"Kit is really doing very well. He is a beautiful guy, with his lovely, black coat. He appears very comfortable with people, and adjusting smoothly to the house. I think he may not be used to indoors, at least he does not appear to have been taught boundaries yet. I am pretty permissive with my cats about beds, sofas, etc..., but try to teach them that food preparation areas/dining tables are off limits. Anyway, I am not at all concerned. He has only been here a short while, and I'm certain he can learn easily. He is very clean in his habits, i.e..., self grooming and litter box, and has only used the preferred clawing areas. He's even been tolerant of my combing his fur. Adjusting to the resident animals of course is going much more slowly. I've been trying to give everyone lots of extra support, but I can't wait 'til we're all one happy family. I'm glad I'm home full time now to ease the adjustment. Kit really likes the catnip blue fish and the red lobster toys, like the set I sent up to your shelter. You guys do such a wonderful job with your shelter, I am really impressed. Good by for now, and thanks again for this great kitty. I will eventually send photos of course"

NOTE: For kitties who need to learn that counters and tabletops are off limits, there is a sure-fire solution! Simply get one of those under-chair plastic carpet pads, found at office supply stores - the kind with the little plastic "spikes" on the bottom. Cut it to fit the countertop, and place it down spike-side up. The spikes will not injure the cat when he jumps up on the counter, but he will not like how they feel on his paws!

An alternate method is the "squirt bottle avoidance" method, where one squirts the cat with water every time he jumps on the counter. The downside to this method is, the cat eventually figures out "hmmm, when I jump on the counter *and my person is home* I get squirted with water." He stops jumping on the counter when you are home... but guess what he does all day when you are out at work or running errands? Heh. Using the carpet mat method above, the cat never associates the uncomfortable feel with his person's presence, he just learns "jumping on the counter feels AWFUL on my little tootsies" and learns to avoid the counter entirely.