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About a week after Jazz passed I started "interviewing" new girl kitty candidates for the "open slot" in our household. Why a girl? I've always had girl kitties, and to not have one in the house has been quite strange and uncomfortable for me. I didn't want to rush any decisions, and I was hoping one of the girls at the shelter cattery would "pick" us out for their new owners.
Turns out two girls did just that! Eclipse, a feisty and affectionate long haired calico and Dorene, a serene, calm and purry short haired black kitty with a white smudge on her forehead. Eclipse picked us first, but I'd heard that on her very first trek from the cattery to PetSmart adoptions she was picked by a nice couple and will be going to her new home after she's recovered from her spay which will be happening in the coming week or so. :(
I "interviewed" Dorene almost exclusively yesterday during our shift at the cattery. I took her out of her cage gently (she still had her spay stitches, so careful handling was required), and sat down on the step stool with her to see if she'd take my lap and some pettins. She quite graciously accommodated my request for pettins and lovins and she sat on my lap for a good 20 minutes just purring and lapping up the attention before she jumped down and went off to do kitty things! She was just plain content to be held and petted and given chin scritchens. SO SWEET!!
She's a bit quiet and shy at first, but she does get along well with the other kitties at the cattery, which is a big plus over Eclipse, who didn't seem to like other kitties, at least upon sight--she'd hiss at other kitties when we'd pick her up and handle her outside her cage. Dorene, while initially cautious, does warm up to both boy and girl kitties of all ages at the cattery according to our experience and what has been written in the socializing book. She's "four wheel drive" like most cats are at our shelter, so if she does get into a scrap with one of our boys (read: probably Lars) she should be able to hold her own just fine.
The shelter's vet figures she's about two years old, so she's in the age range we wanted to have for a new kitty. Still kitten enough to want to raise the roof and play, but not wild eyed like one, and old enough to be calm and not want to climb the curtains or door frames. ;) She likes to bat at feathery toys I found out yesterday, but I didn't try to see if she'd interact with any other sort of toy. She's not a "fussy eater", eating the standard Science Diet adult kibble and random brands of gooshy fud the shelter cattery has to offer. She's petite, but not too small to be terribly vulnerable to the rough housing of two somewhat feisty boys. She reminds me a lot of Jazz in many ways, but not too many as to be a "replacement".
So last night I emailed the shelter's cats coordinator about both Eclipse and Dorene, and found out today that Eclipse is, indeed, being adopted post-spay. I was a bit disappointed, but that's okay as long as she's getting a good home. Dorene got her stitches out of her tummy today and was promptly taken to PetSmart to the cat pods for open adoption. Which means time is of the essence if we would like to adopt her. So Carol suggested we might want to come to adoption hours and spend more time with her and perhaps we'd want to "bring her home for a try-out"? J and I discussed it, and the answer to that question is "Yes". I will skip bowling on Wednesday to go to PetSmart during my normal bowling time and we'll both spend some more time with her before we bring her home to our freshly opened Safe Room for a "Try Out."
Lars has still been taking his meals in the Safe Room up til now, though I've been working at moving his bowl out of there into the office for about a month now; he'll take his first meal out of the Safe Room in the office tonight. I've moved "his" box out of the Safe Room and put the dome box in there for Dorene. He keeps looking at me with his head all cocked to the side as if asking me what's up, which is very cute. Ra is pretty much unmoved by the changes as it's not "his" box that's been moved. We'll see how Lars adjusts to not having access to "his" room...I hope it goes smoothly... :/
I will post pictures of her once we get her home. I hope this all works out!
Turns out two girls did just that! Eclipse, a feisty and affectionate long haired calico and Dorene, a serene, calm and purry short haired black kitty with a white smudge on her forehead. Eclipse picked us first, but I'd heard that on her very first trek from the cattery to PetSmart adoptions she was picked by a nice couple and will be going to her new home after she's recovered from her spay which will be happening in the coming week or so. :(
I "interviewed" Dorene almost exclusively yesterday during our shift at the cattery. I took her out of her cage gently (she still had her spay stitches, so careful handling was required), and sat down on the step stool with her to see if she'd take my lap and some pettins. She quite graciously accommodated my request for pettins and lovins and she sat on my lap for a good 20 minutes just purring and lapping up the attention before she jumped down and went off to do kitty things! She was just plain content to be held and petted and given chin scritchens. SO SWEET!!
She's a bit quiet and shy at first, but she does get along well with the other kitties at the cattery, which is a big plus over Eclipse, who didn't seem to like other kitties, at least upon sight--she'd hiss at other kitties when we'd pick her up and handle her outside her cage. Dorene, while initially cautious, does warm up to both boy and girl kitties of all ages at the cattery according to our experience and what has been written in the socializing book. She's "four wheel drive" like most cats are at our shelter, so if she does get into a scrap with one of our boys (read: probably Lars) she should be able to hold her own just fine.
The shelter's vet figures she's about two years old, so she's in the age range we wanted to have for a new kitty. Still kitten enough to want to raise the roof and play, but not wild eyed like one, and old enough to be calm and not want to climb the curtains or door frames. ;) She likes to bat at feathery toys I found out yesterday, but I didn't try to see if she'd interact with any other sort of toy. She's not a "fussy eater", eating the standard Science Diet adult kibble and random brands of gooshy fud the shelter cattery has to offer. She's petite, but not too small to be terribly vulnerable to the rough housing of two somewhat feisty boys. She reminds me a lot of Jazz in many ways, but not too many as to be a "replacement".
So last night I emailed the shelter's cats coordinator about both Eclipse and Dorene, and found out today that Eclipse is, indeed, being adopted post-spay. I was a bit disappointed, but that's okay as long as she's getting a good home. Dorene got her stitches out of her tummy today and was promptly taken to PetSmart to the cat pods for open adoption. Which means time is of the essence if we would like to adopt her. So Carol suggested we might want to come to adoption hours and spend more time with her and perhaps we'd want to "bring her home for a try-out"? J and I discussed it, and the answer to that question is "Yes". I will skip bowling on Wednesday to go to PetSmart during my normal bowling time and we'll both spend some more time with her before we bring her home to our freshly opened Safe Room for a "Try Out."
Lars has still been taking his meals in the Safe Room up til now, though I've been working at moving his bowl out of there into the office for about a month now; he'll take his first meal out of the Safe Room in the office tonight. I've moved "his" box out of the Safe Room and put the dome box in there for Dorene. He keeps looking at me with his head all cocked to the side as if asking me what's up, which is very cute. Ra is pretty much unmoved by the changes as it's not "his" box that's been moved. We'll see how Lars adjusts to not having access to "his" room...I hope it goes smoothly... :/
I will post pictures of her once we get her home. I hope this all works out!
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