Kai and Lani – Ragdolls of the Week

Our two Ragdoll kitties were born September 12, 2019. They are both male and full siblings.

We have an amazing breeder who allowed us to meet the dame and sire before the kittens were born. Then, once they were born, we were allowed to visit them starting at two weeks of age. Watching them grow and change color was fascinating!

We chose them from a litter of 5 males, at the age of 3 weeks old.

Kai was the only one with distinct gray paws. Lani had a dark gray spot on his right back leg.

We visit Hawaii every year, so we decided to give them Hawaiian names, descriptive of those brilliant blue eyes. Kai means “ocean”, while Lani translates to “sky”. We also call them “Fluffy”, “Fluffernutter”, “Kai Bear”, “Lani Boy”, and “Big Blues”.

We brought them home at 13 weeks old, right before Christmas. Perfect holiday gifts!

They do pretty much everything together – eating, bathing each other, sleeping wrapped up together.

Lani has always been adventurous, climbing to the top of the highest cabinet, at ceiling level. Kai won’t even consider jumping up onto the kitchen table. He’s much more hesitant.

Just like other Ragdolls, they want to be wherever we are. If I go out to the garage, I can hear them crying loudly on the other side of the door. They are right on the bed when I change the sheets, diving beneath them. Mopping the floors? Right there watching until I’m done, then running across the wet floor. I can only watch and laugh.

They are very vocal, and their voice pitch changes when talking to us, as opposed to each other. They will yowl loudly for each other continuously when one is out of the other’s sight. The “lost” one will suddenly appear, and go right to his brother as if to say, “Here I am, bro!”

They both enjoy a good belly rub, and will meow loudly until you comply with their demands. I only thought dogs liked belly rubs.

Neither one will sit on our laps, and usually don’t want to be held, even in a floppycat fashion, for very long. We’re hoping that changes one day!

Kai and Lani enjoy their meals tremendously. Lani usually comes up on the bed about 5 am, meowing and pawing at us until we respond. Kai just waits at the bedside, whining softly, while Lani does all the wake-up work. They don’t gobble all their canned food at once. They take a few bites, wander around, chase and wrestle, use the litterbox, explore, then return to eat. This can take up to an hour!

We started them on some raw turkey and chicken, mixed with Better in the Raw for Cats Premix, at 9 months of age. The premix is a complete formula supplement, assuring the cats get complete nutrition. They get this for their evening meal. A high quality dry kibble is available most of the day. Their snacks consist of freeze-dried chicken hearts, and other healthy treats. They weigh between 11 and 12 lbs – proof of a good diet.

Like human children, they have a house full of toys. Their favorites include plastic springs and spring tubes. Lani loves to play fetch with them, while Kai likes to see how many can go under the refrigerator or oven. A 4 – way play tunnel tube is a chasing playground for them. It also serves as a comfy nap area. A red laser light keeps them hunting and jumping.

They also like to use household items for fun. Lani will drag a plastic grocery bag or junk mail in his mouth. Kai will do anything for a box to sit in. He will stuff his fluffy body, limb by limb, into the smallest box he can find. He can fall asleep in it, with his head hanging over the side.

We have a cat stroller that we use during cooler weather. They enjoy a stroll through the neighborhood.

We are planning on having them trained to be comfort pets. We would like to have them visit with children and seniors who are housebound due to illness and in need of a soft, furry touch. That is on hold for now due to the pandemic, but someday we hope it becomes reality.

Kai’s favorite place to nap is in the kitchen fruit bowl, minus the fruit. Lani enjoys wrapping around a souvenir brick from Mexico to catch a snooze. We have 6 comfy, cozy cat beds for them, some covered with soft baby blankets. So why are these prime sleeping spots? Go figure.

We find they shed quite a bit, especially during our hot Texas summer. We find tumbleweeds of cotton-candy-like fur rolling around in every room, even if the floors have just been vaccuumed. Regularly combing them seems to help. They’ve learned to flop on their back and let us lift their front paws to comb their 3 inch long fur underneath. This helps to prevent knots and matting. They are rewarded with a few Greenies treats afterwards.

Our Ragdolls have brought us so much happiness. They constantly entertain us with their antics. We’ve always had a cat or 2 during our 44 years of marriage, but none compare to our extraordinary Kai and Lani. Their breed is definitely very unique!

Their first birthday was just a few days ago. We hope you enjoy their story and photos!

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