Baltus, who lives at Lerud, is one month older than Jonatan, and they’ve met a few times here and there. They usually sniff each other, share food, and play with toys. Not like puppies tumbling over each other in wild play, but in a more dignified, feline way – like two well-behaved little gentlemen.
A bit of sniffing, some quiet tailing around, a round of hide and seek, and most of the time spent studying the activity toys rolling across the floor.
Baltus is a cautious and friendly cat, and he found the visit very exciting. Polite as ever, he shared his toys and treats without fuss.
But one day, everything changed when five-month-old Jonatan came over. Baltus remained his usual gentle self, but Jonatan – just one month younger – had turned into a hormone-fueled hooligan from Tiger Forest.
Basically, the class troublemaker and neighborhood terror in cat form. His hormones were clearly in full swing, and let’s just say his thoughts were not exactly aligned with Baltus’s calm worldview.
Jonatan had just passed the five-month mark, and the innocent kitten stage – with iPad mouse games, electronic toys, and playful bonding with Baltus – was long forgotten. Now he was ready to conquer and multiply, Viking-style.
Not Erik Bloodaxe or Ivar the Boneless, mind you, but Jonatan the Treat-Raider, who plundered snack bags and… yes, poor Baltus Peaceful took quite a hit.
Luckily, Mother Blackpaw stepped in and sent Jonatan the Raider on a short voyage back to the sofa.
In Viking times, the punishment might have been fines, beheading, or hanging – but here, he got the Sofa Sentence for the remainder of the visit. And honestly, that was probably harsh enough for a little Viking with ants in his fur.
Let this be a gentle reminder for those who think it’s harmless to let young kittens roam free outdoors – “they’re just kittens, what could happen?”
Well, girl kittens can become pregnant as early as four months old. And even if they’re not interested, bigger male cats can – and will – pin them down and mate with them.
And boy kittens? Sure, they can’t get pregnant, so letting them out is safe, right?
Wrong. They start early, harassing neighborhood cats, spraying and marking territory, and forcing themselves on any cat they can find – even the unwilling ones.
So:
Spay or neuter your cat as early as possible, whether it’s going to be an indoor or outdoor cat. Be a responsible cat owner and never let an unneutered cat roam free.
And while you’re at it – get your cat microchipped. It should be standard when picking up a cat from any breeder who cares even a little, whether it’s a moggy or a purebred.
This is also a heads-up for those who adopt a male and a female sibling, or have an unneutered adult cat and bring home a kitten of the opposite sex:
Neuter as soon as possible – to avoid both unwanted pregnancies and stress in the household.
Back to the visit: Jonatan had to serve sofa time for the rest of the day, while Baltus – seemingly unaffected by the hormonal ambush – tiptoed around doing charming little tricks to lure the prisoner out of his cell.
And in Jonatan’s defense – it’s somewhat understandable. Who could resist blond Baltus, rolling around on the floor like a cat in heat? Or maybe he just wanted to show off the two fluffy pom-poms under his tail… Who knows? But charming, he was – in every way.
So even though Jonatan took some serious liberties, he accepted his sofa sentence with good grace and lay quietly until it was time to go home.
Odin came along too.
But he had to stay on his blanket – otherwise, he would’ve stolen the whole show. Baltus was incredibly curious about this strange visitor and had to sniff and investigate what kind of creature this was. He’s not used to dogs – but brave and careful as he is, he dared to approach and sniff.
