Kittens Day 4: Enter Brownie
Brownie and I were snuggling on the sofa last night and I was overcome with dog mom guilt. I thought, “Oh my gd, I can’t believe I got three kittens without really considering how Brownie would feel about it. I am a selfish, bad dog mom.”
In my mind, I had considered Brownie. I told myself the story that kittens would be a fun addition for her, bring out her maternal instincts, give her company and purpose and entertainment. I told myself I was a great dog mom because I specifically adopted kittens with “dog experience,” having been fostered in a home with a dog previously.
But all dogs are not the same, and my Brownie is sweet but perhaps a little nervous by nature. On day 2 she ran from the kittens. On day 3 she was still quite cautious of getting too close to the gate keeping her safe from the kittens. “Holy crap,” I thought, “I am going to be in living amends to my dog for the next decade.” And the kittens! And my kid! What have I done?
And then I remembered the horror and misery and regret we all felt after we first brought Brownie home as a pup. It was chaos. It seemed impossible. But we sought help and persevered and now Brownie is the love of our lives, though we still need to keep unattended food up high on the bar to prevent unauthorized noshing.
I talked to Brownie while I rubbed her belly and scratched her behind the ears. I looked into her eyes and kissed her on the nose.
“I’m so sorry, girl. You are my first daughter and my best dogger and I love you.” She wagged her tail and licked my hand.
“This dog is loving forgiveness,” I thought. “I’m going to do better,” I thought.
And so I put the kittens in Brownie’s old wire mesh crate and stuck toys in through the slats for them to play with while Brownie cautiously regarded them and they ignored her.
Brownie was still suspicious of the kittens but less terrified with them in the crate. Eventually, with some gentle coaxing and cooing, Brownie sat near me, near the crate of kittens, and let me snuggle her while playing with them.
After a bit, I called Ax in to help. “Ax, do you want to snuggle Brownie while I play with the kittens or play with the kittens while I snuggle Brownie?”
We put Ax and Brownie in the bathtub snuggling, and let the kittens out of the crate on the bathroom floor with me beside them. Ax and I praised Brownie, who was quiet and relaxed watching the kittens play free. Just one big happy family hanging out in the bathroom together!
After some time like this, kittens playing, Brownie watching calmly, kittens climbing on me to get close, but not too close, to her, we let Brownie out of the bathtub and, holding her by the collar, let her lie down with the kittens.
The kittens came over to sniff her, and she sniffed them. Ax and I regulated our breathing and kept up a praising happy chorus of petting and cooing.
No one hissed, scratched, barked, or pounced. Well, Grey hissed, and Black hissed, but not a lot. Ax and I declared it a successful evening. We led Brownie out of the bathroom for treats and more pats and frolic in the hall. I cleaned the litter box, again, and left the kittens to themselves for bedtime secure behind closed doors in their exclusive bathroom domain. I’m gonna keep going.
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