We picked up our new kitten, Java, on Friday night and have spent an interesting weekend with him. There was the expected nervousness and hiding away from the world. But he’s largely come out of his shell and is revealing himself as a friendly, playful animal with a frequent, loud yowl. We’re hoping to hear much less from him when he settles down further. He likes having his tum rubbed – a required attribute. Other required attributes he gets a pass marks on are being inside the bed and playing fighty-bites. (Our immediate family knows what the latter means.) Leapies and head-butts are absent so far but hopefully they’ll emerge. He purrs OK by most cat standards, though not (yet anyway) at the drop of a hat like his predecessor, Bob. Like Bob, he has a taste for power cords and computer wires, so bitter apple lotion will be applied liberally when we get back to Wellington tonight.

It’s nice having a cat in the house again.

Update, 29 July: Java is well settled in and really feeling his oats. I’ve considered renaming him Frenetica, but that could backfire if he turns into an adult slob. But right now he’s quite mad – tears all over the place, playing most furiously. None of our previous Burmese cats have been this lively, but then previously we’ve had kids at home – and earlier Liz was a stay at home mum – to spend more time with them and tire them out. Now there’s no one there during the day and by the time we get home, Java is desperate for attention, fun and games. Yesterday he discovered a big Kirkaldies paper bag: