Gorgeous Pumpkin

Pumpkin, originally the smallest, weakest Kitten in Beauty's litter, now has become a very handsome large fluffy Male. I always had a special affection for this Kitten for some reason. It is the way he cocks his head a little to one side and then gazes at the world, studying me very solemnly. He will play with his siblings and be as much a kitten in his behaviour at certain moments, but at others, he is a Watcher and has the demeanour of a very 'old Soul'.

For the Dog Lovers...

Another Harvest Moon fan, reading about the birth of Beauty's kittens, sent me a picture of her lovely Dog Shiloh with HER litter of puppies. She has given me permission to post the photograph here:



A recent portrait of one of the puppies:



Motherhood is incredibly magical in its way, whatever the species. Beauty has become rather bewildered by the newfound independence of her Kittens and allows them to do as they please for the most part now. Yet, she suddenly will embrace one and groom him or her ruthlessly, determined to reassert her place of importance in her child's universe!

Puttikins Adventures I

I wanted to capture the first couple of months of the Kittens' life somehow. This may be of little interest to any one, but I think I will be happy to have the record of these Kittens and their antics one day.

The Little Lost Pumpkin

I lost a Kitten today for the first time. Their playroom is rather small, so the chance of any Kitten disappearing from the room is next to nil, unless one managed to slip through the door before I shut it. I try to be very careful to avoid that possibility.

I went into the room to feed them and could not see little Pumpkin anywhere. He usually stands out from the others as he is the only marmalade kitten in the litter, and yet he was nowhere to be found. Furthermore, as every one comes to the door instantly when I enter, it was very odd not to see him anywhere.

These little creatures are infinitely amusing. After my initial anxiety, I discovered where he was hiding. I bought Beauty a soft bed a day after she delivered her four kittens. With the contrariness characteristic of cats, she never deigned to use it, nor did any of the cats or kittens... until now!

Some one had turned the bed over, creating a little cave beneath it. Pumpkin had established a secret hideaway there, a fort or military headquarters from which he would sally forth periodically to torment his unwitting siblings. I only discovered this when a little paw emerged and then the tip of a tail.

I watched them play for at least a quarter of an hour. They were like children playing a game of King of the Mountain.

After Two Months...

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It is difficult to believe that the Kittens are 9 weeks old now. It is almost impossible to take photographs most of the time as they move so quickly and seldom pose properly.

I have had a difficult week with them after giving them too much tinned food. I forgot that, like small children, the fact that they WANT something desperately does not mean necessarily that they ought to HAVE it. Until their systems dealt with the aftermath, I spent half of my time cleaning litter boxes as well as bathing them again and again... Poor little creatures!

Here are photographs of Dora, Cupid and Pumpkin. Another photograph shows Leo with two of his siblings. I need to take a decent photograph of little Leo by himself to add to the current Rogues' Gallery.

Leo and Pumpkin have inherited their father's physique and fluffy thick fur. They have the short legs and stocky body characteristic of the breed. Dora and Cupid have inherited their mother's heart-shaped face and her silky long fur. Their physique probably will be similar to hers as well. It is difficult for me to tell Dora and Cupid apart sometimes if the light is dim. The biggest difference between them is the colour of their points. Dora's points are lighter and her tail is almost striped. Cupid's points are uniformly darker. In terms of personality, each Kitten is unique. Leo is a lover, who will sit happily in my lap for hours purring. Dora is truly an Explorer who seldom is content to rest. Pumpkin is the watcher. He alone of all the kittens actually pays attention to the display picture on the back of the camera, responding to the images of his siblings rather than joining them physically. Cupid is the Hunter, which is why I may add Orion to his name. He is the one who growls when he captures a 'mouse' or scrap of paper. They ALL love to play, though and will thunder across the floor...