So back on Friday 24 May 2019 I bought home my two rescue kittens Juno and Boots (that I previously wrote about here) and it’s been a surprising ride over the last 6 months.  Both Juno and Boots have remained the sweetest creatures you can hope to have in your home but they have also adapted and changed their personalities in ways I didn’t expect.

Very cute kitties

Probably the biggest change has been Boots who is now a more reserved cat, he is no longer the first to want to play in fact I have to coax him into play time and he is no longer the crazy cat when chasing his toys.  Boots however has really bonded with me, he wants cuddles most days sitting and sleeping on my chest and in my arms pushing his head against my chin and nose which starts he purring and on most occasions going to sleep in my arms. 

A favourite spot for Boots but normally he has his head against my chin

Also he loves bottle caps, cleaning last week I found 15 around the house mostly in places he couldn’t get at them any more.  I had a very happy cat was I retrieved his favourite toys and I got to watch him throw them around as he ‘hunted’ them down before losing them under a couch or cabinet again from which he struggle to retrieve the lost bottle cap.

I’m just a warm cushion for Boots when we watch TV

Juno has stayed the curious cat and is really smart.  Juno is somewhere between liking me very much and being bonded with me like her brother.  She did twice ‘escape’ the apartment causing me heartache, the first time she figured out how to climb out of the back balcony and ended up in a neighbours back balcony with their rabbit.   Juno had trapped herself and I had to rescue her by climbing very carefully across several apartments back walls.  That was the last time she has escape over the back walls, not sure if that was a learned experience to no longer do this or due to me moving some furniture around making it a lot harder to get out.

I just told Juno she can’t go outside today 🙂

The second time I let both cats onto the front balcony and Juno just walked out and then jumped straight down to immediately explore the apartment complex which I wasn’t expecting.  She was happy enough but when I picked her up to bring her back after 15 minutes she got stressed by another resident walking nearby and run straight into another apartment.  I had to wait 20 minutes for the owner to return and get her from under their bed.  Juno was grateful to be returned home sitting at my feet for 30 minutes but then she started asking to be let out again – No way Juno!  Still Juno is very smart and is always figuring stuff out to get her way 🙂

Most nights Juno jumps onto the bed and snuggles up against me on my left side for a few hours sleep.  Occasionally Boots joins us at the start of the night, I now that at some point before 4 am he shows up when I’m asleep but usually he just sleeps somewhere on the bed and not hard pressed up against me like Juno (but if I sleep in after 8 am he sleeps on my chest).

Juno thinks Boots needs a clean

I still haven’t managed to ‘cure’ them of waking me up at 4 am for food and a play.  I do give in on the food (as small treat) but now I lock them out.  Boots usually start meowing to be let back in around 6 am at which point I might give them both a rigorous rub down which always gets them purring and then I let them out onto the back balcony for fresh air and I go back to sleep for 30-50 minutes.

I have managed to train them a little, by that I mean I can get them to come running when I say certain words which usually leads to treats.  Still this is very useful trick when I need them to come to me so I can lock the back balcony of have to clean the apartment.

Every day when I get home between 4 pm and 7 pm I see Juno on her cat tree looking out and when she spots me she gets very excited and quickly jumps down to greet me at the front door.  Boots is always there to greet me as well so I can only assume she is the lookout for them both.  The greeting when I get home is very welcome.  Boots stretches up with his full body to get as close to my face as he can, right now he reaches my belly button and I can usually hear his purrs as I give him a welcome home head and back scratch.  For Juno it’s normally a welcome home leg rub.  They seem very happy when I get home.

Recently Juno has gone back to cuddling in my arms when I’m watching TV.  While not an everyday experience, unlike Boots who thinks these cuddles are mandatory, it’s a welcome 10-15 minutes of together time.

Juno’s Back

I think they are happy cats.  I see them playing with each other regularly, they definitely like to play with me, and purring is a regular feature of everyday.  When they get very close and sleep either on or right against me I feel their warmth and sometime their heartbeats which is great.  I regularly get slow eyes blinking at me or bellies expose for rubbing (they definitely like belly rubs).

It’s hard to believe Juno climbed up there

So yes they cost a bit to feed and maintain, I have to clean the house a lot more including daily kitty litter cleans, and yes they wake me every night around 4 am, but they are still worth it for the affection they give back and from the contentment I see on their faces as they sleep.  I don’t mind the accomandations I have made to include them in my life.

The Duo at work