below) is Vinnie's sister. She's big and soft and squishy and loves to sit on laps. Topaz likes to sleep with Christine & Molly and, only occasionally, me. She's had issues getting along with Vinnie in the past and he'll still occasionally squabble with her. Link likes to pick at her and so do the dogs... it's hard not to pick at her when she reacts so well! She's not exactly a fun-loving kind of a cat, but she's a great lap warmer! Puddin', our English Springer Spaniel, is determined to become her cuddle buddy - they'd be perfect together and they're both big, lazy things. Some day...Topaz only had two brief encounters with Frederica and she was totally unfazed.
Below is Link. She's going to be our hard sell. Link currently holds the adorable, "meet and greet" cat status in the house. She came to us 2.5 years ago when we fostered a small litter of kittens for adoption. Her sisters were adopted out, but somehow Link wove her way into the fabric of our household. She gets along with Vinnie and Mr. Bits and the dogs (who she actually likes to play with despite the fact that they dwarf her!)... not so much with Topaz. Link isn't at all enthusiastic about Frederica's presence in the house. While I think they'll come to enjoy each other, the acclimation process is going to take a little time.
...and last, but not least: Mr. Bits. Bitty-boy was a foster kitten, also. He and his mother came to us in November of 2007. His mom didn't do well with the dogs and the kids, so she went back to the shelter. Mr. Bits and Link got along really well and Mr. Bits wasn't bothered at all by the dogs, so he stayed. He was REALLY tiny when he arrived in the house, but has grown into his big feet. Mr. Bits is my studio cat, preferring to spend his days napping on my chair at my big drawing table. He's somewhat reclusive & nocturnal... and he doesn't like to come out when there are strangers in the house. However, he's one of my best night-time cuddle buddies.Frederica got to know Mr. Bits' scent quite well as he usually sleeps right on top of me at night. Their first encounter was Frederica's first night in the house: Mr. Bits wanted into the bedroom at 3:30am to snuggle, so we let him in and he found an interloper in his spot. He hasn't hissed much, but he doesn't seem too please to have Frederica sniffing at him a half-inch from his face. I expect that he'll come around very quickly - as soon as we can have our bedroom door open at night again so he can come visit me.
The last two nights, we've kennelled the dogs and supervised Frederica as she's explored the downstairs. All four cats have observed her exploration and not interfered with her. Freddie hasn't really met the dogs, yet. She's seen them from a distance and high-tailed it back up the stairs! The dogs get along well with all of the other cats and they're very excited to meet Frederica. It's going to take more "visits" while the dogs are safely kennelled, I think. More on the dogs later...Frederica's first day at home
Below is a video of Frederica in the car on the drive home. Christine & Molly kept her company, petting her and talking to her over the back of their seats.
As soon as we arrived at the house, Dean carried her kennel to our bedroom. Immediately upon opening the kennel door, Frederica explored every corner of the bedroom and bathroom. The other cats frequently sleep in our bedroom, so Freddie got familiar with all of their scents before actually meeting them.
While the poof chair was fun to explore, Freddie prefers to be up on the bed. She had a little trouble hoisting herself up there the first few times, but now can jump up very efficiently. It's interesting how she sleeps in the exact spots where the other cats like to sleep... one of those spots being right on top of me!
Christine & Molly spent A LOT of time with Frederica during the weekend. I'm curious if Frederica will allow Molly to push her around the house in the baby stroller, like Link does. For now, the favorite toy is the laser pointer... she LOVES that!
She's a little teapot? Really, Christine? The fun continues...
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
January 19th, 2010
Born to Mishikoonz Cady T (http://www.mishikoonz.com/cady.html) and Coonopry's Sebastian Bach (http://coonopry.com/page4.html) on Tuesday, January 19th (two days before Christine's birthday) was a litter of 8 kittens... one of whom didn't make it. Frederica is the kitten at the bottom of the photo - she's the only one with significant white fur.
The breeder had professional photos taken by Helmi Flick (http://www.helmiflick.com/) of the kittens on the Saturday before we picked up Frederica. Below is a group shot of all of the kittens at 10.5 weeks... a big difference from the newborn photo!
We watched the Mishikoonz web site every day for photos and kitten cam footage.
Frederica's given "milk name" was "Whiney" because she was very vocal when nursing amidst her siblings. We ultimately chose her because the breeder described her as the "meet and greet" kitten of the litter... very outgoing and fearless, which are good qualities to have in our busy, chaotic household.
Below are more baby photos of Frederica.
Above is Frederica at 3 weeks and at 5 weeks. Below is Frederica at 7 weeks.
The breeder had professional photos taken by Helmi Flick (http://www.helmiflick.com/) of the kittens on the Saturday before we picked up Frederica. Below is a group shot of all of the kittens at 10.5 weeks... a big difference from the newborn photo!
An idea is born
One day in the fall, I picked up Brianna from school and asked, "So, Frederica, how was your day?" To which Brianna responded, "Mom, you didn't name me Frederica... you didn't name ANY OF US Frederica!" In the conversation that ensued it was suggested that I needed to adopt a kitten and name it Frederica.
Dean, our occasional voice of reason (a.k.a. party pooper), said "No!" The girls (mostly Christine) badgered him incessantly. As Christmas time approached, the girls asked what gift I wanted most. My response was always a dreamy "A kitten named Frederica," followed by a hopeful sigh.
Christmas morning arrived and there was a big box under the tree with my name on it. I joked with the girls that they'd better not shake it because there was undoubtedly a kitten in there. I was close: inside was a handmade wooden frame containing a certificate from Dean entitling me to add one feline named Frederica to our household.
So, here she is...
Dean, our occasional voice of reason (a.k.a. party pooper), said "No!" The girls (mostly Christine) badgered him incessantly. As Christmas time approached, the girls asked what gift I wanted most. My response was always a dreamy "A kitten named Frederica," followed by a hopeful sigh.
Christmas morning arrived and there was a big box under the tree with my name on it. I joked with the girls that they'd better not shake it because there was undoubtedly a kitten in there. I was close: inside was a handmade wooden frame containing a certificate from Dean entitling me to add one feline named Frederica to our household.
So, here she is...
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