Saturday, February 9, 2008

Kittens: You Just Have to Love Them!

twokittens

Photo by: Thaxt 7 of his two grey and white Domestic shorthair kittens

What is it exactly about kittens that make them so appealing to us? Surprisingly, even people who don't particularly love cats find themselves captivated by them.

Whenever I encounter any kitten, I instantly fall in love. What grabs at my heartstrings is that special quality which these little balls of fluff possess. They bravely and unabashedly play with almost anything in their reach, their imaginations going a mile-a-minute in directions that always amazes me.

And if those antics are not sufficiently compelling kittens instantly become expert mountaineers, as they adeptly scale what is our equivalent to Mt. Everest, whenever lofty potential "prey" catches their eye. When a kitten is on a mission, watch out!
shantipost
Photo by Kneadstoknow: Lucyfur, brown mackerel tabby, 3 months-of-age

My body has often been covered with the unmistakable evidence of feisty kitten play. My arms and hands, covered with scratches and love bites, only give testament to my love for these little critters. These infantile pussycat predators are incredibly armed with razor sharp baby claws and teeth. It is a good thing that with patience and an understanding of feline behavior, kittens have the capacity to learn that rough housing with a human is not a good idea.

So what if they decide to use me as their purrsonal scratching post and ladder! All too soon, as they mature into adult cats, these "endearing" interactions will quickly fade. Unless my three cats are particularly intrigued with a new and interesting toy, it has been my experience that they would much rather curl up beside me to take a nap. Their furry bodies rise and fall rhythmically as they sleep, only occasionally opening an eye to remind me that it is time for me to pet them.

kittenguitar
Photo by Thaxt 7 of his orange tabby Domestic shorthair kitten

If I had my druthers, I would opt for kittens to remain kittens for a much longer period of time. Observing their incredible zest for life, coupled with their insatiable curiosity is the most delightful form of entertainment for me. It sure beats television.

Have you ever had the joy of being owned by a kitten or two? Leave a comment and tell us about it.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Owned by a kitten? Only constantly, Jo! I can hardly believe Mouse is going to be 2 in June! All my cats act like kittens from time to time, but anytime anyone tells me of kittens available, I just cover my ears! Somehow my maximum of 4 cats turned into 6...and I can't afford any more!!! But if were up to me, I'd have a huge farm, all fenced in all around, even on top, and there'd be barns for all spayed neutered cats and heat and air conditioning and all the food water, trees and fun they could handle. sigh..what a pipedream!

Vicki said...

It is very entertaining to watch little kittens at play. You almost envy them as they do not have a care in the world, and do the cutest things with their bodies, and love to play with all kinds of toys. These pictured are just adorable.

Anonymous said...

I've never seen anything so fast!

Lucy is Lightning Cat - she flies after the birdsnake, does backflips, jumps across furniture, falls off the bed in near misses, etc & generally goes nutz...she is by far the FASTEST CAT WE'VE EVER HAD ! And - she is becoming loooonnnnggggg girl - much longer now, skinnier, & slinkier & more liquid that her brothers - who all were more roundoids.

She really moves more like a fast snake than a Kitty!

Any mouse, mole, chipmunk or bird that finds itself in the same yard as her will be dinner...they are such agile hunters - what a zipzap this Lil Girl is.

Gene