A new Maine Coon Kitten Family member (Ruff) is coming by year end ...

[jdandy]

Terry.......That model of the Bullet Mustang is looking smaller and smaller next to Rascal.

[tigerhonaker]

Originally Posted by jdandy

Terry.......That model of the Bullet Mustang is looking smaller and smaller next to Rascal.

Dan,

He is growing pretty darn fast.

I think a lot of you will really enjoy seeing all the pictures of him.

Hopefully Ivan can get with Rich so the Text Limitation can be increased so I can do the post here for all of you.

Terry

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by tigerhonaker

See if brother Rich will go in and (change) the text (Limitation) for you.
My post would look a little Dumb if I have to cut it in Half.

T.

Will do!

[tigerhonaker]

Hello Pet people,

1st let me explain why you have not seen me post in awhile.
It's not that I have simply not posted here on www.IMBOC.com I have not posted on any internet site since picking Rascal up.

So here is the story,
Rascal was what's referred to as a Single in a litter.
He was the only kitten born from his Mom (Taylor) and his Dad (Riggs).
What I did not know and perhaps some of you might not know is the following.
Because he was a single he could not play or be with other kittens from other litters.
They would all have a dominate kitten in their litters and they would pick on Rascal if he was around them.
So he had to be kept by himself and his mom (Taylor).
Also because he was a single Taylor did not produce a lot of milk so Mickey actually fed him also.
The other thing that took place with Rascal and his, (Over Attentive) mom was she cleaned/groomed him to frequently.
That sometimes happens with a good mom and Taylor is definitely that for sure.
So, after Rascal was weened from Taylor they were separated.
That left Rascal by himself ............

Mickey the last week before we were driving up to bring him home gave him full run of the house when she was home.
So he got tons of her personal attention.
She also taught him to use the Sisal-Scratching-Post.
So that was a big help when we brought him home as I did the same thing that she did with him to further teach him.

I have taken way over a hundred (100) pictures by now.
So there is no-way for me to post all of them and probably you would soon get BORED looking at that many anyway.
I'll try to post them in some order but it's not going to be easy as Photobucket simply does not load them the way one wishes.
They are all mixed-up so it's gonna take sometime to try to post the ones I do in some order that makes sense.

So, here goes the story on picking up Rascal in Dublin, Ohio from, Maine Delite Cattery and Mickey the owner.

The trip up was really smooth as well as the trip back on Sunday.

We actually drove to Mickey's home/Cattery and not the hotel in Dublin.
We got there on Saturday afternoon and hung out with Mickey.
She gave us the complete tour of her cattery and home.
We saw all the Maine Coon Cats & Kittens.
She also explained in detail how things really work as a breeder and not as a person/persons with a Maine Coon Companion.
And believe me it is completely different worlds apart.
I think the best way for me to say it is, she is a Care-Giver where a person like me actually has a Companion.
I could get into a lot more detail but I really think you are much more interested in Rascal than me attempting to explain how a Cattery operation works.

Saturday we did the tour thing with her show & tell of everything.
Then we had all kinds of time to play with Rascal.
Now that was not as easy as one might think as he was definitely not use to us as Strangers.
If you basically sat still and made no sharp moves he would come around.
If you had one of his toys you could mess with him.
Mickey could do whatever with him since he was so use to her.

Then Mickey took us to a restaurant that did a Huge Buffet thing.
Even had a separate Bakery as I recall.
There were lots and lots of people as it was a very popular place for sure.
It had every imaginable food and deserts your little-ole-heart desired.
It was the sort of place I need to stay away from or my thin frame would soon be Ballooned out.

Then we went back to Mickey's and spent more time until it got late and we went back to the hotel.
Actually Mickey followed us to the hotel on the way to eat so we could check in and then ride with her.
So we rode with Mickey back to the Hotel that evening which was maybe like less than 10-minutes from her home.

The next morning we drove over to Mickey's house and rode with her to have an Awesome breakfast.
Then back to her home and hung out for awhile and played some more with the Wild-Child.

I think we left around 10 am which was 11 am her time as she had an appointment to go to.
And we had a 7 hour drive to make so the timing worked out perfect.

Oh before I overlook the following let me cover somethings Mickey did.
When we got ready to leave she has a new Soft-Carrier with a Pull-Out for Rascal to ride in.
She provided us also with a Case of his Wet Food he was use to eating.
And if that's not enough she had purchased lots and lots of toys for Rascal at the different cat-shows she has been attending.

She also had a really nice Enclosure for all his paperwork for us to take home.
It had everything imaginable in Detail as to taking him to our Vet for his follow-up shots.
All one has to do is follow her instructions to be all set.

Maybe I should right now tell you all how Rascal is at our home.
The 1st three (3) days I kept him in his room.
That way he could slowly get use to one room and not get overwhelmed by the whole house.
Keep in mind he was a Single so he was not use to being with other kittens or people.
So I slept each night with him in his room on the bed.
He would sleep on me or right beside me each night.
I think he felt Safe doing that IMO.
I did not pick him up and put him on the bed he simply would jump on the bed and craw up on my chest and lay down.
Or on my upper legs.
After the third day I decided to close off the bathroom doors up-stairs and open the master bedroom door as well as the office Cathy and I were in.
I Blocked-Off the Staircase so he did not know they were there.
(That lasted all of maybe 3-hours before he jumped-up to see what's on the other side)
So I then Removed the Blocked-off stairs and Rascal preceded to immediately to go down and investigate the downstairs.
That obviously included the formal living room with lots more of his toys and also the huge Pet Condo.
He jumped on that thing like it was 2nd nature to him.

Well moving along to how things are now with him and me.
He now follows after me when I go to the different rooms or downstairs.
He also loves his 6pm supper meal I prepare.
He knows when that time is and Rushes right to his feeding area before I can sit the bowl down.
He's an Eating-Machine !!!

He gets hard food 24/7 in one bowl.
The other bowl I prepare with wet and some dry mixed in for 6pm supper.
(That he loves)

At night he spends some time in bed but has now picked out where he wants to sleep for the night.
That's the tallest Chest in our room that has a thick blanket on it.
He lays spread-out and faces us so he keeps an eye on us all the time.
At 1st he was actually sleeping on my chest at night but once he felt secure he chose the Tall Chest.

In the daytime he spends the majority of his time right where I am in the office.

If I take an afternoon Nap he will follow me and jump on the bed and lay beside me for our mutual nap times.

Oh, he is Fast, real-fast when he chooses to romp.

He can run up the stairs or down the stairs in the blink-of-an-eye.
He has longer legs than the average USA Maine Coon.
The reason being he has European blood lines from both his Mom & Dad's Maine Coon Lines.

Mickey says he will very possibly be a 30-Lb. Adult that will take like 5-yaears.
His size will take like 2-years to develop.
The European Maine Coon Cats take longer to develop to Adults.

I'll do the best I can with the pictures but there might be duplicates and the order might be messed-up.
Okay on with the pictures,

We are checking out the MCS for the return trip home with Rascal.







We are getting closer.




Just arrived at Mickey's house/Cattery.




Rascal checking out the other Maine Coons on the enclosed porch area.










All these pictures are Rascal at Mickey's house.
(Keep in mind he is constantly on the move)







Cathy & Terry with the New Rascal.




Me and Rascal.




This is Mickey, Terry & Rascal.




Mickey & Cathy waiting on me to snap picture as we hed out for lunch on Saturday.




Me and Rascal playing.







We are now loaded up to come back to Franklin, TN. in the MCS.
That's Mickey & Cathy and in the passenger seat, Rascal in his New-Soft-Carrier with Pull-Out thanks to Mickey.
Look real close and who is looking out of his soft-Carrier ???






Just arrived home on Sunday Oct. 2nd 2016.







Toys in 1-hand and Rascal in the other.




Rascal is in his room and I just opened his Soft-Carrier Top-Section.







These pictures are Rascal in his room.
I'm leaning against the wall and letting him explore his new room.


































And here is my Bright idea to keep him up-stairs.
I used Huge Hefty Commercial Garbage Bags to cover the Safety-Child-Baby-Gate.
(That lasted maybe 3-hours if that)
This was the 3rd day ...










So here are simply misc pictures of Rascal doing all sorts of things in the house.
He now has Full-Run of the House.




























Here he is playing Hiding go Seek.
















Here is Rascal last Sunday at 13-Weeks Old and weighing a whopping 4.2 Lbs.







Here is Rascal today.





























I hope everyone enjoyed the Up-Date on the New Family Member, Rascal.


.

[Cohibaman]

Awesome! He sure looks like he's getting used to his new place.

[Still-One]

Terry
Thanks for the comprehensive update. I can see that both you and the cat are going to be very happy!!

One comment. As much as Linda and I love our dog, there is no way Linda would be sitting in the back seat with a pet in the front. You have a very understanding wife.

[jdandy]

Terry.......I sure enjoyed reading this last post and seeing all the photos of Rascal. I am very happy for you and Cathy that you have opened your heart once again to make a home for Rascal. It certainly looks like you guys are one big happy family.

[tigerhonaker]

Originally Posted by Cohibaman

Awesome! He sure looks like he's getting used to his new place.

You can believe he is already very comfortable in his New-Home.

Originally Posted by Still-One

Terry
Thanks for the comprehensive update. I can see that both you and the cat are going to be very happy!!

One comment. As much as Linda and I love our dog, there is no way Linda would be sitting in the back seat with a pet in the front. You have a very understanding wife.

I'm glad you liked the up-date as I did try to be thorough.

Rascal has given life to our home once again so Cathy & I both are Happy.

Well buddy here is the, Rest-of-that-Story, on Cathy being in the back of the MCS.

That was her idea once she tried it out to see how much room there was.

She said, honey I don't need the extra space behind the passenger seat I can ride right behind you.
That way I can see and keep an eye on Rascal.

Cathy thought it would be better if Rascal could see me right beside him than for us to place him behind us by himself for the 7 plus hour drive back home.

And she was right as soon as Rascal saw I was to his left he faced me and settled right down and after awhile actually closed his eyes and for the most part stayed that way on the way home.

Originally Posted by jdandy

Terry.......I sure enjoyed reading this last post and seeing all the photos of Rascal. I am very happy for you and Cathy that you have opened your heart once again to make a home for Rascal. It certainly looks like you guys are one big happy family.

Well as I said before I was at 1st thinking I was not going to get another Maine Coon kitten after tiger.

But ..............

Cathy was right that after time was passing and I totally lucked out finding Mickey and, Maine Delite Cattery, she owns things have definitely worked out great.


Terry

[jdandy]

Terry.......This photo makes me want to reach out and give Rascal a soft rub between his ears. Really good photo.

[Masterlu]

Terry... what a great thread, now I know why you had us raise the photo & character limit.

It really shows how smitten you both are by Rascal; what a fantastic "feel good" post/thread!

This is worthy of being a Sticky in our Pet Forum.