There is a serious problem for kittens who are born without siblings. They don't have anyone with which to learn what is appropriate play. They tend to be overly aggressive and lack boundaries Ella has two strikes against her because her mom is overly aggressive and lacks boundaries as well, so it these types of behaviors seem more appropriate to her.
So we are reintroducing the hand monster which is not afraid to do things to her she doesn't much like (but that doesn't hurt) so she can learn that when she cries out "no" that play stops. Foot monster, however, is her favorite adversary. It moves slowly across the floor, it is kitten sized and it rears up for combat.. It is her new favorite playmate, much in a way a sibling would be..
and fortunately it does occasionally win the wrestling match - which helps her learn humility.. or at least how to lose gracefully.. or at least how to lose... OK fine, she runs away when she doesn't get her way.. which frankly is not a bad thing.. because she very well could turn more aggressive and work at trying to hurt me into submission.. (little does she know she can do that by being so darn cute)
Such an adorable little peanut. My five fosters think the foot monster is a fabulous thing to wrestle... even with four other wrestling partners in the room.
ReplyDeleteConnie,
ReplyDeleteShe is very, very cute! She looks a lot like Mitty when he was her age.
I didn't know that about kittens growing up without siblings. That tells you how long it's been since we really had a kitten around (almost 20 years) and then Mitty.
Have a good weekend!
Tom
LOL. She's just a doll, but I probably write that all the time. Will she then think it's okay to play aggressively with feet when she gets older? Just curious. I can imagine not everyone would want that. LOL.
ReplyDeleteShe might but I don't actually let her get overly agressive. The second she starts playing too hard the foot monster gets a +littl5e ag45ressive and starts to win..
DeleteMost of my foot players stop playing with feet when they are no logner the same size..
(comment assisted by Clyde as I am currently kitten sitting for a friend)
I can't take her cuteness!
ReplyDeleteseriously - I think she is getting cuter. :) It is so hard with singles but she is in good hands!! (or feet)
ReplyDeletethat kitten is so darn adorable...
ReplyDeleteI want her and mummy*sigh*but I can't to far away!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. Your first three sentences decribes Tutu exactly. Sibling-less and mother-less. I did try to get her to "learn" cat manners from the other cats but they weren't very good teachers...
ReplyDeleteFoot Monster must DIE!!!
ReplyDeleteFoot monster does it for me!!!
ReplyDeleteWe hope you learn to play soon! Lee and Phod
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, she is SO CUTE!
ReplyDeleteI think that is a great idea. I have had a cat that appeared at my house and I think that he didn't have any siblings because he sure didn't know how to get along with other cats. He is much older now and has learned somewhat. You sure do a good job with all the fosters.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm... Maybe she needs a kitten big brother and a sister puppy :-). Still working on the hubby! Thanks for watching Clyde!
ReplyDeleteOh my! I wonder if she has any relationship with my little sis Kitshka...
ReplyDeletePurrs
I think I just died from cuteness..!
ReplyDeleteI would adopt Ella in 2 seconds. I just love to play with my kittens for hours every day so I think I would get on well with Ella. She sounds like just my kind of kitten.
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I just adopted a kitten and I could use some advice about socializing him with my older cat. Even though he had siblings at the shelter, all he seems to want to do is attack Skootch. I'm trying to give them both "alone" times - that's the only way Skootch will eat (sigh). The kitten is a great cuddler with us humans, but not with his older "brother".
ReplyDelete