Fright night

I wanted to write last week but I was sick.

It started last Saturday morning - although it didn't seem like morning because it was dark, but we had been in bed for ages and apparently it's called 'the early hours' when it's like that. I woke up and I didn't feel very well. I've never felt like that before and it wasn't very nice. Something was happening in my tummy and it was a bit scary, so I jumped onto the bed and sat on the duvet between Babe's and Babe's heads because I thought they might want to know what was going on - although he was doing his loud snoring and she had the duvet over her head so I don't think they knew I was there at first. Then all sorts of things happened that I wasn't expecting: I made a lot of noise and I was sick, all at the same time. It looked a bit like my dinner and it was strange seeing it come out instead of go in. He stopped snoring and said "He's being sick." She poked her head out of the duvet and said "Oh no, I thought he was just cleaning himself!" "What! - making that noise?" (I was glad he said that because I think I'm very quiet when I'm doing my cleaning.) "Alright!" she said, "I didn't know - I was asleep!" I think it was because she couldn't hear properly under all that bedding. I'm glad he woke up or he might have got it in his hair. It was nice when they stopped being cross with each other and paid some attention to me really, because they were distracting me. "Oh poor Baby!" she said (sometimes my name is just like theirs!), and started being all concerned. Then there was a bit of commotion with creeping around so as not to wake the lodger (he's my friend), and washing and wiping and changing the duvet round and things and eventually we went back to bed.

I did it again about an hour later, but this time I thought it would be better on the carpet so I didn't disturb them - but she got up and cleaned the carpet and looked after me - and he said it wouldn't stain because of the Scotch Guard. I think we must be very lucky to have one; I learn something every day. I felt fine then and wanted to play, but she didn't really want to so I amused myself for a while then got back on the bed and had a little sleep.

We were woken up again when the rain got really really heavy and you could hear it splashing and splashing outside, "...as if someone was throwing buckets of water off the roof!" That made me laugh! The room kept lighting up but no-one was doing anything, and there were some funny growling noises outside. Then there was a flash and straight away the biggest, loudest crashing sound I've ever heard! I was happily biting my toes on the bed at the time and I jumped right up into the air (she said it scared the life out of me and I jumped out of my skin, and that they did too, but I don't remember any of that!) and ran under the bed then out the other side and under his drawers. They looked for me for a while, in the kitchen and everywhere. I could hear them calling me: "Forrrrrrest... Muuunchkin... it's okaaaaay..."... Eventually I peeped out from under the drawers and they saw me looking. "Oh my goodness, how did you get under there?" "Forrest Baby," (see, what did I tell you?) "- you'll get stuck under there one day." Not if I can help it I won't. It's far too cramped.

In the morning they took me to see the vet man again. It was nice to see him and he was happy to see me. He called his friendly lady on the desk in to come and look at me too! La la la. They seem to really like me 'cos I'm so cute. La la. The Babes mentioned that I'd been sick but he said sometimes kittens just regurgitated their food (we are quite clever) if they'd eaten too much, or too quickly, but as long as I wasn't off my food they shouldn't worry. I expect that was it. He did the thing with a needle in my neck again then said I could go outside now, on Supervised Visits, and his friend said they should give me food when I come in. I like the sound of the food bit - not sure about the other thing but 'time will tell' (how does it do that?). He also said he'd see me again in January for the chipping he mentioned last time and "Enjoy ya balls little fella; make the most of 'em!" That was another 'oh poor little thing!' and lots of laughing moment. I don't understand them sometimes - why do they do that? - and what are they talking about?

That night they had some friends over for dinner and I was sick behind the tele (but they didn't notice for ages because they were watching people singing on it and getting cross with the people who were talking about the singing and they weren't looking at me).

I spent the rest of the weekend being quiet and I slept mostly. I didn't feel quite myself for a few days really - I even went off my food for a day and the Babes got really worried and were talking about seeing my friend the vet again. But I'm fine now. I have a fat tummy again and I've grown even bigger. I think there was just a bit too much going on and it got to me a little bit. Or it could have just been something I ate.

Fx

Growing pains

I can't believe it's been two weeks since I last wrote in my diary! I've been so busy sorting things out here, finding my way around, catching up on sleep and growing - I haven't had time to think!

It's my 13 weeks birthday tomorrow and I do feel quite different now. A lot has happened and, going by people's comments, I think I'm going to grow into a lovely cat. And a BIG cat. Apparently I have huge feet and very long legs (I can put my back leg behind my head and bite my thigh, so that leg must be quite long - although I am quite supple). The lady people thinks that if you looked long enough you'd be able to see me growing; I tried but I didn't see anything, and then I fell asleep. It does make me very tired - growing is quite hard work - but I can do so many more things now, and get to places I couldn't even a week ago, so I've had a lot to do.

The biggest thing that's happened to me was going on another trip in my basket, with Squonk and my snuggly blanket, in the bouncy noisy thing. I knew something was up. The day before, lady people (who I think is called Babe) had been in the kitchen talking to someone who wasn't there. I heard her say something about new kitten, registering, and jabs. Then she said: "Forrest - as in Gump." so I knew she was talking about me because that's my name (although I don't know why she was laughing). "...with two 'r's - ooh yes, that's very important!"; "...yes, his mum is part Norwegian Forest cat..."; "...yes, exactly!" (more laughing); "...nearly 12 weeks." "OK, brilliant, we'll see you tomorrow at ten past eleven then. Great. Thank you. Bye." At the time I didn't know what that was all about. I just thought maybe she was going a bit funny again. She does worry me sometimes.

But then tomorrow came, and she and he (who seems to be called Babe too, which is a bit confusing) put me in my basket and we went out of the house. It brought back lots of memories of the day I met them and I had a horrible feeling that my life was going to change all over again. I think I'm quite happy now and I didn't really want that. I figured the best thing was to sit quietly and take in as much as I could, so I looked out of the window at things rushing past us, really fast, like they were on wheels... it was very interesting. I was just getting sleepy when everything stopped moving and we were fidgeting around again. We walked up to a building and stood outside. Babe and Babe read out a sign that said 'Veterinary Surgery' and said "Here we are!" and in we went. A lady sitting at a desk asked lots of questions. They laughed about my name again and ooed and aaahed a lot when she looked at me in my basket. "Are you going to get him chipped?" she said. (I really did not like the sound of that!) "Oh you should - he's very nickable." Nickable? What's Nickable??? Whatever it is it has to be bad - they laughed in a strange way and said "Oh no, poor little Forrest!" So Nickable kittens get chipped. Whatever way you look at it, it doesn't sound good.

Anyway, then, a nice man with a different voice (she Babe said he reminded her of her doctor and he was Australian too) took us into another room and he picked me up kindly and looked at me in all sorts of places, and "weighed" me, and I think he stuck something sharp in my neck but I didn't really notice as I was more interested in all the things in his room. He put a cold liquid on the back of my neck too - something to do with fleas and things; I don't really know, I wasn't paying attention. He said I was a nice kitten. I quite liked him too. He put me back in my basket and tucked me up in the snuggly blanket... I REALLY liked that! My people never do that! He said "He's not spoilt at all is he!" and they laughed and she Babe said "Oh no, he hasn't got any toys!" and they laughed again. But that's not true! I've got lots of toys! Apparently I've got more toys than most children! I'm seeing him again in two weeks and I'm really looking forward to it. I think I'll take Squonk, and maybe my little blue ball - although it's getting a bit tatty now - to show him and perhaps we can play Fetch. It's nice to get out a bit and meet new people.

Today I'm feeling quite grown up! Fx

My story so far... Part 1

Today is the first day of the rest of my life! The new people seem to have gone through one of the doors that I'm not allowed to go through and this is the longest I've been on my own since they brought me here. I think it's called 'New Home'.

I've decided to keep a diary because I'm already forgetting things and I'm only 10 and a half weeks old. Also, the people keep saying things like 'Well, it's only for the next few weeks, until he's had his jabs.' and 'He's already too big for his litter tray!'. I don't know what it all means but things seem to change pretty fast around here so I need to keep track. It's a bit scary... where's Squonk? (he's my favourite green soft toy, with mad orange hair - the new lady people said he reminds her of her brother, so I think I'll like him - and something called 'catnip', which makes me go a bit crazy but in a good way). He was in the basket with my snuggly brown blanket when they brought me to New Home on Friday the 9th of October 2009. He makes me feel secure. I'm not sure if he's my most favourite thing in the whole world though. That might be the little blue spongey ball that sticks to my claws and that I carry like a pretend baby kitten in my mouth. Like my mum used to carry me, when I was really tiny and before I could see... I play 'fetch' with it for the people and they love it! They keep saying 'Oh Forrest (that's one of my names but I'll get back to that or I'll forget what I was saying)... 'Oh Forrest, you're so funny. He thinks he's a dog. We should video him and make lots of money on 'Animals do the funniest things'.' I'm not sure how I feel about that, whatever it is. The last time money changed hands I found myself in a basket with Squonk. I got bounced around a lot and it was quite noisy and when I got out of the basket I felt really frightened and lost, and I was here, and I haven't seen my old people since. Or my mum.

When the new people talk about my mum they always look at me in a funny way and go all soppy with me and get cry-y eyes. I haven't seen her since the money day, when they came to see me in Kent and drank coffee and laughed with my old people. I didn't like the new people much but I wrestled with my mum who was, with hindsight (I don't get that word 'cos I don't have eyes in my bottom, but I know what it means), getting a bit irritated with me by then really, but it made them laugh and they seemed to like me. The lady people said she felt awful taking me away from my mum but the old people explained how my mum was getting a bit tired now, and if we stayed together we wouldn't get on, and then she felt better. She spends a lot of time with cry-y eyes when she's around me, and her nose goes red, but I don't think it's an allergy, which is good. She picks me up and squishes and cuddles me a lot, which brings tears to MY eyes, but I don't mind too much - I'm just glad she's not ill. I like him - he's more laid back and not so needy. I'm only a kitten and I'm still learning.

I had a dream about my mum the other day, I think it was the Sunday after I arrived. Lady people was sitting on the sofa watching something called 'Friends' (apparently it was a repeat but I don't know which one) and I had curled myself up on the snuggly brown blanket next to her (it seems to turn up everywhere, which is a relief really). I was in a deep dreamy sleep and suddenly I was back with my mum, just me, none of the other kittens were there, and I was having a lonnnng long drink of milk from my mum - boy was I thirsty and it was so comforting, I was drinking and drinking and I didn't want it to end! And then I think I woke myself up making suckling drinking noises. I blinked a bit and slowly realised where I was, and when I looked up at lady she was looking down at me with big cry-y eyes; I really thought she was going to go this time. I think she knew.

Anyway, trying to remember all this stuff is quite hard and I'm a bit tired now, so I'm going to lie down for a bit. I expect I'll do Part 2 tomorrow though. Fx