Wednesday, September 20, 2017

I didn’t get out to Kathy’s knitting group this evening (see yesterday). I didn’t really think I would. Evenings are not my best time.

Progress, however, on the cat front. Alexander came over this morning, and went away with the cat-carrier and with the phone number of the new kitten’s birth mother (so to speak). He has emailed since to say he has made contact, and all is well. The plan is that he will come to see me next Wednesday by car, picking up the kitten on the way.

She is to be named Hermione – not for Harry Potter, but because Hermione, Queen of Sicily, is Perdita’s mother in The Winter’s Tale. I still don’t know which kitten is mine – it’s all rather like the situation in the Gondoliers. One is prettier, the other has a more interesting face, I’ll be delighted with either. The ad seems to have been taken down, so I can’t refer you there any longer  – kittens are hot property. Once she’s here, I’ll show you, whichever she turns out to be.

Thank you for your advice about introducing my two cats to each other. Cathairinmyknitting (comment yesterday) – I have ordered a Feliway kit, thank you, which should be here well before the kitten is. James and Cathy are using Feliway, too, so far without much success. What worries me today, is that, whatever system I adopt, both cats will need me. I must bond with the kitten. I must continue to support Perdita with my constant presence. Watch this space.

My sister and her husband, who have, in their time, introduced a new cat to an incumbent, as I never have, will be here next week to help with the process. They are currently on a package tour of Iceland which they seem to be enjoying. “Knitting is for sale everywhere including the fish factory.”

I had another good day with the second sleeve of Miss Rachel’s Yoke. It is now so far forward that I may have to finish the whole sweater before embarking on the Soutache.


Andrew & Andrea were splendid, as ever, and Gudrun Johnston extremely interesting on several fronts. The bad news is that we have to wait three weeks for the next episode, because they’re off to Shetland for Wool Week. The good news is that we get scenes at Burrastow [where I stayed] in the current issue, along with the news that the food is as good as ever. 

8 comments:

  1. I suspect after the initial hissing and spitting Perdita will enjoy the new kitten. She was used to much coming and going with your husband's caregivers and will probably like the energy of the new baby.

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  2. It's my experience that cats may put on a big show of being needy but are really pretty self-sufficient. They are glad to see you when you are around but left alone they tend to sleep, eat, groom, and get along fine.

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  3. Anonymous11:59 AM

    I think pets, both cats and dogs, sense our worry and respond accordingly. Perdita will be just fine. Hermione will be just fine. I am a world-class worrier, but for some reason never worried about pets (probably through sheer ignorance) and they have always been just fine. I think you will have such fun watching the interaction (or not! so what?) between them that you will forget to worry:). Chloe

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  4. Feliway has never worked for us and in my opinion is a scam. Only my opinion. It's very expensive in this country anyway and doesn't do a thing.

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  5. I like the Sicilian connection in advance of your trip!

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  6. Anonymous1:56 PM

    Perdita hasn't had her own liter and may respond to Hermione with mothering instincts. HAVE FUN WITH THE NEW MEMBER OF YOUR TRIBE! pgnitter

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  7. When I got a new kitten (I've done this three times) I would just open the cat carrier in the living room and keep a close eye on what was going on. Every time, the new kitten would come out, there would be a bit of hissing and raised hackles on both sides and then the kitten would set off to explore, closely followed by the resident cat(s). Over the next couple of days there would be a gradual reduction in hiss and an increase in interest, then the kitten would find its place in the gang and that would be that. Only precaution I would take was to keep the kitten separate in its own room at night or when I went out, just in case the play got a bit too rough. But the adults cats never had any problems accepting the newcomer, it was simply too small to be thought of as competition.

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  8. I've been wanting to watch Fruity Knitting since it was first uploaded and every night I've tried, I've dozed off in the chair, LOL! Will try again tonight.:)

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