Name suggestions - please!!!

jodonut99 · **Posted:** Sun Aug 09, 2015 10:04 am

He actually looks like a Rhodri to me.... Dunno where that came from, but it suits IMO! xx

Rebecca · **Joined:** Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:12 pm **Posts:** 87

Thanks everyone, the name will decide itself when his character reveals itself - for now though Mr Binx is still everyone's favourite at the moment! Bringing him home on Saturday to meet our zoo - can't wait eeeeek!!

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Mr. Binx is a very original name!!! You may find that it will stick once you get him home on Saturday. I know you can't wait!!!

Genevieve · **Joined:** Tue Aug 11, 2015 8:20 am **Posts:** 133

I like the name Odin for black cats!!

Rebecca · **Joined:** Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:12 pm **Posts:** 87

Less than 24 hours to go!!!!!

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Are you excited or what??? LOL. Can't wait for you to share him with us and let us know what name you've decided on.

Rebecca · **Joined:** Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:12 pm **Posts:** 87

Hi again everyone!

What a whirlwind we have had! I know each kitten is different but boy have I had my work cut out with this one! Needless to say it is not until now that I can really post and info about him, but I can say he has stole my heart, he is totally adorable and so funny!!

I took with me and put in the carry case a blanket that both our cats had already lay on and made sure Roxi (the dog!) had also had a good rub of her head on it so he had the scent of all 3. We collected him from the other side of Wales so our journey was a 6 hour trip door to door, 3 hours for him was a long time, he cried (LOUDLY) most of the way but slept in between.
I prepped our bedroom ready for his arrival so he would be segregated from our other two (and the dog) and once we got home I took his carry box straight up to the room, opened the door and just sat quietly the other side of the room while he stayed in there. Eventually he ventured out very sheepishly and very unsure of himself (as expected) and then disappeared under our bed. Now I kind of expected this as most cats we have introduced have taken under our bed as their safe haven, however it did take until Sunday evening for him to even approach our hand. I spent form Saturday afternoon until pretty much sunday bedtime lay on my belly on the floor next to the bed with an outstretched arm next to him. I know this may sound silly but I believe the gently, gently approach to be best, they come when ready, so all I wanted him to know was that I was there. (He has an fantastic appetite and I can say that once a dish was placed on then floor he would come out to eat and as I did not want to hinder this I sat as far away as possible, however after eating and drinking he disappeared back under bed.
The litter tray was a bit of a nightmare to start with as he didn't use it at fist but after putting a small amount of his own poo in the tray I think he realised (unless it was my digging motions every time I could see that he needed it. Yes! I did dig in the tray as if I was going to use it LOL! but think it helped!) Anyhow he soon got the hang of it and hasn't looked back since he was litter trained so he just needed to get his bearings.
Both my partner and I work full time and have an 11 year old daughter, my mum lives with us and spends most of the time in and around the house so all our fur babies are spoilt as they have company pretty muck 24/7, however I booked Monday off to help our daughter learn what I think would be best for when I returned to work on the Tuesday. By Monday afternoon he was speeding out from under the bed after toys we waggled for him but was still very wary and by Monday evening he had found the confidence to climb up on our bed and go to sleep, he had at this point allowed a few short strokes and purred VERY LOUDLY when we did but after a few minutes he was off again.
As we have to other bengals they were naturally curious and knew he was there however, our youngest Chester is 16 months old and a very large cat who our eldest Meili has taken under her wing and become a very mother like figure to. They did not get on straight away they took their time to establish who was who and what was what but now they have a beautiful relationship, sometimes it sounds like they are trying to kill each other as they do rough and tumble but then 5 minutes later they curl up together, clean each other and generally look after each other. Based on this I am hopeful that they will accept our newbie and so far so good. By Monday evening he was scratching at the door onto our landing so I opened it both cats were peeping round the corner!
He must see Meili as a mother like figure as he kept trying to approach her and cried at her like a tiny kitten would od but she hissed and ran away then 5 mins later came back, she has not made any attempts to touch him but he wants to get closed to her but at the moment she lets him get nose to nose then runs away. The hissing has now stopped but she is still having the odd grumble. Chester is a little different, at first he seemed bewildered as to what newbie was then he seemed absolutely terrified of him running away as soon as he moved, however now he will come into the same room and play with one end of a toy while newbie plays with the other so good progress, but he will hiss and back off if newbie gets too close but again no attempt to touch or harm him. By the way I do not leave them unattended at night he is still shut in our room and our other two find there places in cat trees or beds dotted round the house.

I am really pleased so far, whilst he has been the hardest kitten to bring round I am pleased at the progress in such a short space of time, last night was the first night without him crying through the night and he will now let us pick him up, he nuzzles into your face and pads at you, he is such a purr box, really playful and so so loving. My only concern is his weight. He is skinny.
He was on Natural Instincts weaning paste which I have and will continue with - I have also put dry biscuits down which he likes but he gobbles the raw up and loves it! His appetite is fantastic and I wonder if maybe he was not getting as much as the other litter mates. He had runny poo after day one which I put down to the stress and maybe my introduction of the biscuits too soon. I do not want to whisk him off to the vets and cause more stress so I weighed him last night albeit not a perfect weigh in I had to weigh myself and then us together afet 3 reading all the same I have deduced he is 1.6kg he was born 16.5.15 so he is 14 weeks on sunday. HIs vet records shows he was weighed 10.8.15 and his weight was recorded at 1.6kg so he has either gained it and lost it, or has not gained weight at all? I will weigh him again in a few days and compare as he is eating well and drinking well, I am hoping his tummy will now settle and weight will come. My family members think he looks as if he has gained a little but I am unsure hence the reason I have weighed him to try and compare, if after a few days I can see no improvement I will take him to the vets for a check up but really do not want to do this yet as I am sure it will upset him.
Is there a rough guide as to what weight gain I could expect? I will be contacting the breeder over the next few days to advise how he is settling in and will be checking when his worming is due (I did not ask this when I collected him and he has a come with a dose in his starter pack so I need to check. I have been checking his poo and there is nothing in it.

Sorry for the essay but really hope that if you guys know how he has progressed and what we are doing with him you will be able to offer any guidance and advice that may help....

He is still nameless as it is only the last two days really that his character is starting to show ...

Advice would be most appreciated if anyone can help re the weight issue

Thanks in advance xx

OOOH - Update from home this morning stools of poo not puddles - hopeful progress :biggrin:

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

Hi Rebecca

I can let you know exactly how much Hendrix weighed at approximately the same age when I get home from work tonight. We had to take him to the vet for an x-ray New Years Eve 2013 and he was born 18 August 2013. I'm pretty sure I still have the documentation from that. Scales can vary a bit as well so yours may show a 100g or 200g less than the scales used before he came to you. We used to put a box on the kitchen scales, zero it and then put them in and hope they'd stay still until they got to 3kg and then we started to get error messages lol now I can use the bathroom scales as they are both just shy of 6kg.

He may have had a growth spurt as I do recall mine having skinny and chubby moments. I also increased their food pretty much within a week of them arriving with us, and they grew like weeds. It was hard to keep up with their appetites!

If he's eating well and his poos are improving, he is probably fine but I will post again later once I've checked Hendrix's weight at that age anyway if no-one else has been able to tell you how much theirs weigh or weighed at that age in the meantime.

Congratulations on your new addition and looking forward to some pictures if he stays still long enough lol

Rebecca · **Joined:** Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:12 pm **Posts:** 87

Thanks Clare, His poos have improved this morning.
I have not gauged his food quantity on what he was fed by breeder I have fed on demand. As it is raw I do not put huge amounts down and as I only leave it there for an hour, but if he has eat it all I have give him more, it is obvious with him at the moment when he is still wanting more as he continues to lick the dish until it gleams whereas when he has had his fill he finishes the dish and walks away, so I may well have increased his food intake as he has had several small meals a day plus a few biscuits here and there (which are down 24/7 but he only eats a few of these as I guess he pigs out on the raw and leaves little room!)
In himself he seems good (except for the poo issue) but he is skinny, I can feel his backbone - not each disc etc but I can feel it and I have never had this is a kitten, if anything they have been chubby!
Thanks for the tip of of weighing with a box as I have kitchen scales but he didn't fit them! Will try this later and see if same weight as last night 1.6kg

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Aww, Rebecca! Still no name? LOL. You had me going there and I read every work up until the end. Congratulations!!!! It's a true experience introducing a new kitten to your other pets, but it seems to be going rather well. Hissing and growling are common -- thankfully, no aggression. Sometimes older cats understand the new one is a teeny kitten and they won't try to hurt him.

As for the weight -- just as new infants can drop a few ounces, so can kitties. As long as yours is eating and drinking, he will gain weight. But it's only a little at a time. The easiest way to weigh him is exactly how you're doing it and how I weigh Raiden. Unless you want to invest in a baby scale of some type -- it's easier to just hold the kitty. Unfortunately, when YOU step on the scale, you have to notice how much YOU weigh! I'm not always happy with my results. :biggrin:

You've had an exciting few days! And it will only get better and easier from here on out. Now, I wait in anticipation of the name!

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

Hendrix was 2.7kg at 5 months old so there is an age difference. I think he was 19 weeks old at that point.

I can actually feel his backbone even now. He is quite a lanky boy. Jagger is very compact in comparison.

If you are worried I'd get him checked at the vet, but he's probably going to start growing like mad!

I hope things are still going well, and we are all looking forward to hearing what his name is!

Rebecca · **Joined:** Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:12 pm **Posts:** 87

Thanks for the feedback, I think I am over reacting a little as today he is running around like a lunatic, engaging play with both our other two cats who are responding much better than I expected at this stage. Sorry to talk poo again but we have had two lots of stools now and no puddles so think we are on the right track here.
I messaged breeder late last night regards wormer and how he had been feeding and voiced my concern for his weight so will get some feedback soon but I am feeling much better about him today as I feel we are making healthy progress. I will weigh him again later, daft as it sounds I never thought of checking the weight records of my own cats!! I know they are all different but will be going through their records later to see what they were like, all 3 were more chubby than scrawny so I expect them to be heavier but will give me a comparison at least.
Will keep you all posted and today is naming day so will let you know what we decide.
Thanks again for your help and advice xx

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

Sounds like everything is going well to me! I think sometimes their build makes you think they must be underweight. Hendrix looks very skinny in comparison to Jagger, even now. But their weight is pretty much the same. He used to be fairly consistently 200g more than Jagger whilst a kitten surprisingly, but Jagger has now caught him up. To me though, Hendrix seems much lighter but I think its because his weight is more spread out with his gangly legs etc and Jagger is very compact and solid.

Glad you are feeling better about it now and look forward to the result of naming day! xx

Rebecca · **Joined:** Thu Jul 30, 2015 3:12 pm **Posts:** 87

Here we go, not the best pic but all 3 together in one room playing!
image.jpg

Name suggestions - please!!!

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