The Tempos’ first official portraits have been taken. They will no doubt have to be more before they are adopted, they grow and change so quickly. But for readers’ delight, here they are as presented to the public for the first time on the PAW Society website.
Presto:
Allegro:
Largo, the last to be born, has become the first. Not only is he the first - possibly the only, at this point - kitten to use the litter-box, but he may be the first of his litter to eat solid food; he seems to eat the most, right now, at any rate.
The littlest leads the way.
I previously illustrated how adult cats can copy each other’s preferences. Apparently, that quality starts young. Having seen Presto on the hammock, his siblings felt that it must be a cosy place - especially if everyone is there.
I’ve commented quite a few times on this blog about how the cats form new habits. I have sometimes wondered if they started them from watching others. Certainly, one cat can learn from another, so a cat adopting the habits of his roommate may be perfectly natural.
A few weeks ago, I published pictures of Millie lying on the back of the sitting room couch. I don’t think a cat had done that since Josie, back in my old fourth-floor apartment. Yet, just a week after Mills tried it, I spotted Imogen in the same location.
And then, after Imo, Sable tried it. (At first, I thought it was Miss Silky again, but the ears gave her identity away.) Since then, Sabe has often resorted to the back of the couch, which probably forms itself perfectly to whomever is lying on it.
What determines whether a feline will try something new based on others having tried it? And will Sable’s frequent use of the spot preclude others from using it? There are plenty of comfy locations about the Cosy Cabin, but it seems that those tested and approved by others carry with them a certain recommendation.
The heroes of last night’s adventures were Allegro and little Largo. The latter decided to try drinking. He appeared to have mastered the idea and lapped up some fresh water I had placed in a shallow dish. Is it instinct that tells a newborn to try his tongue on this liquid? There seems to be no precedent for a conscious effort of that sort, and yet, if instinct, then it takes a while to develop.
You’ll note that in the first photograph, Largo has his paw in the dish. He clearly knows that water runs, so for drinking, it needs to be kept in place…
Then, Allegro tried his hand - or tongue, rather - at eating. I served up a creamy mousse for them to taste, and it seemed to be to Allegro’s liking. He ate quite a bit - for a five week old kitten.
To celebrate - and to burn off all those calories he sucked back - he decided to go climbing, and scaled Literary Ridge.
So far, I have one kitten who will drink but not eat; one kitten who will eat but not drink; three others who neither eat nor drink. But we’ll see who is next to discover the delights of non-matronly nutrition.
The Tempos are progressing, though they have yet to eat on their own. It seems to me (perhaps it is but wishful thinking) that they are coming closer to that accomplishment each day. They spend more time looking at the food, as if wondering what it is and if it’s fun to play with. I think Largo may have drunk some water.
However, it is in their mobility that they are moving by leaps and bounds - literally. It’s funny to watch them move at speed, since their legs are too short to run. Instead, they hop like baby rabbits (which are also called kittens). They tumble off their stubby legs at every opportunity. I saw Presto do a headstand; I don’t know how he achieved it, but something tripped him up and he inadvertently attempted a somersault, paused at the half-way point, and then flopped down full length on his back. Of course, he wasn’t hurt.
Nonetheless, I now must watch my step, because they could anywhere on the floor, launching themselves out from under the couch, between my feet, or right behind me. Paradoxically, though they move in almost jerky stages, they can cover distances swiftly. As I was leaving the library last evening, Andante and Allegro were trotting right behind me out the door.
They find the books in the library to be quite educational - at least in terms of physical education. Climbing, jumping, falling: small piles of books and volumes at angles provide a miniature gymnasium. Yesterday, I heard a scraping sound and turned to see Presto using the spine of an 1896 Encyclopaedia Britannica as a scratching-post. Fortunately, his claws as yet cannot penetrate anything but human skin…
Every day brings them new knowledge and skills.
