and then there were..

Well we had a pretty event filled weekend.

Friday I went to the shelter to pick up some more shredded food for Elsa.  But not the chunked food, or the shredded by that OTHER company, the RIGHT shredded foods or she won't eat.  While I was there one of the staff members mentioned to me they had some not so social kittens in the back that could use my touch.

I went to go see them.  They were hunkered in the back of the cage trying to be invisible and I so needed to help them.  And Ella so very much needed a sibling or three, so I agreed to take them.

Elsa has always seemed very interested in The Crew.. never aggressive or upset when they sit in the window, so I figured it would just be a matter of time before everyone could be fully integrated.  I'm not a huge fan of doing this, mixing litters, but sometimes the benefit does outweigh the risk.  The risk being that even though they were all tested for disease, they could still be harboring something or have something they can't test for. Sadly it has happened to me in the past, so I know how real the risk is.  The benefit would be better socialization of the new three kittens, a better mannered Ella, and very possibly new communication skills for Elsa.  So home they came.

a positive first step

Well look at that, they are all out at the front of the carrier.. pretty impressive for kittens that just a few minutes ago wanted to be invisible..   I cleaned out the cage and reset it for kittens..

What's this??  What's that??  OMC FOOD!!!

Hey, what are you?? 

Momma Momma.. LOOK!!

Why hello you three

Why are you locked up??

I must say overall I was very impressed with the way the intros went.  I brought home that little carpeted cubbie for them incase Elsa got annoyed, but she was so open and accepting of them, and they were so open and accepting of her, that I decided to speed up intros.  I sat by the cage and opened the door.  The boy (gray and white) is the most outgoing and the least fearful of me.  He flinches a little when I go to pick him up in the cage, but loves being patted and having the base of his tail scratched.  The girls were much more leery of me and prefered that I not deal with them at all, but I was able to get them to eat, and I was able to touch them and hold them until they relaxed, so I let them explore the litter box area.  Elsa came over and groomed them and things were going so well.  I knew it was going to be a bit of a risk letting them have full run of the room, but at some point you do have to trust a feral kitten to come near you on their own (well with the help of a fishing pole toy... or food)

What's with the flashy box

That gray kitten in the far left side is a photo

You so need to be licked.. 

lick lick lick

What about me??

ooh, what is so interesting?

a twist tie - more on this later

Hi pretty girl

Handsome boy

and this is where it starts to go down hill... 

Shortly after that last picture was taken Elsa started growling and vocalizing in a not quite so happy way.  Since she doesn't like being restrained, and the kittens don't want me coming right at them to pick them up I was at a bit of a loss what to do.  Finally Elsa came out and I was able to get my hands on her and I locked her away in a carrier.  This was NOT what she wanted, and she kept trying to break out by pawing at the door and turning herself upside down.. This of course freaked out the kittens and getting them was nearly impossible.  I ended up trying to grab the fluffy girl and she turned on me and it got bad.. but in the end everyone was fine and where they should be.  I left the room so everyone could calm down.

continued tomorrow...