Day three of the interloper, and Billy went to the vet to have his booster shots. They kindly looked after him while I continued to Shiploads where I acquired the necessary paraphernalia to deal with a kitten.

Home once more, I dropped Billy off and headed out once more to visit a friend who fortunately was not at home, but her husband provided the necessary newspaper supply without any social obligations to be met, and home once again.

 Once everything was in place there was not much space left for the kitten, but decanting it was not as traumatic as I had expected. Basically I lifted to the door of the trap, tilted it slightly and the kitten slowly uncoiled, then paced, very slowly, down the slope into the puppy pen. It put itself into the cat carry cage cum cave, the door was closed and it sat and watched.

After a little settling  in time I added some worming liquid to some wet food and approached the pen. And the kitten approached me (hissing like a steam engine) and barely allowed me time to add the basin to the pen before plunging in head first to eat it all. Apparently it works on the principle that any meal may well be its last and to hell with personal safety.

I even managed to steal a quick petting without interrupting the vacuum attack. And even dropping some spilled food on its head without a reaction.

I finally concluded the bathroom was the best spot after all as there are challenges in the spare room, not least space. So I can now sit on the toilet and commune with the kitten. As you  can see, a foot against the bars warrants inspection but not reaction. I suspect the hissing and spitting is becoming an obligatory objection rather than a serious expression of fear or aggression, though it does still tremble when I put my finger through the bars (thoroughly encased in leather gloves I would add!).

It does now approach the finger with its nose though, so hopefully that will become a more adventurous exchange not too soon.