The Crimes of Which I Am Accused
Unfortunately, that title is not a joke.
It’s been almost two years since most of this happened, but I know there are people out there who still believe certain things about me that are simply not true. Given the seriousness of the accusations, I want to very briefly say what happened so I can direct people here both now and in the future.
Summary:
I never did anything illegal.
I never did anything cruel or neglectful.
Rather than ‘kidnapping’ two kittens, I was trying to protect them from neglect—and I was right to do so.
In late December 2023 I began minding an incredibly friendly kitten as a foster for one of the many local cat rescue groups. I’ll call my main contact person Bob (although they are female). In consultation with Bob, I added five more kittens to the group. They all got on extremely well very quickly, and were also very friendly towards humans. One day it occurred to me that they were ideally suited to be the feline staff of a ‘cat cafe’—a small business in which people pay to play with cats. I’ve always wished Canberra had a cat cafe. In the past I’ve run several micro businesses, all of them ultimately making a profit (which is remarkable and mainly due to minimal up-front costs). So I realised that in some ways I was the perfect person to start a Canberra cat cafe where people could enjoy playing with kittens: the kittens could get a wider range of humans to socialise them (something that is recommended by the RSPCA); and I could make money from one of the few things I am able to do (I am disabled by chronic illness and cannot earn enough to even pay for my medical costs—but I have to try to earn something because life is expensive).
I soft-launched “Tabby Time” by posting on a few FaceBook groups. I was extremely clear that this particular Cat Cafe would not serve food or coffee, and would be held in my very ordinary and often messy house (I do tidy my home, but there are four people living here and all four of us have special needs of some kind). There was an immediate enthusiastic response. Then, within days, someone (who does not live in Canberra) posted on reddit, offended that I would charge money without a fancy venue or coffee. A lot of people mocked me or were offended, but I didn’t especially mind as anyone who knows anything about cat cafes knows that, for hygiene reasons, they often DON’T serve food or drink. And, anyone who loved cats would instantly understand that the cats were the point and this was a cool thing to have in Canberra.
People quickly decided my cat cafe was illegal, because it was not yet insured. I was, as always, very open about my insurance status. It is unwise but not illegal to run a business without insurance, and I had guessed correctly that public liability insurance would cost a huge amount (over $2000/year; considerably more than the cafe was ever likely to earn). This whole cat cafe was just a tiny thing for a few cat lovers to enjoy. The goal was to connect cats and people without making my life worse, and to maybe get bigger if it all worked well.
The closest I came to doing something illegal was saying that if people were thirsty I could give them some water, tea or Milo. I never actually DID give anyone anything to eat or drink because they were always so enthralled by the cats they didn’t feel hungry or thirsty BUT it is technically illegal for a small business to give someone a glass of tap water without a food preparation licence. (Later on I supplied bottled water for this reason.)
So no, I did not ever run an illegal business.
The tide turned online when someone decided that I was cruel to animals. This was either based on my appearance of incompetence; the accusations of running an illegal business; or simply the fact that most cats (including my two non-foster cats, one of whom is pictured below watching a bird) absolutely WOULD hate the very concept of a cat cafe.
But.
I. was. never. and. will. never. be. cruel. or. neglectful. towards. animals.
Let’s break this up into three parts.
- The idea that a cat cafe is innately cruel.
The majority of kittens I foster love having new human visitors. For example, the kittens I am fostering right now typically have play times lasting twenty or thirty minutes. When two of my volunteers visited a few days ago, they played for an hour and a half, including climbing all over the volunteers.
I never ran many cat cafe sessions (it was never open for more than a few hours at a time, either—my illness means I get too tired to function very quickly, plus of course the kittens would get tired) but I facilitated a lot of very special moments, such as teenage boys melting when the kittens chose to nap on their lap, and a young girl slowly getting over her fear of cats.
For me, running a cat cafe was exactly like inviting cat-loving friends over to play with my foster kittens. The only difference is that I have extremely high hygiene standards now (which have stayed even though the cafe is closed), and I let strangers visit, and they paid me. For the kittens the experience is identical—and fun.
More importantly, my kittens choose their level of interaction. They are able to leave the visitor space at any time! Any human visitors are only allowed in one section of my house, and there are always high places, hiding places, AND exit routes for the kittens.
The humans are also supervised very closely, and not allowed to pick up the cats unless I say it is okay (for example, when a kitten is sitting at their feet literally meowing to be picked up).
2. The idea that a cat cafe is innately exploitative.
Exploitation can mean “to use resources” or it can mean “to treat someone unfairly in order to benefit”. A few people really hate the idea of a cat foster gaining any kind of benefit from fostering cats. I agree that I should not do anything that harms the cats (including causing them stress—other than when a small amount of stress is good for them, eg getting slowly used to the sound of a vacuum cleaner in order to have a happier life in the long term). But I do not agree that someone should never make a profit from doing a job that is worthwhile! Teachers and vets and nurses and zookeepers and doctors and many many other professionals are doing important work. In an ideal world, all jobs would be paid. Writers! Foster carers! Those caring for unwell relatives! Artists! Etc! And yes, it’s rare for foster carers to be paid. But the best cat cafes benefit the human workers (who get paid), the customers (who get to play with cats), AND the cats—both because they get more attention (on their own terms), and because any foster cats are more likely to be adopted. That’s a win-win-win scenario. Fantastic!
3. The idea that a cat cafe is unsafe (for either humans or animals).
Human visitors need to be told that there is always a risk of scratches from cats—even the most well-trained cat will dig its claws in if it loses its balance. If a cat cafe doesn’t have a special glassed-in area for food and drink, it’s probably not hygienic to eat or drink there. I kept anti-histamines, spray disinfectant, and bandaids on hand as well as various other first-aid supplies.
Humans also need to sanitise their hands before they touch the cats, and when they leave. And they need to be supervised. I use F10 vet-grade sanitiser and stay in the room. Generally my customers get a free lecture on cat care and communication, whether they want it or not, because that’s how I roll (cats are an Autistic special interest for me).
If the cats are unwell, the cafe closes until they’re fully recovered.
I also vaccinate the kittens before they see anyone, and I arrange for them to have their second vaccination before adoption (as far as I know I am the only foster organisation that does both kitten vaccinations).
Here’s another litter I fostered and found homes for:
There are two more things I was accused of at around that time, both related to the agency I was working for.
First, that I never asked their permission to run a cat cafe. This has been perpetuated by Bob2, who I didn’t really interact with until he showed up at my house. If Bob didn’t communicate things to her co-worker, that is actually not my fault.
In fact, when I brought up the idea of a cat cafe Bob said, “If it helps with fostering, go for it.” We continued talking about it before I started it, and when it was running. She had only a vague idea of what a cat cafe was, and we were both taken by surprise that it attracted so much attention so quickly—but I respect her and her work, and I’m not stupid enough to launch a small business without asking the boss if it’s okay!
Things got so wild that some people said they were withdrawing donations from that agency. At least one of them was lying in order to get attention, but this was still devastating news for anyone who cares about cats because taking money away from foster agencies means cats will definitely die. There are way too many homeless cats out there, and not enough foster agencies to care for them all. When we say no to a cat, we know they may get put down. It’s devastating. (I know at least one agency that takes on way way too many cats for this reason, literally keeping dozens in a single very cramped and stinky house. I know another that euthanises kittens immediately.)
Other people online saw what was happening, immediately understood that people were hearing rumours and lies and causing real harm, and tried to donate to the foster agency. But the foster agency was so disturbed by all of this that they refused donations for a time. Because reputation matters that much.
I was desperate to protect the agency so I encouraged them to make me a scapegoat, even while they always made it clear that I had never been cruel or neglectful to the animals in my care. I know now it would have been smarter for them to say, “We stand by our foster carer. We would not have let her foster kittens if we were not confident that she is trustworthy.” and then to ignore any further chaos. Oh well.
The RSPCA and the Department of Domestic Animal Safety both came and did a surprise inspection of my premises. I like to think it’s fun for them to see a bunch of healthy, happy kittens. Certainly they were perfectly content with my set-up (the only issue was that I had two water bowls in the cat-only area and they said there should be three). But of course once an internet mob scents blood, they cannot listen to reason. I’m not sure why people think that a random on reddit is more trustworthy than the two departments who specialise in animal care and safety, but here we are. (I was also reported to the NDIS because I said I thought there might be a way for people to use the cat cafe as unofficial therapy. I never encouraged fraud but to be fair I do get confused by the NDIS rules… which of course I also said up front and publicly.)
The foster agency I was working with had already decided to take away the six kittens I was fostering. The RSPCA and DAS inspections meant nothing to them (not surprisingly, since they knew the kittens were thriving in my care and were taking them away only to appease the mob).
I had already found homes for four of the kittens, and I knew that the agency did not actually have enough resources to look after “my” six as well as those they were already caring for. So I had a dilemma: to do what was best for the kittens, or to do what a bunch of abusive internet strangers wanted me to do.
As I said, I respect the agency. But I knew they were doing the wrong thing. BUT, their reputation is a matter of life and death.
I attempted to contact the future owners. One of them was not available, but the other said they did NOT want their kittens to be given to the agency. That meant that it was foster carer + future owner VS foster agency.
So I compromised: I gave four kittens back to the agency, and insisted that the last two (the two whose owner I had spoken to) either remain in my care or go directly to their new owner (this would be a foster-to-adopt situation in which he would not legally own them until they were desexed). I knew that this would look VERY bad online but as always I prioritised the health and safety of the kittens over my own well-being.
So, the final crime of which I am accused is kidnapping two kittens.
Here are the relevant facts:
- Although I had previously requested paperwork from the agency (specifically, I asked for their foster guide) they never gave me anything. The RSPCA guidelines emphasise that the RSPCA can confiscate foster kittens at any time for any reason, so although legally the smaller agency I worked with never even mentioned that they might claim back the kittens I was aware that there was precedent.
- Five of the six kittens I was fostering had never met Bob or Bob2.
- Although there was never any paperwork, Bob and I talked regularly about kitten care. She was an excellent mentor/trainer and she also had reason to know that I was an excellent foster carer. She is good at what she does.
- As soon as I said that I would not give up the last two kittens, Bob2 made me verbally agree on a recording that the kittens now belonged to me and I was responsible for any vet care that was required. Less than an hour later, the owner paid the adoption fees to Bob2. We all never mentioned that legal agreement again. So… the agency was willing to give up the kitten but immediately took it back when money was offered. This is TOTALLY FINE WITH ME and is not cruel or shocking. The only weird bit is that they tried to punish me by making me (briefly) the legal owner of those two kittens. While also screaming to the press that I kidnapped them. They didn’t show me the same consideration I showed them—protecting reputation as much as possible in order to save the lives of more cats. I am also a foster carer, and hurting me hurts the cats that I can’t save. So screw you, Bob2. You lost your temper and did the wrong thing and as a result people still hate me even though I’m innocent. However, you are a genius foster carer so I wish you every success in life.
- In about 48 hours, the kittens were at their owner’s house. My house was empty of foster kittens, through no fault of my own, and the entire ‘kidnapping’ was a beat-up.
- Remember how I mentioned that the foster agency was overwhelmed? Well, they didn’t manage to coordinate the desexing for those two kittens in time. In the ACT it is illegal to leave a kitten undesexed after three months without a permit. So yeah, the foster agency DID do something illegal. Worse, the two kittens developed behaviour problems as a result of not being desexed in a timely manner. So yeah. I was right NOT to give them up. I should probably have stuck to my guns and kept them with me for the full fostering period. (But even though the foster agency’s failure was technically illegal, they will never and should never get punished for it. We’re all doing our best here. And late desexing usually works out fine as long as no one gets pregnant.)
So, rather than kidnapping two kittens, what I actually did was sacrifice my reputation in an attempt to keep them as safe as possible.
You’ll notice there are no photos of the crucial six kittens. That’s because I deleted all the hundreds of photos and videos I took of the kittens at the request of the agency. They also never told me anything about the fate of the other four kittens. I know the second two that I had found a home for DID get to stay together and go to that home because that person knew the situation and messaged me. I have no idea if the final two kittens were ever adopted. They were healthy and well-socialised thanks to me, so I assume they landed on their feet.
The cat cafe is closed now (because of insurance, lol) but I am still fostering. It is something I can do despite my disability, and I am good at it.
This is Popcorn, who was almost certainly going to be euthanised before I took her in along with her four siblings. She was the most violent of the bunch, hissing and spitting in terror. She almost died of cat flu from the stress of being taken from the street (I told the person who caught them that any future kittens should be left longer before being caught). But they all lived, and adjusted to being house cats, and were all ultimately adopted.
I am very proud of all the work I’ve done, and I enjoy it very much. I will probably have to give it up because my I can’t justify spending thousands of dollars on fostering cats when I can’t even pay for my own medical costs. But I’ve applied for a government grant and I’m optimistic that somehow, I will be able to continue saving precious furry lives.
If you have any questions, please ask them here. If you sound sane and human, I will answer them.
I was aware at the time that I was Autistic and that quite a few people have an immediate negative reaction to Autistic people (not on purpose, I believe, and not consciously) according to various studies. I am now diagnosed as Autistic (Level 2). This partly explains my poor communication skills online, and why some people immediately feel uncomfortable around me (which makes them more quickly trust lies about me). It is also very obvious in the way I always share the worst things I can think of about myself eg my house is messy; I’m not insured. Instead of seeing my honesty as making me trustworthy, people seem to think that I must be sharing bad things in order to hide worse things. Uh, no. I’m just extremely honest. It’s an Autism thing.
Summary:
I never did anything illegal.
I never did anything cruel or neglectful.
Rather than ‘kidnapping’ two kittens, I was trying to protect them from neglect—and I was right to do so.
Prawn Canapés (for Christmas, in this case)
Several years ago, a friend of mine made amazing prawn canapés. They each had three capers on top. I remember them so fondly that I bought capers last Christmas (and hated them).
This year, I hunted down the recipe she’d started with, and found some other cool recipes along the way. One of them recommended mixing fresh chives into the cream cheese, but I found it really good without them.
So far, I have done two HIGHLY successful experiment sessions trying out various flavour combinations. It takes a lot to fill up on bite-size hors d’oeuvres, but it can be done. I’ve shared them with three other people too, including my son (it’s always a good day when he embraces a new food, and he has thoroughly enjoyed advising me on taste combinations along the way).
Each canape has a structural item—either a skewer, a slice of cucumber, or a basil leaf—that holds the whole thing together. For the cucumber, slices should be 2mm or less so it holds its shape but doesn’t overwhelm the other flavours. You should cut the cucumber on a diagonal to make the pieces bigger (and be aware that cucumber ‘sweats’ so you may need to pat your slices dry after ten minutes, especially if you put the spicy sauce on them as it doesn’t mix well with water).
I like skewers best. They’re not as floppy as leaves, and they don’t get overwhelmed by cucumber (sorry cucumber; people who love crunch will prefer you). Plus anyone who eats them keeps their fingers completely clean.
Other than structural items, I mostly stuck to a rule of three: Each canapé has a prawn (except when it doesn’t because not everyone likes prawns), a ‘sauce’, and a garnish.
So here are my ‘sauce’ items:
There is already a fundamental problem in that cream cheese and ricotta are too similar (both visually and as a taste), and so are smashed avocado and guacamole. So really one should pick a favourite of each of those pairs.
Avocado VS Guacamole:
Avocado is a refreshingly simple taste—that perfect exactly-ripe avocado flavour. With avocado, you can blend just three key flavours (prawn, avocado, and ?) and the eater can taste them all.
Guacamole has a teeny tiny bit of spice, which will sharply divide tasters. It is delightfully complex in flavour, hitting several notes in a delightful chord.
Conclusion: For younger kids or those who dislike spice, pure avocado is the winner. But for those who want something gourmet and fascinating, I’d pick guacamole for sure. You can make your own if you like, although you want to be sure it won’t brown.
Cream Cheese VS Ricotta:
Both can be savoury or sweet, but cream cheese is oh so creamy so it lends itself to a more dessert-like concoction. Cream cheese is often the base of dips because it’s so yummy. It’s indulgent and rich while still being a subtle flavour that can blend with almost anything.
Ricotta is yummy too, and also blends beautifully with almost anything, but it’s a lot lighter and (presumably) healthier.
Conclusion: For people that cheerfully throw diets out the window and want to seriously get into the most amazing/special treats on offer, cream cheese is the winner. For those that can’t handle too much rich food and/or want canapés that are genuinely healthy, use ricotta.
The “Fried Chicken Sauce” in the photo does not contain chicken. I found it in Woollies in a cardboard stand with other sauces in the fresh food area. It tastes like sweet chilli sauce mixed with mayo. At first it tastes completely sweet, and then the spice hits. It’s a real journey every time. It does burn the mouth a little, but I still enjoyed it (I’m fairly wimpy but getting much less so lately).
Garnishes!
There are two types of coconut because I wanted to experiment and see which was best (I also tried desiccated coconut but forgot to put it in this photo). The leaves are basil, and chocolate mint. There are spring onions, sweet corn, capers (lol), toasted sesame seeds, and green olives. And mango.
I chose not to use any variety of mini tomato because they’re a pain to cut up. But who knows? I may get inspired to get into them later. The red colour certainly pops, which is cool.
The olives are INTENSE in flavour and needed to be cut into eighths. The mango was also surprisingly potent as a flavour, so I cut it into quite small pieces too. The sesame seeds were terrible (and I tried non-toasted sesame seeds too). Their flavour completely vanished, and then they crunched weirdly (like bits of eggshell had accidentally fallen in the sauce) and/or tried to stick in my teeth. I think all nuts would have a similar effect, unless they were part of a sauce (eg satay sauce could be great).
The only capers I could find were in vinegar, so that is the flavour they brought to the table. Olives, obviously, are crazy salty. My own flavour inclinations lean strongly towards umami and sweetness, so it’s good to have sour and salty in the mix for other taste styles. I quite like a bit of salt sometimes, but pretty much never like anything sour. However, the capers (which I carefully dried before using) tasted interesting enough that I was reasonably happy to eat them. I think I need to find fresh capers somewhere. Probably not this year though.
The corn is pretty but just kind of boring, and feels ordinary/cheap. I think it’s worthwhile with the avocado or guacamole (a nice shout-out to South American cuisine), but not with anything else. My son and my niece are obsessed with corn, so I’ll keep it in the mix for that reason.
The chocolate mint is fairly similar to basil but doesn’t work as well taste-wise except with mango and/or cream cheese, when it shines. you can also make these without prawns for anyone who doesn’t eat prawns, although they lack structural integrity. They’re basically a dessert and are definitely a crowd-pleaser. They might work better with a leaf base but served on a spoon.
Coconut looks amazing and goes with prawns really well… but I’m still not 100% sure it worked well with these canapes. The shredded coconut had by far the best texture and the best look, but I still found the mouthfeel a little weird. But maybe weird is good—for variety, if nothing else. I liked the idea of it as a modifier for the spicy sauce, and I forgot to try it with the avo/guacamole (it’s no good with the cream cheese/ricotta, either visually or as a taste).
In this pic, the spicy sauce is paired with a single piece of spring onion, then with desiccated coconut, then coconut flakes, and finally shredded coconut. If you look at the top left piece or the bottom right, you can also see the spicy sauce seems to be melting. That is due to the fact that the prawns weren’t completely dry. So next time I’ll use more paper towels and make sure the prawns are fully dry.
Prawns! My favourite are the pre-cooked tail-off deveined Garlic Prawns, but any cooked and deveined and de-tailed prawns are good. Or you can use whatever style of prawns you personally like.
These are both sold frozen so you need to defrost them before you start. With the garlic prawns I chuck them in a fry pan for about ten minutes (then drain off a horrifying amount of butter and pat them dry). With the others I run them under cold water for about five minutes (really more like thirty seconds then I wander off for five minutes, then repeat until they’re good—and again, pat them dry with paper towels and store them in the fridge until I’m ready.
(ProTip: Make sure no cats are able to access your kitchen at this time.)
It would be a LOT less work to use bigger prawns. But I am very socially anxious, and eating any appetiser that takes more than a bite is very awkward for me. Plus I like the way that the symphony of flavours all play at exactly the same time in that one amazing mouthful. It’s an ah! moment.
These two photos show really nice mini prawn salads that healthy adults will love. And they’re delicious! That’s basil, prawn, guacamole, and spring onion on the left, and cucumber, prawn, avocado and capers on the right. Apologies for the terrible photos.
PREPARATION:
You need to get absolutely everything ready before you start, including a bowl for rubbish. You’ll need containers or plates for the finished canapés; you’ll need to prepare anything that needs draining or cutting or washing or drying; you’ll need to grab a thousand pairs of teaspoons/tongs for dishing things out (enough that if one spoon touches a prawn you can just chuck that one aside and grab a fresh one), etc. You’ll also need toothpicks. And of course cucumbers. Small basil leaves are best for garnishing; the big leaves are good for being your structural base. They curve like a little boat, which is cute.
STEP ONE
Lay out all your prawns (or as many as you can fit on your working surface). It often helps to put them directly on a plate or into your container of choice (something wide and shallow with a lid). Then wash your hands of course, before you get molecules of prawns absolutely everywhere.
You’ll definitely find some prawns that still have their digestive system attached. I always chuck them straight into the rubbish bowl because I’m squeamish; you can just peel them off yourself.
STEP TWO
Add your sauces. The supermarket avocado products don’t easily go brown, so you have loads of time. (Speaking of time, making these canapes takes a LONG time. Possibly hours.)
STEP THREE
Garnishes. And you’re done!
Store in the fridge, obviously.
My favourite garnish for the spicy sauce is a basil leaf (and put it on a cucumber if you want to make it milder). Or mango. Or MAYBE shredded coconut. I can’t decide if coconut is worthwhile or not.*
For cream cheese, I like mango best. Or basil. Or chocolate mint (regular mint would be great too). Or, weirdly, olive.
For ricotta, all the same garnishes as cream cheese work well, but it feels more savoury. Ooh! I bet it’s amazing with fresh chives.* (Sidebar: Dill sprigs look great but I hate dill. You may love it. I bet it goes well with capers or olives for a savoury double-punch.)
For avocado, I like spring onion. Or capers. I think mango was good but I can’t remember.* I bet it’s great with fresh chives too.*
For guacamole, spring onion. Or corn. Maybe olive? I can’t remember.*
*I’ll have to do more experiments.
UPDATE:
Fresh chives are too subtle a taste so they don’t really work (although they look amazing).
The smashed avo starts to brown a very little bit in the fridge from the next day (the guacamole doesn’t).
I’m having kittens about having kittens
Today I assisted a cat through her first birth. I want to remember every detail, so here goes.
(Warning: There is a tiny amount of blood shown in some photos, and if you look very closely you might see an umbilical cord stump.)
A few weeks ago someone reached out to me on FaceBook. She has two young Ragdoll cats, a bonded brother and sister, and had a surprise pregnancy. Was it safe for the mum to deliver her brother’s baby?
The answer is, “Definitely”. Some breeders deliberately breed relatives when looking for certain traits. It makes the babies more likely to have certain genetic diseases, but it’s perfectly safe for the mum.
We talked a lot, and ultimately I am looking after both adult Ragdolls (hereafter called ‘Mama’ and ‘Papa’) until the kittens are weaned. Papa is there to make Mama feel as relaxed as possible, not least because they only moved to my house a week and a half ago.
The owner is devoted to her cats. They are healthy and vaccinated and will return to her when the kittens are weaned. I’ll hold on to the kittens until they’re all adopted. Two of the owner’s friends already want to adopt a kitten each.
We took the cats to Cooinda Vet in Marulan (much cheaper than Canberra even though it’s an hour and a half drive each way) to get Papa desexed and Mama checked. The ultrasound showed “at least two” babies due within two weeks.
The owner doesn’t want photos of Mama and Papa online, but it’s fine for me to share kitten photos. Ragdolls are one of the bigger breeds of cats. They are very fluffy with a white or cream body and dark points (like a Siamese). They have amazing blue eyes, and are famously chill, often relaxing utterly (like a rag doll) when picked up. Here is a Ragdoll photo from one of my interactive books:
Papa is extremely friendly and will quickly approach new people (or cats). He is a LOT like Jack Black, one of my foster kittens (pictured below). They’re already starting to play together. Mama is also quite used to Jack. (Zipper is grudgingly tolerant and then goes outside to get away. Zoom is terrified, having never met a cat bigger than herself. Jodie is terrified but bravely challenging herself to get a little closer to them each time they are allowed in the same space.)
Anyway!
I set up three possible nesting boxes for Mama, but one is definitely superior. Apart from anything else, it’s set up inside a large mesh carrier (the kind for a small dog) which means in an emergency I could just zip it up and take the whole family to the vet.
Sometimes Mama would go in there, wash herself a little, and then wander out. Unsurprisingly, both she and Papa spent a lot of their first few days hidden behind a table. Change is scary. But honestly they both emerged relatively quickly, and were both snuggly with me, including purring and rolling over for belly rubs. My other family members have all patted Papa many times, and the kids have each patted Mama.
On 20 October (Monday) I noticed Mama was producing milk, confirming the vet’s estimate of her due date. I felt the kittens kick a couple of times during the week, and noticed that she liked to burrow into the nest (which is sort of bad because I’d carefully layered it including waterproof layers, layers for warmth for the newborns, and layers that could easily be removed if they got blood on them).
On Tuesday I saw her stomach twitch, which was either kitten movement or pre-labor contractions.
On Wednesday, she and Papa were grooming each other (another pre-labor sign). At 8pm, she had burrowed into the nest and was sitting on the plastic carrier base with my carefully-arranged covers over her. I wasn’t sure, but it seemed like it might be time for The Kittening at last. Here are most of the messages I sent to my friend, including the times I sent them (and the typos):
So I went to bed about 2am and slept until 7am, when I needed to get up and get my human kids ready for school. I bought more food and litter (and a toy for Jack’s BFF Jodie), came home and slept until 1pm. Of course I fed the various cats, scooped litter, and checked on Mama again. She had dug out an entire layer of the nesting box, rearranged the rest, and was chilling out elsewhere. I left the heater on and the AC off.
At 1pm I found her in the nesting box (under the nice blankets) again, and I went and had my lunch. I did some much-needed cleaning (Mama likes to throw a solid cup of litter out of the box overnight, which would normally be a pre-labor sign but apparently she does that all the time). I heard two meows around 2pm and wondered if it was really proper pre-labor this time.
At 2:20pm I went back into the cat room. Papa was acting strangely and I heard another meow. Where was Mama?
She was hiding behind the table again, but coming out since I was there. Then I heard another meow… and realised it wasn’t Mama. Or Papa. It was coming from behind the table.
Papa and I raced to investigate. I don’t know which one of us knocked over the conveniently over-sized water bowl but it went all over us and the rug.
I frantically-but-extremely-carefully tossed everything piled up on the table onto the couch, and then saw the tiny damp BABY CAT behind the table on the bare, low-quality carpet.
EEP!
The rule is to always let the Mama give birth in the place of her choosing.
But.
There was a scattering of litter on the floor, and it’s not a warm place at all. And she liked the nesting box, didn’t she? Just not the way I arranged it?
I knew it wouldn’t be long until the next baby arrived, and I couldn’t bear the thought of it getting born on the floor. Who knows where that floor has been?
So I gently put Mama in the nesting box (on top of the covers even) and the baby next to her. I was so scrambled I didn’t even wear gloves, but I noticed Mama wasn’t fussed at all. She just lay comfortably on her side and washed her baby. And purred, especially when I patted her.
Now that the first baby was out, she didn’t feel the need to hide (and maybe it helped that I was there to protect her from danger? I dunno—some cats hate having humans there, and others love it. Mama was very clearly in the “love it” camp).
After all this time, I wasn’t ready! I needed to change the stinky litter! I needed warm water and clean rags! Where was my notepad? Did I need anything from the birthing kit? What about picking up the kids from school? And was the first baby kitten okay? I’d dimmed the lights and now I couldn’t SEE!!
Another baby came out, just like in the videos I watched to prepare for this birth. Mama seemed very comfortable and pleased with herself. Kittens are born 10-60 minutes apart, so after watching to see it was breathing I raced out to toss the litter, grab various things, and sort out the human kids. And to message the owner to tell her it was all happening. She was literally having an ultrasound at the time. Here’s a kitten next to Mama’s front paws.
And then I settled in for the rest of the birthing process. Clearly, Mama had read the instructions that tell birthing cats to lick off the amniotic sac so their kittens can breathe, and to chew through the cord and eat each placenta when it arrives. So I wouldn’t need the scissors, alcohol wipes, or unflavoured dental floss (to cut the cord), and I wouldn’t need to break open the amniotic sac or clear the kittens’ airways.
They were very wet despite getting a few good licks from Mama. I turned a second heater on, checking the two thermometers I’d placed in the room and sweating buckets myself from the heat. The owner asked if she should/could come over. Given that Mama was purring every time I patted her, I said an emphatic yet.
Another kitten came out. Excellent! Three kittens!
Papa approached with fascinated caution, sniffing the air and watching the magical cats that had appeared through some kind of hidden doorway that he had somehow never discovered. HOW DID THOSE THINGS GET IN HERE?!? He didn’t hiss or growl, but he backed away to watch from a safe distance. Some father cats will literally kill newborn kittens, but clearly that’s not his vibe. I’ll still supervise him a lot.
The owner arrived, making a big fuss over both adult cats and generally squeeing like a first-time grandmother should. And then suddenly Mama’s stomach started visibly pulsing as if she was going to throw up.
I knew what that meant by now, and said, “She’s having another one!”
She enough, moments later there was a fourth kitten! She washed it off and then lay down to wait for the placenta, which she ate like the rest. The kittens were trying to feed, and they were SO BAD at it. I mean sure, they’re blind and mostly deaf at this stage, and too weak to stand, but they kept sucking on Mama’s paws or her fur. More than once I tried to point one in the right direction. If anything that made it worse because they’d immediately hare off somewhere else. Still, I remembered a vivid story I was told when I was pregnant about the strong drive to nurse after birth (in humans) and I mostly just watched them flail about. It was probably building up their muscles or something useful like that.
Four kittens! Fantastic!
I made the owner go away because she’s pregnant herself and that room is HOT since kittens can;t thermoregulate. Plus of course I wanted them to myself. And to turn on a second heater because they were still wet.
At 4:18 I wrote to my animal welfare person.
At 6pm it was clear there were no more kittens (probably for the best!) and I decided it was time to weigh them. The problem with Ragdolls is that they all look extremely similar, especially at birth when they’re generally pure white. So I hatched a plan to lay them out on a towel and take a photo (to catch large-scale physical differences), then take a photo of each face as I weighed them, in case their faces look different in some particular way.
As soon as I moved the kittens they began meowing with the same force and volume that had been demonstrated to me when the first one had meowed so loud I’d heard it from the other end of the house and thought it was Mama. They also grabbed hold of the ground with their claws and began to crawl hard in the direction they thought was probably towards Mama.
Mama leapt into action immediately, grabbing one in her mouth and putting it back in the nesting box before I could start weighing them. Papa came up too, wondering what on earth was going on.
They’re like living dandelion seeds: soft and white and moving in a totally erratic way. I weighed one, swapped it for the one that had been rescued, and weighed that one—as Mama grabbed a third one. It was chaos! But I’m pretty sure I weighed all four in the end: 92g (Litten), 108g (Shinx), 120g (Luxray), and 128g (Zera).
Tim (my son) and I have been discussing names, and the theme for this litter is “Cat Pokemon”. So! The one on the left, the runt, is Litten. The middle top kitten has a tiny bit of colour, so it is Luxray (the Pokemon creature has black fur… this kitten will have a black face, tail, and paws when he grows a little). The one below Luxray is … Zeraora? Something like that. It’s the biggest. And on the right is Shinx.
Zera:
As you can tell, I once again broke the first rule of neonatal kitten fostering – I didn’t wear gloves. I had gloves ready to go but when I realised the first kitten was on the bare carpet and hastily moved them to the nesting box, I was too frantic to remember gloves until I’d already moved them. Mama didn’t seem fussed at all, so I figure that means I don’t have to wear gloves.
Sidebar: I really hate gloves. To me wearing gloves is as uncomfortable as picking up poo with my bare hands—clearly this is an Autism thing because it’s not super rational. I still do wear gloves when I need to (I took them on and off constantly when I worked in an Early Learning Centre), but in the moment I forgot.
I will need to consult my animal welfare person about whether it really is too late to bother wearing gloves. In all honesty, it also feels wrong to me to handle a newborn with plastic, especially when they need warmth so much. I suspect that kittens who were held skin-to-skin as neonates are probably more relaxed with humans than those who weren’t handled. But I also think only the owner and I should use our bare hands, because Mama already has our smell on her from much patting.
Cats co-parent with friends in the wild (even big cats have been known to sometimes dump their babies on a trusted human!) and I feel like mixing scents is part of that. But the #1 reason to wear gloves is so the mum doesn’t reject the babies. Which is why I’ve said here that if you’re not willing to feed the kittens every two hours, and stimulate their bowels every time, then you should wear gloves.
Anyway, here’s Litten, the runt:
Newborn kittens should weigh 50-150g, so that’s not a bad starting position. Like almost all runts of my acquaintance, Litten has an incredibly loud, piercing meow that she/he deploys without hesitation. I think she/he was born first. The smallest is always most at risk, so I’ll be watching Litten closely.
This is Luxray, aka “the brown one”. Hopefully they darken up soon because that hint of brown is essential for me to tell them apart (and to therefore know if one isn’t gaining weight properly).
And that means this one is Shinx. It looks like I’m strangling them but I’m just holding their head steady.
So that was 6pm. I popped in and out to make human dinner, and then pick up another heater, and then eat my own dinner. I was a bit worried about the kittens’ ability to nurse. They just didn’t seem able to get it, and I was unable to help. Maybe what they needed was some peace.
So, once dinner was all done I went back hoping to see some amazing nursing action. Papa and Mama both raced to meet me (or to make a bid for freedom) at the door. I was surprised as I expected Mama to stay in the nesting box unless she needed food, water, or litter.
By then my animal welfare person had asked some follow-up questions and advised that newborn kittens could get dehydrated very quickly. It was very clear that the babies had a pattern of rooting around for food and generally failing—sucking at fur, mum’s paws, each other, and one even sucked on their own foot—then going to sleep. If you’ve ever had a human baby, you know that feeding can tire them out before they’ve had enough. I wasn’t sure any of these kittens were getting any milk at all. Much like humans, cats sometimes don’t produce enough milk even IF the baby is doing everything right.
So.
I prepared some Womberoo cat milk (the best stuff in Australia for newborns) and syringe-fed each of the four babies. They all got the idea really quickly and gobbled it down… which was good, because Mama was concerned as I stole her babies again (which is good and healthy behaviour on her part). She approached and sniffed at the babies as I fed them. Then she basically went
…and started licking the spilled milk off their faces with more than maternal enthusiasm.
Once I’d fed the kids, I poured the leftovers into a dish for Mama, and she lapped it up with alacrity. That was my cue to put out dinner for her and Papa, which she ate immediately. Great.
It was clear from the enthusiasm and focus of the kittens that they were very hungry, so… I’ve been syringe-feeding them all night. 9pm, 11pm, 1am, 3am, 5am. It’s nearly 6am now and I’ll be feeding them again in an hour.
At least two have managed to latch beautifully since then, but I don’t think Litten has managed it even once. Poor little mite.
So the next few days are going to be rough for me.
When my first human baby was born, I got so tired I started losing touch with reality. At once stage I thought I was a baby. Another day, I briefly thought I was cleaning Lizzie’s face because she was a lawyer with an important court date. None of these incidents lasted more than a few seconds, but they’re obviously super dangerous. How am I going to go feeding kittens every two hours for probably at least three days? Well, it won’t be pretty. But for now I’m doing everything right: taking my meds; washing cat dishes ready for the morning, writing down things I need to remember; solving problems and being responsible. Hopefully nature works things out real soon, whether this feeding issue is caused by unco kittens or a lack of milk flow or both. I’m certainly proving my usefulness to the owner! Litten would probably have died by now without the supplemental feeds.
Wish me luck.
Did you think that was all of the night’s drama? Because it wasn’t.
At 1am I went into the room, deploying fancy footwork to avoid letting Papa out… and Mama wasn’t there.
Two kittens lay in the nesting box, completely alone. I carefully turned back some layers to try to find the other two, but they were nowhere to be seen. They weren’t in the other two nesting boxes either, or in Mama’s hidden corner behind the table.
I was mystified and starting to panic when I heard a meow that led me to the other side of the room. There, in a big plastic tub of soft toys, under a giant unicorn, was Mama Ragdoll looking very pleased with herself—and two of her four kittens.
Why there? Did she still need to burrow and the unicorn was her only option? Was there too much light on the nesting box? Was the nesting box area too hot for her elaborately furry self?
And WHY did she leave two kittens behind? Was it because the abandoned kittens were too bad at nursing and she decided to let them die so the other two had a better shot at life? Did she just forget about them? Did she want a change of bedding?
I cast aside the enormous unicorn (seriously, it’s bigger than a medium sized dog), carried the toy tub back over next to the nesting box, and hastily changed the bedding before moving Mama and the favoured pair of kittens back into the nesting box. Mama immediately got out and headed back for the bucket, but I tipped out the toys and she gave up.
I did the feed, patted Mama a lot, chucked the soft toys in the wash and disinfected the bucket. I also cut patches of fur from Shinx and Zera so I could reliably (ish) tell them all apart at last.
Mama seemed content again at 3am and 5am.
Best of all, when I weighed the kittens at 5am all four had gained weight. Weight is the best way to tell if a kitten is thriving, scraping by, or in danger of expiring. I THINK these lovely babies are going to make it.
Here’s my GoFundMe page, if you’d like to help!
Caring for Newborn Kittens
I have fostered exactly one newborn litter (along with their excellent and friendly mother) so I’m no expert. But I wanted to write down everything I learned in order to help myself next time I’m fostering tiny ones.
The first thing to know is that kittens under four weeks will probably die if they are separated from their mother, so don’t separate them! And, don’t touch them without gloves for that four weeks unless you’re willing to feed them every two hours, day and night, if the mother rejects them due to your smell, and to do mother-type things such as stimulating their butts to make them poo. (And they’ll still probably die.)
I won’t include details on caring for orphaned kittens under four weeks old, as I have no experience with that. Suffice it to say, it’s a very intense job.
Here’s a lovely video of the first 100 Days with some purebred kittens. It’s not particularly educational but it’s gorgeous.
Speaking of gorgeous, here’s Turtledove (“Turtle”) at three days and then again at three months. There’s a huge set of Turtle photos at the end of this post.
I was lucky to be fostering newborn kittens along with their extremely friendly and relaxed mother cat who was happy to have a fellow mammal helping with the child rearing. Cats are actually very social creatures, often ‘babysitting’ for one another.
Cats are very good at mothering, and to a large extent the best thing to do is simply leave them alone to get on with it.
When they’re pregnant, they could do with more food (Royal Canin has ‘Mother and Baby Mousse’ in tins with a pink label, which is also a great first food for the babies when they’re old enough) and a reliable supply of fresh water (at least two bowls, because sometimes one gets knocked over). They also need a nesting box—a safe, warm place to both give birth and to keep the kittens. A cardboard box with a towel (that can be washed and replaced with another towel) tends to work well (keeping the sides about 15cm high so the kittens don’t fall out). Most cats want privacy when giving birth, although some want company. It’s good to monitor the birth in case something goes wrong. Here’s a guide on pregnancy and birth. Obviously, a pregnant cat should have a prenatal check-up at the vet too.
This is Dove with the elderly couple who were already feeding her, and who officially adopted her when her kittens were old enough. She’s one of the friendliest cats I’ve ever met.
I met Dove and her kittens when they were one day old, and then frantically raised some donations to be able to justify fostering them from the following day (even with donations and adoption fees, they cost over $2000… so now I’m fundraising to make up for that so I can justify the next kittens I foster).
One of Dove’s kittens died the night after I met them. Nature has chosen a scattershot approach with cats—they breed easily, often, and in large numbers—which means that kitten mortality is always very high.
That kitten may have died because there was a storm that night, and the temperature dropped quickly. But it probably died because it either wasn’t ‘fully baked’ (it was premature) or it had some kind of birth defect that wasn’t immediately visible. It was the smallest. It may even have died because it wasn’t able to feed properly due to fighting with its siblings over access. Cats have eight nipples so there’s plenty for everyone, but they still fight each other from birth for the best positions. It’s nature’s way of keeping the resources for those who are most likely to survive.
If you count the heads in this photo, you can see there are five kittens. Believe it or not, Dove is actually a very small cat (probably because she had kittens too young—kittens can get pregnant as young as four months of age… even to immediate family members).
Here’s a photo with my finger for scale. Newborn kittens weigh about the same as a pack of cards. They often don’t have fur yet on their legs and bellies. It is normal for considerable size differences between kittens. If you are trying to keep a runt alive, it may help to supervise feeding times. The nipples closer to the mum’s head have a better supply.
Basically, the most important thing for non-orphan kittens is to keep them warm as they cannot regulate their body temperature—that is the main reason they’re always cuddled up together as babies. That lack of temperature control is the most likely thing to kill them.
TEMPERATURE
For the first four days, the ambient room temperature should be between 29.4 and 32.2 degrees Celsius. A pet-safe heat pad is a good idea too. (Some people use a heat lamp, being careful to ensure there is enough room for the cat and kittens to move away from it if they get too hot). Between four and seven days you can gradually reduce the temperature to 26.7 degrees Celsius. After ten days, you can gradually reduce the temperature to 22.2 degrees (aka comfortable for humans) and keep it there until they’re four weeks old. They’re still very vulnerable at four weeks, so keep the temperature around 20 degrees, plus have cuddly spots for them to sleep. Textured fabrics like imitation sheepskin are good for reflecting heat back to the kittens.
WEIGHT
Weight is the first and best measure of health for us ignorant humans. So, kittens should be weighed daily for the first three or four weeks, and twice weekly for another three weeks after that. (The recommendation is to do this with gloves for the first four weeks, of course, so the mum doesn’t reject them due to your smell.) This chart is from kittenlady.org and also gives feeding directions for if your kittens are orphaned.
Let’s talk about kitten development week by week, with videos!
WEEK ONE
When kittens are born, their eyes are closed and their ears folded so they can’t see and can barely hear. They also have the stump of the umbilical cord, which needs to drop off by itself at around five days of age.
In addition to keeping them warm, it’s worth noting that a bed with gappy sides can be a suffocation danger. When they’re young, they’re very uncoordinated. If they fall on their back, they can’t turn themselves right way up (which was part of the inspiration for Turtle’s name). My instinct says to not change the bedding too quickly after birth. I think 24 hours might be about right, then every few days after that unless it’s noticeably dirty. However that is my guess, not professional advice. Certainly there will be blood, urine, and/or poo in their bed quite often. But you want to leave them undisturbed as much as possible, for both their sake and the mum’s sake.
F10 is a vet-grade sanitiser that is great for hands and doesn’t poison the cats through contact (like regular sanitiser does).
Kittens need to be within arm’s reach of their mum 99.9% of the time. They will also hiss at humans. To me, it looked like panting (a sign of dehydration). Mother cats are protective of their young, and even house cats will sometimes get furious if you attempt to touch their kittens at all.
I cut patches of fur from two of the kittens in order to safely differentiate them, so I knew which one was which, especially when weighing them. They gain about 10g a day, but you should weigh them at the same time to get the most reliable data possible, and record it all so you can observe trends. If they’re healthy, they don’t need to see a vet yet (a vet visit is a big deal and the stress could make them sick or even kill them).
Kittens under four weeks old can also have heart failure and die, particularly from a loud noise such as a dog’s bark or a vacuum cleaner—or from something scary, like an unfamiliar cat (cats are adorable, but they’re also extremely potent killers and it is rational for them to be afraid of other cats).
Their ears unfold in the first week, which means they start to hear better after a few days.
WEEK TWO
This is when the eyes open (gradually, over several days). Do NOT touch them unless there is discharge indicating something is wrong. Try to keep lights low as they gain their vision.
All newborn kittens have blue eyes.
They honestly don’t do much except eat and sleep.
WEEK THREE
They’re starting to walk around a bit more, which means they now have the ability to drown in a water dish! So keep water dishes nice and shallow, or put them in a slightly higher location. You don’t want them to get wet, as that will make them cold. They can climb over a very small barrier a few centimetres high, but might not be able to get back, so make sure that the area around their nesting box is also warm and fairly flat.
The kittens will start play-fighting each other but they’re not strong enough to hurt each other even if they try. Mostly it just makes them fall over. When they are first walking, their bellies often drag on the ground.
WEEK FOUR
This is the smallest kitten you’d usually see in a photo or on TV. In some ways, this is when they start getting interesting. They’re also less likely to drop dead without warning, although it’s definitely still possible. In humans, medical people often refer to the first three months of life as “fourth trimester” because a human baby is so tiny and fragile. The kitten equivalent is four weeks. They are extremely curious and quite mobile, while also being very small and quite dumb. My quarantine room is the ensuite bathroom in my home, and I never ever let them out unless I’m there to keep track of them. They are still extremely sensitive to cold and noise, and either could kill them shockingly quickly.
This is when they start being interested in toys, so there is plenty to do even in a tiny room. Dove was too tired out from the work of motherhood to want to do much herself. She was still very underweight despite getting fed excellent food. It didn’t help that big sister Kookaburra would often take a drink from her! Some people recommend removing older kittens for this reason (as soon as possible), but Kookaburra needed the comfort of family to assist with her socialisation process. I did remove Dove from the kittens when they were only about nine weeks old, for Dove’s sake, and she immediately gained weight in her new home. Otherwise I would have kept her with them until twelve weeks so they had plenty of time to observe and imitate her pro-human behaviour.
Play always includes meowing in pain, which is very important developmentally as they are teaching each other how hard is too hard. They’ll also start to struggle against their mum when she washes them (or carries them back to a safe place), and she may fight with them and/or smack them surprisingly hard when they attack her and she doesn’t feel like joining in. It’s nice for her to have somewhere high where she can watch them but still get a break physically. You can also start teaching them physical boundaries, by saying, “No” and moving away if they use their claws or bite a human. They are not strong enough to hurt you, but it builds good habits. If you want them to be safe for young children, you should avoid the temptation to use your hand as a cat toy.
WEEK FIVE
This is about when they’re likely to start eating solids. I fed them Womberoo cat milk and Royal Canin’s Mother and Baby Mousse, both of which are also great for nursing mothers and can be bought from pet stores (although Womberoo may be difficult to get and isn’t necessary except for orphans).
Although I let them on my bed, I supervised them closely so they didn’t fall off. They’re definitely at an age where they can fall/jump and injure themselves.
It was extremely interesting watching Kookaburra (their older sister) as she coped with them growing up, and clearly had some jealous/threatened feelings she needed to work out along the way. However, I could see that her claws were sheathed even when she attacked them.
Six weeks is still definitely too early to introduce them to other pets! Yes, they’re tiny and harmless… but they’re also one of nature’s most efficient killers so your other cats may freak out. Or your dog may bark and give them a literal heart attack. Or your other pets may have a minor illness that can infect and kill them, as they can’t be vaccinated until eight weeks of age.
They can definitely now climb, so that opens up a whole new world of ways to injure themselves or break your stuff. You need to supervise closely (more than ever) to spot danger as it develops. Welcome to the toddler phase! They’ll often mew for help if they feel they are too high up (or if they forget how to get back to the nest) but usually it is best to let them try to figure things out for themselves. The best judge of their ability is their mum, who definitely hears them mewing and decides whether to rescue them or not. They can fall from about twenty centimetres onto carpet without hurting themselves.
If the mum is anti-human and all the kittens are eating solids, this is when you should separate them from the mum. Otherwise they will copy her anti-social attitude.
WEEK SIX
Some people will sell kittens when they are six weeks old. This is deeply wrong as they’re barely weaned, too young to be vaccinated (or, crucially, desexed), and they definitely still need their mum AND their siblings.
But they’re incredibly cute.
This is also when their permanent eye colour starts to develop.
They will fall asleep in unusual places, making carers absolutely panic as they search their entire house for their missing kitten. Goose fell asleep in a tissue box under the bed! Other possibilities include behind cupboards, inside shoes, under clothing, behind a toilet, and much more. So it’s still best to limit them to one room. They do need space to run, and some novelty (toys, or even just moving items around). Items like scrap paper or empty bottles with rattling rubbish sealed inside can be great toys, and you can make old toys new again by removing them for a week and then bringing them back.
This is also when kitten claws will start to draw blood, so if you haven’t started training them to keep their claws sheathed with humans then now is the time (if a kitten has no siblings, it will take a lot of extra training to teach them boundaries, especially around biting). You may also want to keep some disinfectant on hand for minor wounds (on you, not on them). And be careful not to trip on them! The one down side of having kittens used to humans from birth is that they comfortably assume no one will ever step on them. (For this reason, stray kittens are often better suited to households with younger kids—they are also less likely to scratch humans, as they never forget that humans are a different species.)
As they start getting into solid food, it’s worth making sure that you have a routine and a distinctive noise that they associate with wet food (such as a bell, calling “Food time!” or the sound of a can opener). You want to make sure that when you give them more freedom, you can trust them to appear at meal times and/or when you yell “Food time” (or whatever). It is also worth thinking about getting them a collar, even if they will be inside cats, because if they do escape your house, people can tell immediately that they’re not a stray.
You can start giving them kitten-appropriate dry food a week or two after they start eating wet food. Start with just a few pieces sprinkled on or in their wet food, so their teeth and stomachs can adjust slowly. I usually start with Royal Canin, then experiment with cheaper food after ten weeks or so. If you change their food, it is vital to do it very gradually over several days. If their poo is extra smelly or sloppy after two weeks with new food, then you need to switch back to the good stuff.
They now have loads of energy and need at least two or three solid play sessions daily. If they don’t get them during the day, they will have night-time zoomies. Morning and dusk are excellent play times that fit with their natural rhythms. Surprisingly, almost all cats will adjust to your routine including waking when you wake up (and immediately demanding pats and/or food and/or play depending on their personalities).
They will toilet train themselves (make sure the litter trays have low edges that they can climb over, and that there are multiple trays), but between four and six weeks they’re likely to make toileting mistakes (and to play with the litter itself), so it’s quite a messy fortnight. I use lots of bath mats around litter trays because they’re easy to lift up and shake out, then wash. Kittens also tend to walk through their food at this age. They’re a lot like human toddlers enjoying exploration and experimentation.
I let them briefly look at some other (friendly and calm) kittens through mesh, so they could see and smell each other but not touch. It was very interesting that they had very different reactions. I think it was worthwhile to introduce them to the concept of other (non-aggressive and vaccinated) cats without actually letting them physically touch.
This week, I moved them out of my bedroom and ensuite into the official cat room.
WEEK SEVEN
This entire video is just gratuitous cuteness. They’re incredibly acrobatic at this age, and love chasing balls, chewing on things, scratching things, and getting in and out of boxes. You should be able to notice different personality traits, one of which will be whether they prefer the company of other cats or other humans. Eg. Kookaburra clearly needed a home with other cats, even though she would take a long time to trust them. And Goose needed a human who would give him lots of attention.
They can fall almost two metres onto carpet without injury now—usually. Injuries are much much less likely, but always possible.
WEEK EIGHT
They can get their first health check and vaccination at eight weeks, as well as a microchip. They can’t usually be desexed until twelve weeks. Then, after time to recover, they can be adopted. Boys are generally fine after a few days, and girls should be monitored by someone who knows them for ten days. Their operation is much more complicated.
Looking after this family was one of the best experiences of my life, and I hope I get to foster newborn kittens again someday.
I recently had someone contact me asking if I could foster two very pregnant (and friendly) cats and their babies. I had to say no, because I have to pay off the debts from the Bird kitten litter before taking any more foster babies.
If you can help me get closer to the day when I can foster another group of kittens, I would be very grateful.
Here is Turtle in photographs from a newborn baby to a confident and ready-to-adopt young man:
Okay, the last three photos were all taken on the same day. Aren’t they great though?
Cat Rescuing for Newbies
This post is very much inspired by Athena Scalzi. People are constantly running into stray cats and kittens and wanting to help them (and to stop them breeding).
TNR stands for ‘Trap Neuter Release’ and has proven extremely effective in humanely reducing a cat population over time. Humane cat traps cost around $40. If you want to make a real difference to a cat colony without euthanising any cats, you can trap cats and take them to the vet to be desexed and vaccinated—then take them back and release them into their colony. It’s God’s work.
Most adult cats are difficult or impossible to socialise (eg some will take literally years before they allow a human to pat them). Others are abandoned pets. If you scratch the skin of literally anyone involved in cat rescue, they are extremely angry about the treatment of cats by irresponsible humans. I imagine those who focus on native Australian animals (which tend to be a convenient size for cats to kill and eat, and have few natural defences) are even more furious.
So… cat fostering is extremely important. And so is desexing pet cats!
Catching cats
The first thing to know is that, no matter how adorable they are, cats are one of nature’s most efficient killers. Even at four weeks old—barely weaned—they can sometimes send humans to hospital. Seriously. They are faster than you, and they have multiple inbuilt weapons that they have been using since they were newborns. This is Cinnamon, who was about six weeks old and absolutely shredded my hands when I caught him. Even a cat who appears friendly and lets you pat it (even purring!) will react with efficient and lightning-fast violence if you try to restrain it. The one exception is a cat about this size or smaller, because IF you can ‘scruff’ them (grab them by the loose skin on the back of their neck like a mother cat) then that will work like an off switch. But if they’re older, they may be immune. Or just too heavy. Or they may just be too smart to let you get a grip (like Cinnamon). This is why I strongly recommend getting a trap!
I’ve always used a trap that you put food inside (and then walk away and wait until their weight snaps it closed), but others swear by ‘drop traps’.
You can ‘train’ stray cats a little by feeding them at the same time each day, which is the first thing you should do in preparation for trapping. Try to get photos so you can assess age and health and/or send those photos to a rescue organisation.
Having said that, every rescue organisation I know is perpetually overwhelmed. It’s likely to be tricky or impossible to find someone to help. But if you catch a cat in a lever-style trap, you can take it directly to the RSPCA. They may euthanise it, but at least they won’t just let it go.
If a cat is younger than four weeks, it is not yet weaned and it will probably die if you trap it. If it is four to six weeks old, it will not be able to clean itself, so you and a facewasher will become very familiar with its butt. Six to twelve weeks old is perfect because they’re still quite adaptable (and want cuddles) but don’t need their mum any more. If their mum is friendly towards humans, she will be a good influence on her kittens and should stay with them until twelve weeks if possible. If she’s not friendly, she should be separated from them at around five or six weeks.
Cinnamon was purring in my lap less than 24 hours after shredding my hands, because he was desperate for a mother and I was a pretty decent substitute for his biological mum (who I was not able to catch until later). After twelve weeks kittens may already be too set in their ways to be socialised, but you never know. This is Jack Black, who was rescued at six months and was sweet and loving from the start.
I made a series of weekly kitten videos starting from newborn age, so you can watch them to give you some idea of how old your kittens are. If the mother of very young kittens is killed, a foster carer may be able to save them by feeding them Womberoo cat milk (gently warmed) every few hours via a syringe or bottle, and keeping them in a room at about 30 degrees Celsius if they’re less than two weeks old. They will also need to massage the kittens’ butts to help them poo.
At some point I plan to do a detailed blog on fostering newborns. Suffice to say, it’s difficult work and often they’ll die anyway. So keep them with mum until at least four weeks if possible.
And if mum is around, she is likely to reject young kittens if they have been touched by humans. So be very careful! Do what I say, not what I did!
If possible the person who catches the cats should not be the same person who fosters them.
It is very important to note that kittens can get pregnant (to their immediate family members, ew) from just four months of age, so if you catch more than one kitten and there is a mix of genders then you must try to separate them by gender and/or get the males desexed asap (the male operation is quite simple). Once they’re about six months old, male balls are usually fairly obvious so their gender is suddenly a lot less mysterious.
Your first few days with foster cats
They are almost certainly infected with worms and probably fleas, both of which can be transferred to humans. For this reason, the first medical treatment they get from me is a combined flea and worm treatment. I use Nexgard because it’s the only one in Australia that puts all the parasite medications into one liquid (otherwise, it’s a combination of liquid and tablets, which your cats may object to). If I know a cat is going to be difficult to socialise (eg they’re over twelve weeks old), I medicate them before letting them out of the carrier. Otherwise, I wait a few days or weeks so their stomachs and nerves can adjust to their new life, especially if they’re small.
My quarantine room is the ensuite, because it’s easy to clean and hard for a cat to truly hide. I provide food, water, litter trays (two for a single cat, and then another one for every cat added), something to scratch, and somewhere to hide. It’s tricky to fit all of that into an ensuite, especially since cats like their food, water, and litter to all be separated. But here’s an example of a fairly typical set-up (there is another litter tray out of frame). The blue mat is actually an incontinence pad (I love incontinence pads and bath mats because they give comfort and warmth but are very easy to wash).
The small size of the ensuite is actually a good thing because it is basically a large box where the cat can quickly get familiar with the whole room. I puts toys in there fairly soon but not immediately because even toys are scary at first.
It is much easier for your rescue cat if they have another cat with them (that they know), which is why I strongly recommend fostering two or more cats rather than just one. Cats find it stressful to be introduced to other cats so although it’s usually worthwhile it’s best to wait a few weeks before starting the feline introductions. Kittens are much more adaptable, especially when they’re younger.
Most cats are lactose intolerant, so don’t give them milk unless they’re under six weeks old (and you’re using a pet milk such as cat Womberoo or Di-Vetelact). Or you can give them human lactose free full cream milk as a treat.
Some plants are poisonous to cats, including these favourites. Cats often eat grass which is fine although it can be a sign they’re feeling unwell. Grass tends to make them vomit, which is one way to get bad things out of their body (so, they’re self-medicating).
Food-wise, don’t give them dry food until six weeks of age. Do give them wet kitten food if they’re over five weeks. The younger they are, the better quality it needs to be. I use Royal Canin mother and baby mousse if they’re under six-ish weeks, and Felix kitten food if they’re not (and when changing food it’s vital to do it very gradually over several days or weeks). For dry food, I use Royal Canin kitten food if they’re under eight weeks, and Whiskas if they’re over eight weeks.
A lot of cats get soft stools after worming, after vaccinations, and when changing food. Some continue to get soft or stinky poos long term, and they need to be shifted permanently onto good quality food like Royal Canin or Ziwi.
If they’re over six weeks old, I usually top up their dry food (and water) constantly, and give them wet food twice per day. It’s rare for kittens to overeat.
I use “World’s Best Cat Litter” which is expensive ($26/bag at Woolworths) but lasts a long time and reduces smell very well. The annoying thing is that I get a scattering of sand near litter trays. Bath mats are great for catching most of it, and then I can shake them out in the garden and wash them.
Use this rule for water bowls: a minimum of two bowls, and then add one or more bowls for every two cats.
They tend to get somewhat bored of the quarantine room after a week, so if they’ve been wormed at least three days ago and they’re using the litter trays, I let them explore a little further. They’re often tempted to poo in beds or on clothing (especially clean or dirty washing because of the smell) or piles of paper, so that’s something to watch out for. The best defence is habit, so I only gradually increase their roaming area. I always scoop trays daily, plus any time there’s a poo. And I supervise their exploration closely at first.
If they have small bald patches, especially on the face, ears, legs, and tail that is probably ringworm. Ringworm is a minor condition but it’s incredibly infectious, including to humans. The spores are too small to see and can live in fabric for over a year. Washing doesn’t get rid of the spores unless it’s extremely hot (think 90 degrees or more) or includes specific sanitisers. I use F10, buying it from Aussie Vet Products as even pet shops don’t usually stock it. I also buy F10 hand sanitiser. If they have ringworm, they stay in quarantine—with as much play time and novelty as possible. And those without ringworm should be separated into a second quarantine area if possible.
If one or more of your cats has ringworm, you need to talk to a vet (and tell them you suspect ringworm before you enter their premises). Ringworm is actually not a worm (and not treated by worm medication) but a fungus.
Here’s Jodie Foster with a lesion above her eye and two more developing on her nose and under her other eye.
The other disease that a lot of cats will get is cat flu, which can be brought on by stress (like being rescued). A few sneezes are no big deal, but if they have runny eyes or nose they are sick and it may get deadly shockingly fast. Monitor their breathing and you may need to take them to a vet at short notice (so make sure you know your local emergency vet).
Because a vet visit can also be very stressful, you need to carefully balance the potential harm of a vet visit with the potential benefit. I would usually say it’s a bad idea to take a cat to a vet within three days of them arriving at your home unless they have something that needs immediate attention. A lot of foster cats will hold a grudge and get less trusting after I take them to the vet.
Go to a vet within 48 hours if your cat has a runny nose (clear or yellow/green), is drooling, or refuses to eat (try extra-smelly food such as fish first). Go to the vet immediately if they have trouble walking, if they are panting, if they are not drinking, if their eyes look painful or are not fully open, or if they are not playing at all. Ditto if the discharge from their eyes is yellow or green.
Cats can also get a fever from cat flu. You can test them for fever by feeling the temperature of their ears. If you feel them when they’re healthy they feel quite cool, and if you feel them often you are more likely to be able to tell if something is wrong. If in doubt see a vet of course.
If you are looking after them at home, it is helpful to wipe the moisture away from around their eyes and nose with a wet cotton ball. Steam can also help them, so it is often helpful to run a very hot shower with your cat in the bathroom and the heaters on for ten to twenty minutes up to twice per day (being careful not to dehydrate them, as that can also kill them). Change their water frequently and keep other pets away. It may help to gently warm their wet food (mainly to increase the smell so they can recognise it despite a stuffy nose). Reduce their stress levels as much as possible.
Socialising your rescue
The first and best tool for winning your cat’s heart is food! After food is gentleness. You are at least a hundred times bigger than any cat, so you are frankly terrifying and they need time to learn to trust you. Speak gently and try to avoid anything too noisy (crying baby, vacuum cleaner, etc) especially for the first week. Kittens under six weeks can have heart failure from a loud noise or a scare!
Prolonged eye contact is usually seen as aggressive in the animal kingdom, but if you meet your cat’s eyes and then give them a slow blink or look away, that tells them, “I don’t want to fight you.”
I find that mewing at them often helps, mostly by confusing them (confusion is better than fear).
They feel less threatened if you sit on the floor.
If they let you, go ahead and pat them. If they hiss at you but don’t growl, snarl, or swipe at you they are probably safe to pat. Be careful, move slowly and steadily (pausing when they hiss), and make sure they have room to move away from you. If they are extremely food-motivated you may be able to pat them when they’re eating, but I generally don’t because I don’t want them to associate food with fear.
Give them plenty of time to think about new information (such as “the human monster patted me and it didn’t hurt”), and if possible help them to spend a lot of time observing you doing normal non-scary activities such as watching TV (not too loud or violent), reading books, playing on your phone, and sleeping. I like to give them one small challenge per day eg sitting 10cm closer than I sat the day before or letting them see another cat from across the room for the first time.
If you absolutely cannot pat them, here are some strategies that might help:
-patting them with a wooden spoon to get them used to gentle touch (without getting your flesh mangled).
-dangling a toy such as a fishing-pole toy or rolling a ball at them, so you can have a positive interaction without getting slashed. Don’t do this for the first week though, as toys can appear threatening at first.
-Letting them see you interacting with another cat (ideally a kitten so it’s less scary).
-Letting them interact with another cat, so they are less lonely (but introductions must be done very slowly and carefully over several days/weeks).
-Feeding them treat tubes.
I find that EVERY cat in the world goes through a ‘conflicted’ stage when they enjoy your company, possibly even purring when you pat them, but are still afraid of you.
At the time of writing, Cate Blanchett still hisses when I approach, but snuggles and purrs when I pat or hold her. However, she also sliced me up quite badly when I grabbed her by force to take her to the vet just last week. That was my fault for not slowly scruffing and patting her before picking her up.
Most cats hate being picked up or restrained.
Summary of Fostering
*Don’t trap kittens under four weeks unless their mother is dead. They will probably not survive.
*Be aware that the second a cat feels trapped (eg by your hands) they are likely to attack with considerable speed and skill.
*At four months of age cats can get pregnant to their siblings, so they need to be desexed or separated immediately.
*Cats can give you worms, fleas, or ringworm so take precautions, especially early on. Cat flu is dangerous to the life of kittens.
*Cats need water, dry food (once they’re over six weeks), wet food, a scratching place, and a hiding place. Cats under six weeks of age will benefit from specialised pet milk.
If you are a good foster carer, you will get the cats health checked, vaccinated (ideally twice but as far as I know I’m the only foster organisation that does that), microchipped, treated for parasites, and desexed. Then adopted into a safe and appropriate home!
This is a VERY quick and dirty guide to fostering, but I hope it will help you!
If you’re in Canberra, you might like to volunteer with me, or get mentored to become a foster carer yourself! My email address is MagicalMoggiesCanberra@gmail.com
Here’s the link to my GoFundMe. Food, litter, and vet care gets real expensive real fast.
Shuffling Kittens
There are four cats in my house at the moment: Jack Black, his sister Cate Blanchett, Tina Fey (from another colony), and Jodie Foster (from another other colony).
Jack, Cate, and Tina came into my care on 7 July.
Jack Day 1: Loves everyone and everything; accepted pats and being picked up so readily that we simply picked him up and put him in the carrier. Had some minor injuries and dirty paws.
Cate Day 1: Terrified but polite—she hissed a lot and needed careful handling but didn’t scratch or bite.
Tina Day 1: Was comforted by pats immediately; clearly very human-oriented.
I put the siblings into the shower in the quarantine room (aka my ensuite) and Tina into the rest of the ensuite. That way, they could see and smell each other but couldn’t hurt each other. When I was in there, I could open the shower door and observe their early interactions. They were interested in each other without being aggressive, so I was confident they’d be able to be put together in one group very soon.
Cate jumped over the shower wall into Tina’s ‘half’ of the quarantine room—twice—so yes indeed, they were quickly able to be treated as one group. Once they were wormed, I moved them to the cat room.
Tina is desperate for pats, but quite neurotic. She tends to writhe and roll around when getting patted, because she wants MORE.
Cate is dignified. She likes it when I dangle toys for her, and she likes it when pats happen… but she doesn’t seek them out. She’s a surprisingly good hugger for all that (one of those cats that melts into your arms), and beautifully soft.
I took way too long to realise that Jack’s minor injuries were actually 90%-healed ringworm. I began aggressive treatment immediately (after 2-3 days he shouldn’t be infectious). Tina got ringworm from him (and so did I) so I treated her aggressively too (and myself). Cate never got ringworm—probably because none of the friendly trio are super snuggly with each other.
On 27 July Jodie Foster came into my care, and it was immediately clear that she was very clever, and very angry, and very determined to escape. Knowing I was in for a difficult time (but feeling relaxed about it, as we could neuter and release her back to her colony in Sydney if needed), I tried to worm her BEFORE releasing her from the carrier into the quarantine room… but she did the ‘act meek and then break out with incredible speed’ thing and I failed.
I knew she emerged from her hiding place when the door was closed because I could see she’d eaten food etc… but she NEVER emerged if I was near. After a week or so, I could sometimes hear her moving around. But if I opened the quarantine room door she’d always flee, and if I approached her hiding spot she’d growl, spit, snarl, and even try to attack (without emerging from the hiding place ie her range was very limited so I was at least able to change her food, water, and litter).
I tried several techniques for socialising Jodie: I patted her with a wooden spoon (to get her used to gentle touch without shredding my arm) and considered it progress when she attacked the spoon slightly less vigorously. I brought Jack in to visit her, which mostly involved Jack eating her food, using her litter tray (possibly an aggressive move but possibly just another communication method), sniffing at her briefly and then curling up to purr in my lap. I figured Jack was doing excellent pro-human modelling, while also getting the two of them used to each other by degrees. I eventually bought a type of ‘tube’ cat treat that I’ve seen win over many a feral kitten on FaceBook reels. And yes, she definitely liked the treat a lot, and even accepted it from my hand (through the mesh gate or from the greatest possible distance).
Somewhere in there, Jodie escaped into my room one day and had to be caught and returned to the quarantine room. That was NOT a good experience for her, but at least I was finally able to put worm meds on her. I usually release cats from quarantine once the worm meds have had time to work, but with Jodie’s intelligence and hatred, I knew I might never see her again if she had a bigger area in which to hide. So she stayed in the quarantine room. She bit and clawed her way through three sides of the flyscreen, destroying it utterly. Impressive and tragic. I felt bad for keeping her in quarantine, and kept the gate open as much as possible so she could at least see out. That eased her boredom a little, and also meant she had many hours of observing humans doing human things (ie not trying to kill her) which I hoped would ease her fear.
Jack continued to be extremely friendly; Tina and Cate continued to be neurotic but pattable.
I’ve found with shy cats that they improve a lot when I put them in my bedroom rather than the cat room. Perhaps seeing me come in and out fifteen times a day makes me less scary. (And when they see me sleep a lot, they know I’m not a terrifying monster.)
And perhaps Jodie would benefit from seeing more kittens clearly comfortable with my presence.
So! The friendly trio moved into my bedroom, and I would often have the gate in place so Jodie could observe me and them.
Then Jodie developed ringworm. I think I gave it to her, despite never touching her (ringworm is truly an amazing and pernicious thing).
So.
Jodie has to stay in quarantine until she’s treated for ringworm (but I still couldn’t physically touch her, let alone make her drink medicine).
Cate needs to be protected from ringworm. Tina and Jack are still being treated (it’s a 5-week medical course) so they have a measure of safety. Jack is very friendly with Jodie; Cate is mildly interested; Tina is curious but hesitant.
Our bedroom is extremely crowded.
I moved Cate and Jack into the cat room, keeping Tina in my bedroom and Jodie in the quarantine room.
Cate appeared pleased but Jack started meowing a lot because he wasn’t getting as much human contact (he typically gets a pat every time I come in and out of the master bedroom).
So I moved Jack back in with Tina in my room.
Then Cate started meowing, because she missed her brother.
So today I’ll move Jack in with Cate while I attempt to medicate Jodie’s ringworm (probably through food, which is why Jack needs to go away so he doesn’t eat it all). Then I’ll move Jack back into my room (so he doesn’t meow all day) and move Tina into the cat room with Cate so Cate doesn’t meow all day.
Will this arrangement work? Maybe!
I just need a few good days to be able to release Jodie… IF I can get Jodie to consume the ringworm medication.
As of last night, Jodie suddenly started accepting and enjoying pats from me! So if it wasn’t for the ringworm, I could get her out of quarantine right now. Now that I can pat her, everything has changed and I’m cautiously optimistic I can get a full dose of medication into her today (and tomorrow, and for 5 days after that).
The cat shuffling continues!
This kind of complicated problem solving is fascinating to me… which is good, as it happens a lot!
So you’re thinking of adopting a kitten. . .
First, let’s take a moment to think about this twenty-year commitment to a living being!
This guide has sections:
Two is always better
Cost
Kids and Cats
What do you need to get before the kitten arrives?
Eye Contact, Physical Contact & First Contact
Training Your Cat
Cat Manners and Communication
Sickness
Cat Politics
Bits and Pieces
I wrote a blog about introducing my younger cat (Zoom) to my cantankerous older cat (Zipper), with lots of advice. You can read it here.
Two is always better
There is nothing cuter—or more entertaining—than a bonded pair of kittens. But there are also several coldly logical reasons to adopt two kittens:
- Kittens need about two hours of play time daily. The best toy for a kitten is another kitten. If you don’t want zoomies at 3:00am, your best defence is getting two cats.
- A solo kitten may develop Single Kitten Syndrome. Kittens teach each other physical boundaries, meowing mid-wrestle to indicate when a bite is too hard. Without that mutual training, they often get obsessed with biting and will bite humans (hard, and often, and without provocation). It’s virtually impossible to train them out of it.
- Any cat born since mid-2022 must be kept on your property if you live in the ACT. That means they must stay either inside or in a cat run. A lot of cats get very very bored as a result, and some of them develop behaviour problems (like defecating in your bed or biting you or your kids). The solution is another cat. OR if you don’t want to get two cats, you can adopt an older cat, so they can roam outside (assuming you’re not in one of the cat containment suburbs).
- With every week that passes, a kitten gets less open to the notion of another cat in their space. Even if they tolerate another cat, it’s not the same as a bonded pair. Better to start with two. (They can also forget each other after as little as a week apart.)
More than half of the people I meet adopting kittens are getting a second cat, and crossing their fingers that the relationship between the two felines will work out. It’s MUCH better to get a bonded pair if you possibly can! Most adult cats are fundamentally opposed to a new feline friend, and although the majority will eventually tolerate the new member it would be better for everyone if you adopted a pair of friends from the start.
Kitten Lady has seven reasons you should adopt a pair instead of just one kitten. She also has tips for those who want to adopt just one cat or kitten.
Cost
Adoption fees are usually around $350 each. Cats should be desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, and given monthly flea and worm treatment before they’re adopted. It can easily cost $700+ to get basic vet work done yourself, so it’s worth adopting from a rescue for that reason alone.
Food and litter costs between $50 and $150 each week per cat (more for specialised food). A completely healthy cat that never has a single health issue would still cost around $200 per year at the vet for their annual checkup and vaccination. However, a single medical incident (eg swallowing a hair tie) can easily cost $1000-$10,000. An illness such as cat flu will probably cost you around $500. Serious health issues will costs thousands, possibly several times over. A lot of cats will have dental issues at some point. You can expect to pay $1000 if a single tooth needs to be removed.
Parasite treatments cost around $50/month per cat.
A carrier costs $50-$500, and cat scratching posts also cost $50-$500 (more for the really elaborate ones). Professional cat runs cost around $5000.
I often go to Goulburn Vet or Cooinda Vet at Marulan because vet costs are cheaper there than in Canberra.
Many people get pet insurance, which costs around $50/week.
(Speaking of the cost of food, litter, and vet care, would you like to donate to my ongoing GoFundMe so I can continue rescuing cats? I can’t do it without help!)
Kids and Cats
Many organisations will point-blank refuse to let you adopt a cat (especially a kitten) if you have a child aged eight or less. The reason is that cats (especially kittens) get underfoot and kids are uncoordinated, fast-moving, and unaware of their surroundings. Sometimes a child steps on a kitten and kills it. It’s not common but it does happen, and it’s obviously incredibly traumatic for everyone. The solution is to be aware of the possibility, and to supervise kid-cat interactions very carefully, especially for the first six weeks. It can also help to teach kids to look around carefully while they’re walking around the house (remembering that they’re kids and they can’t instantly become adults), and to get a more cautious, flighty kitten rather than one that gets underfoot. Cats over one year old are much bigger and safer. You can also keep a cat in just one section of the house, which will help (although they will probably try to escape, and that adds the risk of closing a door on them).
I have been told that cats sometimes sit on a baby’s face and smother them to death in their sleep. I suspect this is an urban legend, but I wouldn’t let a cat sleep with a baby for this reason.
Cats definitely understand that children and babies are different to adult humans. Some treat them as younger kittens to be cared for. Others treat them as a dangerous threat (noisy and unpredictable). Still others see a chance to dominate them, which can be tricky because they may choose to attempt dominance through scratching, biting, or jumping on them.
Pretty much every cat in the world will scratch your kids sooner or later—by accident if not during play time. But especially kittens. However, I find that rescue cats scratch less than purebred cats (as they have a better sense that humans are different to cats), especially if they were rescued when they were at least two or three months old.
What do you need to get before the kitten arrives?
You need toileting supplies, bowls, wet and dry food, a carrier, and a scratching post. Toys are fun and highly recommended but can be made out of household items (paper, cardboard boxes, towels, etc). Within a month you’ll need parasite treatments too.
Toileting Supplies
Litter trays: Most cats prefer to have a tray for poo and another tray for wee. They also may not be willing to share with another cat (or they may deliberately use a different cat’s tray as a show of dominance). If in doubt, get the same number of trays as you have cats, plus one more. If you have a two-storey house, there should be at least one tray on each floor. You can buy trays at Woolworths, but they’re quite small and a kitten over six months of age may find them too hard to use. A plastic storage tub usually works very well. All your trays can be in the same room, directly next to each other, especially if your house is small. They should be at least a metre away from the cat’s water, which should also be slightly separated from the food.
Scoop: You need at least one scoop, and should scoop the trays at least twice a day, plus anytime there is poo in a tray (for your sake as much as theirs). Kittens tend to poo at least twice daily. There are small plastic scoops in Woolworths which are fine. I recommend always having a spare one on hand in case the first gets unusually nasty.
Litter: I use World’s Best Cat Litter (also available from Woolworths). It is quite expensive but reduces smell a lot due to absorbing moisture. It is ‘clumping’ meaning that even urine turns into balls that can be scooped and put in your normal toilet, then flushed. That means most of the litter stays clean and it doesn’t need to be changed as often. Most cats are very adaptable to different types of litter, but I always place them in the litter immediately in a new home (possibly even doing a bit of gentle digging with their paws to make sure they get the idea). Usually, showing them the litter is enough—but more on that later.
Some people line their litter trays with plastic litter bags (some cats will not tolerate the noisy plastic though). Others wash litter trays in detergent and water (obviously not in the same sink food is washed in). That’s what I do at the moment, and then spray them with Glen 20 before using them again.
I like to put bath mats around the litter trays to catch most of the inevitable scatter of litter. I can easily shake them out and wash them.
When you think about it, it is incredible that cats instantly understand that the litter tray is their toilet. However, sometimes their understanding is not perfect. They (very understandably) see some other locations as toilets as well: the dirt in pot plants (or gardens) are an exact match for toileting in the wild, and they are also drawn to soft fabrics such as washing piles, linen cupboards, and beds. The best way to prevent this confusion is to supervise them carefully for the first couple of weeks, restricting their access to tempting toilets (eg by closing bedroom doors and removing pot plants) until they have formed a strong habit of only using their litter trays. I recommend giving them a small ‘range’ at first, such as the laundry, hall, and living room. This helps prevent them from getting overwhelmed by exploring the whole house at once, and reduces stress. It also means they’re much less likely to poo somewhere you don’t want them to poo.
They won’t poo where they eat, so if you have an issue with them pooing somewhere several times, you can stop them by placing a food bowl there.
Bowls and Food
Almost any type of bowl is fine—ceramic, steel, or plastic. It doesn’t have to be a cat-specific bowl although there are many that claim to help with eating or digestion (and others that slow down a cat that eats too fast).
A kitten should have at least two water bowls (apart from anything else, they may accidentally tip one over). Water and dry food bowls should be checked and daily (topped up if necessary), and washed once per week (otherwise things grow in the water). Wet food bowls are just like your dinner plates—they get washed every time they’re used.
I typically give kittens dry kitten food on demand and wet kitten food twice a day (I’ll tell you when you adopt them how much they typically eat). Cats have shockingly delicate stomachs so you need to be VERY gradual when changing their food. Don’t do it within two weeks of them arriving at your home. Don’t change wet and dry food at the same time. At 12 months, they can eat regular cat food (but of course make the change gradually).
You can tell their stomach is unhappy because their poo will smell unusually bad; they may fart or meow in pain when defecating; or they may refuse to eat the new food. Generally I feed them Royal Canin if cheaper food isn’t cutting it. Royal Canin has ‘Mother and Baby Mousse’ for kittens up to four months (and an equivalent dry food), then they switch to a different Royal Canin kitten food for the remaining eight months of kittenhood. Then there’s adult food of course.
Felix cat food is much better quality than Whiskas.
One of my previous kittens had a very weak stomach and now eats Zyka food, which is excellent quality. Their owner carefully researched which cat food had the highest percentage of actual meat, and once they adjusted their poo didn’t smell nearly as bad.
Other cats may get special food that needs to be kept in the fridge, or their owners may cook for them. Remember to give their stomachs time to adjust to whatever you feed them. Even something as ‘pure’ as plain roasted chicken breast will upset their stomach if they’ve never had it before.
Remember: Most cats are lactose intolerant! However, lactose free milk is safe for them to drink as a treat.
Carrier
Sadly a cardboard box is not going to work—cats are too wriggly. Most cats really enjoy the mesh-sided carriers, not just when travelling or going to the vet, but as a bed or play space at home. However, one kitten I knew dealt with the stress of travel by rubbing his face against the mesh, breaking off almost all of his whiskers—so he needed a plastic carrier. I will take kittens to the vet before they’re adopted, so I’ll have some idea of how well they travel and if they have an aversion to mesh carriers.
Scratching Post
Cats need to scratch things, just as you need to sometimes cut your nails. Some people choose to cut their cat’s claws, but even those cats still need to scratch as the instinct is very strong. I recommend putting a scratching post near your couch so hopefully you can convince them to leave your couch alone. You can buy very cheap scratching posts and pads (the cardboard ones get destroyed and need to be replaced, but a lot of cats adore them; destroying them is part of the fun) from the Reject Shop. The Reject Shop also has surprisingly good toys (but use your discretion if a toy seems unsafe eg if small pieces can be broken off and swallowed).
Toys
Technically you can make your own, but official cat toys are also very fun. I recommend ‘fishing pole’ type toys—something dangling from the end of a stick—because it helps the cat to attack the toy rather than your hand, and it’s easy to exercise them without having to run up and down the hall yourself. Ditto ping pong balls. When I have something for the recycling box, I often let the kitten/s play with it for a little while first, so they get some variety.
Medication
All cats should be treated for parasites (worms and fleas) once per month. Parasites can be brought into your house on shoes, bags, etc so even an inside cat needs ongoing treatment. Also, parasite treatments are only about 99% effective, and parasites breed with impressive speed. Their tiny babies generally survive treatment and can live (and grow up and breed) for literal years.
Truly, nature is amazing.
It is possible for worms and fleas from cats to infect humans (fleas much prefer cats to humans, but worms love every warm body).
There are lots of types of worms, and the back-of-the-neck treatments do NOT cover all of them. Nor do the pills. So both treatments are necessary. The exception is this brand, which really does cover everything, but it’s very expensive.
Back-of-the-neck treatments like this one need to be put on the skin, not the fur (a bit of spillage is okay). This one has more in the vial than other brands, so I put it in a few different spots (close to each other) rather than squeezing it all out in one go.
It’s worth noting that ringworm is NOT a worm but a fungus. But I’ll talk about ringworm later.
A kitten needs two vaccinations, given a few weeks apart. As far as I know, I’m the only foster organisation that sometimes arranges both kitten vaccinations. Most arrange the first set, not the second.
After they’re a year old, they’ll need vaccinations annually.
Eye Contact, Physical Contact & First Contact
Like most autistic people, the majority of cats don’t like prolonged eye contact. This is true of most mammals, as eye contact is often a dominance move and/or the prelude to an attack. (This is also one reason cats often gravitate to someone who is allergic to them.)
The best way to make a cat feel safe is to sit on the ground (you are VERY big and scary) and ignore them, with one arm or leg outstretched so they can approach in their own time and sniff you from as far away as possible. If you talk, use a gentle, steady voice. Meowing is great as it confuses them tremendously, which lowers their fear level and raises their curiosity. Under these circumstances (and if there are no major distractions such as other cats, pets, pet smells, or people) the average kitten will approach you within ten minutes (the average older cat would take longer—half an hour perhaps).
If you meet their eye, give them a slow blink. It shows that you respect them and do not intend to start a fight. It also shows affection. A slow blink is a great, respectful greeting of your cat throughout their life (and they will often return the favour, which is absolutely a compliment).
All cats are shy, because all cats have very strong prey instincts. Like small birds, they are braced to flee at the slightest noise or hint of a threat.
A ‘very shy’ cat could take weeks or months before letting you pat it. A stray or feral cat can take years. However, it is possible for a very shy cat to also be a major snugglebug. They just need time.
I find that kittens who are 4-6 weeks old when they are rescued tend to decide within 24 hours that I am their mother, and all they want is to be near me (but they may not be great at cleaning themselves). They often accept all humans once they’ve accepted one. Kittens who are 6-8 weeks old take longer to accept me, and are not as devoted to me. If they come into care when they are over 8 weeks old (and haven’t already had positive human interaction), they are likely to remain wary and shy of new people for their whole lives. However, that can also mean that they don’t get underfoot as much, and are more careful not to scratch humans.
There are two reasons for a cat to give you prolonged eye contact. One is dominance/fury. I know when my older cats are angry because they glare at me. (My husband is careful not to lose a staring contest with the cats, because he does not want them to think they are the boss. Which is fair! Cats will often punish their owners by pooing outside of the litter box. Our cats know that they will just get in trouble if they try to pull something like that.) The other reason is love. Kittens who have grown up with humans will often gaze lovingly at you. Feel free to gaze back (ideally with the occasional slow blink)!
Before you try to pat any cat, you should introduce yourself by letting them sniff your hand or finger. If they don’t look excessively terrified at your mere existence in the same room, reach out your hand, palm down and relaxed, and let them sniff it. If they have a good sniff and then settle back into position, you can choose to move away or slowly pat them (patting their side is best as a pat on the head can be seen as threatening).
You are most likely to get good results if you let a cat approach you, rather than you approaching them.
A lot of cats will sit near you but just far enough away that you can’t pat them without getting up. They will also often face away from you. It can be frustrating, but they are still being companionable. In fact, many cats will follow you from room to room, only to sit facing away from you and out of reach. It is still a compliment!
A lot of cats sit somewhere prominent and graciously accept pats whenever one of their humans walks past. Others demand lap time and/or sleep on your bed.
Whether your cat sits nearby, next to you, or on your lap—let them choose the level of affection 95% of the time for best results. They don’t speak English, so the only way to communicate that you are safe is to respect their boundaries. Some cats feel safer up high, and some cats feel safer under things (eg under a desk). Be careful not to make them feel trapped by approaching them when they don’t have an escape route, especially if they’re in a playful or wary mood.
It is very rare for a cat to tolerate hugs (aka a terrifying cage made of your arms) although most will allow it for a few seconds if they trust you enough. You can feel their muscles tense, and then they will begin to struggle gently (then with increasing force and eventually claws and teeth). Don’t push it. If you do hold them, have one arm under their back legs, and their front legs resting on your other arm. It is secure but loose, so they feel less trapped.
The majority of cats find it extremely stressful to be picked up at all. Mother cats carry kittens by the loose skin on the back of their necks. The younger (and lighter) a kitten, the more likely that they are comfortable (and even reassured) by this method of picking them up. It is also safer, as most kittens automatically ‘flop’ in response. It’s usually not appropriate for adult cats.
Otherwise, you can pick them up by scooping them under the chest and putting your other arm under their back legs, then bringing them to your chest for a secure hold. You want them to feel that you are definitely not going to drop them, but they can jump away if they want to.
Moods
Most cats have very distinct play and sleep cycles, with at least two play sessions a day, often first thing in the morning and then again at dusk (cats are diurnal, so dawn and dusk are their natural hunting times). When they have ‘zoomies’ they are often so hopped up they almost seem in pain or terror eg running full tilt from one end of the house to the other, emitting odd meows and chirps, or jumping in shock at the slightest thing. Don’t worry, zoomies are natural and healthy. Toss them a ball (or a pen, or bit of scrunched-up paper) to encourage them and don’t be concerned if they run into walls. DO NOT attempt to pat or snuggle a cat with zoomies! They are extremely hyped up and may respond as if they’ve been attacked. Imagine you were alone and lost in a dark alley of an unfamiliar city at 3am with heavy footsteps coming towards you, and then someone grabbed your arm. Even if it was your grandmother, you’d probably instinctively punch her in the face. That is how a cat feels during zoomies (extremely jumpy), except in a fun way. If you have children, teach them the signs of a cat in a playful mood, and teach them to stay out of the way (and grab a fishing-pole toy to get the most out of the kitten show).
Playful mood: Wide eyes, big dark pupils, flattened ears, twitching tail, and fast, jerky movements. Running or crouching, especially if their butt is wiggling and their gaze is fixed while they are crouching. Rolling over on their back and exposing their belly (it’s a trap!!!)
Kittens are so energetic they will sometimes go directly from sleep to playful, especially if you are dangling a toy at them. But like us, they usually need some wake-up time first.
A cat who feels safe and happy will respond positively to their humans when they wake up. They may start purring or meow a greeting. They are likely to stretch and blink, and often roll onto their back and luxuriously stretch. In a just-woke-up scenario, the belly exposure is not a trap but an invitation to pat them. Many cats love chest pats BUT it is also an excellent fighting position so some love to grab hold of your hand and bite it with affection. You need to choose whether to teach them to hold/bite you gently, or to avoid belly rubs altogether.
Training Your Cat
Yes, a cat can be trained. The level of training depends on the cat’s intelligence and personality, the amount of time you’re willing to invest, and how much you understand cat behaviour. Cats don’t have a sweet tooth, but there are plenty of cat treats out there. Some cats aren’t too fussed about them, and others would teach themself to open a jar in order to get to them (seriously!!)
If you’re adopting from me, your cat will probably know the following words:
Their name (and most of them will come when I call because I always use their names when giving them food or treats).
Dinner.
No (said in a low, threatening voice).
Gentle (mainly used when two cats are fighting each other and not listening to the other cat’s meows of pain).
Ouch! (Very much associated with “No”.)
I use their names constantly, but especially when feeding them wet food (at which point I also call “Dinner!”) If they don’t respond to “No” by itself, I physically remove them (which is a punishment as they’re very social creatures) and/or tap them on the nose with one finger, which is annoying rather than painful but gets the message across.
About 5% of cats turn the tables and start to train ME eg they know I don’t like getting bitten, so when I am about to leave the room they will bite me as punishment. Those cats are tricky, and I will warn you if yours is one of them! I’ll also let you know if your cat is bent on escape. Most cats try to escape at least some of the time, with varying amounts of determination. I strongly recommend getting a collar for this reason. It means that if (when) your cat escapes, passers-by can tell instantly that they have a home. A lot of good-hearted people accidentally kidnap beloved pets because cats will act as if they’re homeless and starving in order to get extra treats. Cats are liars!
Some cats are naturally more vocal than others. I try to discourage a lot of nagging meows by ignoring them (or sometimes saying “No”), which works fairly well if I can get the whole household to stick to our guns. But I encourage ‘trilling’ (that adorable ‘prrm?’ noise). If they’re particularly vocal, I’ll let you know. Some people love having constant conversations with their cats.
Some of my previous foster kittens have learned some basic tricks (such as ‘sit’ and ‘beg’) and/or they can walk on a lead.
Cat Manners and Communication
Violence
Cats are both predator and prey. They are expertly designed killing machine, who hiss and fight literally before they can roll over. They are faster than humans, and they have very sharp knives on all their limbs and in their mouths.
They NEED to play. They need to ‘kill’ (destroying their own toys is extremely satisfying). They often hide toys—not to annoy you, but because their instincts tell them to do so. They scratch and bite and kick one another shockingly hard, and when they attack you (your hands, your ankles, your hair) it is actually a sign that they are accepting you as a friend (basically, you are a very weird cat). They express love through violent play. However, they absolutely DO communicate to each other when a scratch or bite is too painful, so it makes sense for you to communicate with them that they must not claw or bite you. The simplest line to draw is, “No not ever.”
Remember, when they are small, they don’t hurt you (much). They are also cautious with new friends, being gentle and tentative—at first. It is adorable.
But. They get much bigger and stronger very quickly, and a sweet little kitten nip is the equivalent of a bloody bite from a year-old cat—so if you accept nips when they’re young, you are likely to get bites later.
If you want a cat that is so well-trained it doesn’t even bite when a toddler yanks its tail or forces it into cuddles, then the “No not ever” rule is best. It requires discipline from you and everyone in your household: never ever wriggle your fingers enticingly for them to chase. Never let them wrap their front legs around your arm or leg in a ‘hug’. Never accept them charging at you and batting gently at your legs. Always say, “NO” from Day 1 and if necessary tap them on the nose or put them in a room by themselves.
If they are reasonably teachable, offer them a toy to chase or bite as soon as possible after saying, “NO” so they quickly understand that their hunting instincts are allowed, but must be directed towards inanimate objects.
If you have had cats before, you don’t have young kids, and you’re confident in your abilities, you can teach a kitten to play with you while still being gentle. It is fairly easy for a kitten to learn to always keep its claws sheathed when playing with humans, but ‘gentle biting’ is trickier. However, most young cats can be taught to ‘mouth’ your fingers instead of actually biting you at all.
You can teach a cat that they can attack you more violently through a doona, but there is a strong risk that they will unleash their full strength through any fabric (I assure you they can draw blood through even thick jeans). So watch out for that.
Sickness
Because cats are prey animals, they naturally hide their illness. Unless they are actively bleeding or can’t walk, you need to actually pay attention to know when they need to see a vet.
Some cats will not eat or drink for 24-48 hours in a new place. Keep a sharp eye on their litter (so you know when they start to wee) and try to give them lots of alone time (with no humans and especially no other pets). It is often helpful to keep them in a laundry or bathroom for several days (with bath mats and/or a bed so they’re not on the tiles, and with heating or cooling if necessary so it’s between 18 and 30 degrees celsius). A small room can help a nervous cat get used to their new environment, although most will get extremely bored after about two hours, so ideally that small room is a place they can retreat to without being followed, but they can emerge when they want to.
If your new cat hasn’t eaten or drunk water (ie no wee in the litter box) after 24 hours, you definitely should be concerned. Please let me know, and we can arrange a visit for me to reassure the cat a little and give tips on making them feel better. I’ve never used Feliway but I’ve heard it’s amazing for calming a stressed cat. If they do not eat or drink for 48 hours, they should probably come back to my house for a few days to recover before trying again. I can also assess their behaviour and figure out if something more than the usual stress is going on, because I have spent a lot of time with them.
Cat flu is a serious illness for cats, and causes symptoms including runny eyes, runny nose, fever, and fatigue. It’s usually easiest to spot in the eyes. Unfortunately it can be brought on by stress (such as going to a new home). It may take a couple of weeks before they show symptoms. Because a vet visit can also be very stressful, you need to carefully balance the potential harm of a vet visit with the potential benefit. I would usually say it’s a bad idea to take a cat to a vet within 3 days of them arriving at your home. But if you are concerned, please contact me immediately so I can come to your house and assess their health. Kittens can die from cat flu. Most adult cats get better on their own. Don’t panic if your kitten sometimes sneezes; that’s actually not a sign of illness. If they sneeze often and/or produce mucus with the sneeze, that is a symptom of cat flu.
Go to a vet within 48 hours if your cat has a runny nose (clear or yellow/green), is drooling, or refuses to eat (try extra-smelly food such as fish first). Go to the vet immediately if they have trouble walking, if they are panting, if they are not drinking, if their eyes look painful or are not fully open, or if they are not playing at all. Ditto if the discharge from their eyes is yellow or green.
Cats can also get a fever from cat flu. You can test them for fever by feeling the temperature of their ears. If you feel them when they’re healthy they feel quite cool, and if you feel them often you are more likely to be able to tell if something is wrong. If in doubt see a vet of course.
If you are looking after them at home, it is good to wipe the moisture away from around their eyes and nose with a wet cotton ball. Steam can also help them, so it is often helpful to run a very hot shower with your cat in the bathroom and the heaters on for 10-20 minutes up to twice per day. Change their water frequently and keep other pets away. It may help to gently warm their wet food (mainly to increase the smell so they can recognise it despite a stuffy nose). Reduce their stress levels as much as possible.
Dehydration is another killer of kittens, and it can be extremely sudden. If your cat throws up more than once, they should go to a vet within 24 hours as they may need to be put on a drip to save their life before their kidneys fail. You can also test their dehydration level at home by pinching the loose skin on the back of their neck. If you let go and it doesn’t immediately go back into place, they are dehydrated. (You can do this for humans too, by pinching the skin on the back of the hand.)
Ringworm is a fungus that is incredibly difficult to eradicate as it can live in any fabric for twenty months eg your couch, your carpet, or your clothes. It is infectious to humans. It is called ringworm because it tends to cause little round red spots on the skin, sometimes in a donut type shape with a red ring that is pale in the middle. The spores can survive being washed, too. On cats, it usually appears on the face, ears, tail, and legs. If your cat has a tiny bald spot that isn’t a wound, take them to a vet as soon as you can and carefully follow their advice. The sooner you start treatment the less likely it is that you’ll have to burn down your house and all your possessions to get rid of it. (Seriously, ringworm is the WORST.) It’s actually quite a minor illness, causing mild itching only, but it usually takes months of obsessive cleaning and quarantine to eradicate. Always tell your vet that you suspect ringworm before entering their premises.
If a kitten is scratching a lot, they may have fleas, lice, or ear mites. Fleas are small black crawling things (more obvious if you part the fur). If you see white dots on your kitten’s fur, try to brush it off. If it brushes off, it is dandruff. If not, it is lice (not infectious to humans, but needs treatment). Ear mites look like dark coffee grounds in the ears. If your cat has lice or mites, see a vet (letting them know what you suspect before entering their premises). If it has fleas, use a topical flea treatment, and continue using flea treatments monthly for at least two years.
Poo is an excellent indicator of health and is often also used to communicate with you. When you scoop their poo, pay attention to sudden changes such as an abrupt change in smell, colour, or texture (sloppy). Take them to a vet if their butt is red/irritated (if they’re licking it a lot it’s itching or painful) or if they don’t seem to have control over their toileting. A lot of cats will have a mild reaction after vaccinations, worming, or while changing food but if their poo is watery they are seriously ill and at risk of dehydration and death. Also see a vet if they are straining or meowing before pooing.
Cats sometimes poo just outside the litter box if they have outgrown it, if the litter needs changing, or if they are stressed. If the litter stinks, there are not enough litter boxes, or they are very stressed, they may poo farther afield.
If your cat seems unwell, isn’t eating or drinking as much as usual (you can tell by the litter box if you can’t tell from the level of the food), isn’t grooming themselves properly, is gaining or losing weight, or isn’t as active as usual, there is probably something wrong. If they meow or flinch when patted they are likely to have a hidden wound (probably infected) and you should see a vet asap. If they spend a long time in your lap while still a kitten (without trying to play), if they seem weak, or if you can’t wake them up, it is an emergency and you need a vet to see them as soon as possible.
Most vets keep a daily slot open for emergencies, so if they are open try your usual vet first. If not, call Canberra Veterinary Emergency Services in Gungahlin on 6225 7257 and tell them what is happening. They will probably tell you to come in immediately.
It is possible for humans to get sick with toxoplasmosis, which is not a big deal unless you are pregnant or an infant. For this reason, pregnant women should never be involved in cleaning litter, litter trays, or anything that might have litter on it.
Cat politics
Cats are (believe it or not) social animals, often forming large and coherent colonies in the wild. Within a household, you are part of their colony… but you’re generally known to be a big but clumsy predator. An adult cat’s usual reaction to a kitten is terror. Kittens LOOK adorable, but in the right circumstances they can do a shocking amount of damage. They also have more energy than older cats, which makes them more powerful in some ways. However kittens are usually very curious and affectionate, and they tend to act very submissive to the bigger cat. As they age they may decide they’d like to be the boss and you may get complicated politics as the cats wrangle for dominance. Sometimes they will outright fight each other. Other times they will provoke each other in subtler ways, such as deliberately sitting in places that are the favourite spots of the other cat (possibly on your lap). Your job is to make sure they’re both getting all the love and attention (and food) they need. If they fight with real violence, eg drawing blood, you can try Feliway to calm them but you may need expert help. If they’re incredibly passive aggressive about it all, don’t worry. The competition probably keeps them from getting bored.
In a household with more than one cat, they may poo much more than usual if they are in one of these battles for dominance. It may help to have more litter trays or to use Feliway.
Bits and Pieces
Many cats throw up quite often, about once a month. That is a normal part of their digestive process. It is worth telling a vet at their regular checkup, especially if it is a new thing for you. If they throw up more often, it usually means something is wrong. In my household, it usually means Zoom (pictured) has managed to get into the kitten food again.
Some cats prefer humans to cats, and some prefer cats to humans.
Some cats are more cuddly than playful, and some are more playful than cuddly.
Cats often eat plants, so it is worth googling your plants to see if they are toxic to cats (the list is long).
I’ve also found that some kittens totally change personality within six months! So if you want a particular personality, you’re better off adopting a cat that is at least a year old.
Every group of kittens I look after seems to have one specific issue. One litter was obsessed with electrical cords; one would go ballistic if you tried to give them a pill; another litter was extremely loud and would complain if they were in a room alone; etc.
Medium or long-haired cats are gorgeous, yes. You’ll need to brush them at least once a week (sometimes daily). They will still shed about twice as much as any other cat. And, sooner or later, a poo will most likely get stuck to their butt and you will have to deal with it (either that or regularly trim their butts). So, choose wisely.
Most foster agencies will take back a kitten and refund the adoption fee if you change your mind within two weeks of adoption, for example if you discover that your child is allergic to cats or one of your other pets absolutely hates them. (It takes much more than two weeks for cats to adjust to a new cat in their home, but there should be at least a little bit of progress eg the original cat starts off running from the room when it sees the new cat, and has gotten to the point where it will sit on a very high shelf and suspiciously watch the new cat while sometimes hissing at it.) Please note that even two weeks can make a difference to a cat’s ability to be adopted (everyone wants the youngest possible cat) so don’t treat it as a free kitten rental service. These are living, vulnerable creatures. Moving houses is also very stressful for them.
If you adopt a cat and find your other pets absolutely will not accept it, that is an excellent reason to give up the new cat. Your older pets should always be the priority. However, if they are hissing at each other after two weeks there is still hope for them to accept each other. Hissing is not violence, but communication, meaning, “Stay back!” I also find that when cats are ALMOST used to each other they will play together with an edge eg they will wrestle hard, hiss a lot, and stalk each other. If their claws are sheathed, this kind of play is probably okay. They are sorting out dominance without actually hurting each other. But they should definitely be supervised closely.
Inside cats usually live about twenty years, so think carefully about where you will be in five years, ten years, fifteen years, and twenty years. It is sometimes difficult to find a rental if you have a pet, and it is very difficult to find a new home for a cat, especially if it is over a year old (with every week over twelve weeks, it gets much harder to find a home). Are you willing to give up a great rental because your cat can’t come with you? What if you are offered a job posting overseas? What happens if you have a child ten years from now?
If you give up your cat when it is no longer a kitten, it is more likely than not that they will be put down.
If you are okay with that, you should not get a pet.
Things to ask your foster carer
- When was their last parasite treatment, what brand was used, and did they have a reaction?
- Did they have a reaction to a vaccine? When is their next vaccine due?
- What is their personality? Are they vocal? Do they prefer humans or cats? Are they unusually energetic or unusually snuggly? What is their favourite type of toy? Are they an escape artist? Are they obedient or naughty?
- What is their most annoying habit (there’s always something)?
- How do they handle unfamiliar cats/dogs/children/people (if known)?
- Have they ever been unwell? (Childhood illnesses can weaken them permanently.)
- What food are they eating, and do they get sick when their food is changed?
- Have they ever had a toileting accident?
- Do they travel well?
- How do they behave at the vet?
If you appreciate the work I do, please help me keep doing it! At the time of writing (mid-August 2025) I need $1800 to let me keep going after my current group of kittens is adopted.
Here is the link to my ongoing GoFundMe: thank you so much
Houses & Fashion Part Three
Not only do I have a few more strongly-held opinions to share, the house I thought was so perfect (55 Annabelle View Coombs) has been knocked off its pedestal!
As you can see, it’s somewhat boxy-looking, and the driveway is very steep (probably scrape-the-bottom-of-your-car steep, honestly).
Here’s my new improved dream house, 16 Chaloupka St Whitlam.
As you can see, it is an extremely grand mansion. Embarrassingly so, I would say.
That impression is very much continued within the house, with feature walls of colourfully veined marble and several obvious luxuries like super-high ceilings and an internal balcony from the upstairs sitting room to the living/kitchen (which is not just for luxury, but for holding yelled conversations between floors, which I guarantee we would do daily). And a front entrance murder hole. Lovely! And even a wooden ceiling in the family room, which is very pretty and super high (necessary, or a wooden roof feels claustrophobic).
Annabelle View is a wee bit ugly, but could be painted on. Chaloupka St has nice texture (and a full-length feature rock wall on the right hand side of the portico) and the main flaw is that it is so obviously big and fancy. Oh, and the front steps are stupid (the ‘natural’ rocks look tacked on and the white steps are very slippery when wet). Winner of first impressions: Chaloupka.
Annabelle View has a lovely murder hole, but Chaloupka St has a murder hole AND an internal balcony. Winner: Chaloupka.
Chandelier-wise I’m not passionately in love with either of the murder hole light fittings. I like the one at Annabelle View slightly better, but Chaloupka gets bonus points for having a matching-but-even-bigger chandelier in the family room. Winner: Dead Heat.
So let’s talk style!
Annabelle View’s bathrooms make me sigh over the classic error of having marble floors and marble walls, like so:
The effect could be calmed down considerably with nice plain bath mats. It’s not super offensive.
At Chaloupka St, there is a slight pattern on the walls and floor, but it’s barely there. The marble benches are dramatic. They’re possibly a little over-dramatic, but I could definitely handle living in a house (ahem… mansion) designed by someone who decorates like a 90s goth girl heavily into theatre. I was never goth, but I was always goth-adjacent. And I was always theatrical as f*ck.
This is the ensuite bathroom. The marble bench wraps around into the walk-through wardrobe, which is kind of cool except the designers really should have put a door there (eye-roll). There are four skylights, all showing real sky. You can see one at the corner of the WIR. There’s one over the toilet, one over the shower, and one over the bath. Which is actually excellent, because it fills the entire space with natural light AND the one kind of window that doesn’t need a privacy covering. And yes, there’s room for a spa bath (and I could lie back and look at the sky, which is so very very cool). The shelves that look curved really are curved, which I love. Sadly it’s the only curve in the house. But there IS a curve!
Sidebar: Double sinks are super fashionable at the moment. I think they’re silly, but reasonably rational (useful for two people brushing teeth at the same time and not wanting to spit on each other).
The taps in this photo are in a material that is SO fashionable at the moment; a kind of gold/copper look thing. I sort of like it, for the slight steampunk vibe. But I sort of don’t. (I know, weird. I don’t quite have a strong opinion, except for my usual aversion to anything so popular.) My mum and sister have that style in their houses, which of course gives me positive associations.
So, bathroom style: Chaloupka wins.
(Ooh! The toilets all seem to have heated seats and to automatically lift the lid as you walk in. That is a little silly but also cool. The really brilliant thing is that at least one sink tap has a motion sensor. Hurrah for hygiene!)
In terms of bathrooms, Chaloupka st is perfect on the ground floor: There is an ensuite for the master room; another bedroom with an ensuite (perfect for fostering kittens – it even has a shelf in the shower, and so does the ensuite); and a powder room (for humans to use). Which means that upstairs should have the main bathroom.
It doesn’t.
There is NO main bathroom. For some bizarre reason, the upstairs of Chaloupka st has THREE ENSUITES. It would make an excellent share house, but surely that’s not what this house is intended for!?! I guess it’s for teens that don’t want to share a bathroom with anyone else.
I have decided that one of those ensuites should be converted to a kitchenette (remove toilet and add a bench and you’re good to go), and at least one of the others needs to be converted into the ‘main’ bathroom so that everyone can access it easily (find a place to put another door into it).
The last ensuite room might be handy as an emergency cat room one day, so I’ll leave that one alone.
With an upstairs kitchen, we could divide the house into two fully-functional houses. Always useful.
Annabelle View has only one downstairs toilet, which would be the cat toilet. So Chaloupka wins on this one, big time, even though six bathrooms is seriously too many even for us.
Here’s the Annabelle View floor plan. The most notable thing is that downstairs would basically be for work (both my cat fostering and my husband’s home office) and special things (like watching movies in the theatre room), and upstairs is for living/kitchen/bedrooms.
Here’s the floor plan for 16 Chaloupka St Whitlam. Can you tell what one key thing makes this house MUCH better than Annabelle View?
Did you spot it?
Downstairs has everything I need: the master bedroom, the kitchen/living, and the cat room (aka Bed 5). Upstairs has a beautiful sitting room (which I could visit any time I was healthy enough), two rooms for the kids, and a room for Chris’s home office.
In short, Chaloupka St doesn’t need a lift. Ding ding ding! That’s a winner baby! And if someone in the family other than me develops mobility issues, we can move them into the study. The study is of course perfect for Lizzie’s study, but if we need it for something else we can make an adorable study nook under the stairs (which are open).
Now, can you tell what one thing is better in Annabelle View than Chaloupka St?
Chaloupka doesn’t have a windowless library room (“gym”). Sad! We’d probably put quite a few books in the theatre room, and also just all over the place around the house. We can survive without a designated library room. It’s a tiny bit sad not to have our own library, so Annabelle wins on this one.
Annabelle’s theatre room has about 10 plush chairs in it, and Chaloupka St has “only” four. So Chaloupka wouldn’t be nearly as well suited to medium-sized film events (only small film events). However, honestly I’d usually feel more comfortable watching stuff with four chairs for the four people that actually live in the house. Easier to heat, too. Conclusion: Another dead heat. (Chaloupka street has cool tiny starry lights in the ceiling, which I like too). It has a window, which is bad for screens but it has a gorgeous view, so it’s worth it.
Annabelle View technically wins on the ‘best view’ front but only because the reserve is literally across the road (and has a river, which is wonderful… but also probably a flood and bug hazard). The view from Chaloupka St is truly spectacular. It is on a corner with Maymuru St, which is 100% the best and highest street in Whitlam. Chaloupka St also has views in two directions instead of just one. And it has pretty rocks on the near hillside. The view from the kitten room is particularly exquisite even from the ground floor. And the sitting room is oriented perfectly to frame the view. I literally just want to sit there. Winner: Annabelle, but barely. And the view from the master bedroom looks over the backyard pool (excellent) plus some bonus hills in the distance—while also being private. Impressive.
I think the master bedroom’s privacy can even out the reserve proximity, making this a dead heat again. Which is AMAZING because this is the view from Annabelle View:
Even I can hardly believe Chaloupka St (or anywhere) can equal THAT.
Flooring-wise, Chaloupka wins again. It has hybrid floors instead of wood (safer for my unco family) AND the kitchen and bathrooms are tiled (YAY for common sense).
The walk-in pantry at Chaloupka St has a double sink and dishwasher, and the bench has one sink (an unusually big one, which is cool).
Speaking of the kitchen, remember our 90s goth girl theatre kid designer? Observe her taste at play:
That’s my drama queen.
Oh! I forgot to mention. The walk-in pantry has a glass door leading outside. ie it has a window AND a door. Perfection. And that left-hand wall in the kitchen pic above is SO GOOD for back-friendly storage (and plenty of it). The fridge is in that wall too… hiding.
I adore that the pool is very much on show from the family room and from the master bedroom (and from the upstairs balcony). And from the front entrance. (Which, incidentally, is so big and so nice that it would be the ‘customer space’ for Tabby Time Cat Encounters.) This also means that the pool is almost sort of inside. With a gazebo and some blinds, it would be enclosed enough to be used year-round (I think). However, it is definitely not a swim spa. (The solution to this is to buy a separate swim spa and put it in the alfresco area.) It is also solar heated. And 7m long. With a waterfall. Pool Winner: Chaloupka.
There are three errors on the floor plan for Chaloupka St. First, the fireplace is on the wall, not in the middle of the meals/rumpus area (good.. also, fireplaces are cool). Second, the upstairs balcony does NOT have a glass floor (great). Third, there is no laundry chute. Sad! We opened the narrow cupboards downstairs and upstairs, and found shelves. Which is cute, but not NEARLY as cute as a laundry chute. We could either use it as an actual laundry chute (fun) or as a secret passageway for the cats to climb up. So I hope that the ‘floor’ of the upstairs cupboard is really just another detachable shelf. That would be so cool!
Location-wise, Chaloupka St Whitlam is obviously closer to our West Belco community (including schools), but not as close to Chris’s work. However, it’s a lot closer to Chris’s work than West Belconnen. He’d save about 20 minutes per work day riding his bike, but actually lose time taking the bus I think. And the nearest bus stop is much farther away, which would be annoying for both him and the kids. Although it’s only 400m away so it’s not a total disaster. Car-wise, Chaloupka St is fantastic—very close to the Glenloch interchange, William Hovell Dr, and Coppins Crossing Road (which has a new name now for most of its length, but whatever). It’s not as close to Evelyn Scott School, but if the new William Hovell roadworks include decent bike paths then it would still be possible for the kids to ride to school (whether to their current schools, Hawker schools, or Evelyn Scott school). So, the location is a dead heat again. Mostly thanks to being able to keep Hawker as an option for high school and college (probably).
Huh. I really thought Annabelle would win that one.
Oh! Annabelle View has gravelly spaces all along the street, where people could park (although they usually park on the street). Chaloupka street has trees planted on those areas, so much less parking… but on Maymuru St there is some parallel parking, which is obviously very useful. I reckon Annabelle wins, but only just.
Let’s talk laundries!
Ninety percent of laundries these days have a great bench… that doesn’t allow for top-loaders at all. This sucks, as top-loaders are often (not always) easier for people with bad backs, and always easier for absent-minded people (who can pause the load to add their favourite bra which they forgot to add because they were wearing it). The laundry at Chaloupka doesn’t have ANY floor space for a washing machine… because it has SHELF space. It’s designed to have the washer and dryer slightly raised off the ground (about 20cm), which is actually brilliant if it works. (It still wouldn’t fit our top loader, but I’d put the top loader in the garage and use it for cat stuff only, buying a new front loader for human clothes.) The Annabelle laundry is massive which is cool, but the Chaloupka one should work well too (and Annabelle has very slippery marble floor, which is dumb). They both have external doors, where a cat flap to an outside cat run should go. So, a dead heat I think.
Both houses fail to have a door to the master ensuite, which is dumb. They both have over-sized master bedrooms, which is great. Annabelle has two WIRs, which is cool, but Chaloupka St has those cute curved shelves, plus skylights, plus lots of silly but actually slightly useful features, like a pop-out mirror. And Chaloupka’s ensuite is bigger, which is important for that spa bath (and it makes a door less important as the shower steam is a long way away from the cupboard. BUT the door to the toilet is glass! Ew! Incorrect!) Although Annabelle has a door to the balcony which was eminently practical. Chaloupka has no good path from the pool to a shower: every path takes you over the hybrid floor. So we’d need a lot of really good bath mats, I guess. We can handle that. The living room is tiled, so that’s good for hosting kids’ parties without wrecking the wooden floor with moisture.
Chaloupka St has another emphatic win: Annabelle View has an energy rating of only four stars. Which is good, but not for such a new house. Chaloupka St has an energy rating of seven… even without window coverings in the foyer. That is a big win and very important.
Chaloupka St claims to be disability friendly, and I’m not sure why. The benches in two of the showers? The generous size of the many bathrooms? The wooden/textured walls in some places (good for the Hard of Hearing)? All those things are definitely good, but not enough to call the whole house accessible. There are two steps up from the garage, and loads of steps to the front door, so it’s certainly not wheelchair accessible. There’s no ramp or hoist for the pool. There’s no railings in the bathrooms. So, I’m confused. But very curious.
Neither house has a cat run. Tsk, tsk.
Neither has a spa bath or spa. (We have our beloved portable spa, but no inflatable pool will live forever.)
So those three things would need to be added, starting with a cat run because Zipper (our older cat) refuses to use litter but is willing to fertilise a garden. Both Zipper and Zoom would NOT adjust to being fully inside. Whitlam is a cat containment area, which is a good thing. Cats are so bad for native animals! And they need to stop breeding, too—every foster organisation everywhere is over-run.
Foster kittens like Turtle (pictured) would enjoy a cat run, but they don’t actually need one.
I’d end the blog there, but…
I actually had a very odd experience with this house. I was looking at houses online, and 16 Chaloupka St Whitlam came up as a new listing. It had a price of $450,000-$2,000,000 (huh?) and instead of a description it had details about a grand opening for the display home. That grand opening happened in December last year.
I figured it was an ex-display home now for sale, and someone forgot to write a proper description. It seemed to indicate that it was still open on weekends, but it wasn’t clear. I caved and emailed to ask for clarification (they still haven’t replied).
Then, it vanished. First from allhomes, then realestate and then others. It’s still on Domain at the time of writing but I imagine they’ll remove it soon.
Chris used to look at display homes in Whitlam, but he said he definitely hadn’t seen it (even though he loves a house with a pool and/or a view).
I drove past it yesterday, and was pleased to see that it definitely does exist in the physical world.
Today I rocked up at 10am, hopeful. The pool waterfall was on, but all the lights were off. There was a display house sign, but no one else around.
It was raining. The street looked abandoned.
However, there were fresh muddy footprints leading up to the front door, and away again. Sneakers, so probably not a real estate agent. Someone else, like me, was trying to get inside.
I tried the door, and it was locked.
I tried the phone number on the sign and—surprisingly—someone answered! He said it would be open in an hour. So I went home, collected Chris, and went back. And we saw it! All of it! Actually, it was really nice to see it together.
Assuming it wasn’t all just a shared hallucination.
The real estate agent said it’ll officially be for sale in a few months, and they’re “accepting offers now”. So someone posted it by mistake I suppose. It’s real, and he assured me it isn’t sold yet.
I reckon the $450,000 figure is how much it would cost to build this house elsewhere, and the $2,000,000 is the approximate amount it’ll actually sell for.
Just don’t try and find it online—outside of the builder’s web site, here.
Pretty water! Yay!
Houses & Fashion Part Two
The two most prevalent fashions inside new houses these days are:
- Having a connected kitchen and living area (and usually the dining area too). As someone who gets up to fetch snacks during a movie, I love this. The down sides are: Firstly that kitchens are messy and this layout makes that mess very public. Secondly, kitchens are noisy (jugs, dishwashers, mixers, etc). To me it’s worth it.
2. Marble. I don’t hate marble, but there is SO MUCH and in my opinion it should never be on more than one surface in a room. And, more importantly, it should never EVER be used for flooring. It’s too smooth. Black marble is clearly ‘super classy’ in the minds of some designers (or just black generally). It’s certainly super dramatic, which I generally like, but it’ll show dirt way too clearly and (for those who care about that sort of thing) it will 100% date the house to this precise era. Despite this, a shocking number of bathrooms have marble floors AND floor-to-ceiling marble tiles. It’s too much!
This bathroom brilliantly manages to combine all the most extreme trends into one face-slapping monstrosity.
Not only does it look revolting, it’s so reflective that it’s a little like trying to navigate one’s way through a goth mirror ball. It’s genuinely dangerous (especially if you have to take your glasses off to shower, and therefore can’t see very well in the bathroom). But at least when you smack your face into the shiny shiny walls you’ll know it was fashion that killed you.
The trend of floor to ceiling tiles is good, however. It’s practical in a bathroom, and I appreciate it. Ditto the ‘floating’ vanity thing—SO much easier to clean than the vanity with an annoying gap on one or both sides.
Another trend related to the two items above is the trend to have a walk-in pantry. It’s obviously related to the trend (several decades old) of having a walk-in wardrobe, especially in the master bedroom.
When I first started looking at houses, I was dead-set against WIRs. I hate all corner cupboards! Corners are bad! I love a kitchen where people have carefully designed it so there are no corner kitchens (eg by using that corner space for a cupboard facing in the other direction). I am very large and very uncoordinated (to a medical degree) and it hurts for me stand up for more than about twenty seconds. So (a) the slight awkwardness of retrieving something from a corner cupboard can turn to a dangerous ordeal (think I can’t seriously injure myself doing a simple task? Think again), and (b) if I’m in a WIR and someone else wants to access their clothes, I am trapped in a standing position until they move, which means they are directly causing me pain. This is not helpful for family relationships as I feel like I’m getting tortured.
There are some enormous WIRs out there, and I’ve been won over. Some have chairs, which is excellent. Some are so big they have a table in the middle for wanky white guys to display their cuff links and/or watches. Those I hate: it’s a barrier to movement, and if there isn’t a full metre of space between the table and the cupboards then I’m claustrophobic again.
I really like WIRs with a window, open shelves, and full-length hanging space.
WIRs are often used as a buffer zone between the bedroom and the ensuite, which is excellent because ensuites turn real nasty real fast if your loving lady wife is laying bricks loudly exactly 70cm from where you’re trying to sleep. In my view, the perfect main bedroom has a ‘flat’ cupboard with the ensuite behind it, like this:
In practice, Chris and I hang most of our clothes on hooks. We like to be able to glance at them all (and I get tangled up in coat-hangers with remarkable speed). So for us the cupboard would have shelves for part of it, but no doors. Doors get in the way.
(The trend to leave doors off an ensuite, however, is simply wrong. Ew. For hygiene reasons, and for steam-from-the-shower-getting-into-your-carpet-and-clothes reasons.)
I spend a LOT of time in bed, so ideally the master bedroom has a nice view (so I can feel less imprisoned if I’m bed-bound) and total privacy ie the window is into the yard, not the street. And/or maybe tinted? That would be super cool.
In a perfect world, every single bathroom in every single house is wheelchair accessible. But even the most luxurious bathrooms rarely are. So at least the main toilet and bathroom should be—for guests, if nothing else. Because disabled people shouldn’t have to request a detailed floor plan to decide if they can visit their friends’ houses. And because everyone who lives long enough WILL BECOME DISABLED. Having at least one fully accessible bathroom in every home should be international law.
Going back to the topic of walk-in pantries… at first I hated them. More corners, bleaugh! But I have warmed to them, because you can put the noisy devices in them AND your dishwashing sinks and dishwasher… and then suddenly the kitchen’s noisiness AND mess is magically much improved. More importantly, if the walk-in-pantry has a door that looks like the rest of the cupboards, it’s a secret room. Every house should have a secret room!
I once saw a walk-in-pantry that had a door to the laundry room at the other end. I liked that a LOT because it would massively reduce my claustrophobia. Plus I adore circuits in a house. The more circuits the better. A window in the walk-in pantry is very helpful (for my anxiety) too.
A lot of modern kitchens have an island bench, which I love. It’s a barrier to stop people wandering willy-nilly into my space (I get super stressed cooking because there is time pressure plus the claustrophobia thing, plus pain from standing… even though I also love cooking). It also naturally gives me an escape route: if someone comes around one side, I can exit the other way.
Some island benches have the main sink on them, which is bad. It means all the dishes would be on the bench, virtually on display (and making it useless as a working surface). However, having a non-dishes sink there is great. Handy for grabbing a glass of water or washing hands. Assuming one can train one’s family not to put their dishes directly into that sink.
I HATE island peninsulas, because of course anything that makes me more trapped in the kitchen is bad.
Kitchen floors should probably have tiles (ditto bathrooms). Three-quarters of my immediate family is both uncoordinated and has medical-grade memory issues (eg ADHD). So yes, we will spill water. And yes, no matter how hard we try, we will not always remember to mop it up immediately.
I adore wooden-look floors, AND they’re not as cold as tiles, which is excellent. It’s particularly important as my daughter is not super in touch with her own body so her feet get extremely cold but she usually refuses to wear shoes, slippers, or socks because of sensory issues. She’s so unaware of her own cold feet that she gets chilblains! Not okay! So MAYBE whatever the very very best non-vinyl (because vinyl feels cold) wood-looking floor is would be best for our kitchen/living/hall.
(Most bedrooms have carpet, which is usually good unless you want to use them for someone who has severe mobility issues, as the friction of carpet makes movement a lot harder.)
I’d also like that fake-wood floor surface for my cat rooms, because cats look GORGEOUS on wooden floors… but they also spill water, throw up, etc a lot so it needs to be extremely waterproof and able to be mopped. (Carpet holds a lot of sins, including the incredibly resilient ringworm fungus, so it’s a very bad choice for a cat-fostering or cat-encounter space.)
So! A perfect kitchen has waterproof yet warm floors, an island bench with a sink, and a large walk-in-pantry with a secret back entrance, window, dishwasher, noisy devices, and dishwashing sink (and it had better be a double sink with a draining space because that’s the most practical thing).
A perfect master bedroom has a cupboard in between the room and the ensuite, so the toilet is as far away as possible while still being close. I like a high window that lets in light (and a view of the sky) without anyone being able to see inside. And full privacy but with a great view from the bed. It should also be a reasonable distance from the living room, so other people’s TV watching doesn’t disturb you. That’s true of all the bedrooms, of course, but in my opinion kids’ rooms should be modestly sized (bigger for kids with ADHD or mobility issues) and not toooo nice because that just builds up expectations that may not be met when those kids grow up. Because one of the hardest things for my generation (elder Millennial) onwards is living in a house smaller than the house where we grew up. Being worse off than our parents despite doing the equivalent amount of work is incredibly depressing. Which is not the topic of this blog, thank goodness—too sad.
Moving on.
To me, the perfect bathroom (and kitchen) design has a pale floor, white walls, and feature tiles that should be blue or green or both (water colours for the bathroom; the kitchen should have a different colour palette), with a mixture of ceramic and glass. I love that. And I have almost that in my actual house, which was built in 2012. Sadly, this particular style has gone out of fashion.
When designers aren’t adding fake wood (which I love) or marble, or pure black to things, they are ALL ABOUT DAT BEIGE.
Which is boring. Obviously. Also obviously, they’re trying to create a ‘blank canvas’ so the homeowner can imagine themselves in the house. Which makes sense. And it’s super easy to paint over beige. But still, boring.
I personally adore feature walls, which still appear sometimes in modern houses. I love deep, rich, heady colours that are far too potent for a whole room. They’re also great for photos, of course.
Speaking of bathrooms, our house has ‘lever’ style taps, which are sort of really great because they’re super easy to turn on and off. But I’ve realised they require a different sort of finesse: you need to veeerrrry carefully not put the lever up too high, or it splashes everywhere. So actually they’re a bit dumb.
But the dumbest possible thing in a bathroom is having a glass shower door that opens directly onto the door handle of the bathroom. (To be fair, we have this in our house and we haven’t shattered the shower door yet, even after twelve years, so yay us.)
I love:
*Wall niches.
*Internal ‘window’ holes from one room to another. (I love them even more outside, especially when they frame a view.)
*Arches, both inside and outside.
*Internal garages with two doors leading inside (options are fun and it instantly creates another circuit—and thus less claustrophobia, as getting in and out of the car is awkward and crowded and painful too). A double garage with one giant roller door is great, which I believe I mentioned last entry.
*Fabric walls. This is a rare and weird trend which is silly as the cats would shred them… but the cats would have so much fun climbing the walls, AND it’s great for people who are hard of hearing as fabric dulls sound. Hard to clean, though.
*More sinks. Sometimes it’s a kitchenette, sometimes it’s a sink niche in a wall near the toilet, sometimes it’s a bonus section of kitchen slightly separated from the main kitchen, sometimes it’s a ‘bar’. I love them all. Partly for convenience, but mostly because any space with a sink can become an additional laundry and/or kitchen. It is GREAT to be able to divide a house into a flat that can accommodate an adult child who can’t move out yet but wants independence. Or that can be rented out for extra income. Or that can be used as emergency accommodation (during fires, or for newly-arrived refugees, etc). More sinks means more freedom.
*Round or arched windows. Not particularly practical, but awesome.
*Secret passageways. Strangely, these have not appeared in any of the houses I’ve seen. (Or were they there all along, but SECRET?!?)
*Curved walls. The “Arte” display home by Prof Homes (currently open in Denman Prospect) is really excellent, with curves both outside and inside. Even a vanity has curved edges, and I love it!
*Lofts. I love the feeling of being up high (although my body REALLY can’t handle stairs—and both my kids have hyper-mobility, so stairs are bad for them as well) and I love the funny little nooks you get at the top of stairs, and I love it when a living area has a room above it with an internal balcony. I also love a murder hole. In medieval castles, these holes overhang the entry so defenders can pour boiling oil over invaders. In modern foyers, there is often a double-height section which gives a feeling of grandeur but could also potentially be used to pour boiling oil on unwelcome guests. I love that! Both the grand foyer thing, and the hint of an ancient castle. It warms my fantasy-novel-writing heart. And would be terrible for the next time Canberra is the site of a major smoke event. I really like split-level rooms for that ‘high-up’ feeling as well, but they are so bad for me, because of the stairs—and they are really inefficient space-wise.
The Arte house does the loft thing really well, with a rumpus above the ‘formal’ lounge room. This is the view from on high:
I was finally resigned to refusing all dream houses with stairs when I discovered that Chris also adores stairs. So they’re back on the menu, boys! Of course that means I need a space for a lift, and a spare $100,000 or so to buy it. But cats also adore racing up and down stairs, which is fun.
The other option is to buy a single-level house on a steep block, so you enter the house from ground level but the back of the house is well above the ground (and with, one hopes, wonderful views from the back windows). It should have the front of the house facing south, too, so the back (and lots of big open windows) faces north.
*Chandeliers are cool. I really like the French/art deco ones. A lot of modern ones are tubed fluorescents in unusual shapes. I don’t really like them as the fluoros are too bright and can cause migraines for me. But I appreciate the creativity.
*They’re probably terrible energy-wise, but I love high ceilings, especially slanted, especially with high windows (north-facing, one hopes!) for indirect sunlight and glimpses of sky. I also LOVE skylights that show the sky.
*A lot of houses have an electric ‘fireplace’. I love that. The cats and kids would love it too.
*Quite a few houses have a ‘theatre’ room which I adore as we are an extremely screen-oriented family (sometimes it’s the only way to self-regulate the neurodiverse mind). A theatre room could also be a brilliant business space (cats & movies = perfection) or fundraising space (a movie fundraiser in my home would be quite cool and also extremely easy for me to run).
*Obviously, I love views. I have decided there are four types of views: City lights at night; greenery (eg a lovely enclosed backyard with great plants); hills (near enough to see trees and grass and maybe pretty rocks); water views (either a pool/water feature or an ocean, lake, or river); and mountains (distant grandeur that changes with weather conditions). My heart leaps when I see a pretty hillside, so that’s the most important type of view for me. I like a really nice tree too—lots of beauty for very little maintenance. And I’m obsessed with sunsets, so although west-facing windows are terrible for someone like me who’s super sensitive to heat… I want them. I have a portable spa outside in my real house which I use several times every week. Spas were originally invented for the relief of chronic pain, and they are GREAT. It also forces me to sit still for at least half an hour, without a screen. Just looking at the water makes me feel good, but I always face west (past our DIY cat space and the power lines) and cross my fingers and toes for a great sunset show. This is my happy place.
*I’m always enchanted by a pool, but I live in Canberra so it needs to be (a) heated, and ideally (b) literally inside. I guess the perfect pool has one of those roofs that can open and close, and cafe-style clear plastic blinds that can be down in winter (to keep heat in) and up in summer. And it should be a swim spa, so I could get actual exercise in there, but big enough for the kids to play in with their friends too. This was another idea that I’d decided was simply too silly until it turned out that Chris loves a house with a pool (“If we’re looking for a fantasy house, then it has to have a pool”). And yes, I’d like it to be visible from inside, because looking at water always lifts my spirits. With a fake waterfall over rocks! Bonus points if you can convince moss to grow there.
*And I want a spa bath, because although I still use our outside spa in winter I know it’s a huge energy drain to heat it up (the portable spa takes at least six hours to heat, so sometimes I’ll turn it on first thing in the morning but it still won’t get hot enough to use), and it’s VERY hard to get myself to get out of the spa when it’s super cold. Plus a spa means having to shower afterwards, whereas in a spa bath there’s no chlorine so I could actually just go to bed afterwards.
At the moment, my favourite house is 55 Annabelle View, Coombs. Coombs is a good suburb for us, as it’s close to Chris’s work in Woden. These days he spends at least two hours every work day going to and from work (either by bike—much kudos to him—or bus). It’s also close to his parents, which is a big plus as we see them at least once per week. And it’s still on the Western side of Canberra, so hopefully we wouldn’t lose our entire West Belco community.
It’s close to a high school (good for Tim) and in Primary Enrolment Area for a college that’s right next to Chris’s work. It would be weird for me to live on the South but I’ve done it before (we lived in Farrer when we first married). The Molonglo Valley district is funny because one suburb—Whitlam—is North side and the rest is South. There are bus stops on that street.
Anyway, it’s an enormous house which has a theatre and a pool and the most beautiful views ever. I think that hill is Bold Hill, and there are more to left and right. With bike paths, that we would all definitely use.
The Molonglo River is RIGHT THERE—this photo has the river on the right and the house (white) on the left. I think the gravel road is a fire access road. And there’s a half basketball court, which is awesome too! Tim got into shooting hoops during lockdown back in 2020, but of course our dinky little hoop is far too small for him now.
It’s somewhat boxy-looking, but I could have someone paint cats directly onto it, which would be cool. Assuming Chris let me, lol. It has a massive laundry (a great full-quarantine room) plus a large rumpus room which would be a great room for customers to meet cats, especially as it has a toilet nearby (I empty kitty litter about six times a day sometimes, and it’s very difficult to carry litter leavings through a door when kittens are clamouring for attention/escape) AND an upstairs guest room with ensuite (great for soft quarantine). Plus a large master bedroom with a huge ensuite (big enough for a spa bath MAYBE—the floor plan is wrong; there is no bath there so far) and huge windows looking at that amazing view. And a theatre room with a SINK (ie kitchen… which I’d use for washing cat dishes separately to human dishes… and as part of a separate flat when someone needed it). And it has a library room (the gym, which has no windows because it’s basically underground) with a wooden floor *swoon*. And a pool which I think is a swim spa. And two balconies, one of which has a door into the ensuite and is above the garage (so should be strong enough to hold a spa). And the kitchen has views of the pool, and a giant island bench, plus a pantry with sink and dishwasher. And the master bedroom has a his-and-hers WIR, which is excellent. And the garage is giant, which would be helpful for storing furniture for refugee families before they arrive in Canberra. It also has a really wide foyer with a murder hole and a chandelier which I quite like.
The flaws include a steep driveway, too much marble in the bathrooms, marble on the left-hand balcony (extremely slippery and stupid), and real wooden floors which are probably not moisture-resistant enough to handle my family (I’d put rubber-backed mats down in the kitchen to try to keep it safe). It needs a lift (I’d put one from the garage to Bed 4) and a spa bath. I don’t think the pool is heated (but it is possible to buy pool heaters for an existing pool). I’d also put a lockable door in the hall to the left of the stairs on the ground floor, so if we wanted to host refugees we could keep completely separate (traumatised people from other cultures who don’t speak English tend to be a lot of work and we would definitely accidentally mutually offend each other). The cat spaces have carpet, which isn’t ideal hygiene-wise but obviously that’s not a fatal flaw. The ‘living’ room would make a perfect study for Lizzie—separate from the main room’s noise, but also public enough that we’d be constantly walking past and seeing what she was doing/watching. It has three ovens (good for either a tiny bit of cooking or a lot—I’d love to host big events sometimes) and an ice maker (great because my kids love ice). The family/meals area is super spacious without feeling so big it’s cold.
This floor plan has a shocking number of mistakes. North is to the right, not up (good). There is a large front window in Bed 1 (good), and no bath in the ensuite (good). There is no joinery in the office. There is a sink in the WIP (good). The ‘bar’ in the theatre room only has benches along the walls, not sticking out (which is good). But you get the gist.
One of the cool things is that, because the block is steep, the balcony on the left is on the same level as the pool. I could hop in the pool for a swim, have a spa afterwards, and not get any of the wooden floors wet in the process (or have to navigate wet stairs).
So how much is this mansion of a home (including theatre, pool, epic views, and small-business spaces)? According to online calculations, it’ll sell for about $2.3 million.
Lucky I believe in miracles or that would be super depressing.
Beginner’s Interactive Fiction, Part Two: ChoiceScript in Half an Hour
“ChoiceScript” is a tool created by Dan Fabulich, used by the company Choice of Games. I am not associated or affiliated with Choice of Games in any way, but ChoiceScript is my preferred writing tool and I believe it is better suited to long-form stories than any other. It is simple enough for non-coders to use and complex enough to have a great range of clever tricks and features.
STEP ONE: Go to ChoiceOfGames.com, which looks like this (the feature story varies):
Click on “Make Your Own Games” (in the top row of tabs) and the next screen will look like this:
STEP TWO: Download ChoiceScript following their instructions on that page. For me it looks like a folder on my desktop.
STEP THREE: You will also need to have or install a text-only program such as Text. I use a power Mac and the text program I use is called Sublime Text. It is free (although I chose to purchase it after using it for a while).
STEP FOUR: When you download ChoiceScript, it has a small piece of story already set up for you, so you can begin writing by simply replacing their words with your own. To access it, open your ChoiceScript folder, then the “scenes” folder (highlighted in the first image below), then the “startup.txt” file (making sure it opens in your plain-text program). It may just be called “startup”.
Inside, you will see something like this (after scrolling down):
So that you can compare ChoiceScript with Twine, here is the exact scene we started writing in my Twine in Five Minutes entry—as it would appear in a ChoiceScript file. This is what it looks like in ChoiceScript after writing the first paragraph and first set of choices:
Note there are line numbers on the left. They will be extremely useful when you are debugging your story, as the automatic testers tell you what line your mistakes are on.
And this is what it looks like after we’ve added another choice INSIDE the second choice (the same choice we did in the Twine story). Readers only see the second pair of choices if they took the second path.
That’s as far as we got with our Twine story.
As you can see, indents are extremely important in ChoiceScript. So are the symbols “*” and “#”.
Note that the word “choice” is always written in lower case. This is true for all the commands that you will use in ChoiceScript.
Tip: Programs need precision. Commands must always be in the exact same form (no capital letters, ever, and usually no spaces). A tab or space in the wrong place can break your game.
This section of story won’t actually work yet. You need to tell the program where to go after a choice is made. Your options are to go somewhere else in the file (you can even go back to the start if you really really want) or to another file. In ChoiceScript, you have a new file for each chapter. You can even have entire scenes that are only read if certain choices are made. Usually, you end a chapter with “*finish”, and the story automatically goes to the next chapter.
So here’s the same story but with all the loose ends tied up. One choice leads to a unique scene. The other choice will go to the next chapter.
From here, you can test the story if you like. Click on “index.txt” (or “index”) from your original ChoiceScript folder and it will open up your story.
You may have to select the ChoiceScriot folder to run it. The story looks like this for the player:
STEP FIVE: Now might be a good time for a break.
Okay? Okay!
Go to the very first line of your “startup” file and you should see three commands, each marked by an asterisk.
*title
*author
*scene_list
Write in your title and your name, with normal capitalisation, like this:
*title Pirates!
*author Felicity Banks
Your scene list is the list of… well, scenes. You can easily add to it at any time. I tend to use numbers, with some part of the title so they’re different to all my other stories. If I have ‘special’ scenes I’ll give them special names. The scene list tells the program what you want included, and in what order. They have to be lower case, with no spaces, and numbers must be written out in full. The first scene must still be called “startup.txt”. That can never be changed. Here’s an example scene list for a story that has four opening chapters and three final chapters.
STEP SIX:
Now we get to the use of statistics—the mechanism the program uses to keep track of the choices made by the player. THIS is what makes ChoiceScript so useful. Don’t worry—you don’t have to do ANY maths.
In the second set of choices above, both “Get off the ship—NOW!” and “Take a moment to fix a direction while I’m above the waterline.” go directly to the next scene. So, what was the point of that choice?
As writers, we should add some text to the choice to make it more worthwhile. But we can do more than that—we can establish through the text that the player character gains an advantage and/or a disadvantage from this choice.
FIRST we need to invent the stats we want. In startup, after the scene list, we invent our stats and their starting value like this:
*create faster_swim 0
*create punched 0
Writing Tip: You may automatically invent familiar statistics, like Health, or Strength, or Beauty, or Intelligence. But Choice of Games loves unique and interesting stats, like “Disdain” or “Drunkenness” or “Introversion”.
Then, in our choice, we can change the value of those two statistics, like this:
Later (probably in the next chapter but it may not make a difference for several chapters), when we want to show the results of those statistical changes, we do it like this:
The player who chose to look around before jumping overboard gets this text:
The water is shockingly cold and shockingly dark. You get your bearings and face towards that one glimpse you had of land, carefully noting the position of the sun since the ship is not going to remain a convenient marker. It is impossible to see the land, so you’re glad you took that moment to look around before you jumped, even if you can feel your eye swelling shut.
You swim, setting a steady pace since it won’t be a short journey. Your eye is throbbing, so you tell yourself the rhythm is handy.
The sun moves slowly, slowly across the sky, and finally you can actually see land blurring the horizon ahead.
Something brushes against your leg.
The player who didn't look around before jumping overboard gets this text:
The water is shockingly cold and shockingly dark.
You swim, setting a steady pace since it won’t be a short journey.
The sun moves slowly, slowly across the sky, and even when it sets you still can’t see any sign of land. You’ll be spending the night on the open ocean.
Something brushes against your leg.
Note the commands "*goto" and "*label". That pair of commands are extremely useful. Note also the command "*else". If you use an "*if" command, you also need the "*else" command to tell the program "continue here".
These two stats (“faster_swim” and “punched”) are boolean stats, meaning they are merely yes/no. Most stats are much more flexible, which gives your player the ability to build up skills or rapport or even their personality in a series of choices throughout the story.
You create non-boolean stats in the same way; by the “*create” command just under your scene list, and a numerical starting value. Often you have a starting value of zero, but for some statistics you might start with 50 (50%) to indicate a neutral starting position (so you can add OR SUBTRACT from that statistic) or some other value. Here’s an example.
First, you make the statistic.
*create swordfighting 0
Then, you create opportunities for the player to gain that statistic.
Later, you can test them, like this:
You can also vary a test to see if a player is unskilled, slightly skilled (has chosen swordfighting skill at least once), or extremely skilled (has chosen swordfighting skill at least twice), like this:
Note that you cannot use “*if” twice in a row. You need to use “*if” then “*elseif” then “else”.
Let’s imagine that instead of swordfighting, this “skill” was how well the player got on with a character named Agoye. This statistic started at 50%, with Agoye feeling neutral towards the player. Depending on the player choices, Agoye may hate them (due to choices that set the agoye statistic with a – instead of a +), love them, or continue feeling neutral. Here’s how a scene might play out towards the end of the game:
Note the command “*ending” which of course indicates an ending.
Writing Tip: In Choice of Games stories, your player must get about three-quarters of the way through the story before dying. “Bad” endings should also be well-written, so the player who chooses to lose on purpose still has a great story experience.
The brilliant thing about statistics is that seemingly minor choices along the way can slowly build up a statistic so that when tested, the player can win or lose in a dramatic (and earned) fashion. Some choices will branch off into unique scenes, but a lot of them will just have a line or two of unique text and/or a statistic. That means they remain meaningful choices without the writer actually going mad writing 100,000 different scenes in each chapter.
STEP SEVEN:
There is one more kind of stat that is important to Choice of Games, and relatively simple to do in ChoiceScript. This is the set of stats that lets a player choose their name and gender. These are boolean stats that include specific text. They are created in the same place as all the other stats—just below the scene list in the “startup” file.
*create name “”
*create he “he”
*create him “him”
*create his “his”
Here is the choice of name (including giving the player the option to type in literally any name they like), and then how to use it. Even though the name is coded is in lower case, using the exclamation mark means it will be capitalised for the reader.
With pronouns, you usually don’t want them capitalised, so it looks like this:
Note that I’ve used male pronouns as the base code. That’s because they’re more straightforward.
Note also that if you include non-binary pronouns (Choice of Games is very focused on diversity—and it’s a kind thing to do—so I recommend it) the grammar will sometimes not work, so you may have to rephrase some sentences.
Eg. you can say, “I took him to the shops” just fine in the various genders (“I took her to the shops”; “I took them to the shops”) but you can’t get, “That dog is his” to work, because “That dog is their” is incorrect.
The distinctions are subtle, so definitely get a native English speaker to check your work!
It is possible to avoid using pronouns for an entire story (I’ve done it) but it’s not easy and it tends to feel awkward to the reader.
Writing Tip: Speaking of gender, Choice of Games also expects you to have a roughly equal number of male and female characters. They will appreciate characters who are non-binary or otherwise gender diverse, too. And every other kind of diversity (IF it is done well! Harmful stereotypes are not appreciated, and if you’re writing about a minority group you don’t know very well then there will be a lot of stereotypes you don’t even realise you hold). You can get Sensitivity Readers, but it’s harder to get them for interactive fiction than regular fiction, and you can’t rely on Sensitivity Readers to fix everything. Also, if your entire plot is offensive then you can’t fix that.
The type of statistic you used to set the player character’s name can be used for other things too. In my cat breeding game, the player can type in unique names for every single kitten.
Felicity Banks 