Christmas Cats

Adoption of Hatfield and McCoy

Pet adoption should be adopted during the holidays. Christmas kittens and puppies are often impulse buys that seem like a sweet calorie free treat but getting a rabbit at Easter or a puppy for under the Christmas tree is ill advised.

We did it anyway.

We went to SPCA and came home two kittens. They were adopt one get one free! They were a bonded pair! They were adorable!

These two impulse adoptions are named Hatfield and McCoy and the two siblings are a bonded pair. Besides, one kitten would need a play mate. No way Hatfield and McCoy could be split up!

Now, the new year has arrived and the kittens are merging into our lives one new challenge at a time because that’s what kittens are — a series of challenges.

Hatfield is a curious little girl full of brash energy. She’s the most energetic and the most snuggly but she’s also an oral explorer. Hattie likes to taste test everything. She’s teething on a cardboard box and we have discovered her troublesome interest in connecting her teeth with our fingers. That quirky habit must be dealt with. Any training suggestions are welcome!

McCoy, her brother, has grown faster than Hatfield. He is slower and more cautious but picking up training faster than the distractible Hattie.

McCoy is food motivated and sneaky. Very sneaky! So far his troublesome talent is hiding. The kittens have been introduced to one room of the house at a time and I anticipate they will ready to be left unsupervised in a few weeks.

I’m of the opinion that house pets are happier and healthier with happy humans and humans are happiest with well trained fuzzy friends so blending into our house is a process.

Just because they are cats doesn’t mean they won’t conform to the house rules of civility. They aren’t wild or feral. Hatfield and McCoy are domesticated felines scratching into our hearts one purr at a time.

After decades of dogs we are cat people again.

So far we’ve navigated feeding, discovered they prefer scratching burlap and canvas and the hall rug, are capable of manipulative purring, and content with the litter box even when we move it.

I’m looking forward to the continuing adventures of Hatfield and McCoy. Are you?

Do you have cat life or kitty training tips?

Please share!