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Old 05-07-2010, 10:37 PM
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Adila Adila is offline
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Default Re: IMPORTANT: Read this before you bring a new kitten/cat home

Fareen and Blackie,

Thank you Fareen. Yes it is quite stressful...

Houbie joined our "family" for almost 3 months now. He was eager to explore the house on the same day he arrived, so i let him be and just walked around with him. After all im living in a 1 bedroom studio so the are only a few comfort and safe zones for all my kittens to learn about, i.e. my living hall, bedroom, kitchen, freshroom and loo.

I have tried what my family, friends suggestions and some methods that I found on websites.

1. Put Houbie in a cage for the first few weeks. I did put him in a cage for a day on his arrival. However I changed my mind because I was really crossed at my self because I didnt adopt him to just cage him.

2. Let them eat and drink in the same bowls. Reason for this is to show them that the bowls are the only source of food and water, and that they are going to be eating and drinking only there. Unfortunately Jasmine always attacked Houbie when we was drinking or eating for the first few weeks, and now she seems to not bother. But she always glare at him when he is near their "dining table", so as the litter box.

3. Creat a game to play with all of them together. It was really difficult because Jasmine likes tiny toys so that she can kick and toss them around. Zara likes jumping, climbing and run around the house. As Houbie thinks he is a dog, he likes to play catch and fetch. Houbie doesn't climb as i notice this is one of dog behaviours. Houbie grew up with a pretty toy poodle for sometimes, so i guess he adopted a few habit from the poodle. So i gave a tought about the most suitable game for them, yes i got an idea! I bought a remote control car! Jasmine was so excited, she ran together with the car and meows when i stopped playing with it. Sadly, Zara and Houbie ran off like chickens, and hid in the tv cabinet, scared and panting. To make the story short, the remote control car now is back in its box, and i was thinking perhaps this would be my sons toys in the future ahahaha!!!

4. I slept with all of them for two weeks but it was really difficult when both of Jasmine and Houbie started growling at each other in the middle of the night. Plus my insomnia makes me a zombie at that time. So now they are back on daily rotation to sleep with me.

5. Be with them together when im free. They like to listen to story so I gather them and sit with me on my couch while i read a story to them. Zara always falls asleep after two lines, Jasmine and Houbie will start hissing in the middle of the story. Sigh

6. Most of the time, I will take Jasmine to sit on my right lap, and Houbie on the other lap. So i pet and scratch them, and make them calm. But i guess you can tell the ending.

7. Distract Jasmine whenever she glares at Houbie. It only works when i am around but i am pretty sure that Jasmine attacks become lesser and less violent.

I know the problem is that Jasmine really loves me and i thought that she feels Houbie is taking some of her love from me. I made a point that all of them are my loves and very important to me by fairly dividing anything i give them.

Houbie loves sitting in my lap or next to me even when i am eating at the dining table. He would scratch the door of my room or toilet to be let in.

I even let Jasmine eats Houbie food because she once slapped him when he was eating. So carried her and let watch me while i put the food in to a bowl and let her eat it.

Houbie is still eating his wet food and i started mixing it with kibbles. It turned out that all of my kittens are eating the same thing haha. Wet food mixed with kibbles. But Zara and Jasmine only get that once a day unlike Houbie, thrice a day.

Please tell me where are the mistakes that i perhaps made. Any more suggestions? I really appreciate your ideas.
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