Kittens make everything better

[woolymonkey]

I think it's time for a happy cat post, so meet the feline overlords of the future...

They are currently 6 weeks old and residing with their mum, 5 siblings, and 8 other cats in Colchester.
Their names appear to be Red Leicester and Humbug, or possibly Spike and M'Fashnik. Because it's hard to get monkeys to agree a cat needs both an everyday name and a fannish name, yes?

Leicester (Spike) is pretty much the definite name(s). But Humbug (M'Fashnik) could yet end up as Guinness, Truffle, Thornton, Badger, Penguin, Wombat, Crackers (to go with Leicester) or pretty much anything else, though I draw the line at Shep. What do you guys think? Suggestions are welcome but will have to be approved by all 4 monkeys before they can be adopted.


Leicester at 5 weeks

Humbug at 6 weeks


 


The kitten pile (minus our 2)


Squirrelmonkey gets acquainted

When we chose them, we were hoping they'd get on with Fruitcake--maybe even cheer her up. I now think it's very unlikely she'll live to see their arrival. She's been sleeping peacefully all day--looks very relaxed but won't eat a thing and hasn't moved since this morning when she amazed us all be going out through the cat flap for a wee faster than we could say, 'Would you like the door open?'

We'll be collecting them on March 6th. Whether Fruitcake's here or not, it'll be lovely to have kittens in the house.

Comments

[lj_stowaway]

EEEEEEEEEEE!!! Kittens! Oh my heart. They are, of course, utterly adorable.

I've been meaning to mention, in my experience there's a world of difference between girlcats and boycats, personality and behavior wise. I'd had only girlcats until I rescued the brothers Figaro and Cleo. What an education! I don't mean to say that the boys are better than the girls, but there is a lot less dignity and much more hilarity with boys. Given a choice (not always the case, where cats are involved) I'm sticking with boys from now on. You're going to have such fun with these two! *g*

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you said that. I've always had girl cats and was determined not to be the only female in the house. I caved in to monkey pleas for a boy kitten because I thought a boy might fit in more easily with Fruitcake, and also it would be easier for me not to compare with Zil all the time. But the plan was always to add a girl later, once Frutie went. Except that Humbug wasn't going to let us leave with only Leicester... I've been really fretting that boys will fight more or wander further, so it's great to hear from a boy cat fan. Could certainly do with more hilarity right now. (Though anyone who met Zil could tell you dignity was not her strong suit.)

[lj_stowaway]

*facepalm* that comment down below is supposed to be an answer to this comment. *iz a doofus* Hee!

[penknife.livejournal.com]

I've always preferred male cats, and I do think there's a difference in personality (in general, although there's plenty of individual variation) -- I think in general the boys are more affectionate, outgoing, and demanding of attention. I've always had good luck keeping two neutered male cats together without serious fights; they do wrestle and play-fight, but they're usually affectionate with each other. The worst serious dominance battles I've seen were between two unrelated female cats (female littermates or mothers and daughters do better).

[lj_stowaway]

Oh, the boys do fight - each other, when they can't find anyone else - but their tussles (loud, rambunctious, and usually conducted at 3AM over my sleeping form) were always play. Between bouts, they'd wash each other and curl up together for a nap, as like as not.

One of the great joys of Cleo's life was tormenting his poor brother (ambushing him every time he tried to use the litter box, for example) and for a long time I felt bad for Figaro, who was smaller and seemed to lose the fights. Then, one day, I happened to be in the room when Figgy suddenly reached his limit and laid a beautiful smackdown on his brother. After that, I stopped worrying and let them sort it out. When there was an intruder in the yard, be it an enormous feral tomcat or a Rottweiler or whatever, they stopped squabbling and turned as one to see them off. It was quite something to watch. *g*

As for roaming, they didn't go far. I'd had them fixed as soon as they came of age, so I'm sure that helped a bit.

[http://users.livejournal.com/la_marquise_de_/]

They are adorable and I really look forward to meeting them. I'm sorry to hear about Fruitcake, however.
Boys tend to be more pro-active and in-your-face than girls and are often more affectionate. Ish, for all his evil ways, is the soppiest cat on the planet, and Horus goes in for huge wuv-fests.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

You can meet them SOON!

[hippediva.livejournal.com]

SQQQUUUUEEEEEE! Omg, they are too damned cute......must resist........arrrrrrgh!

*iz ded of teh kittez*

Boycats are fun goofballs in so many ways. And I've found that cats tend to do the x-over gender bonding thing (boycats head for the ladies, girlcats tend towards the boyz). Not a hard and fast rule, but one that I've seen in action at least 75% of the time, depending on who's around to bond with during those crucial early weeks. Good luck with them....and with Fruitcake. *hugs* The skittish ones are so hard to love, aren't they? When you can, give her a pet from an old human. *G*

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Boys will be a new adventure. I'm looking forward to it, though feeling seriously outnumbered. Even the tortoise is male.

[smtfhw.livejournal.com]

Absolutely cute - the only proviso I'll say is that I never met a ginger cat that wasn't a complete psychopath. Don't say you weren't warned...

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

We'll see how he turns out. I have a very soft spot for tortoishells, who are ginger+black, so ginger SEEMS like a good idea...

[amenirdis.livejournal.com]

Oh the little wozzles! OH!

I think Shep is a lovely name for the black and white. He has John Sheppard hair!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Um, yes. The hair. He really does.
But for Brits my age Shep will always be a TV dog--one of those black and white collie sheep dogs.
If there's an SGA fic called 'Get down, Shep', this will be why.

[viva-gloria.livejournal.com]

If there's an SGA fic called 'Get down, Shep', this will be why.

DO NOT GO THERE.

[amenirdis.livejournal.com]

You know, I think I've written that story....

Yep. I sure did!

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

Furry and blurry!

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Brilliant! But he's not blurry in real life. I think. Hard to tell when he won't stop moving...

[ms-cataclysm.livejournal.com]

Panda would like to wash them both.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

If she can catch them while they're small, they'd probably let her! Panda sounds like a real sweetie. I look forward to meeting her one day.

[djarum99.livejournal.com]

Oooohhh!! Beautiful boycats, and they do tend to be goofier and more interested in human shenanigans. My Beauregard loves canteloupe, drinking out of the toilet, and men.

I'm so sorry about Fruitcake, but she sounds peaceful, as you said - you've loved her well :-)

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Cantaloupe? Even Zil wasn't that nuts! Keep reading and I'll let you know how the new boys get on...

[poetic-self.livejournal.com]

OHHHHHH :) Happy fluffy kittens. There's no better thing in life. (Except maybe coffee. *G*)

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Kittens yay!

[bugshaw.livejournal.com]

Also, have you seen Ferret Dance? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3xAeTmsJfg

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

squirrelmonkey asks:
a) where does bugshaw get all this crud?
b) can he use this for his annoying birthday song come June?
Also, did you know the tune is Buddy Holly by Weezer?

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

BABY CATS! *SQUEE*

Do not expect coherency in the presence of juvenile felines.

[woolymonkey.livejournal.com]

Yay! Squeeeee!
Me too.