While the kittens are too scampery and noisy to be permitted in the bedroom during the night, as soon as we wake up Adrian opens the door and they run in to greet us. Pepper (front) is much more of a morning kitten, so she sits on my belly and purrs loudly as she gets ear scratches. Mint (back) is more subdued, and sits on the edge of the bed watching us start our day. She prefers her pats in the evening, when I am at the computer and she can sit on my lap.

We have now had Pepper and Mint for one month, and they are firmly entrenched as members of our family. In order to encourage them to come out of their shells, I have been using the “Tough Love” program from the Urban Cat League, originally developed for feral cats.

This program utilises the theory that cats will socialise themselves by choice in exchange for food. Physical contact is initiated when the cats are eating, and each day the extent of human interaction is extended. The cats’ boundaries are respected, and they are never forced into contact that they don’t want. I always have dry food available, but if the kittens want to eat a delicious pouch of tuna or some milk, then they have to put up with being patted and having their bellies rubbed.

Another marvelous tool has been the Cat Dancer. This toy is nothing more than a few bits of cardboard stuck onto a wire, yet I highly recommend it. Somehow, our kittens think that this is the most fascinating thing ever (well, apart from a fly on the wall). These two, especially Pepper, will go to great lengths to catch those bits of cardboard, and they will happily sit in my lap if it means that they can attack their prey. Sometimes, when they are sleepy, they will curl up next to me and just watch it bounce like it is an old episode of Futurama.

They will now follow me throughout the house, sitting next to me on the couch when I watch Veronica Mars, and curling up on my lap on the bed in the mornings. They will still flee when a hand or foot comes quickly toward them, but they will soon re-emerge, sniffing curiously and looking up at us with their big little eyes.

Rascally Pepper at the top, little Mint at the bottom.