A Kitten's Trip To His New Home: A Journal Entry via Karen Rose Smith

Below is a journal entry that Mason's new mom kept on his six-hour trip to his forever-home and his first night with his new feline family.

Quiet and alert, that is how I would describe Mason's first half hour. Nervous maybe, but not frightened. Then he started meowing. He meowed for the next two and a half hours off and on. When the sun would hit his face, he'd close his eyes and zone out, then a pothole or bump in the road would jolt him awake and he'd start meowing again. I gave him food. He ate, no problem. Not so much interested in water. He wanted OUT. I'd stick my hand in the carrier, he'd rub HARD against it. It was awkward turning around (from the front seat).

In the end, Mason would get quiet if I would just talk to him for a bit. Then another bump in the road and he was at it again. He did not like going fast at all. Once on the turnpike, I sat in the back seat. He liked that. I'd pet him a bit and talk to him and he'd settle down, but never sleep. Just doze. The last hour he started wailing. I shoved my hand into the carrier and he immediately curled up on top of my palm. I kept my palm in there, with him sleeping on it, for the last full hour of the trip. He may have slept then, as the car was dark and my hand kept him warm.

We got into the house and he was wide awake again, showing all kinds of curiosity and no fear. We put him in the master bedroom, where he could see everything going on in the kitchen and living room through the screen. All three cats checked him out through the screen.  No hissing at all. About an hour later , he sacked out on the bed. When we went to bed, though, he was wide awake and all over the place again. The screen was up, with us on one side and the other cats on the other. At bedtime each cat came to look in and see what was happening. Then, once the lights were out, our other male cat, George, broke through, and once he got inside, Mason tried to play with him and George was so terrified he hissed. Out he went, back to the living room.

Then, apparently I fell into a deep sleep. Because I woke up in the morning to find the screen door wide open, and my husband in the living room playing with Mason while the other three watched. No one has a problem with him being here, and he already has discovered everything there is to discover here. He's used the communal litter box, drinks from the water bowl, and eats kibble, although I still offer him his kibble on your schedule.

Breakfast was dicey because he's used to sharing plates and the others did not appreciate that. The two females both hissed and George abandoned his bowl.

I have no doubt Mason will be the dominant male. George is a scaredy cat.

Our one female is happy to simply watch Mason. She was the first to welcome him, to say hello and show curiosity. The other female is attempting to intimidate him and it's not working, LOL. He does respectfully scoot around her, but he's not afraid of her. Our male wants to play so badly but is afraid for some reason. Mason doesn't care. He'll spar a bit with him, then when the male runs off, go off by himself. He spent the morning entertaining himself--we have a cricket that chirps when you play with it--and then he went to sleep on the master bedroom bed. The screen is down and will stay down.

As for bonding with us, Mason is as affectionate as can be.

He doesn't seem to be lost, scared, confused or looking for anyone. He's got amazing confidence and seems to be learning the ropes real well. Other than a minor hiss here or there, that is all that has happened. (Who knew George could hiss??) My husband apparently didn't sleep a wink though, and so went back to bed when I woke up. He's still sleeping, and now Mason is sleeping with him. Apparently George got past the screen two more times last night before hubby gave up. And I didn't hear a thing!

Did I mention that my friends are devoted cat people????
Thank you for loving Mason so much already.

 

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