Alexandra came back here Friday evening, and then yesterday afternoon I took her back to Michelle’s. Not because of any health issues – she sounded great and was eating very well – but because she started dragging kittens out of the litter boxes. I know, it sounds funny but it was completely bizarre. The first time I saw it happen was Saturday morning while I was in the room. First she grabbed Rochefort by the nape of the neck and dragged him out of the box while he was peeing. And then she grabbed Constance by the leg and tried to drag her out of the box. I stopped her both times, carried her across the room and soothed her and the kittens. I gave her a break out of the room for half an hour, and moved the litter boxes to another location. I thought perhaps something had happened while she was in the litter box and she was trying to protect the kittens, but even with the litter boxes in a different location, she did the same thing. I tried splitting up the boxes so that there was one in each corner of the room, then tried changing to different litter boxes, and still the same behavior.
Of note: she herself was using the litter box just fine with no issues. But every time a kitten got in one of the boxes, she went and dragged them out. She seemed to get rougher each time, and when she grabbed Winter and made her scream, I decided it was time to get her out of the room. I set her up in the guest bedroom for the night. She spent Saturday night occasionally howwwwling at the door, and for a relatively quiet cat, she has got some LUNGS.
Yesterday morning I took her into the foster room and again – things were fine for about 10 minutes. The kittens mostly ignored her, though they’d occasionally go over and rub up against her, and she’d lick them. But again – once the first kitten went into the litter box, there she was dragging him out. I tried distracting her, but she KNEW when a kitten was going into the litter box. Then she grabbed d’Artagnan by the throat to drag him out and I decided enough was enough and took her back to the guest bedroom. A few hours later, I dropped her off at Michelle’s. I have never seen that particular behavior before (Michelle was baffled as well) and I can’t take the chance that she’d hurt a kitten. I wonder if being away from the kittens for 5 days while she was at Michelle’s last week gave her the idea that maybe the kitten-free life ain’t so bad. In any case, she’ll stay at Michelle’s and will be available for adoption once she’s been spayed.
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Athos’s sweet little face kills me dead.
As does Porthos’s.
Aramis would like a belly rub.
Constance says “OMG lady, how can you see anything through these glasses? They’re so SMUDGED. You needs to take better care of your things.”
Rochefort dares me to grab his belly. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
The little princes. (Aramis and Athos.)
Constance and Athos are ready for a nap.
Wahhh. D’Artagnan IS DA BAYbee.
Planchet needs a kiss or six.
Just a Rochefort hanging out in a llama basket, lookin’ cute. The usual.
Oh, that floofy Winter. She knows just how gorgeous she is.
Porthos likes the sunshine.
D’Artagnan is so CASUAL, hanging out of the scratcher watching Winter.
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Archie’s keeping an eye on Earl the Skwerl.
Is it Earl the Skwerl or Earline the Skwerl? Not that it matters, I guess.
Okay, yeah. It’s Earl. Good to know!
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Previously
2019: No entry.
2018: Moop thinks that Otis’s tail is QUITE tasty.
2017: “You just leave this laundry right here, lady. I’ll take care of it!”
2016: Cap’n Privet’s gonna sail that basket to shore, you just watch!
2015: Mama Love Monday.
2014: No entry.
2013: The Dragons get their (da) bird on.
2012: (In the background, Mr. Stripey and Sungold are all “Girrrrrrl, he is NEVER going to get that feather teaser. Bless his heart!”)
2011: Cilantro would like to know whatchoo talkin’ ’bout, Willis?
2010: “PARDON ME THIS IS JAKE’S CAVE THIS IS NOT MEANT FOR KITTENS TO COME TROMP ALL OVER THIS IS MY PRIVATE PLACE FOR PRIVACY.”
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: He has no time for the little kid.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Earl has been spotted at my house too, and I know it was Earl because look at the SIZE of those things! They’re like GRAPES!
Poor Alexandra. Maybe she and Bunny can commiserate on kittens. It’s weird she fixated on litter box use and not roughhousing or eating or, well, anything else. I hope she does well at Michelle’s.
Goodness Alexandra! Maybe this odd tick is a result of her previous head injury? But she and the kittens will be fine at this point and Michelle’s mama boot camp has excellent reviews!
Well hello Earl!!!
I’m trying to figure out how you tell the tabbies apart. Apparently Aramis has white face and white socks, Constance has tabby face and white socks and Rochefort has a lot more brown than the two others and no white socks in the front at least. Aramis has white belly and Rochefort has spotted belly, but what is Constance’s belly like?
Wow – I hadn’t ever heard of a mama pulling her kittens out of litter boxes. I’m sorry we won’t see more pictures of this gorgeous girl here, but Alexandra won’t have to worry any more and I’ll bet she soon will have a forever home!
OMG that is weird momma cat behavior. Glad she has a safe place to hang out now.
Well, I can’t say I have ever heard of that behavior before! Usually they want them IN the box! Weird!
My cat has a weird bladder and urethra issue has had them his whole life and they are medically controlled luckily. However, this has caused him to be very particular about his litter box (needs to be clean!). And he Really does not like other cats using it. He will hear them go in and then sit outside couched and ready to attack. Sometimes the other cat will just stay in the box in fear. He’s an only cat now and seems to like it best that way. Maybe Alexandra has the same hang up, like she loves the babies but really would prefer they not use her litter boxes, cause they are hers.
That’s very bizarre behavior by Alexandra indeed! I too have never heard of such a thing, but apparently it was a serious issue for her indeed. I’ll miss seeing her — maybe Michelle can provide a few pictures? — but I know, as beautiful and as sweet as she is, she’ll find a home in no time.
Also, please make a video of d’Artagnan expressing himself with the vigor that is evident in the pictures. He, and all the other kittens, are so cute I just melt every time I look at them!
What Alexandra did was indeed very odd and unusual. I have never heard this kind of behavior before. Maybe it is her head injury that caused some sort of amnesia. Or maybe she thinks that the litter boxes themselves pose a danger. I am not a veterinarian and these are just a few ideas about why she would behave like that. Alexandra is a beautiful mom indeed and we will miss her. I hope we will get some updates from Michelle!
Rochefort looks ready to inherit Corbie’s title of Most Beautiful Brown Tabby Ever.
That is very weird behavior from Alexandra. I’m glad nobody was hurt!
Wow Earl, um good to meet you!
That is bizarre behavior for sure, but glad you were able to work things out and everyone is safe.
Wow, Alexandra, that’s a weird one! 🙁 Poor mama kitty, I wish you could talk. Fingers crossed that the excellent (Katia is proof enough of this adjective) Michelle sends pictures and updates of sweet Alexandra Caliconess, and that said sweet calico gets herself adopted soonest!
I want to snatch up Rochefort the itty bitty tabby snuggler and Constance the tinytabby lap kitten and keep them. Alas, Wisconsin! That, and my landlady would fling me out the door.
Is Planchet settling in amongst the other kittens more by now? I hope he’s doing OK. He’s a beauty! I’m always partial to gray kitties.
Thoughts on new naming ideas for “Mew-groups”.
Mewsicals: you could do actual musicals like Seuss, Hamilton, Beauty, etc.
or musical instruments like Oboe, Clarinet, Percussion (ok maybe not those are kind of weird)
or your foray into Literature from this group could continue with “Paw-thors: O’Henry, Alice Walker, Emily Bronte, Thomas Hardy, Mark Twain, etc.
I don’t recall what environment Alexandra and her kittens were in before coming to you but do you suppose she felt there would be danger to the kittens if they made the kind of scent marks that obviously happen in litterboxes? Like, she trusted herself to sufficiently cover but felt that the kittens would be putting themselves at risk to predators? I have no idea