My Kittens, Cinco and Mayo
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love my animals - my dogs, cats, birds, and horses - they're all wonderful and special companions.
Two of the youngest residents at my farm live down at my stable. Perhaps you've seen them on my Instagram page @MarthaStewart48. They are kittens named Cinco and Mayo and they're nothing short of adorable. Born on March 15th, these two felines arrived at the farm on - you guessed it - the 5th of May, Cinco de Mayo. I adopted the sister pair from @gentlemensfarmstead and so far they are acclimating nicely to their new environment.
Here are some photos to start your week, enjoy.
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- Here they are – sisters Cinco, the calico, and Mayo, the tabby. These two have quickly become very popular here at my farm.
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- Cinco is very friendly and curious. She is the first to greet anyone who visits.
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- Mayo is a bit more shy, but has warmed up well and loves to join in the fun after her sister has “checked it out.”
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- Both Mayo and Cinco are living in my stable feed room until they are old enough and big enough to venture through the rest of the stable complex.
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- These two are Scottish Fold mixes. Their purebred mom had them shortly after she was rescued herself. The breed is known for having a sweet and loving nature with a short, dense coat.
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- Here is Mayo looking up from the platform on her cat tree. The two are extremely playful.
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- This is Cinco, looking quite coy.
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- When bringing any kitten home, it’s important to provide it with a safe space that includes a litter box, food, water, toys, and a scratching post.
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- They should also be kept safely separated from other pets and animals until they are accustomed to the sights and sounds of their new surroundings, especially at a busy farm like mine. And in case you were wondering, they have not yet met Blackie, my greenhouse cat.
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- My stable manager, Helen Peparo, and the rest of my crew, spend time with the kittens every day introducing new smells and objects as often as possible.
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- Tabby cats are domestic cats with a distinctive coat pattern and an “M”-shaped marking on the forehead. The pattern can include stripes, dots, lines, flecks, bands, or swirls on the cat’s body, and the cat may also have stripes by its eyes and across its cheeks, back, legs, and tail.
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- Cinco is a calico, meaning she has a tri-color coat. The calico cat is commonly 25 to 75-percent white with large orange and black patches. And, calicos are almost exclusively female.
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- Here’s Mayo using the small top of a scratching post to get off a shelf. Cats are naturally athletic and have many characteristics that contribute to their agility, speed, and impressive jumping ability.
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- Cats have a wider field of vision than humans, spanning 200 degrees as opposed to 180 degrees; however, cats only have about 20 to 40-percent of human visual acuity, which means they need to be closer to see things in the same detail. Felines also have much better night vision than humans.
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- These two are quite close, and love to play with each other. All cats are obligate carnivores and need a high-protein, meat-based diet to grow and thrive.
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- Kittens play hard… and sleep hard. Kittens six months and older, and adult cats, sleep about 16 to 18 hours a day on average.
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- And, kittens have a similar routine to adult cats, napping throughout the day. They are usually most active at dawn and dusk.
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- Here is Mayo winding down for a nap in her tree by a sunny window. Many cats love to lounge in a warm sunlit space.
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- A cat’s strongest senses include smell, hearing, and night vision. They can transition from sleep to wakefulness very quickly without grogginess.
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- For now, these two are filling their days with lots of playtime. They are nearly six months old – the stage when cats are reaching adolescence. There’s still so much for them to learn.
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- … And so much for them to see. I’ll be sure to share more photos as they grow. See you soon, Cinco and Mayo.
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