Project Kitten: Day 8

I moved the kitten into the cage full time now. Before this I would put him in the big plastic tub, and then put that in the cage, when I had to leave the room. I was afraid that he would hurt himself trying to slip through the bars. But he's big enough now that it doesn't seem to be a problem. He's not happy being left alone, but I just can't carry him around with me everywhere I go.

And it really isn't bad, being in the cage. There's plenty of room for a kitten to do a little exploring. He's learned to climb up into the hammock, although he still needs help getting down. The litter box is a great play toy. He's figured out how to completely empty it and loves to play with the paper shreds. (I was told that shredded paper is much safer for a young kitten. The absorbent clay litter can actually make a kitten very ill.)

We did have an adventure today. I've been cleaning kitten off with Cat Wipes. (They actually make Wipes specifically for cats!) But the wipes don't do as good a job as a mama cat's rough tongue would. ?And drooled kitten formula, much like baby formula, tends to get very sticky and smelly. And like a typical little boy, the kitten manages to drool and dribble his formula everywhere! So I tried a damp washcloth but impulsively decided to cut out the middleman and put the kitten directly under the water. Don't worry, I only washed his back and kept his head clear of any water spray. Kitten protested at first, but then seemed to settle down and enjoy the water. And he feels so much cleaner now.

Kitten has started to purr. It was actually funny the first time. He was so surprised by the sound! But now he starts to purr as soon as I pick him up to cuddle.