Vader Update

Well, I've learned several things about this kitten.

He's very affectionate. He often curls up in my lap after play.

He purrs a LOT and loudly. I was sitting on the sofa and he was underneath and I realized I could hear him. He purrs when playing, he purrs when being pet.

He is a pouncer, not a chaser. Usually if you have a toy on a string you can drag it along the ground and the cat will chase it. Not Vader. He hunkers down. When it stops moving his butt wiggles then he run-pounces it. If it goes behind a box out of sight this also induces the pounce.

He is still nipping. If we stop petting him (or don't start) and he wants petting he'll nip. If we are petting him or have our hands near when he wants to play he'll nip. He doesn't bite hard; I don't think he's broken skin yet. It does hurt, but he isn't trying to hurt, he's trying to play and doesn't yet understand humans don't play that way.

We can basically recognize when he is going to nip, and the hard part now is not simply avoiding the situations.

For example, if he was my cat, I'd just make sure to set him off my lap if I wanted to stop petting him, thus avoiding the issue of getting nipped at when I stop. However, that doesn't teach him not to nip, which is what we are trying to teach him so he has a better chance at being adopted. Thus, if I get tired of petting him, I stop. Then I wait and see if he's going to nip or not.

If he's clearly wanting to play I don't try to make him sit and be calm. He's a kitten! We start with play and wearing him out. Now that we've got the toys & figured out how to get him moving he is better behaved. He plays for a while then quits and often comes and sits on my lap. he's less likely to nip at our hands now that he's got the right type toys. He still does, but not as much.

He is, other than the nipping, a delightful kitten. He plays, he comes running to greet us, he purrs a lot, and he leaves Jon mostly alone when on the computer. He also has a hilarious butt wiggle right before pouncing.