WOYWW 430–More Kittens, of course!

Still nothing done on my desk. I seem to have had a pretty busy time of it lately, not including wanting to spend as much time as possible with the kittens, and this week I can’t seem to shake the fatigue which has hit me, not surprisingly. Fortunately I’ve got a few days without too much happening so I’m not doing anything except what’s absolutely necessary, and trying to rest and catch up.

Here are some more kitten photos and videos for your delectation and delight.

Relaxing on top of my hubby’s home-made cat tree after a particularly vigorous play session. They often sleep up there.

Two irresistible spotty fat tummies! Lily on the left and Ruby on the right. They are getting so big now! Today they are 14 weeks old.

This is Ruby at 9 weeks old, just after we got them – she looks very small there!

They are now eating about twice as much as they were when we first got them so it’s not surprising they are growing so fast.

Another one of them relaxing. I took this yesterday. They had just finished tearing around the house with paws like thunder – amazing how much noise two small kittens can make when they put their minds to it!

Most of the photos I’ve got are of them either asleep or relaxing or being tightly held by my hubby – photos of them playing are hopeless because they move so fast that the pictures are blurred. Videos are best for that. Here are a couple of new ones.

Clicker training

I am having a lot of fun clicker training them. I’ve been doing it for 2 weeks now. To start with, my hubby was extremely sceptical about this and didn’t think I’d get anywhere with it, believing along with a lot of other people (wrongly) that cats can’t be trained, but the other day, they were both playing upstairs with him, and I called their names followed by “kitty-kitty-kitty” which is their command to come when called, and they both came running! It doesn’t always work, though, if there is something more interesting to do at the time. They both look up when I say their names now.

They both seem to enjoy the training sessions very much and will always come running for that, when they hear me pick up the clicker and open the treats box. It’s a time of treats, personal interaction and lots of attention, and who doesn’t like a bit of that? The only part they don’t like is being separated. They have to be done one at a time or they would get confused, and Ruby, in particular, cries a lot when I shut her away on her own. I can hear her through 2 closed doors! The two of them are always together and they don’t like being separated. They are probably quite aware of what is going on and don’t want to miss out!

A couple of days ago I started with the target training. My clicker has an extendable target like a radio aerial with a green blob on the end, and they will both touch this with a paw now. Surprisingly, Lily got the idea of that a lot more quickly than Ruby, who has so far been quicker on the uptake with the whole training thing. I got Lily to sit several times this morning, first with, and then without, the target – just on the command “Sit!” I haven’t tried that with Ruby yet, because I am working hard on trying to get her to use the scratching post. Lily has been sharpening her claws on this from the beginning without any encouragement from us, but Ruby continues to prefer the carpet… I can get her to touch the scratching post most of the time now with the target, but it’s a bit hit or miss without it. Eventually I hope she will get the idea of actually scratching – every time I try to get her to do it, it is to the command “Scratch!”

Their attention span is obviously not very long, and a maximum of about 5 minutes each, per day, is all I can expect, but they are certainly getting the idea.

Eventually I want to train them to shut the door after them – we have had simply years of cats pushing the door open in order to come in and join us, and in the winter, it’s a pain having to get up and push the door closed again or alternatively sit in a draught! My hubby says I should train them to make him a cup of coffee.

We had some friends round the other night and I asked if they had tried this method of training with their dog, and the husband said “yes, but it was more successful with me!” I really laughed at this and said “Oooh, what a good idea, I shall clicker train my hubby!” Anything to get him to remember to tell me what he’s doing each day – he has had the habit for over 30 years of just disappearing off without a word so I have no idea where he is or how long he is likely to be. Funnily enough, someone else suggested the same thing at the weekend! He was NOT very impressed when I told him my idea!!

Day out

We had a lovely day out on Saturday with friends – lunch out, followed by a walk along by the river in Kingsteignton near Newton Abbot. Here are a few of the more arty photos from that outing.

Diet

Only 3 more pounds to go to reach my target weight! It is coming off extremely slowly but the only way to speed things up would be to have no more treats and I’m not prepared for that! Anyway, I have now lost nearly 4 1/2 stone (61 lb) since I started 3 years ago, although I don’t count 2015 when I had to stop it while I was so ill. I have lost 10 inches around my waist! My hubby is taking me shopping next week and I’m going to get some new clothes because my leggings are falling down and turning me into a Nora Batty lookalike, and putting on my bra each morning makes me want to burst into song, “Swing low, sweet chariot…”

Have a great week, everyone. Perhaps one day I shall do some art myself.