Rajah
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 17, 1999
- Messages
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(More detail on how Blaze and Skye handled the move this weekend, for anyone interested) 
Yesterday was when the movers actually came. We kept the kitties in the bathroom at the apartment for most of the day. We didn't have anything in there that the movers needed to move, and left most of the things the kitties were used to there so their "sanctuary room" was still theirs. That worked well -- the two times we took them out of the bathroom, they were wide-eyed and scared, but as soon as we put them back in they were content. A little concerned about the noise going on outside, but otherwise okay.
After we got the furniture moved into the house, we returned to the apartment and picked up Blaze and Skye and their things. When we got to the house, we each took a kitten and carried him from room to room, letting him sniff anything he wanted, pointing out that all "their" stuff (the old furniture) was there, showing them where the litterboxes, food, and beds were... that sort of thing. Then we let them set the pace. Gave them free roam of the house while we ate dinner and let them explore on their own or not as they wished.
Blaze claimed "his" room right away. We've set up our store room as a combo store room and kitty room, and Blaze was happiest in there. Poor thing was rather scared, though, as a whole. He wouldn't cross the "bridge" (we have a neat bridge that joins one half of the second story to the other, with the living room and foyer open to both stories), and Blaze wouldn't go down the stairs on his own at first. Even trying to coax him down with treats wouldn't get him past the half-way point. He wasn't raised with stairs, Skye was. And I guess that even though Skye's been with us going on 4 months now, he's still young enough that almost half of his life was with stairs, so he had no hesitation at all.
They did call us a few times when they expected us to be somewhere and we weren't, and it was really cute one time that Blaze went missing. We heard Blaze calling trying to find people (he was apparently lost and/or scared). So all four of us (DH, myself, and my parents who were over helping us get settled in) went on the hunt for Blaze. He wouldn't come, wouldn't call again much, just hid.
Well, Skye picked up on the fact that we were looking for Blaze, and went running upstairs and looking around corners, too. It was very obvious what he was looking for. When Skye couldn't find Blaze, either, *he* gave this loud "WHERE ARE YOU?" yowl...
...and here came Blaze, right out from the bedroom where he'd been hiding under the bed. I told Skye "Here he is!" and here came Skye, back downstairs and straight to Blaze to touch noses. It was so cute and so sweet!
Blaze spent about 30 minutes hiding under the bed, which actually wasn't that bad. By the time my parents left, he was hiding around corners and between boxes and stuff, but staying fairly nearby and getting a little more confident. By the time we went to bed, he'd fully explored the house several times, jumped up on the bookcases again, and got up in the top of the closet before claiming his spot on our bed.
He's still jumpy and skittish, still obviously uncertain, but doing better this morning than he was last night. Neither kitty ate much of anything last night, but I expected as much. They both *asked* for food, but wouldn't eat it. It actually surprised me that they even asked for any food.
We let them spend the night with us last night. Usually, they aren't allowed in the bedroom at night, but because they were so uncertain of things and they seemed so much more comfortable in the room with us, we gave in for last night. Maybe tonight, too. But they won't be able to do that for long, because they woke me up every hour about on the hour, as usual, which is why they aren't allowed to sleep with us. They're so sweet about it, they're waking me up cuddling, but it's impossible to sleep with claws kneeding your hair and a loud purr in your ear.
The fact that they were both feeling safe enough to curl up and purr and cuddle like that, though, I think is a good sign.
At one point last night I got up kicked them out into the hall and closed the door because I was so tired. I figured let them go explore on their own and find somewhere else to sleep. Two minutes later I was back up again saying I couldn't do that to my babies on their first night in a new strange home.
When I set them in the hall, they both cowered and acted scared, and I felt so bad. So I went back out and picked up Blaze (who hadn't moved more than three feet) and put him on the bed again, then went back out and found Skye cowering on the couch so picked him up and brought him in the bedroom, then went back out again and got Blaze again because he didn't like being left alone even though "Daddy" was in bed asleep. I got more cuddles and less sleep for my efforts, but they both seemed more confident this morning.
Today, DH was supposed to close them up in their "sanctuary" room while we're gone. Most of their toys and beds and things they're familiar with are in that room, so it's most likely where they'll be the most comfortable. Hopefully they'll be more confident tonight. I know once they get used to the house they'll both love it. Skye already told me thank you for the extra space and that he loves having room to run and play (I'm *positive* that's what he said
) Blaze just isn't sure yet. And they're both jumpy with the new noises, understandably enough.
I hope they settle in well soon, though. We still want to go get Sienna, but I don't really want to bring her home until Blaze and Skye are more confident in the new home.
Yesterday was when the movers actually came. We kept the kitties in the bathroom at the apartment for most of the day. We didn't have anything in there that the movers needed to move, and left most of the things the kitties were used to there so their "sanctuary room" was still theirs. That worked well -- the two times we took them out of the bathroom, they were wide-eyed and scared, but as soon as we put them back in they were content. A little concerned about the noise going on outside, but otherwise okay.
After we got the furniture moved into the house, we returned to the apartment and picked up Blaze and Skye and their things. When we got to the house, we each took a kitten and carried him from room to room, letting him sniff anything he wanted, pointing out that all "their" stuff (the old furniture) was there, showing them where the litterboxes, food, and beds were... that sort of thing. Then we let them set the pace. Gave them free roam of the house while we ate dinner and let them explore on their own or not as they wished.
Blaze claimed "his" room right away. We've set up our store room as a combo store room and kitty room, and Blaze was happiest in there. Poor thing was rather scared, though, as a whole. He wouldn't cross the "bridge" (we have a neat bridge that joins one half of the second story to the other, with the living room and foyer open to both stories), and Blaze wouldn't go down the stairs on his own at first. Even trying to coax him down with treats wouldn't get him past the half-way point. He wasn't raised with stairs, Skye was. And I guess that even though Skye's been with us going on 4 months now, he's still young enough that almost half of his life was with stairs, so he had no hesitation at all.
They did call us a few times when they expected us to be somewhere and we weren't, and it was really cute one time that Blaze went missing. We heard Blaze calling trying to find people (he was apparently lost and/or scared). So all four of us (DH, myself, and my parents who were over helping us get settled in) went on the hunt for Blaze. He wouldn't come, wouldn't call again much, just hid.
Well, Skye picked up on the fact that we were looking for Blaze, and went running upstairs and looking around corners, too. It was very obvious what he was looking for. When Skye couldn't find Blaze, either, *he* gave this loud "WHERE ARE YOU?" yowl...
...and here came Blaze, right out from the bedroom where he'd been hiding under the bed.
I told Skye "Here he is!" and here came Skye, back downstairs and straight to Blaze to touch noses. It was so cute and so sweet!Blaze spent about 30 minutes hiding under the bed, which actually wasn't that bad. By the time my parents left, he was hiding around corners and between boxes and stuff, but staying fairly nearby and getting a little more confident. By the time we went to bed, he'd fully explored the house several times, jumped up on the bookcases again, and got up in the top of the closet before claiming his spot on our bed.
He's still jumpy and skittish, still obviously uncertain, but doing better this morning than he was last night. Neither kitty ate much of anything last night, but I expected as much. They both *asked* for food, but wouldn't eat it. It actually surprised me that they even asked for any food.
We let them spend the night with us last night. Usually, they aren't allowed in the bedroom at night, but because they were so uncertain of things and they seemed so much more comfortable in the room with us, we gave in for last night. Maybe tonight, too. But they won't be able to do that for long, because they woke me up every hour about on the hour, as usual, which is why they aren't allowed to sleep with us. They're so sweet about it, they're waking me up cuddling, but it's impossible to sleep with claws kneeding your hair and a loud purr in your ear.
The fact that they were both feeling safe enough to curl up and purr and cuddle like that, though, I think is a good sign.
At one point last night I got up kicked them out into the hall and closed the door because I was so tired. I figured let them go explore on their own and find somewhere else to sleep. Two minutes later I was back up again saying I couldn't do that to my babies on their first night in a new strange home.
When I set them in the hall, they both cowered and acted scared, and I felt so bad. So I went back out and picked up Blaze (who hadn't moved more than three feet) and put him on the bed again, then went back out and found Skye cowering on the couch so picked him up and brought him in the bedroom, then went back out again and got Blaze again because he didn't like being left alone even though "Daddy" was in bed asleep. I got more cuddles and less sleep for my efforts, but they both seemed more confident this morning.Today, DH was supposed to close them up in their "sanctuary" room while we're gone. Most of their toys and beds and things they're familiar with are in that room, so it's most likely where they'll be the most comfortable. Hopefully they'll be more confident tonight. I know once they get used to the house they'll both love it. Skye already told me thank you for the extra space and that he loves having room to run and play (I'm *positive* that's what he said
) Blaze just isn't sure yet. And they're both jumpy with the new noises, understandably enough.I hope they settle in well soon, though.
We still want to go get Sienna, but I don't really want to bring her home until Blaze and Skye are more confident in the new home.
I used to think the same thing, but I guess I've gotten very used to it over the last 4 months. The kittens missed one night last week and I actually couldn't get to sleep until Sam hopped up and started purring. 
