kitten update

well, it's been a week now, and so far, everyone has survived. The kitties are settling in, and Cleo and Sedona are adjusting (as much as can be expected, anyway). I have learned a couple things, though, including "Never hold a kitten over a dog's head, especially when the dog can jump." I was being helpful (so I thought) and was going to carry the yellow kitten to the laundry room (where their food bowls are), but Sedona really wanted to get her. So, the dog started jumping, the kitten started spitting and growling, and I got my hands scratched and bitten for my stupidity. It all turned out okay in the end, and my hands are fine- one of the kitten's teeth broke off (in my hand), she bit me so hard- a baby tooth, I think. Cleo doesn't really know what to think of them yet, except she doesn't really like the intrusion- actually, the kittens being here has made her come out of her shell (and her hiding place in the bathroom) a bit more... she occasionally comes into our bathroom, or up on our bed, to voice her displeasure. I am definitely glad we got both kittens, so they can keep each other entertained, and leave her alone for the most part. This is the yellow kitten, all puffed up and mean-looking (the dog was right there, I think). She is definitely the more timid of the two (except when threatened- see story above!), and is a bit more reserved than her sister. We named her Butters, after a character on the Comedy Central television cartoon South Park... you'd have to watch the show to really get it, but his nickname is a play on words (Butters Stotch is his full name), and somehow, she just reminds us of him. (I put a pic of Butters from South Park below) Just something in her expression, I think...

The other kitten's name is Pandora (Tom thought that one up on the way to the vet's office), because she is a trouble-maker!! She tries to sneak out of the laundry room the minute you crack open the door, and she gets into everything!! (Right now we're keeping them in the laundry room, while they recover from getting declawed, and till the dog gets used to them... We let them out for periods of time while we can supervise, and we also give the dog a time-out in her crate once or twice a day, so the kittens can explore.) Below is a pic of Pandora hanging out under the piano, from this morning when they were playing... hopefully her tendency to chew on everything is just because they're at that "baby teeth falling out" stage??

Butters, waiting to pounce, as soon as Pandora gets close enough... they have such focus!

Action shot! I know it's not the best pic, but they're really quick! They don't seem to feel too bad from their declawing, but we are keeping them in the laundry room to keep them quieter (they wouldn't settle down out here, at all), and the vet sent home some liquid pain medication.. boy, administering that is fun, let me tell you! (it takes a team effort, with Tom keeping the kitten wrapped in a towel, so I can shoot the medicine into their mouth... I'll be glad when we're done with it, and I'm sure they will be, too! (There's a few more pictures of them on my Flickr page...)