Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Inside The Door Crack


Hi everyone, Katie here.

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement.  Those of you that have experienced a kitten invasion and lived to tell, well you know.

Glogirly has my number. I may look all cuddly and sweet on the outside, but I'm really kind of a diva. I know... shocking, isn't it?  She knew that in order to avoid certain warfare, a gradual (and do I EVER mean gggrrrraaaaaaadduuuaaaallll) introduction was necessary.

When Waffles Too came home he immediately checked in to the Kitten Hotel. You know, MY bedroom with MY toys, MY scratching post... The door stayed shut for about 36 hours. Glogirl thought she could fool me, but I knew what was going on. She was sneaking into the kitten room, having parties with Waffles Too. I could hear them whooping it up late into the night.
























The next step was the infamous *door crack.* Glogirly wanted us to actually SEE each other without being able to get in each other's faces. I guess she thought we might want to play patty cake through the crack. Yeah, right.


Here's how she rigged things up.

She got this rubber doorstop thing as a giveaway at Barkworld. She almost threw it away, thinking she'd NEVER have a use for it. Too bad.

It attaches to the side of a door to keep it from completely closing, creating a crack about 1 inch wide.

You can see it in action below.



























Next she grabbed a bungee cord from the garage and hooked one end to the outside of the kitten room doorknob and the other to a door hinge in the neighboring powder room.  This created enough tension (as if there wasn't enough already) so that neither Waffles Too nor I could move the door. How do I know this?  I tried.

Waffles was all "Um, Mew, Um, Mew, Mew, Mew, Um" and stuck his paw through the crack. That is until I let him know how I felt about it. One nicely articulated hiss and Waffles went silent. FINALLY. I didn't even have to use my paws. He knew who was boss.

We exchanged a couple of low drawn-out growls. (Have you ever heard a kitten growl?  Even *I* had to bite my lip to keep from laughing)  Waffles then remained silent and kept his paws to himself. After a 20 minute stare-down, I got bored and left. But I remained *on guard* just a few feet away from the door.

Glogirly had also placed my food near his door. Sheesh...a kitty can't even EAT in peace around here. She said something about creating a positive experience around the door. I've got news for you, Glogirly...a positive experience would be taking that non-stop mewing machine back to where he came from.




Eventually when I realized he wasn't coming out, I went back to my normal napping activities.  I even played with Glogirly & Gloman later that night, although not as robustly as usual.

We did this song and door crack dance for a few days. Until...


COMING UP NEXT:  The Door Opens 


49 comments:

  1. Geeze, kittens these days! When I was a kitten I was sweet and respectable, and I of course was a delight to Inigo.

    (note from Rumblemum: Rumbles has a very different recollection of his kitten-dom...)

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  2. You did good Katie! You show that meowing, growling, hissing rascal who the boss is!!!!
    Must admit though, he does look alot like Waffles! Can't you think of him as your next intern?

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  3. Yes we have heard kittens growl. Gemini growled at the woman right after she found her. She'd walk into the bathroom where she was to bring in food and Gemini would growl and hiss. Then the woman would put kitten food on her finger and Gemini would practically bite it off. Then she'd come out and start to purr as she put her tiny little paws in the food dish because she couldn't reach the food otherwise. Yes, kitten growls make us laugh. I am glad you are showing him who is boss right now. From the first. Cause brothers can be difficult.

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  4. Oh my! The suspense is killin us! We just know you will come out on top, Katie. Divas always do. XOXO

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  5. Poor Waffles Too stuck all alone in the bedroom.

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  6. Good girl, Katie. You can be the boss! We're very proud of you, sweetheart.

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  7. Oh, can't wait to see how it all turns out! We have 5 foster kittens in our guest room that can't come out because they have ringworm :( My cats are very interested . .but they will have to wait!

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  8. We love the whole bungee cord rigamajig. Your Glogirly has an entire system going there.

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  9. GLOGIRLY is doing such a good job at introducing Waffles Too to the lovely Katie. My huMom didn't follow the protocol as closely. Of course she tried but was thwarted buy other kitten crazed family members. But since she was trying NOT to be the person that bonded with the kittens she was able to shower me with attention. Now we have cats bonded to different family members. Every cat has their personal person. Of course we all know an easy touch. Especially Hitch! Hopefully Katie won't end up with a little brofur that twice her size. I've got three bigger than me. But not tougher. Oh no! They know whose boss. You just have to teach them when they're little!

    Purrs to you,
    Mistletoe.....& Hitch

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  10. This is exciting stuff. We hopes that you two get along, although it may take time.

    When I was little my mum trained me a bit. Normally I slept in my igloo with a warm hot water bottle and cuddly toys inside. Then she started letting me on her bed at night. I was only allowed to play for five minutes, then she talked softly to me and gave me snuggles. I could stay only if I stayed asleep. Once I woke up and wanted to play, she took me back to my own bed in a another room. It only took a couple of weeks, and I learnt to sleep through the night quietly in her room.

    Good luck

    Julie and Poppy Q
    xxx

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  11. Geez, Katie, you really know how to build the suspense, don't you? I can't wait to read tomorrow's post!

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  12. Gripping stuff. Best Feline Drama Saga around. We are waiting for the next episode with baited breath. Have a wonderful Wednesday.
    Best wishes Molly

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  13. You showed him! We're waiting with tuna breath for the next episodes!

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  14. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

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  15. Did you ever think that maybe Glogirly is exposing Waffles TOO to you slowly because to expose him to all you luxurious diva-ness all at once may overwhelm such a young kitten? They are pretty vulnerable at that age, you know.
    Harry, Dexter and Tipp

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  16. Your mom is quite clever to crack the door like that. And yes, we've heard kitten growls, and they crack us up!

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  17. Hummm ... Glogirley has been quite insidiously genius-like in her "rigging" of the door ... I saw my MomKatt taking notes about that ...

    The suspense builds ...

    PURRS!
    Selina

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  18. oh honey- u be brave and stand your ground - I know all about intruders - but..... maybe.... you might like him (eventually) **nosetaps**

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  19. First we must say Glogirlys contraption is quite magnificent. Next- Always be on guard. When Chubby came to MY house I wondered 54 times a day when was he leaving. Four years later, I had to accept he is staying. So, I WEAR the pants around here & always will. When that thing gets outta line swat it or bite the ears. It totally works
    Lily (& Benny)

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  20. We're all taking bets here Katie...we won't tell you the results though...who thinks you will want to mother the little orange one, who thinks you will want to whap him...who thinks you will train him to do your bidding....


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  21. Katie, I love seeing all these non-Photoshopped pictures of you as you really are. You've got it going on. Na mean? One razor-sharp claw and the experiment would've been over and YOUR room would've been YOURS again. Just meowin.

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  22. Oh boy-oh-boy-oh-boy... Your house has been invaded for sure! And that Glogirly of yours... she's pretty insistant that the two of you are gonna become friends, huh? Do you that just maybe you might?

    Anywho... come on by my blog today 'cause I've got something all pretty and sparkly for you in my latest post. Maybe it will make you feel better 'bout things on the kitten front. purrs

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  23. Allie: oh KATIE. I *hate* to tell you this, I really do, but that body language in the photo where W2 id sticking his paw through the door? Classic Faraday.

    We soooo need to find a spa retreat somewhere. Or perhaps a really expensive pet boutique where we exhaust the humans' credit cards to the extent they begin to think twice about bad decisions.

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  24. Hi Katie, offer's still open. I like cats so you can live here. You're black and white and so are we. You'll fit right in, And you won't have to live with another kitty or kitten.

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  25. Allie: IS! IS! *glares at Mother* What is it with typists these days? *dramatic sigh*

    FaRADaY: oh get over it, Allie. Here I'll get your mind off it... *waves pink rhinestone collar over litterbox*

    Allie: *unintelligible shriek*

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  26. Uh oh....again with the smallish photo Katie.....careful....I need you to keep in charge so I can use your techniques in case I get someone new run in on me....steady, steady....hopeful Savannah....that means hopeful that you prevail(VBP)

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  27. Errr, Katie? We sure hope you *read* the silence correctly. Waffles Too looks pretty determined...

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  28. I really like these photos a lot. It is a good teaching tool for people who get a new kitten.

    I like your attitude, Katie. Letting Waffles know who is boss, but not getting too carried away. In Waffles mind, I'm sure he thinks he is a big jungle cat, so he needs to be reminded what's what.

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  29. You go girl! Show that little mew monster who's the boss. Make sure he learns while he's little. They're impossible to train up right once they're the same size as you.

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  30. I'm catching up on blog-reading! I'm on the edge of my seat. . .

    My AAB has a new kitten named Charlie (at her house, thank goodness, not here!) and he's driving everyone nutso, too!

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  31. Oh, the tension! Purrs from all on the edges of their seats at Colehauscats.com

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  32. Oh.. my.. goodness..

    there is absolutely NOTHING about this post I don't LOVE. I adore the bungee cord, I love the kitten hiss.. I love the attitude..

    i can't wait till you find out what fun having a minion around the house can be.

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  33. OH my gosh...I am tuning in tomorow!!!

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  34. Oooh! Just look at that little rascally Waffles Too, trying to open the door. Way to set him straight with that hiss, Katie.

    We can hardly wait to see what happens next!

    Hugs!

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  35. aawwww...him just wants ta see hiz mom katie....

    :)

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  36. Oh my you had me laughing! From "whooping it up into the night" to your elaborate door rigging (which was genius by the way!) and the positive experience would be taking the mewing machine back! MOL! Loved it!
    Ohhhh yessssssss I have heard a cat growl! My Angel Bobo used to growl!

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  37. Now it is getting exciting and I can't wait for the next episode of As the Doorknob Turns!

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  38. Katie, Sassy here. Be very careful with how you train Waffles Too. I did not do a good job with Callie, and now look, I live with a cat whose nickname is Trouble!

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  39. So, maybe Glogirly will market that contraption. There are probably a lot of folks who would love to have for those quirky introductions.

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  40. I am spellbound, sitting on the edge on my seat.

    After we let kitten Mickey Mouser out of isolation, we put him into a dog kennel (we borrowed it from neighbors) every evening for a few hours. The kennel sat in the middle of the family room while we watched TV and the adult cats watched Mickey. Kitten was safe but out in the open. I think it helped.

    xxoo
    Maggie

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  41. Love the pics! Glogirly is doing an awesome -- if suspenseful! -- job of introducing you and Waffles Too.

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  42. you have a knack for keeping us on the edge of our pawsies, Katie! When we had to go through all that, we liked to play a game called "door wars"- smacky paws through the door crack :D

    Pip, SMidgen, Minnie, HOllie

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  43. Ha ha ha! You know what *I* have to say about this? Yes, that's RIGHT--you got it in one:

    Better you than me.

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  44. just remember Katie that this is you assistant in training and remember Christmas is coming and Santa sees all and knows all so you better be a good kitty

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  45. Oh kitten growls are the greatest. Melon Head had this awesome growl when she came to stay with us for a few weeks.

    And I must confess Scylla was very cute the first time she noticed ME. I had been observing her for weeks. ~Socks

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  46. We can't wait to see what happens next! (Actually we don't have to because we are reading both posts in succession.)

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