Tuesday, 5 April 2011

Kitty Explorers...

The kittens have finally conquered the catflap. I realised that both kittens were a little wary of the height of the jump to the ledge, so I put out a wooden chair to make things a little easier while they're getting the hang of it all. Today I taped open the catflap and settled down to watch as both kittens ventured outside without any coaxing...


After watching them both have a good old sniff around the bushes, I pushed both kittens back through the flap and removed the tape holding the flap open. I then walked back home (I don't have a back door, so I have to go right around the block.) By the time I got back inside, the inevitable had happened (as I'd hoped) and both kittens had pushed their way out through the flap so that they could explore some more.

Just to check that they knew how to get back in, I rattled their food bowls and gave them some biscuits. Both cats came tearing back through the catflap without any problems. Furretti then settled down to munch her biscuits, while Miaowrini decided that she wasn't quite ready for biscuits and went back outside.

Now I'm sure they know how to get back in, I can let them out on their own.

Next step - encouraging them to use the bushes rather than the litter tray...
on

5 comments:

  1. Genty2:19 pm

    A good bit of psychicatric strategy, there, and an unqualified success.

    Perhaps the kittens need a little step ladder. I'd volunteer to make a moveable wooden block of steps, but my DIY extends to knocking pins into the wall to hang pictures which then fall down.

    I love the progress reports. They bring some light relief to a naughty world.

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  2. Mulier Fortis3:27 pm

    Thanks for the encouragement to continue with the kitten updates, Genty! His Hermeneuticalness and a few of the senior servers are a little scathing about the number of cat posts I've been doing...

    I have to work on the litter-tray mentality next. Today I was a little disconcerted when Miaowrini came in from the garden, used the litter tray and then went back outside...
    :-/

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  3. Genty8:58 pm

    Yah, boo, sucks! Don't listen to 'em. There are plenty of your excellent and thought-provoking posts from which to choose for their edification. But I suspect they're only winding you up - with much affection.
    I reckon if you encourage the kits to go out early in the morning and the soil is scratchable, not impacted, they'll soon get the message (if you see what I mean).
    Kittens-R-Us. Hooray!

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  4. Unknown5:56 pm

    As for the kitty posts, they are my favorite part of the blog.

    As for kitty box versus outdoors behavior, my two females differed. The dear departed one preferred to go outside, even if this meant a quick dash in the severe (-10 C) cold. She would leave the box unused for six months at a time, in the warmer weather. The current female is like Miaowrini - I have noted her coming in to use the box, then go out, and she is six years old now.

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  5. truthfinder29:32 pm

    Keep the kitty posts, please! They are such fun! --- :) Rosemary (formerly of Missouri, now in Ohio)

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