The Cat Report (2/10-23)

So,  we went from no cats at all to six here in Renton, almost a full house.

First up there is OLIVE, who I think has already decided that the cat room is hers and all the rest mere residents to be ignored. I couldn't get the leash on her properly so no walk for her at the start of the shift, but she did explore the room and asked for, and got, a lot of attention.  She did get a proper walk at the end of the shift and did quite well.
Next up the two kittens, FLEECE & FLANNEL, wanted attention but were too shy to come out, especially the lighter, fluffier one. So they played in their cage. They liked the smell of catnip but best of all were gopher games involving sticks and strings, especially the chopstick. I snatched up the bolder of the two (the darker one) to let him explore. This led to difficulties. He dashed around the room,  too skittish to let me pick him up and unsure whether he cd make make the leap back up into his cage on his own. We resolved the problem by putting one of the large, hard-topped cat-carriers with a towel on top just outside (below) his cage. That did it: he jumped from floor to carrier-top to inside his cage, I think pleased with himself. His partner had no adventures, which is probably just as well.
PRINCESS is our biggest, oldest, and most regal of the new set. She didn’t come out but loved attention, whether a good game or a good stritch on the back of the next. She lets you know when you’re doing it right by stretching out her legs and massaging your arm with her paws, purring all the while. 
ZERO was the first of our stay-inside hiding under blankets cat. You can reach in and pet him? her? but looks like it’ll take time and attention to help her come out of the shell.
That just left CARDAMON, another burrower, who was not much interested in games, or being petted, and definitely no fan of any plan that involved her coming out of that cage; I forgot to try her with catnip spray.

A shy lot of cats, but no telling how much of that is due to being in a strange new place.
—John R