Seanie's Kittens

Someone suggested that I start a new thread bout my kittens so that the house stuff doesn't get lost amongst the cute kitties :) Hope no one minds me havin 2 threads!

So, I'm now 99% sure that I'll be buying 2 Australian Spotted Mist Cats when my house is ready for me & them :) I was originally going to get shelter kitties & I'm feelin a lil guilty that I wont be rescuing my companions, but if I got shelter kitties I’d have to get an outdoor enclosure which I can’t really afford. Plus as soon as I heard about the Mist Cats I was intrigued. The next day I did an online search about the breed & found info which made me even more interested, here’s the basic breed info from the website:

The Australian Mist was Made in Australia - the first locally bred pedigree cat. Burmese, Abyssinian and Australian Domestic shorthair cats were combined to create them. They mix the loving personality of the Burmese with the lively intelligence of the Abyssinians and the genetic vigour of Domestic tabbies, reflecting the best of its ancestry while having its own character. They are recognised Australia-wide, and increasingly overseas, as a Championship quality pedigreed cat.

There is nothing extreme about Australian Mists (other than their affectionate, playful nature). They are of moderate size, have large expressive eyes in a range of greens and a glossy, short coat on a warm cream background, which is easy to care for. The patterns are seen through a misted veil. The nose, chin and whisker pads are broad giving the face a generous, open look with delicate tabby markings.

They make perfect pets for children of all ages, even very young ones, as they are tolerant of handling, and are not inclined to scratch. As kittens they are lively, but sober up a little on maturity. Their life expectancy is in the mid to late teens.

Australian Mists thrive on human contact, making them happy to remain indoors between dusk and dawn or to be wholly indoor pets, an advantage as most people now prefer to keep their pets indoors. This also protects native wildlife. Some Mists can be trained to go for walks on a lead.

Their tendency to crawl into the nearest lap with or without invitation and to constantly hang around to see what people are up to, makes them excellent companions for home workers and invalids. Desexed cats and kittens fit in easily with all sorts of cats and dogs. Selective breeding has further enhanced these qualities, creating a truly companionable pet, which quickly becomes a member of the family.

Australian Mists are easy to show, as they enjoy all the attention. They frequently win Best in Show and Top 10 in Show awards and the breed has a number of Diamond Double Grand Champions and quite a few Nationally Titled Cats. In recent years they have won the coveted All Breeds Supreme in Show awards many times.

So I emailed a couple of breeders in my area.I got a reply from one of them (Linda) within 20 minutes, she’s obviously excited about the breed, plus her Mist Cat had just had its first litter, so she was all excited to be a first time kitten grandma (sorry to steal your name there Lunacat but tis so appropriate) she was more than happy to answer my questions, plus she sent me a pic of the new babies.

This is her reply:
Hi Seanie! I am sure you will get a few responses to your e-mail as we are all very excited about Australian Mists! I have JUST had my first litter of kitten to my first Queen as I am a brand new breeder. Both the sire and dam are from the Nintu Cattery owned by Truda Straede who founded the breed.

My kitten were born on Wednesday night so they are not even two days old! We had 6 kittens....3 boys and 3 girls and they are all very healthy and have been checked by my local vet.

In answer to your questions....

1. The kittens I have will be available from the 16th of September onwards as they don’t leave the breeders until 12 weeks of age. This is pretty standard practice for most breeders. And I’m sure there are other litters that will be born or have been born, but these are the ones I know of.
2. The colourings are hard to tell at this stage but with the sire and dams colourings and what genes they carry, they will most likely be Chocolate spotted, Gold spotted or Lilac spotted. I don’t believe she had any marbled patterned kittens, but they are so small and very light coloured at the moment that it’s hard to tell.
3. Australian Mist kittens generally sell for about $500 depending on the breeder. This includes all the vaccinations and of course having them desexed and electronically tagged is included. So there isn’t much in the way of vet bills until their yearly vaccination is due
4. I have 2 Mists at the moment, one is a boy and one is a girl. They get along very well. But I’ve also found that once cats are desexed, two boys are quite willing to share the same space and can get into lots of mischief J
5. Australian Mists were breed to be indoor cats because of the fauna in Australia. Mine are quite content to be inside as long as they have things to occupy them and a window where they can watch the birds. I have even found that they really don’t desire going outdoors at all. But I imagine if there was a cat enclosure outdoors they would equally enjoy that.
6. Because the mists were breed partially from Domestic cats they are very hardy. They don’t carry some of the genes that other breeds can carry that cause issues. Truda would definitely have more information on that.
7. I don’t find that my mists loose much hair, but as with any cat, it will happen. More so in the warmer weather. I give them a brush every so often and that generally keeps hair down to a minimum. As a side note, I am allergic to cats, and they don’t stress my allergies out too much.

I would be more than happy to show you my kittens once they’ve gotten a bit older. Please let me know if you have any other questions, although I’m sure some of the other breeders will be equally as excited to answer your enquiries and because they have a LOT more experience will probably give you much more information.

BTW....my Breeder prefix is Minxy. I’m not sure if that’s on any of the sites. I have a website, but it’s not quite ready to go yet.

I’ve attached a picture of my brand new litter as I am so excited about them. They are just adorable. The dark kitten is only dark because it’s still wet!

Linda

& here’s the pic that came with it:


I replied to her saying that I’m pretty interested & that I’d love to meet the kittens once they’re a bit older…

She sent me another email when the kittens were 2 weeks old, giving me an update on how they’re going & another pic:


She said I could go & visit them i f I want, but I cant hold them til after they've had their 1st vaccinations so it would probably be a tease to visit before then.
Then another update last week now that the kittens are 3 weeks old:




So – I’m completely besotted & have told Linda that I'm 99% sure I'll buy 2 of those babies! She's told me that they'll be getting their vaccinations on Aug 15th, so I'll be goin to meet them soon after that :) Not sure if her intention was to be a saleswoman, but if so its worked! I know that all kittens are cute @ 3weeks old, but I really do think these guys are adorable & I think they will be great companions for me when I move into my new home :)

Those are some beautiful kittens. It sounds like your moving in date and when the kittens are available will be pretty close. I hope everything works out for you.



(Hope this works. Thanks for posting my last attempt. )

Oooh, that is so sweet of her, Seanie! She sounds like a lovely person. ^-^ Of course I've already told you I love those kittens to bits. They sound like they'll be wonderful companions for you. ^-^

Awwww, they're so cute. Makes me want ours to be that little again! At this precise moment they are being HOOLIGANS!!!!!!!!!! They've reached terrible teenage age with no fear and a glint in their eye when you tell them off.........its exhausting!

I have to say I have never been a cat fan but they are gorgeous!!

They are absolutely adorable, Seanie! And Mama looks so proud of her brood, as well she might.

I love these kittens! I am a proud Burmese owner, so know the great things that the Burmese genes bring to the mix. Are these cats available in the US yet? Just bowled over.

They are adorable! I have a thing for Bengals, which are spotty and stripey with triangular faces (our Charley has Bengal in him), and the cream in these cats just adds to the pretty-kittyness.

I'm curious about something you said though Seanie: 'if I got shelter kitties I’d have to get an outdoor enclosure which I can’t really afford.'

Why would they have to have an outdoor enclosure? Sorry, just more cultural confusion I imagine. You see I'm not sure if said shelter would be to keep them in or out! Heh.

Thanks for all the cute comments & thanx for lettin me share :)

#7 Anastasia169 - I've always been a fan of Burmese too, I love the way they talk & they are such elegant cats :) Not sure about availability of Aussie Mists overseas, maybe check the website: http://www.australianmist.info/Home.html.

#8 Severn - I'm a fan of Bengals too! The couple that I've know have been strange lil kitties, playing fetch & liking to play in water, lol! & if I got shelter kitties I would want an outdoor enclosure so they could roam outside a bit while still being safe & keeping the local wildlife safe... I know lots of people have shelter kitties who are happy indoors, but I have a fear that I'd get shelter kitties only to have them crying at the doors to get out & I wouldn't want free roaming cats for a few reasons; 1 because I'd be constantly worried about them if they were out, 2 because I dont think I'd cope with any "presents" they might bring home & 3 because we've got such lovely wildlife here, I would feel terrible if my kitties destroyed any of the pretty birdies I love to see arround... Does that make more sense???

Seanie - your choice of kittens are gorgeous!!! Awww. I just melt.

I am a longtime fan of Bengals, too, and yes, they do play in water, fetch, and do other crazy-making stuff - like sing along when you sing, or COME from anywhere when you whistle. They cannot resist it. We have two "rescues" with the Bengal gene - and they are really different than the two domestics....you can see pix of them on my profile page, a brother and sister, and yes, they have lost an eye and their coats do darken with age. This pair is 14.

Hehe...yes...we often find Charley IN the toilet bowl if one of us has forgotten to close the lid, splishing around, or drinking from it (dear god). But he really prefers to drink from the bathroom tap - sometimes he'll drink from the water bowl if I show him that it's ultra fresh. He doesn't like bath time much, but he also doesn't try to get out desperately. The water's fine - it's the shampoo and the scrubbing he doesn't like. And he LOVES playing in the rain. Madness. He's wonderful!

In regards to the outdoor enclosure that makes much more sense, Seanie, thank you. :)

Those are stunning felines. Wow. I'm impressed with the markings. Makes me want a cat. Really....
and I'm a dog person.



edited to add pic

Janny your cats are beautiful & sound like lots of fun! & Severn Charley sound like a hoot too :) Cant wait til i get to know my kitties better & can tell you all about their antics :)

So I got my 4 week update today:

Well I had the first escapee this morning! The adventurous girl decided she wanted to come out of the cage. She’s the most agile one of the bunch and climbs up the cage regularly. I was getting dressed and I heard a thump on the chair behind me and there she was. She had crawled over the side of the cage onto the back of the chair and then fell down it. Naughty little girl. Mom Kia wasn’t even fussed at all. Just watched me put her back in the cage.

They are also using the litter box now! It’s so awesome. It’s amazing to me how they just know. They are being weened now and actually ate quite a bit yesterday when I got home. Thanks to Jennifer and the syringe idea. Once they got a taste, they were quite willing to eat out of the bowl. And walk in the bowl, slip and slide, and get cat food all over them. However, Kia was quite happy to clean them off after she finished off their plate of food!

It’s good that they are eating as she seems a bit over the whole feeding thing and is more interested in feeding herself.

If you don’t want me to send more pictures, let me know and I’ll stop spamming you

I replied saying there is no such thing as too many pics! & that I'm excited to come & meet them in about 3 weeks time. She replied back saying I can go & visit them this wknd if I want, but I'm waiting to hear back from her about whether I'd be able to handle them or not, seems like it may just be too much of a tease if I can only watch them play but not get cuddles too...

Those kitties are adorable! And I like the idea of hypoallergenic cats :o) (Says she who didn't become allergic to cats until her 20s and after she'd develop a fondness for them.)

The bengals are gorgeous too. I also like the idea of a cat that likes to play in the water. I still have a clipping from the paper a few years ago of a cat cozying up to a sprinkler during a heat wave.

YAY! I just heard back & I get to meet & cuddle my kittens this wknd!

*dances*

They are adorable!

Wondering which two will eventually go home with you...!

And they are so LUCKY for being bound to a great home.

Our Bengal cross rescues were ferals. The marble patterns were vivid when they were young. Tail stripes are completely different, and the shape of their hind ends, and ears and heads. They came to us with only one eye, horribly scarred lymph nodes (left wild, they'd had a herpes infection that complicated to a bacterial infection, carried by their mother, who probably was tossed out during a vicious divorce. They wound up living in a colony at a commercial orchard, where they stole fast food lunches from the fruit pickers - and before they understood "meals" were lightning fast wizards, at stealing a sandwich off a plate in an end-run pass, and tearing off under the couch. They are still terrified of shoes. I think workers kicked them to drive them off.). They were stunted, malnourished, all but dead of dehydration and sickness when our vet took them in. She nursed them to health, but with only one eye, and the female's good eye was 30 percent scarred...and the male was untouchable. Growled all day, swiped claws, even after 4 months at the clinic, none of her kindly handlers could touch him. His sister was entirely social, she was considered adoptable. He was slated to be put down...neither was promised as housebroken. Well, I took them both. They were so bonded, I felt, he would stand no chance without his sister. The vet said their immune systems were fragile, and she doubted they'd live past ten.

They are survivors.
The male was simply scared out of his skull, being caged. He's the gentlest cat I've ever had. Both are live wires, extremely social. They share what they catch (lizards get in sometimes), NEVER harm what they don't intend to eat (I turn loose their catches all the time, completely unscratched). They play in the spigots and "sing" to call the other cats to join in if they have something they want to bat around. If something displeases them (like pills or going into the cat carrier) they growl a LOT, first, long before, if ever, they take a swipe. Also, they never bite. Their scarred lymph nodes healed - at 14, the vet still marvels at how well they have done. I just love them...I look at your Kittens, Seanie, and I imagine a whole lifetime of wonder, ahead!

oh, Janny, your cat story is very sweet. They are very lucky kitties to have found a true animal person. I know you need no advice regarding writing, and publishing, etc. however, I am sure there could be a wonderful book in that story; and a movie following. Although finding the cat actors might be a challenge.

#12 - Is that your dog? Hilarious photo!

Darling kittens, but how will you choose?

Aww Janny that is a beautiful story & it sounds like you & the cats are very lucky to have eachother!

I met my kittens today & they are adorable. Mum is tiny but Linda said she's full grown, there was a boy there too (Kia's brother) & he was nearly twice her size! His patterns aren't as defined as Kia's but they're both beautiful & affectionate cats :) The babies are all really hard to tell apart t the moment, but I think I cuddled them all. I was most drawn to the smallest & darkest lil boy who Linda's calling Captain Hook (she's given them temporary Peter Pan names for while they're all with her), he was the most happy to just sit with me, he pretty much curled up in the palm of my hand & sat there comfortably checkin out his surroundings :) The others were all a lil sookier & less settled with me, but I was also drawn to the the most adventurous of them, a lil girl Linda's calling Tinkerbell :) But as I've said, they're still pretty hard to tell apart, so when I go & visit them again in a few weeks they will probably be showing their markings more & their personalities too, so I'll get a better idea then :)

Here are some pics:


Tinkerbell:

& Captain Hook:

Oh, Janny, that is a beautiful story. I'm glad to hear that those cats found such a wonderful, loving home with you and that you were willing to give her brother a chance too.

Seanie, those kittens are gorgeous and it's wonderful you got to spend some time with them and seem to have bonded with Captain Hook a little already. ^-^ They're such cute things...

Oh, Seanie, I am completely puddled.

You know you will have to feed the kitten picture addicts, now that Lunacat's are grown...!

Is Hook the little fella in the last shot? Got his sunk in your heart, already. Knows a good thing when he finds it, certainly.

Seanie, more kitten love here, aww!

Watch out if you get Tinkerbell, she seems to love climbing (- bookcases, curtains, etc.) !!!

Awwwwwwww, so adorable! You're in for some good times and some......wondering why on earth you ever thought getting kittens was a good idea!

As Janny said, mine are grown (19 weeks on tues) and still HORRORS!

I have a beautiful mental image of two kittens playing and romping through all the packing materials that gets spread out while moving into a new house.

Oh, the fun to be had!

Thanks for the website - I am going there immediately and please, please, please keep us all updated on the kittens and with pictures. I love the story of the two Bengals that found a home and am excited to learn more about that breed as well - a cat who likes to play in water - hmmm.

Ok, so Mists arent easy to get in the US yet, but if I really got serious I could probably get one shipped to me, though I tend to think I will stick with the Burmese and Maine Coons until the breed is popular enough to acquire an American breeder, however, I have my whole family watching the progress of your kittens, so keep us posted.

#26 Anastasia169 - If Mists are hard to get, Bengals are a cross between Asian wild cats and domestics. There are many breeders in the USA. For stunning pictures, search out Adventure Beach Bengals on the internet.

Another breed derived from Bengal/asian wild cat genes is the Toyger.

Pop your eyes on them, they are amazing.

Love the picture of Tinkerbell peering out of the cage. What a big wide world is out there waiting for her to explore! And I think you'll love having Captain Hook as a snuggle-muffin.

#27 JannyWurts - love the look of the Bengals, but heard that they can have temperamental problems unless you are four generations removed from the Asian Leopard Cat - is this true? do you know more about it? One of the reasons I found the Mists so amazing, beyond the fact that they are adorable, is that their gene pool of Burmese, Abbys and DSH seemed great for intelligence, hardiness and affection and the markings without the wild cat genes, which can be problematic in a housecat.

A friend of mine has two Bengals, and, while I don't know their ancestry, they are fun and affectionate companions. The oldest (at least 8 years old, IIRC) is still playful and active. If I weren't such a sucker for strays that cross my path, I might consider getting one.

#29 - These are the most affectionate, interactive cats I have ever had...and extremely social with each other. They do NOT like it if other stranger cats tease them through the screened area, and will mark when that happens ...(we have outdoor screened lanais, enclosed, but we don't let them roam outside). Nothing enzymes and a bucket of water won't fix.

They are now 14, and STILL playful and active, and inventive for getting attention. (one stands on the back of my chair and sticks me in the hair, or sliiiiiides the fragile stuff to the bitter edges of shelves to make me leap up...the other drags in his toys and sings till I play with him. They both avidly open cupboards doors.

I'd pick your breeder carefully - ?

There are crosses and rescues out there, just you have to look for them.

Seanie: Have you paid a new visit? MORE PICTURES??

I havn't paid annother visit or got any new pics yet, I emailed Linda on saturday asking for any updates & new pics but havn't heard anything back :( I think I'll send annother email tomorrow or I might even call her if I dont hear anything today. I dont want to hassle her but I really want more pics!!!

Got the 5 week update this morning, its a bit late tho coz they'll be 6 weeks old tomorrow! Linda says they are getting very hard to take pics of as the only time they're still is when they're sleeping. They're all developing well & have no health issues, no weepy eyes or sneezing or anything. They're eating proper food now & apparently get all feisty over the meat :) So here are the pics:

Cute lil faces!


No cute faces in this one but you can see how their colours & patterns are developing


& this is one of the little ones (even linda still has trouble telling which one tho, lol) sitting with his "uncle" Asher (Asher's a Maine Coon & a show cat & absolutely adorable IMHO, he's a real regal cat, likes to find the highest point in the room to sit & watch whats going on :))

Thanks for the information on the Bengals - they sound like great cats and the trick seems to be to make certain that there are enough generations between the ALC and the cat you take home. I love to play with my cats, but don't like the idea of one deciding to shred my arm one day just for kicks.

I love the picture of the Maine Coon and the kitten - so cute and maine coons are another of my favorite breeds - they are so regal and intelligent, you almost expect them to start speaking to you.

I love the way the coat patterns are developing - really pretty. So, how old do they ahve to be for you to bring them home?

Seanie - melt, puddle - they are just adorable.

#34 - Anastasia - mine have never shredded me, once, for kicks...they just don't. Only time I got clawed was due to handling (picking up) a cat who was 70 percent blind - and not used to being lifted. That one would claw until she found foothold, due to panic...now she is accustomed to trust, no more claws.

When I said "mark" from stranger cats, I meant, spray.

Our two domestic short hairs (alley cats) are more temperamental than these - which are more intrinsically social, even with other cats.

For Seanie: I have heard some people theorize that Australian cats have some of that Asian cat blood - from animals crossing over ages ago. It would not surprise me, since when I was there, I saw some Australian cats have some similar markings. But not the rounded ears, or shifted shape in build, so the blood must be distant.

The mist cats do look a lot like some of the spotted varieties, but paler - one reason I melted so much!

Thanks for the kitty update. They are still gorgeous and I love Maine Coons.

Kitties!!! darn it now i want more :( kitties!

Wow, they look so fluffy xD
I hope everything works out for you. ^.^

#34 - they can be homed from September 16th as they need to be 12 weeks to leave their mum. But I'm house sitting/cat sitting for my sister from September 17th to October 5th, so Linda has said she'll happily keep my 2 for me until then. I'm hoping that my new house will be all set up & ready for me to move in to by the time my sister gets home so hopefully I'll pick my lil ones up on October 5th :)

They're so cute, Seanie! 'Mist' cat seems so appropriate...I bet you just can't wait to have them home with you. :)

More on Bengals - I'm fairly certain Bengals have to be a certain amount of generations removed to even be considered as such. Thus, most breeders will only ever have legitimate kitties for sale.

Charley has never scratched us. He play bites sometimes, which never hurts - he doesn't sink his teeth into our skin. They're extremely talkative, affectionate and friendly cats. Charley was traumatised as a kitty and is considered timid - loud noises startle him, and he runs and hides from strangers, but soon comes out to meet them. I'm torn now, because when our eldest kitty passes away (may it be years away) I know I want a Bengal, but feel so bad for the shelter kitties...however, I think I'm devoted to Bengals now...

*sigh* I want little kittens again now!

Although the thought of adding more kittens to the horrors we have now is exhausting. Maybe I'd just like to make Zita and Mouse go back in time to 7 weeks old again! We are still in the midst of terrible teenagers..........they are so obnoxious lol

The good news is they grow out of it, lunacat, assuming they're allowed to live. ;)

#42

I know. It just feels never ending right now! At least they've quietened down and are both enjoying watching the tv. weirdos.

Aww Luna! So cats are like humans in that they get obnoxious as teens, lol...

I got the 6 week update today. Linda says they are at the pouncing stage now, so they get out of the cage and just pounce on each other, the other cats, her and nothing in particular, I'm sure its very cute :) So here are the pics:
Little one:

Little one with Uncle Micah (he's kia's brother, so the real uncle):

& the whole litter:

You can really see how little Kia is in that pic! & how big the lil ones are getting!

Lol, I remember that look on Kia's face as the same one Luna had when they were teething, should be on solid food but were still insisting on drinking!

Sadly, Zita and Mouse can still be found occasionally suckling........despite the fact Luna has now been spayed so they can't be doing it for any reason other than comfort!!!!!!!! She doesn't tell them off either.

Wow - they are soooo amazing. And yes, anyone who has ever raised a kitten will tell you that they have a very bad teenage phase, that often includes knocking things down in the middle of the night and hunting feet under the blankets in the early hours of the morn - but cat lovers perservere.

Ah yes.

"Predator sly, seeing a fly grows wily.
Climbs up my drapes,
leaps into space,
then kills...my ivy."

"Cats are not graceful" by Cynthia McQuillin and Dr. Jane Robinson, in Bedlam Cats

I got a 7 week pic today, Linda says they are getting VERY hard to photograph so just one this week, but hopefully I'll be able to snap a few pics when I visit on sunday :)
This is all of them curled up to sleep with Micah:


I love their little spots & their pale bellies! So very cute!

They are weapons grade cute.

Kitten puddle!

Isnt it just the cutest pile of paws & noses & ears ever!

I really like the pic, as well as the cute factor, i like how they're all kinda facing clockwise except the one in the middle :)

Oooh i just got annother pic, this one's not quite as balanced as the other one, its more like a kitty puzzle, lol, but still very cute :)

All the mists at Linda's house:


You can kinda see how much smaller Kia is than Micah...

Count the ears and divide by two.

Mist Mash!

52 - Actually I reckon the one in #48 would make a good (well, infuriating, at least) jigsaw puzzle.

Only cats can look that comfortable while sleeping in a pile.

54 - I was thinking the same thing!

I'm just a little worried about the one kitten that seems to be underneath the largest cat in both photos. I guess it's where it wants to be......

#57

Yup. Kittens will be where they want to be! Especially at that age.

Just got back from meeting my kittens for the 2nd time :) My mum & my sister came with me this time & they are just as besotted as i am now - despite the fact thta mum doesnt really like cats, lol :) I've chosen my 2 (well kinda - I've chosen 1 & 2 others) & paid my deposit, I've decided on Captain Hook, as I had allready kinda bonded with him last time & my second choice was Tiger Lilly, but if Linda decides to keep Tiger Lilly, then I'll take Wendy (Linda knows she's gonna keep a girl, but she's not sure if it'll be Tinkerbell or Tiger Lilly) :) They are all beautiful tho, & I'm kinda umming & Aahing about whether I should have chosen Mr Smee instead of Hookie as he was the most playful & affectionate today, I swear he was trying to change my mind before I left, he came up & gave me kitten kisses & then threaded himself through my hair purring! Soooo cute! But I dont think I want 2 boys, otherwise I think I'd take him & Hookie... I might have to go visit again durin the week & spend some time with both lil boys to choose between them...

They are really hard to photograph, but i got a few good ones:

These 3 are of Hookie:



These are of Tiger Lilly:


Micah & Tiger Lilly

Wendy & Hookie:

& I'm not sure bout who these 2 are of, I think maybe Peter Pan & Mr Smee:

OMG! The cute! Seanie, if you don't want Hookie, that last picture of him in the solos just sold me. Look how beautifully regal and fluffy he looks!

Kitty pictures!

great pictures, Seanie. Beautiful kittens. I know you will have many fun chances to take photographs when you are settled in your new home with your young companions.

Love Tiger Lily in her princess pose, and Hook showing off all of his hooks! My what big paws you have!

What makes me think two cute little kittens are fixed up with a great pet human?

Tehehe, thanx hfglen :)

Well I just got back from Linda's again & Mr Smee's claimed me :) He gave me kitten kisses again 2nite & spent a few mins winding through my hair purring again :) & Tiger Lilly was being beautiful 2nite too, very playful & cute :) SO I'm gonna get Mr Smee & hopefully Tiger Lilly (unless Linda decides to keep Tiger Lilly)...

Hope your not all sick of the pics, coz I got a couple more that I think are just gorgeous!

Mr Smee just woken up:


Tigger Lilly just bein cute:


& Tiger Lilly playin while Mr Smee's sleepin again:


I absolutely love that last pic, she's such a lil princess :)

They're adorable, Seanie! Will you keep their baby names?

Just look at the eyes on Tiger Lily!! The wisdom of the world is to be found there.

Too many pictures? Is it even possible?
I'm so glad you were able to make your choice, I know it can't have been easy with all of the kittens so lovely. Mr.Smee sounds like a sweetie to come and snuggle with you.
I was lucky when I chose my two. I went to visit expecting to see the single kitten I'd seen a picture of online, but there were in fact three of them. The one male had already been adopted by someone else, and I fell in love with the remaining girl the moment she crawled into my lap along with the girl I'd originally planned to adopt. I couldn't imagine not having both the sisters together at that point. It was an easy choice!

Not sure about the names, the names Linda's given them are their Pedigree names so that's what they'll be registerred as, but I really doubt thats what I'll call them. If I get to keep Tiger Lilly, I've been thinkin I might call her Tilly, but not sure about Smee, I need a much better name for him & I think Wendy's too plain for such a cute kitten if I end up keeping her - suggestions please!

Really adorable. Cute overload doesn't even begin to cover it. If my husband and son weren't allergic to cats, I'd be pushing to get a kitten or two myself.

Personally, I like the name Mr. Smee, but thats just me!! Then again, I've got cats named Dumbledore, Marmite and Mouse.....so I can't talk!!

To my mind Mr. Smee would have to be a grey kitty. I like the idea of going with something like Mist or from that book you said they were mentioned in.

ETA: I love the name Tiger Lily, it's also one of my favorite flowers and you could call her tiger when appropriate or lily when she's sweet. :) But you can't name a cat Wendy. I'm not sure why not, but you just can't.

How about serenity?

#72 Haha......that could be wishful thinking with these little Mist-chief makers around!!

I want a cat named 'Serenity' now...

Teheh, I think that naming a cat serenity may just be tempting fate a bit ;)

I’m thinking that I might call Mr Smee Taj or Taji. Last night I was driving past an Indian restaurant that had the word Taj in the name & was sayng it out loud to try & pronounce the 2nd word (cant remember what it was now) & Taj kinda clicked with me, it rolls off my tongue nicely & I think it sounds nice, I can really imagine calling it out to him :) & I still think that Tiger Lilly will probably get called Tilly most of the time – not 100% sure on either name tho, we’ll see how they grow on me :)

Serenity is along the lines of : pick a name you feel good saying so any antics do not seem so bad when actually saying kittens name! (They will acquire nicknames!)

(Promise did NOT use this technique for my user name -that was a bit of serendipity!)

Edit to add

I forgot to say - I like the names and hope you will be very happy with your kitties!

Taj and Tilly. That's neat.

Went & visited Linda & the lil ones again last night :) She fed them when I got there & its quite cute watchin the “family meal” with all the kittens & the 2 big cats (Asher wasn’t eating with the others last night, not really sure why but he didn’t seem worried at all). The kittens went crazy after dinner, pouncing on air & eachother & chasing the big cats around the flat :) They don’t like the vacuum cleaner at all, they all hid when it came out, lol :) Linda has a video called something like “The Cat Adventures”, its images & sounds of mice & squirrels & fish & birds & she put it on & it’s the cutest thing, the kittens sit in front of the TV & watch & try & pounce on the animals on the screen, then climb up on the TV & look behind to try & find the animals, then run back to the screen & try & pounce through the glass – sooo entertaining! I took a quick video (any longer & I wouldn’t have been able to upload it) & I stupidly held my camera sideways to fit more in while I was videoing – now the vid is sideways, lol, but I think its mighty cute & if you wanna have a look I’ve put it on flickr here:

http://flickr.com/gp/seanmaree/Ea8m20

Also took a few pics, they really are getting harder to photograph, but here are the few I got:

Check out the Kitty Gym! Linda made this, I'm so impressed! (& a lil bit worried that my 2 will feel deprived after leaving such a fun playground!)


Tilly:


Tilly & Taj watching the cat adventure video:


Taj:


Taj:


Asher & Taj watchin the cat adventure video:

Awwwww, so cute.

They're so big though! I swear our two have a growth problem, they are 5 months and still very very much kittens as opposed to cats.

Danling kittens!

They look wonderful, Seanie! How much longer before you can take them home with you?

Thanx for the comments guys, I'm glad to be able to share this :)

Apparently 12 weeks is when they can leave their mum, so September 16th is the earliest that I could take them, but I'm cat sitting/house sitting for my sister from September 17 to October 5th, so at the moment my plan is to pick them up on October 5th when my sister gets back. I'm hoping to be able to start moving stuff into my house from mid September sometime (I REALLY wish they'd give me a date so I could plan properly!) & get the place ready to move into so that Taj, Tilly & I can move in comfortably as soon as possible!

Has anyone who doesn't have a flickr acct tried to look at that video? I sent to a few friends at work & they couldn't access it unless they had a flickr acct, so if any of you dont have a flickr acct, can you try the link for me & let me know if I've fixed it - thanx :)

81 - you fixed it! I don't have an account and I watched it. So super cute!

Thanx for checkin for me :)

OMG, cuteness!!! They're adorable, Seanie, congratulations!!! :)

I love their new names, they go well together.

I went & visited again last night :) Was watchin them all play for a while before i picked em up for cuddles & even tho they're still almost impossible to tell apart (except for Hookie who is darker than the others) the 1st 2 I picked up just happenned to be my 2 - they were meant to be mine see :) Taji's so cute, goes straight for my hair & starts purring & I even got purrs from Tilly too! Got good cuddles from both of them last night, they are both very affectionate, tho easily distracted at this age, sitting on my lap for cuddles then all of a sudden off to chase the big cats, lol :) Linda said that Truda came to see them & said that Tilly could be a show cat, coz she's got all the right features, I'm not sure what those features are tho coz like I said I cant tell them apart yet, have to check their neckbands every time I pick em up to see who I'v got, lol :)

They are really hard to photograph, just so full of energy, but I got a few pics so here they are:

Taji:


Tilly:

Aww, the dark points on Tilly's ears are really cute. I can't help but think it looks like she's doing Pilate's in her first photo.

Tehehe, it is a lil like a pilates pose, but she was kicking the cr*p out of that lil toy, not being very pilates like at all :)

They are getting bigger but looking at Tilly's paws still have a lot of growing to do! Still very cute though.

I may be jaded in saying those are adorable kitties, as I don't ever recall being privy to "ugly kittens" the way that one can sometimes come across an "ugly baby".

Anyone else with me on this??

I visited again last night & they are getting so big!!! Tilly had a bit of a misadventure yesterday, Linda said she dove into the toilet bowl - twas the one place in the flat she hadn't explored yet, & I dont think she'll try that again, lol, Linda wrapped her up in a towell & sat her in front of the heater for a bit & she was fine, silly lil girl, lol :)

Both Tilly & Taji were very affectionate, both gave good cuddles & sat purring on my lap, tho Taji didn't wanna sit with me at first, he climbed back onto the pile of kittens until I had Tilly on my lap too, then he was happy to curl up with her & purr away :) Makes me glad that I'm getting 2, they'll always have eachother to play with/cuddle with even when they're not in the mood for ppl :)

I got a couple of pics:

Micah & Wendy

I LOVE this pic, despite it not having my lil ones in it, i think its just adorable :)

Wendy & Taj


Tilly


Peter Pan, Tilly & Taj

Oh, that first picture is definitely adorable!

But I think I love the way Tilly comes up to the camera in the third more... It looks cute. ^-^

Looks like you are getting an adventurous pair of cats! Good Luck:)

They are adorable!

Absolute cuteness overload - it looks like you have a lovely breeder (my two would love the jungle gym). Look forward to hearing more adventures and seeing photos of them in your new house

Beautiful, Seanie. And I love the names you've chosen. They're playful but sweet and fitting for such adorable kittens.
You must be getting so excited now the time is drawing near for you to move into your house (if the builders ever finalize everything!) and have your kittens with you.

Seems to me that all of those pics are special, you are getting very good at capturing moments with the kitties. :)

Each time I visit this thread, I have to go back a second time and read the messages because my first time through is just scrolling down to see all the new pictures! No offense to everyone that's leaving messages here, but the kitten pictures are first priority...your comments will just have to wait for my second pass :)

I visited again last night, Linda & all the little ones have moved house & it took me just 4mins to get there from my parents house! I wish she'd been living there the whole time, I would've visited much more often :) Shame is that I'm moving to my sisters on thurs night for 3 weeks, then hopefully going into my new house after that, so we're only neighbours for 3days...

The kittens are all going to the vet on friday, to get their 2nd vaccinations, their microchips & to get desexed, plus Taji & Hookie both have lil hernia's from their umbilical cords on their bellies which will be getting removed (the vet has been monitoring them & said there's nothing to worry about & they can just be removed when they are getting desexed), so I'll go & visit again on saturday to see how they're recoverring :)

Got a few new pics:
Taji

Check out how long Asher's whiskers are!!!

Tilly & Michah


Tilly


Taji

That's Asher's water bowl in the bathtub, he likes to play with the water so its safest (& cleanest) in there :)

Truly beautiful kittens becoming handsome cats. Woot!

I visited again today. They all had their operations (except Tinkerbell who Linda's keeping), vaccinations & microchips yesterday so I was expecting them all to be sleepy & still recoverring, but only Peter & Wendy were sleepy, the rest were full of energy & they were all very cute :) Tilly climbed onto my lap & sat with me for a few mins as soon as I sat down which was nice :) Got a few pretty cute pics (I especially love the one of Asher & Hookie).
Tilly:


Taji:


Asher & Hookie:


I've posted them bigger coz I think they're especially cute - hope that doesn't cause issues...

That one of Taji is adorable. He has such a hang-dog expression, like he's been put in the naughty corner! Very much a look of "I know it was wrong and I'm really sorry....can I come out now?"

Tehehe, he didnt wanna pose & I was following him around with the camera, so he's prob lookin like "what u chasin me for?". Tilly on the other hand was more than happy to pose like a lil princess, lol :)

They're still not all that big, Seanie. You're fine, don't worry. ^-^ (Truly, you worry too much, hun. These are a lovely size.) And that picture with Asher and Hook is just darling. It's so cute!

They're all such handsome kitties...

I visited again today :) Peter Pan has gone to his new home so there are only 5 kittens now. Linda told me that Tilly & Taji seem to spend most of their time together which is good. Apparently Tinkerbell's pretty independant, Wendy hangs out with Micah most of the time & Hookie follows Asher arround, so its almost like my 2 know that they're gonna stay together :) I got good snuggles from both of them too, I think we're all gonna be very happy together once we move in to my new home :) Got a few more pics...

Tilly:


Taji:


Tilly & Taji snuggling:


Micah, 4 kittens & Asher saying goodbye to me out the window (its fuzzy coz its thru curtains):

I think you're going to be very happy with your new babies in your new home, Seanie. The kittens seem very nicely socialized with people. They snuggle with you and each other, they play, they're friendly, they're beautiful. Can't beat that combination in a kitty-family :)

I love the piccies of Tilly and Taj snuggling, they're like magazine photo's in their gentle candidness.

I love the curtain picture. It's sort of misty and mysterious - it would make an intriguing book cover.

I love how Tilly just kind of fades in with the couch in that first picture...

You must be so tired of us gushing over the kittens, Seanie! (I still want one of my own...)

Not tired of you guys gushing at all! I was worried you guys were sick of me gushing! I'm glad to be able to share with you all, its such an exciting time for me with the kittens & the house & I dont really have that many ppl IRL to share it all with so I love that my online friends are interested :)

How could we ever get tired of a set of cuties like those kittens? ^-~ (And house-progress! I'm taking mental notes of that thread for whenever I move out myself!)

I haven't given any updates for a while, been busy as with house stuff, but I've still been visiting every week & getting to know my kitties better :) Less than 24 hours till we're all living together in our new home :)

Here are some pics from October 3rd when they were 14 weeks old
Taji:

I love this pic, he almost looks like a cartoon, his head looks too big for his body, lol :)

Tilly:


Asher & Kia


& A couple of pics from Sunday 11 October (15 weeks old)
Tilly:


Taji:

So cute. Can't wait to see them settled in their new home.

On another note, they are huge!! I swear they look the same size as my two who are 6 months old now.

Awwwwwwwwwwwww! (I still want one of these for my very own...) They're gorgeous!

I'm sure I can speak for all of us when I say I (we?) understand that you're a little preoccupied with settling into your new home (with your kittens) and not on the updating front much, Seanie.

They are getting so big! Thanks for sharing the photos, it's been fun to watch them grow :)

Best wishes as the three of you go to your own real true home!

OK so I finally got arround to arranging & uploading my kitten pics too, so here's a picture update since we've moved in :)

15 October - 16 weeks old:

1st steps in new home


Hiding under treadmill


Just bein cute


16 October:

Hiding in the pillows


18 October:


21 October - 17 weeks old:


22 October:



24 October:

Playing in boxes


Just bein cute


They're very settled now & we're all ver happy here together :) They spend most of their time together so I'm really glad I got both of them. They're both very affectionate but Taji's more of a snuggler & is constantly purring, its beautiful :) Tilly's a bit more playful & even plays fetch with me :) Her fave toys are twirled pipe cleaners & if I throw them up in the air near her she'll try & catch them (she actually gets it about 3 or 4 times out of 10 I reckon), then she'll bat it arround the room for a while then bring it back & drop it near my hand for me to throw again - very very cute! I had my brother & his 3 kids (9, 12 & 15) over today & despite them not being cat people, they loved my kitties & surprisingly the kittens weren't at all bothered my the kids constantly picking them up & playing with them :)

Wow - you've got two beautiful kitties there! Awesome pics.

they are completely adorable. Congratulations!

glad you and the kitties are settling in. Looks like they are really at home ;)

Cuteness overdose! *swoons*

So cute. They look very very happy :)

Awwww, so cute! Thanks for keeping us updated and sated with the kitten photos/stories, Seanie! They're adorable!

They look so happy and at home. I love the pillow pix. Thanks, Seanie.

Pairing litter mates is a far more successful way of introducing them to a new home. They know you, they know each other; the new house is just interesting and an adventure as a result. (Particularly if you've given them BOXES!)

Had a bit of a messy accident last night, after going on the treadmill & getting all my washing & dishes done, I decided to reward myself with some rice crackers & low fat tzatziki dip. SO, I was relaxing on the couch watching TV with my dip & the kittens figured out pretty quick that they weren't aloud to have any dip, so they were playing at my feet, then all of a sudden Taji leaped over Tilly & landed feet first in the dip container!!! It sprayed everywhere, so I had tzatziki all over me, my couch & all over Taji!!! He wasn't impressed with me bathing his legs to get it all off, & I was super glad I'd paid extra to get the couch scotchguarded!!!

*giggle* Share or else, right?

Welcome to parenthood! Or is that cat servitude...

Heheh, cute and ARGH! at the same time.

Gauging the trajectory is always trickier than one thinks. Bet that kitten is still trying to figure out what happened.

Latest pics of Taj & Tilly :)

29th October (18 weeks old):

Taj with HIS toy :)


Tilly layin on me :)


Taji layin on me :)


Tilly playin with the Tigers


Taji bein cute :)


Tilly being cute :)

30th October:

Taji giving me cuddles :)

31st October:

Box cats :)


Helpin me sort out my desk :)

1st November:

Luv kittens! I luv this pic!!!

7th November (19 weeks old):

Climbin the ladder :)


Taji bein cute :)

13th November:

Guarding the front door :)


Tilly climbin the back door :)

And like I said in my house thread, if you’re all sick of the pics or would rather I just post the links to the updated guestpasses instead if posting pics here, just let me know :)

It's difficult to get tired of cute kitten photos. I suppose it might eventually get to that point, but you're not even half way yet.

Awww, they are so adorable! Just yesterday, I was considering posting a request for new pictures. I have been going through serious withdrawal. They look like they are so settled in. "Helping" you with your desk, guarding the door. I have my own cutie pie--a Himalayan who knows she is pretty (and doesn't know much else, LOL). So glad that you are enjoying your new home together!
Michele

I loved the "box cats." Post whenever you like, m'dear. We love it.

I love this thread and I hope you continue posting photos of Taji and Tilly, even when they are no longer kittens.

always nice to see other peoples furry friends;) keep them coming Seanie!

Luv kittens forming a heartshape. Does it get any cuter!

I took a 30second video of Tilly playin fetch last night, sorry its so dark:

http://flickr.com/gp/seanmaree/fp85y3

She will do this for hours if I keep playin with her :)

:O Another cat who fetches! (I know they exist, but I've never seen one other than ours play fetch before.)

You can probably get her to jump too if there's enough room around her, but I've been trying for years to get that on camera with Genki and... Yeah, I've been failing.

Tilly jumps too,! She gets pretty high, its sooo cute to watch & I have tried to video that too but its hard to be close enough to throw to her but keep the camera far enough away to catch her so I've failed too, lol...

Its funny I'd never heard about a cat playin fetch before until I met my babies mum. & its not something Tilly's been taught, she's just picked it up, Taji does play sometimes too, he watched Tilly & me play for a long time before he figured out the game tho lol, he's not quite as agile as his sister & he wont play for anywhere near as long as her will but he does seem to get it now :)

No new pics for now but my babies turned 6 months old yesterday :)

They're getting big now, Taji's a fair bit bigger than Tilly, he's about 3.5kg & she's about 2.9kg, which is apparently big for their age (according to the feeding guide on the side of their food packet).

Taji's a bit dopier than Tilly, she's a bit more agile & active & a bit naughtier too, I find her on the kitchen bench alot more than him (its the only place I dont want them to go), & she's usually the one that wakes me up @ 2 or 3 in the morning wanting to play - yesterday I woke up @ 2:30 to a pipe cleaner getting dropped on my face & her just sitting there looking at me as if to say "play time now mum, come on", lol. He still likes to sleep under the blankets (often next to my feet with head resting on my feet, tis very cute) & would possibly stay there all night if Tilly didn't wake me up so I put them out of the room.

They are both still very affectionate & will often sit at my feet miaowing til I pick them up for cuddles :)

I'm super happy in my cat servitude (cant remember where I got that term from but its so appropriate) & think that they are pretty happy with their pet human :)

Aha! We all gave you good advice, didn't we!!!

Y'all did Esta!

Oh & littleshell - do you have any pics of your himalayan baby to share?

Oh, I wasn't expecting that! I only have some low quality cellphone shots. I am working on getting new batteries for my camera, so I will try this soon. I have never posted pics to the web--my 'puter is only a few months old! I've seen some very inexpensive webcams. Does anyone know if these are worth it or should I just save up for a better one?

Umm, i think webcams are more for video chatting? I dont have one of them myself. I just transfer photos from my digital camera & upload them to flickr & then can post them here.

I've seen some pictures of Himalayan cats & they are beautiful! But I probably couldn't own one as the long hair would most likely trigger my allergies.

I've been really lucky with my babies, only had a couple of allergy issues since I've had them :) & I was concerned coz every time I visited them at the breeder's house I got pretty allergic, but I think that may have been more to her Maine Coone...

I had my first escape yesterday!

I was coming back inside from taking the rubish out & Taji decided to bolt out the door :( They've never really seemed that interested in going outside, so although I've been a bit cautious, I probably haven't been as careful as I need to be & was caught surprised that he'd try to get out. I tried to stop him with my foot coz my neck was still stiff & sore & it seemed that it'd be quicker to use my foot than try & get down to use my hands, but that was a bad idea coz I lost my balance & fell over as he was getting out, the hand that I used to break my fall also landed on his tail, so we both screamed, then he ran into the carport. I sat there for a couple of seconds stunned & lots of pain in my neck again, Tilly was sitting a couple of feet from the open door looking quite alarmed. I managed to get up & shut the door so she wouldn't get out too, then hobble arround the car trying to convince Taji to come out from under there - luckily the carport door was shut so he hadn't gone far, after a min or 2 he slunk back to the back door & sat there looking sheepish like "can I go back in? dont like it out here". I picked him up & cuddled him, made sure I hadn't damaged his tail in my fall then burst into tears - half at what had just hapenned & half at the pain it had re-awoken in my neck!

All I can say is I'm glad this didn't happen when I was running late for work!

Hope you're feeling better by now, Seanie.

When my (late, lamented) Tut escaped into the back yard, I would open a can of tuna and lure him to me. It never failed.

>140 Seanie: Oh & littleshell - do you have any pics of your himalayan baby to share?

Finally took a good closeup of Princess and have added it to my profile. The first version was small, but I somehow figured out how to fix it. Funny how a picture seems different from my impression of her. Imagine a constant purr and you will have it!

I have just caught up on this thread. The kitties are precious!

Princess is beautiful littleshell!

Here are the latest pics of my babies:
Taji


Tilly


6 months old today! (9th December 2009)


"Helping" me do my washing


Curled up in my bed (thats under the blankets too cheeky lil monkeys, the checkers in the background are my pj pants, its quite cute how they curl up against my legs or belly)


Tilly with the kickaroo


Sleeping babies


Sleeping babies again - but in this one you can sorta see how much bigger Taji is than Tilly

awwww lovely cats

Taj & Tilly are 7 months old now :) They’re getting pretty big, last time I weighed them (on NYE) Taji was 4.2kg & Tilly was 3.5kg, I think that’s pretty big for their age, but not really sure. Their personalities are still developing & changing too, it’s really interesting for me to see the changes. Tilly’s gotten shyer with strangers for some reason, but she’s gotten snugglier with me & she’ll even push Taji off my lap sometimes so she can get prime position, & she’ll head butt my hands & or chew my fingers if I’m not giving her enough attention, lol, she can be pushy with playing too, she’ll bring me a toy wanting me to throw for her to fetch & if I don’t throw it she goes & gets another one & brings it to me, sometimes I’ll end up with 5 or 6 toys on my lap & her head butting my hands, lol :) her miaow is very polite & sweet & she’s very dignified in that way that cats have, but she’s definitely boss of the house :) Taji’s still a big dopey love bug he’s first to greet me when I get home (Tilly takes her time, Taji waits at the door) & he follows me from room to room, nearly always wanting to be picked up & cuddled :) He is pretty dopey tho, often falls off things or tries to jump into my arms when I’m not ready to catch him so falls to the ground, he climbs on my shoulders & thinks he can sit there like he used to when he was littler, but he’s too heavy now & nearly falls off. Twice I’ve had people over & they’ve been playing with both of the kittens with a feather toy that hangs off a stick, the people were twirling the feather round in circles for them to chase, Tilly chases for a while then kinda stalks off if you don’t let her get it with a look that’s like “this is undignified” but Taji will chase until he falls over dizzy - & he has fallen over dizzy twice! Poor silly lil kitten would try to walk & fall over like he was drunk, so I’d pick him up & his heart would be racing but he’d settle & be fine after a min – cute, but not good so I always watch people playing with them now. His miaow is kinda weird, crackly almost like his voice is breaking – does that happen to cats?
Anyway, they’re both doing great & are such good company for me :) We still don’t get to sleep through the night, they are on the bed when I go to sleep, but usually wake me up wanting to play some time between 2 & 5, so I just get up & put them out of the room & go back to sleep, I’m still hoping that they’ll eventually learn that if they don’t disturb the human, they get to stay in the room :)

Sorry bout the long winded post, but just wanted to share how things are goin & I’ve got some pics from the last couple of weeks too:

3rd January – Why can't we have what’s on the bench?


6th January – Staring at nothing that I could see


10th January – Tilly “Why isn’t u rubbin my belleh?”


12th January
Comfy Pillow Taji?


Tilly attackin da human


14th January
Taji




Tilly




Edited coz I played with the colour in the 1st 2 shots of Taji. I think I got the first one right, but the 2nd one's kinda pinkish, oh well better than the green tinge they had before

The "staring at nothing" is a hoot.

Thanks, Seanie. They're adorable. I liked the staring picture the best, too.

Jan 6 - That's what happens when cats sense a "spirit" (or it could be the last place they saw a fly)

These pictures and your comments prove what good advice we all gave you concerning pet--acquisition!

So sweet! I love how they are often found together, in similar poses. You are getting some great shots. Love the LOL-speak. I think they stare when they hear critters in the wall--it could be an ant, but it sure sounds interesting to them. I remember a poem or something about a cat staring down the hall just after the "hooman" finished watching the X-Files. That cracked me up, I could almost see the goosebumps!

Yeah I love that they are nearly always together too! But it makes it hard to imprint their names on them! At the moment I think they think their names are Mistah & Princess, lol...

We had our first Hissy Fit last night!

I'm going away for 4 days from this friday, so mum's going to stay at my house & kitten sit. She's never been a cat person, so she came over last night to see how much to feed them, how & how often I clean the litter tray etc. Her & dad have a lil maltese cross west highland terrier, she's a lovely dog, territorial with other animals on her property, but friendly as when in neutral territory. So mum brought her over to my house last night (she'd been home alone all day so mum felt bad leaving her at home again while she came to mine), we thought that maybe she might be able to get along with the kittens in their territory & coz the kittens are still young, I thought they might be ok with a visiting friendly dog - well we were wrong! As soon as kittens caught sight of Gabbi dog they turned into vicious little demons! They're usually so sweet looking (& sweet natured too) but even I was a lil scared by how vicious they looked! arched backs, tails puffed up as big as they'll go & lips pulled back to show as much tooth as possible, not to mention the noise! Gabbi was in mum's arms the whole time & they were in my arms to start with. As soon as we put Gabi outside they calmed down & started purring again, so I guess they weren't traumatised or anything, but they REALLY didn't want Gabbi near them...

I know that introducing cats to other animals isn't always easy, but I just didn't expect this strong of a reaction from Taj & Tilly. I wonder if its them being territorial or if its a cat vs dog thing???

I'm not an expert but I think cats hissing and puffing up is a very common response to a new dog or any animal. My friend's vet told her, when adopting a dog, "The best you can hope for at first is that when the cat hisses at it, the dog backs off."

I've found that when a cat is frightened, it doesn't feel safe being held. They would rather have the feet on the ground so they can choose to fight or run. All that noise and fluff is as much because they are freaked as to intimidate. And here my alleged wisdom ends, because I don't know if holding the dog made it seem bigger to them...

Poor Gabbi, she probably just wanted some peaceful family time, LOL. And got some more alone time. At least she got a car ride out of it. That's usually a plus. She sounds like a cutie.

Come to think of it, Princess Gabby would have been a good name for mine--she talks enough.

I had a big scare last friday. I was up late thursday night packing for my wknd away, I picked Tilly off the couch to bring her to bed & when she opened her eyes I noticed the right one was white, I thought that maybe she’d scratched it or had sleep in it or something & her 3rd eyelid was stuck closed, so I gently massaged it closed, she didn’t seem bothered at all, but when she opened her eyes again it was still white :( I started getting worried & called the vet, it diverted to an after hours emergency number & I spoke to someone who said its hard to say without seeing her, but if she doesn’t seem bothered then its prob ok to wait til morning. I was pretty stressed but the vet said that realistically all they could do at that time of morning was give pain killers & monitor her til business hours, Tilly didn’t seem in pain & I figured that if I hadn’t been up late packing I wouldn’t have noticed & would have waited til morning anyway, so I went to bed - & slept very badly!

1st thing in the morning I took her to the vet, the eye already had a bit of colour to it & I could see the pupil through the cloudiness now so it seemed to me to be improving. 1st vet examined her & then asked another vet to come in for a 2nd opinion, the 2nd vet then asked their boss to come in & have a look, they all looked very worried & by this time I was in tears :( They said it was UVitis (?spelling?) of the eye, which worst case scenario can mean a nasty fatal disease (I cant remember the name of it), but it could be any number of things. They recommended starting her on anti inflammatory paste & anti-biotic tablets & if no change in 2 days take her to an eye specialist (they said I could go straight to the eye specialist if I wanted, but they would most likely say to try the same thing). So I rang my mum thinking I should cancel my trip & trying to decide what to do, she said that she would do anything Tilly would need & I shouldn't cancel the trip I've been looking forward to for a year, she said to get the anti-biotics & inflams & would administer them over the wknd & keep a close eye on her & go straight to the specialist if nothing improved. So feeling sick with worry & guilty for leaving, I decided to go. Luckily the friends I was with had reception at the campsite (I didn't) so I could ring mum & check up on her a couple of times a day, every time I called Tilly's eye had improved (& both Tilly & Taj had obviously won mum's heart, lol), so I felt a bit better, still felt bad for leaving & was worried coz I couldn't see the improvement myself, but I was relieved - & oh so relieved to see her looking at me with both eyes when I got home monday night!!!

Anyway, I've got some new pics to share:

Taji



Tilly



Tilly's UVitis (?spelling?)


Wrestling


Bein Cute

Well, I finally found the time to go through your whole thread slowly and with total enjoyment. I've always been a cat person, before I became a dog person. Your kitties are just beautiful and you are developing into a very good cat photographer. Thanks for sharing it all with us.

I'm glad you've enjoyed maggs :)

I have to take A LOT of pics to get some good ones so I dunno about developing into a good photographer, lol. I wish I had a camera with faster shutter speed too, I swear they tease me sometimes, holding a really cute pose until I click the camera button then by the time the camera has responded they've moved. I've been trying to get a good shot of them wrestling for ages, but that's the best I've managed so far...

Its funny how much more alert Tilly is in most pics, Taji's such a lazy boy :)

My photography teacher repeats frequently that all photographers take a huge number of pictures to capture the one good one. Do not be too hard on yourself.

Re-read your camera's manual - there may be a way to get faster shutter speed.

#161 - I think she is referring to the shutter lag that is common in point-and-shoot cameras.

#161 & #162 - yep, its just a digital automatic camera i'm using. I have a pretty good SLR camera, but its not digital & I just cant justify the cost of film & processing pics so its just the automatic camera for me, its pretty good for what it is. I'd LOVE to get a digital SLR & its on my long term wishlist, but there are lots of things I need to buy before I can justify that expense...

Seanie, what an awful scare you had. I'm so glad that things turned out well with Tilly. And you didn't have to miss your trip! You were so looking forward to it. I read elsewhere that you had a great time. It's wonderful that your mom could help out.

#161 etc. I occasionally have shutter lag on my digital SLR as well. The best cure seems to be to set everything to manual before shooting starts (and of course check that the manual settings make sense).

Seanie, I'm so glad to hear Tilly is feeling better! *hugs*

me, too, hfglen

I take huuuuge amounts of pictures. I can take up to 100 in one session hehe and then keep only 5. I'd love to be able to get a professional camera, but it's way too expensive right now. So you're just like the rest of the photo-mad people in the world, Seanie!

And I'm glad your baby is okay. *hug*

I really do hope y’all are not sick of reading about Tilly & Taj yet, esp coz there are super cute tiny baby pics in Severn’s thread, but I’m thinking I’ll keep this thread going til the end of June when my babies will be a year old if peeps don’t mind…

Anyhoo, things are still going really well with our lil family of three :) Tilly’s pretty much become boss of the house, she’s a pushy lil girl, she knows she’s very cute & is used to getting what she wants but she gets a bit huffy when she doesn’t get her own way. Taji’s still more of a snuggler than her, he’s my lil luv bug, always wants to be where I am, follows me from room to room & just loves to be picked up & cuddled :) But when Miss Tilly decides its her time for snuggles she’s very demanding about it, she’ll push him off my lap to get prime posi (this upset me the first few times she did it, but like I said, he wants cuddles more often than her so he’s not missing out, & he’s bigger than her so if he really didn’t want to be pushed around by her he wouldn’t) & she’ll chew on my fingers if I stop patting her until I start again. They’ve both started talking more too which is usually cute – its not cute at meal times coz they get all screechy & sound like babies crying, but when its just talk & not demands its really cute. Tilly was singing the other morning for about half an hour, just walking from room to room with a pipe cleaner in her mouth singing, I thought there was something wrong at first, but she wasn’t bothered by anything, was just being cute :)

I’m considering showing them at some stage, I’ve been told that Tilly has all the right Mist features & she is such a pretty lil thing that I think she should be shown off, but not sure if she has the right temperament. Taji on the other hand prob has the ideal temperament, but not the ideal features Tilly has, so I’m really not sure. I’ll go to a few cat shows over the next few months to try & learn a bit, there’s one coming up in May that is specially featuring Aus Mists, I’d kinda like to enter my babies in that one, but think I need to know more about what’s involved first...

Anyway, here are some pics from this month (they turned 8 months old early Feb), sorry if it’s an overload, but I figure those that aren’t interested can ignore the thread:

6th Feb:

Lapping up the sunshine


7th Feb:
Lazing on the kitten beds

Snoozin on the hoomin’s bed


8th Feb:
Tilly helping me with the washing


Taji bein cute (they’re both very good at that, lol)

The lil spike on his back is coz he’d just been on the bench & got sprayed with the water bottle, prob explains the kinda grumpy look on his face too :)

12th Feb:
Tilly curled up wit da hoomin

She looks so little here!

15th Feb:
Taji bein Oh So Cute playing in a paper bag:

I love this pic! He was so funny with this bag! They both love it, tho he got caught in the handles & I had to chop them off, but now they’re a fave toy too, lol…

Tilly Bug Eyes

Photographic evidence of why she gets called Bug Eyes!

Snuggling wit da hoomin

They both managed to fit on me at once! This is rare…

Taji smoochin/grooming Tilly

She doesn’t look too impressed, but she was lapping it up 

16th Feb:

Tilly Sitting Pretty


Taji on da couch


17th Feb:

Taji bein super cute:

Another one I love, my lil Mistah’s been rather photogenic this month :)

Snuggles

I never get tired of these. It's so much fun watching them grow and develop their personalities.

Good luck with researching cat shows! Sounds like fun. And it will be great to share them with other cat people. I can't believe it's been 8 months already. We've seen them from the beginning! It's cool to have such early pic of furbabies.

Not only have we "seen them from the beginning!" but, remember: we helped you decide Dog or cat?/ One cat or two?/ Indoor or out? ~~~ We've got an investment. . .

We sure do have an investment - hey, and remember it was you (and Luna) who inspired me with my thread anyway! They've grown into gorgeous kittehs! I love the bug eyes photo - that's hilarious hehe. And I'd definitely say in order to show a kitty they need to have the right temperament so they don't get stressed.

Oh I'll get back to you on the forum you've found! I'll see how I go - going to advertise on one here first in a few weeks when they're older and can 'receive visitors'. Thanks for the willingness to help!

Cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute!!!!!!!!

Your cats are so, so pretty, Seanie! And researching cat shows before entering sounds like a really good idea. I hope you'll have fun with that and with whatever you decide afterwards! ^-^

I bought a couple of catnip enclosures off ebay a few months ago (well I bought one & mum bought one for me for christmas) & have been waiting to get the cat door installed to get them set up. Well I got the cat door installed a few weeks ago & finally got one of the enclosures connected to it yesterday!

We got interrupted by the rain, so haven't cut the holes where the aerial tunnel is connected to either tower (so they dont have access to the tunnel or smaller tower yet), & the connection into the tower from the tunnel is still a bit rough, we got all the sharp bits out of the way of the cats, but I'll need to get at it with pliers to neaten it up a bit, & the paving is VERY rough coz its just straight onto uneven ground, but its something for now :)

I was thinking it might take a while for them to be comfy enough to go out into it on their own, but no problems with that :) Tilly took a bit longer than Taji (she was more interested in biting the locks on the cat door than trying to go through it, lol), but after being shown through a couple of times she's fine :) They both run in & out of it whenever they want now - except when one of them blocks the doorway lol :)

Here are a couple of pics

Taji's first steps through the cat door:


Mum & Dad - & Taji in the enclosure:


Tilly's not so sure:

Them's some lucky kitties!

Tilly's been unwell - she seems to be my problem child, she had the runs for nearly a week & has lost a bit of weight, she's down to 3.6kg now (she was 3.95 in Jan, so has lost at least 360g) so I need to start feeding her food that will bulk her back up a little - she's been on boiled chicken & rice diet which has helped her belly, but obv not helped with her weight.

Taji on the other hand in a bog boofa boy now @ 5.2kg :)

Some new pics of Taj & Tilly to share :)

I've been trying to get some good head shots lately, but not having much luck, they always end up out of focus or looking like the bodies been chopped off or something, lol...

Taji:


Tilly:


Tilly showin off her pretty markings:


Her fave place to sit lately has been the back of the couch cushions:


Taji likes to sit here when I'm doin the dishes, sometimes he'll try & scale up my leg to sit on my shoulders, that worked fine when he was a itteh bitteh kitteh - but not so well now, lol:


He also likes the tunnel in the enclosure (yep they've got access to the whole thing now):


Kinda hard to seem but they're both in there:


& they lurve the cat grass I've put in there for them (somehow i dont think it'll last very long, lol)


Tilly was so cute the other morning, I took a series of 5 to 10 shots within about a minute of her rolling all over the hammock in the enclosure absolutely loving it, I'm gonna try & put the pics together in photoshop to make a lil series thing, but this is the best one of the lot:


Oh & this is the new version of "Puss in Boots":

She was soo funny here, her latest game is to drop her toys into things & then fish them out, well this toy happenned to be a ring from a milk bottle & just didnt wanna come out, so that shoe got pushed arround the room for about half an hour, lol :)

Taji likes to help make the bed:


Taji's got da kickaroo!

Its funny, they always look so guilty when they play with this toy :)

They both had to inspect the new shower mat I got

I wasnt so impressed either, lol...

& finally - snuggles:

Get well wishes to Tilly, and a big hello to the other two personages she lives with.

So cute and almost grown-up with some of those poses. Then Tilly spends 30 minutes with her head in a boot, lol! Although such persistence is growin' up, too. But her poor insides! I hope she's ready for bulking up again soon.

Love the shower mat pic, looks like they are actually discussing it!

This is the series of Tilly rolling arround on the hammock:

You are doing some great photography! Love your kitties, too, but they don't really have to work at looking good. You, on the other hand, have to put some effort into wielding that camera. Good stuff!

Thanx Maggs! Glad that you're enjoying :) Wish I had the patience to read the manual for my camera, I know I could do soo much more with it even tho its just a digital point & shoot...

OK, so latest updates, Tilly's tummy's all better & they are both happily back on their normal dry & raw diet now, but she's still a little girl, I can really notice the difference between their size when they stand next to eachother! I’ll post a pic of them that shows the size difference soon…

On friday night they had their first spat, it all started just after 7pm, they absolutely HATED eachother for about 3 hours, then slowly made up, twas quite strange, rather intense, a lil scary & a lil funny. Here's the story:

They were fine when I went out @ 4:30 & when I got home bout 7pm they were both waiting at the sliding door for me all friendly, but after a minute or so, Taj was in the new travel cage I’d bought that day & Tilly was trying to get in when they started hissing at each other. They'd played in the travel cage together when I brought it home a few hours earlier, so I dont think its the cage that caused the tension - They'd never hissed at each other before, it was like the reaction they've had seeing strange animals (& like when I re-introduced them to their mum, unless & sister), backs arched, fur puffed out (esp tail), ears & lips back & hissing quite nastily, really like they didnt recognise each other Tilly ran to my bedroom & hid under my bed, Taji stayed crouched in the travel cage looking peaky. I picked him up & took him to my bedroom put him on the bed, got Tilly from under the bed & put her on there too, they started hissing & Taji started making an odd growling/yowling sound I've never heard before (sounded kinda like a creaking door in a really old house), but they werent moving towards eachother or attacking, so I grabbed my camera & took a quick video (link below), Tilly ran off after a few seconds & they wouldnt go into the same room as eachother & if they saw eachother through doorways they'd hiss & Taji would growl & they'd back away from eachother. This lasted about 2 hours, then they ate dinner together & even both licked out the tray after I'd made up portions of their meat to freeze, but Tilly was still acting very skittish, jumping at any sound I made & there was definitely been no snuggling or grooming of eachother like there usually is after a meal. When I went to bed they were both on the floor in my bedroom but on opposite sides of the room, I lay in bed reading for an hour or so & they slowly moved closer to eachother, when I went to sleep about 1am they were about a meter apart. I wasn’t sleeping very well, so noticed when they both jumped up on the bed about 3am, circled eachother for a minute, then curled up together & started grooming – best buds again thank goodness, made up for the fact I wasn’t sleeping well, lol…

So all is good again now, its just so strange, so out of character for them, they often play fight & it occasionally gets a bit rough, esp coz Taji’s so much bigger than her now, but they really have always been the best of friends & have never hissed at eachother, I wish I knew what had caused it!

Did they see another cat outside?

Mine act this way when they have had a territory intrusion by another cat - the adrenaline gets up to fight for their turf, and they attack ANYTHING that looks like another cat, even their own best buddy.

Once the situation cools down, they remember who they are. My two neutered males would rip the fur off each other, after encountering a stranger cat through the screen enclosure. They had to be separated until they simmered down...

Hope this helps ease your mind.

Thanx Janny. Your poor boys, I'm glad there was no fur ripping out here! I guess seeing another cat would explain it, just seems strange coz they were fine for a few mintues when I got home. Unless they'd been fighting before but me getting home had calmed it down for a few mins?

Anyway, I forgot to post the link to the vid I took:

http://flickr.com/gp/seanmaree/u4HA5D

its just 8 seconds, but the noise that Taji's making is full on!

Hi All,

Its been a while since I've posted bout my bubs, they're nearly 12 months old now so I'll let this thread go to reast soon, but had an incident last night I wanted to share:

The Feline Intruder!

So I was near the end of a good book last night & stayed up a lil later than I should have to finish it, eventually turned the lights out just before midnight, so was expecting about 7hrs sleep which I could have coped OK with - but....

Bout 12:25 I woke up to what sounded like a baby crying ??? I was still trying to fall asleep, so although I vaguely wondered if it might be a cat noise, I drifted back to sleep without getting up to investigate. Bout 12:30 – crying noises again, this time I’m more awake & get up to investigate, as I’m walking towards the spare bedroom/cats room, I hear hissing & growing from Tilly who’s inside but staring through the cat door & all puffed up, I hear a thump & scramble on top of the enclosure & Taji runs from one side to the other & he’s making that “baby crying” noise & he’s all puffed up too! Tilly bolts through the cat door & runs to the opposite side of the enclosure to Taji & kinda hunkers down in the corner, then I see a strange cat run across the yard & over the fence! The thump & scramble was the strange cat running across the top of the enclosure! No wonder my 2 are riled up! Taji’s still grumbling & I cant convince either of them to come inside, but I figure that I’ve scared the strange cat away now so I go back to bed, bout 12:45 by this time… Before I’ve even drifted off again, I hear Taji yowling again & Miss Tilly bolts through the cat door & runs under my bed, so I crawl under the bed a bit to try & re-assure her, then go into the spare room again, lights on this time & Taji’s at the far side of the enclosure, almost nose to nose with the strange cat who’s sitting on the fence & they’re yowling at each other, its strange tho, its not a very aggressive noise, just LOUD! After a few minutes of this singing contest, with me banging on the window telling the strange cat to go away & Taji to come inside, the strange cat did run away, sat on the fence watching us for a minute then finally went over the fence again. Tilly came into the spare room, saw Taji through the glass & instantly started hissing & growling at him, then runs back into my bedroom, I stand at the window calling to Taji for a while, he’s still yowling tho a bit quieter now that the strange cat is gone. After about 15mins of this I realise he’s not coming in so I go out to the backyard, climb into the enclosure, pick him up & carry him back inside through the back door. As I was picking him up I realised this was a very stupid thing for me to do, if the strange cat came back while Taji was in my arms who knows what would have happened! But thankfully Taji was happy for me to pick him up, even gave me a good rumble/purr while I was carrying him inside, but my heart was racing! We got inside safely, I shut the spare room door so they cant get into the enclosure in case strange cat comes back, I make sure that Taj & Tilly aren’t gonna fight with each other (after a hesitant nose to nose sniff they were fine) then eventually crawl back into bed about 1:45 (tho my heart was still racing so I doubt I got to sleep before 2:15), Taji curls up behind my knees & promptly falls asleep as if nothing has happened & Tilly curls up in front of me, a lil more hesitant than usual but no where near as stressed out as I am, lol…

So, after about 5hours sleep which I know is plenty for some people – but not for me – I’m feeling pretty vague today, lol…

& Thinking back on the incident, I’m wondering about Taji’s yowling, wondering if he was defending his territory & his girls, or if he was trying to make friends with the strange cat? They were nearly nose to nose at one stage & the yowling didn’t sound too threatening to me, but then again, I don’t speak cat, lol :) Either way I hope the visitor doesn’t make a habit of late night appearances!!!

Sounds like a too-exciting night, Seanie! Hope you are recovering now. Especially since the cats got over it way too quickly, imo! I guess it's out of sight/smell, out of mind for them, though. Your enclosure is something I always thought would be cool for kitties, but I would want a way to lock that in/out door at night. Is that possible for you?

seems a shame to deprive them of enclosure, but oh, I always thought "Keep 'em in the house" was best. Now that visitor is bound to come again I fear.

Happy birthday Taj & Tilly!!! 1 year old today!!!

We’ve all been living together for about 8 months now & I couldn’t be happier with my babies & they seem to be pretty comfy & happy with my servitude :) I cant imagine life without them now & am amazed that I survived 28 years of life without cats! They are my babies & I do spoil them, but I cant see why I shouldn’t :)

I love their lil noses & paw pads & bellies & whiskers :)
I love watching them at zoomies time when they somersault over eachother across the house in between bouts of running at full speed :)
I love watching them snuggle together & groom eachother :)
I love that they are best of friends so I know they keep each other company while I’m at work :)
I love that they nearly always want to be in the same room as me :)
I love the headbutts & kitten kisses I get from My Taji :)
I love the bedtime snuggles I get with Miss Tilly :)
I love that I can tap my chest & Taji will jump into my arms :)
I love that Miss Tilly loves belly rubs so much that she kneads at the air in happiness when she gets them :)
& I love so much more about them too!

Here are a few recent pics:

Taji about a month ago:


Tilly about 3 weeks ago:


Earlier this week:


& here are a few pics of them playing in their new cat tree that got deliverred yesterday (This is the cat tree that I ordered before christmas & it came to me twice in pink! I still think this is more pink than purple, probably what I'd call a mauve, but at least this one said purple on the box instead of pink lol & even tho I'm not 100% happy with the colour, they love it so its staying):




Thanks so much for letting me share our story with you guys, its been an eventful year & even though I havent been posting as much in the GD lately, I've really appreciated having you guys to share stuff with :)

We all enjoyed it too!!

Hard to believe they're a year old. I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing them grow and settle into their new home with you. Thankyou so much for sharing, I hope you'll continue to so in future.

Me too! (The tower is, maybe, lavender. And it looks totally cool!)

Happy Birthday Taji and Tillie!

They look fit and healthy and loving their kitty gym!

Happy Birthday kitties! Take good care of your mommy, she's special to us. :)

Happy B'days to the kittehs.

Hi Guys,

Its been a while & I know I said I was gonna stop adding to this thread, but I’ve take some really cute pics in the last few months so wanted to share a few – hope y’all don’t mind!!!

At their first Cat Show:

They were pretty scared being their first show, they’ve been in 3 now & are doing much better, Miss Tilly even got a Judges Favourite award at their last show 

Miss Tilly sitting pretty outside after a grooming session:


Taji Boy sitting pretty outside after a grooming session:

Snoozin on the big bed:


Taji in the Basket:


Tilly in the Basket:


Sharing the Basket:

Wow, congratulations Seanie!! That ribbon (in your favourite colour) was well deserved.....your cats are beautiful.

That last photo made me smile -- so very cat-like! These kitties are clearly enjoying a very wonderful and loving home.

They are so lovely. And I'm happy to see they still enjoy each other's company so much. :o)

Seanie, I remember watching all the pics of your house as it was being readied for your moving in, and the yard before it was landscaped, and your kittties when they were wee! What a nice place you have now and I know your kittens are as happy as can be. Wonderful, and it made me smile this morning. Thanks for sharing.

So nice to see the "kids" again! This is still on my starred list, and every so often I will see the title and wonder how everyone is doing. :-D

Your cute kitties are turning into beautiful cats, Seanie.

Awww, thanks for sharing, and congrats to your beautiful cats on the ribbon!

How great to catch up on the babies! Thanks, Seanie.

D'awww...

You have the exact same kitty-brush as I do! Wonderful aren't they? Two of the cats love it...Charley will 'ask' to be brushed hehe.

Your babees are looking lovely - what fine creatures.

Seanie, this thread is seriously hard to load due to its 1. length and 2. picture heaviness. I love it and I want to keep seeing kitten updates. Could you start a new thread...Chapter 2, as it were....