Albert

He is much bigger than Cookie, several weeks older. Still, I think he will be good company for her. I put him in the kennel when I got him home. It was my intention to leave him in the kennel for today until he became accustomed to being here, then let him out to play when I let Cookie out tomorrow. Well, he ate Cookie’s leftover food and then took approximately 15 seconds to figure out how to escape the kennel. “Well aren’t you a real Einstein?”, I asked him. Hence the name Albert.

He kept heading outside and up the barn path. Pam lives just up the road from us and I was concerned he might try to go back to her house. I shut the bottom of the half-door. He then seemed content to hang out in the barn. There are several other less obvious ways out of the barn. Tiggy and the hens come and go as they please. He will find those ways eventually. For now I just want him to get used to the idea that the barn is now his home.

For the most part he gets along well with Cookie. He did not really play with her, as if he thinks he is too old for such nonsense. He did butt heads with her and follow her lead as to knowing when to beg for food or attention. He does not mind her laying next to him. However, when she tries to nuzzle up against his belly he growls and swats at her. I think she is looking to nurse. Albert wants none of that.

I introduced him to Tiggy. As with Cookie, Tiggy showed no signs of aggression towards the kitten. Mild curiosity then ran away when Albert tried to engage him. I feel confident that I can trust Tiggy to not hurt the kittens. Sissy stopped by with Levi and June. Little Cookie’s back arched and her fur stood up. She hissed her tiny hiss at June and June respected her space after that. Albert just laid in his sunbeam. He didn’t even seem to care. Clearly he is accustomed to dogs.

When I finished chores tonight I put Cookie and Albert in the kennel and fed them. They ate together peacefully. Then Cookie curled up in her bed. And Albert calmly squeezed through a top opening of the kennel and was perched on a beam when I left the barn. Sigh. I hope he will still be in the barn tomorrow. We shall see.