Homecoming

"Whose clever idea was it to get two!?"

I've used that phrase more times than I can remember in the last 24 hours.

A few weeks ago I lost my cat Frodo Waggins. I'd had him for almost 17 years. Although I have my best friend in the world, a 6 1/2 year old Springer Spaniel, there has been a crater-sized hole. I missed my boy and his excellent rodent wrangling skills.

My heart was crunching away when I said "Where's my good boy?" to my rat (not the formentioned rodent being wrangled) and she searched for Frodo.

So, we considered adopting a kitten. Why not an older cat? Simply because we'd introduced our previous dog to Frodo when he was a kitten and it went well.

Enquiries were made. Kittens were missed.

Then a ginger blob appeared as I was skimming through Facebook. One of the local rescue charities had two little kittens. I showed the Boss of the house and before I'd had time to think, we were rushing down country lanes for a viewing!

We made it with a few minutes to spare.

Have you ever been in a situation where someone plops a small animal into your life. The day I went "just to look" at my dog, that happened. The only thing I can liken it to, is love at first sight.

I rushed to a cashpoint for the deposit. The machine charged me 95p! I'm a tight wench. It's difficult to s q u e e z e money out of me.

And somehow I was preparing for the arrival of two kittens. It just didn't seem right to split the little guys up.

I also have really bad tonsillitis. Have you ever tried to kitten-proof a house with a fever?

Have you ever tried to kitten-proof a house. Yikes.

But somehow I did. The really expensive glass was hidden by the Boss. Even I don't know where it is. Probably for the best!

And yesterday I went to pick up two little balls of orange.

By this point I was worried about introducing them to my dog. But it was going to happen.

Kitten A (the larger and older kitten) was terrified during the car journey home. Kitten B (the younger, tiny kitten) seemed excited.

We did the introduction as best we could. I went in first to greet my Dog and then the household Chauffeur brought in the kittens.

This is what someone looks like when they have been betrayed...

I was r i d d l e d with guilt as she sat on my feet looking terrified. She was lovely. Kitten A didn't seem impressed. Kitten B looked amused.

The kittens were released unto the house. Up the stairs they went. They seemed happy enough.

The Boss mammal-sat and I went to the supermarket to buy Kitten supplies with the Chauffeur.

I had a phonecall from the Boss and was worried. Apparently I needed to hurry up. The kittens were hungry!

                                F a s t f o r w a r d.

It's early evening.

The kittens have been fed. 

They have beds, toys, dirty tray, scratcher and a feeding station all upstairs.

They've pooped. My God have they pooped.

But it's time to explore. Downstairs could be interesting.

Kitten A stares at my Dog from the bannister rail. My dog wags her tail and presents him with her teddy. Kitten A gets grumpy. My dog is summoned into hiding. Kittens return upstairs.

A while later...

Kitten A comes back to his watching step. My dog wags her tail but is less excited to see him. He sees me pet her...then I pet him...it's going well. Kitten A decides he's been brave long enough and gets vocal. My dog says something and he retreats up the stairs taking nosey Kitten B with him.

Then the Kittens discover the bathtub.

Hours of tumbling, bumping, s l i d i n g and wondering what the big silver thing was.

Hours.

I decided it was bedtime.

At 3 AM I was awoken by tiny little meows.

They ran away when they realised they had successfully woken me up. Probably wise.

They wanted feeding.

It begins!