It's an Exciting World

I took the kitties out on a leash yesterday.  They both did rather well.

Lana was able to go outside for a bit, but got spooked at one point and ran back inside.  She is certainly the more reluctant one, which is actually why I am ok with taking her farther.  Her default reaction is to run back inside.

Archer was doing well but didn’t fully adjust to the leash being on him.  He would try to play with it, or would struggle against it.

They have also both taken to sitting in my lap while I am working.  I really like it when they are calm and in my lap, but not so much when they are active and in my lap.

Today while working, Archer came and slept in my lap.  Lana joined for a bit to get pets, but didn’t stick around nearly as long.  Archer was there for an hour and a half, while Lana stopped by for 15 minutes or so.  They are such good kitties!

I also put Lana on the leash today.  She was going around the stairs, so not quite outside yet.  She did really well and didn’t struggle against the leash too much after the first realization that it was on her and a bit of extra weight.  She likes going under things, so I’m going to have to be wary of her for a bit.  She even did well when I held her back from going further, and just came back to hang out around me.  Archer is still slightly too small for the harness and can wriggle out of it easily.  After I got back from turning in coins at the coinstar he had managed to get halfway out of the harness.

I put the kitties in the harnesses and they don’t seem to mind it too much.  Archer is still a little small for his, but it isn’t getting in his way badly. They are soooooo cute!

Steph and I played with them using the laser pointer, and they were moving incredibly quickly, even in the harnesses.

Video of Kitties

The kitties have gotten a good number of new toys, and I’m happy that they enjoy all of them.  Lana may be able to learn to fetch as well.  There is a stingray toy that she will carry around, and it is adorable.

Archer is also liking the toys, but he is decidedly not as far along as Lana is with any of the ways he is playing with them.  I was still able to get him to cuddle with the shark toy.

I’m loving them soooo much, and I hope they like the new place.  It doesn’t have much of windows for them to look out of, but they are almost old enough to start getting used to their harnesses and leash training.

Today the kitties had a few new things that they had to work with.  The first is that I took out the first ring of the toilet training kit.  They aren’t doing great with it so far, but both have used it in the current state.  There was a little bit of poop on the floor and mat, but I cleaned that up.  The second thing is that I put them in their harnesses.  Archer was toosmall for his still, even with it as tight as it could go, but Lana fit her’s loosely.  She even walked around a bit with it on and didn’t hate it.  I gave them tons of treats while they were wearing it, and I hope that they get to like being in the harness.  Archer was really amazing with the shoulder trick today.  He jumped up to my shoulder when called without having to first see a treat.  I’m still trying to figure out a way to train Lana to sit down on my lap and stay there.  It will be a bit harder since there isn’t as much of a trainable behavior.  Archer was a little rowdy while we were playing New Era, and clawed all over my back, and some on Adams legs.  He had been getting better about the claws, but still needs a lot of work.  Lana is great about not having her claws out.

The kitties went to the vet today, and they did well.  Archer was meowing the entire way, he doesn’t stop at all while he is in the carrier.  He was great while we were actually in the exam room.  He was on my shoulder most of the time, and was really nice.  Lana was a bit more of a pain since she wouldn’t let me hold her.  One more trip to the vet before they have all their vaccines done.

I had a good bike ride home from Steph’s this morning with stops by Fry’s and Milk Pail.  The rest of the day I spent with the Kitties.

The first thing Archer did this morning when I walked in was to jump up onto my shoulder.  I really love my shoulder kitty!  That might become one of the things I put into my kickstarter is the shoulder kitty for anyone who backs us.  They were fun to play with as I made a toy out of the ribbon they like.  I had them running around for at least 15 minutes straight.  After that they were really cuddly, and I was able to get Archer to fall asleep on my lap.

The kitties are doing really well, Lana is chill and Archer is amazing.  I think that I got really lucky with my choice of kitties.  They are getting along with Howard a lot better, if not great yet.  Howard has started trying to herd them.  Lana won’t put up with it at all, but Archer will let it go for a bit before getting pissed off at Howard.  I’m surprised to see them able to be in close proximity.

This week I am going to start training them with the toilet.  It is convenient that Rob will be out of town this week.  I will be able to get them past the really messy point before the roommates have to deal with it, I hope.  I’m loving my kitties so much, and am really glad I was able to get them.