The first night in a new home is both scary and exciting especially if you’re all alone. When I arrived after my long journey I was exhausted but the night wasn’t over yet, there were important things to be done.
I needed to know where I was and where I could settle down to get some sleep. I didn’t have Axel to help me find everything that I needed but my new family were well prepared and had kittened (pun intended) my new room out with everything I needed and some extras as well. My new family spent some time very quietly sitting with me and talking to me, they had reassuring, quiet voices when they spoke and although I didn’t understand what they were saying I felt reassured. They smelt of other cats so I knew they were animal lovers like Anna was. They didn’t rush me but very slowly and quietly held their hands out for me to sniff and give me a little rub on the side of my face to help me settle in. I purred A LOT as this isn’t way of reassuring myself and calming myself down.
Occasionally they picked me up very gently and showed me where everything in my new room was. First my hidey hole bed, then the food and water. I didn’t know at the time but my new mummy had been in touch with Anna to see what food I liked and got the English equivalent. They had even put a mat in front of the feeding station so I would know when I was close to the food due to the change of floor surface – I had a clever, considerate new family who had done their research before I arrived to make everything as easy as possible for me.
Then I was shown the litter tray, I was picked up and put in it, I knew straight away what it was and so no accidents happened. Despite being blind I have never missed, overshot or wee’d outside the tray. No accidents at all 😸, ever.
There was also a scratching post all for me to use. I found out over the next few days that it had all different levels on it and a house and hammock beds plus a high platform where I can sit and hear what is going on in the world around me.
There was other human furniture in the room, such as chest of drawers and a big bed. Little did my new family know that over the first night I would find these and climb all over them. On the bed during the night I found a snuggly teddy which I sat with and slept together with. It wasn’t Axel but it was snuggly and comfortable.
During that first night I heard the door to the room open occasionally as my mummy and daddy checked in on me to make sure I was ok. Then all was quiet and I drifted of into an exhausted sleep.
When I woke up initially I thought that I was back in the shelter but I soon realised that it wasn’t a dream and I was really in my new home. I started to cautiously explore my new room and FOUND TOYS!! My new family had left me something to play with and keep me occupied and happy in case I needed to entertain myself, they left toys that made a noise (crinkle balls) so I knew where they were.
Later on mummy came in and said hello and gave me some breakfast. She sat quietly with me and talked to me, she played with me for a bit and then left me to explore some more. Over the next few days my mummy had taken some time off work to help me settle in and bond with me. Unfortunately daddy couldn’t as he had to go to work and earn money to pay for my food and lodging, I’ll help out when I’m old enough as I’m sure I can hunt for my own food. Mummy played with me, stroked me, sat with me and talked to me. Each evening daddy came home and he also spent time with me and made me feel welcomed into the family.
Then one day the bedroom door opened and stayed open, mummy walked out and down the corridor tapping her thigh so I knew where she was and could follow her and saying ‘come on Jenny’. I gradually, timidly followed her and found a whole new room to explore. I spent the next few days splitting my time between getting to know my own new room and then exploring my humans whole flat.
Exploring was tiring and I was still tired from all the travelling so I explored, then slept but kept close to my new mummy for comfort.
One day something different happened, the big door to the flat was opened and another person came in, it wasn’t daddy but someone else, a lady with a different accent. She came in and was introduced to me as Marina, mummy had said that her friend wanted to come and visit, not to see her but to see me! She was so kind, she sat talking to mummy but her attention was mostly with me, she didn’t mind sitting on the floor to play, she stroked me and talked with me and I could tell straight away that she was a cat loving lady as mummy had told me. She stayed for a while and helped me to realise that new noises and people aren’t something that I need to be scared of.
Each time I explored another room I could smell other cats and I could hear and smell them outside the door when I was resting in my room. Gradually I was introduced to them bit by bit and very gradually. First through a slightly open door, then nose to nose, then supervised in the flat, I enjoyed meeting them. I like other cats and so introductions didn’t take long and before I knew it my bedroom door didn’t close at all at night and I was a proper member of the family.
It took a while for my siblings to get used to me as I can’t pick up on their body language like other cats can and so things with me take a bit longer than normal. Plus I’m a kitten and I WANT TO PLAY. My new siblings are older than me and so not always appreciative of a kittens bounding energy. I learnt my siblings names are Peppar and Mia. Mia is the Queen, she is 17 now, Peppar is 12 and he is the feline man of the house and was the baby of the family until I came along.
Jenny’s Story 