The kitten cage is set up in the craft room. They take their naps in the cage and it holds their litter box, water and food. They spend nights in there too, and between sleeps they roam freely in the craft room.
Yesterday, after a good play session, I tucked everyone into their cage to nap. A couple of hours later, I came in the room to feed them, and as I opened the door, I felt something brush against my foot. I just assumed it was Wylla because she's often found waiting by the kitten room door, hoping to slip inside to take a closer peek at them.
I put their lunch down and went to open the cage and free the hungry beasts. There were only three beasts inside.
I took inventory several times because I couldn't believe it was possible that there were only three inside. I looked around the room - no free-roaming kittens to be found. I opened the door and waiting on the other side was Sally.
She let out a giant "SqueeeEEEEeeeeEEEEeee".
I assumed I had somehow missed putting her into to the cage earlier that morning. Given their size, it just doesn't seem possible that anyone could slip out.
Later, I tucked the kittens away for the evening. All four were locked in their cage, I know this for sure because I made a point of counting this time. I left the door to the room open and set up a baby gate in the door frame with a fan blowing in to help with air movement, and turned out the lights.
A few minutes later, I found Sally climbing the gate.
"SqueeeEEEeeeEEEEeeee", she yelled.
I have no idea how she could have possibly slipped between the bars. I worry about the itty bitty ones slipping through , but given her size, unless she's turning herself into a liquid state, it just doesn't seem physically possible for her to pass between the bars without getting her belly stuck. Somehow, that determined girl managed to get through. Twice.
And so they don't get stuck, they're no longer closed up in their cage, and they're now roaming free in the craft room. I had to do a little modifying and rearranging to keep them safe through quarantine - hazards were removed and chairs (aka launch pads) were moved out.
Of course, I can't be mad at the wee girl. She's not trying to get out, really. She's just trying to get to me. When I'm in the room with them, she insists on being held, which I'll do for extended periods of time. When I try to put her down, she immediately scrambles up my leg, screaming the whole way.
She's needy, but a sweetie.
We need a video of this little escape artist!
ReplyDeleteawwwwww. Sounds just like my Varric. He's a climber, determined, and when he wants mommy, he wants her NOW. Too cute.
ReplyDeleteI agree on the video! My mom had a cat, Sylvia, who needed to be held her entire life. Her best Christmas was the one where her feet did not hit the floor for FIVE hours (passed from lap to lap). She cried "my feets are brokens!" when she was finally put on the floor. Needless to say, she was scooped backup. She lived to a ripe old age of 17yrs being held and cuddled. So, carry on, Sally, carry on!
ReplyDeleteHow sweet is that- she is in love with you, Laurie, and you are her big cat mom. That is too too too too too sweet.
ReplyDeleteAwwwww! That is all.. :-)
ReplyDeleteit is amazing how much they can contort to get what they want :)
ReplyDeleteHee, so determined! We had kittens once that were also getting out of their cage. Finally caught one twisting his head to fit thru the bars and wiggling his hips out (like trying to get into a girdle), then out he popped! We let them out also!
ReplyDeleteLinda
This is the one named after the astronaut Sally Ride, right? Stands to reason she'd be the first to brave new and unknown territory to get what she wants...just like her namesake. :)
ReplyDeleteJust what I was thinking
DeleteOh Sally...you just made me SqueeEEEeeeEEE too!! :D
ReplyDeleteHow adorable is that! I'm going to sqeeeee too!
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that cats are solids AND liquids! :)
ReplyDeleteI love that she's needy and not afraid to show it... LOL
ReplyDeleteMarco was so much like that when he was a kitten. Seemed like he could escape even while I was watching him. What an explorer - hence the "Marco Polo" moniker. :o)
ReplyDeleteI totally know how this happens. My cat Hobbes does this with the baby gate I put up to keep him out of the kitchen (it's extra high, so he can't jump over it). He turns his head sideways and gets it through the bars of the gate, then walks his front legs in and pulls in the rest of his body up to his pelvis, which is too wide to clear the bars. Then he lets his back end go limp, turns it sideways, and pulls himself the rest of the way into the kitchen. It's really quite impressive.
ReplyDeleteKittens can flatten themselves to get under very low furniture...since they don't have collarbones they can flow into amazing spaces
ReplyDeleteShe is an octopus in disguise!
ReplyDeleteSally is going to make someone very, very, very happy when she is in her furever home. I would love it if one of our Feline Overlords wanted to be held all the time. They will allow us to put them on our shoulders for a tour of their domain but once the survey is finished they are through with our services.
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