We're confused! We try pretty hard to be good little kittens -- really, we do! But we don't know if we should obey our Shira-mom or our lisa-mom when it comes to where we sleep and hang out. It's like this. We were born in lisa-mom's closet, like all our Shira-mom's babies. We stayed there for a couple weeks, then lisa-mom put us in a big cage and moved us down the hall. She said it was because we could get out of the bed in the closet and we might get stepped on. The big cage is NOT fun. We did our best to climb out of it, but we'd get to the top and there was no way for a little kitten to escape. Oh, sure, Shira-mom could just jump out, but we can't jump that well yet. 

Then our Peanut-dad had a girlfriend come visit. We were still stuck in the big cage, but we were back in lisa-mom's room. After a week of that, back to our room we went. It was about then that our Shira-mom decided we should see the rest of the house. She grabbed us one by one and jumped over the side of the big cage. Down the stairs we went. Then she put us under a big cat tree right in the living room. lisa-mom came home and found us all there. She wasn't very happy and she carried us all back upstairs to our room. She told Shira-mom that is she didn't leave us there, she'd shut the door and Shira-mom would have to stay in that one room all day.

I guess Shira-mom took it seriously, 'cause she never carried us off again. But lisa-mom started letting us out of the big cage so we could explore the whole room. 

Well, that's just what Adia was waiting for. She took one look at the gate in our door and said, "I can climb that! I practiced on the big cage and I can climb anything!" And so she did! Up the gate she went and when she got to the top, she tried to climb down the other side. She's not very good at climbing down, but she still managed to get what she wanted -- freedom! 

Off Adia went, down the hall to the stairs. Then she went right down the stairs. Lisa-mom caught her and brought her back upstairs. Adia climbed the gate again. And lisa-mom brought her back -- again. While all this was going on, the rest of us were studying just how Adia did it. Now we all can get over the gate and go wherever we want. And we like it downstairs. There are more toys, a lot bigger cat tree than ours, more food, and more kittens to play with -- even if they are bigger than us. 

Shira-mom must want us to be down there, too. She sits in the living room and calls us. She doesn't hang out in our room hardly ever. So if we want to eat, we have to go find her. But lisa-mom keeps taking us back to our room. I don't really know why she bothers -- we can be back downstairs before she gets everyone found and carried upstairs. You'd think she'd be tired of hauling us around. I think we're going to win this one. 

While I'm at it, I suppose I should introduce you to myself and my brothers and sisters. I'm Xaria. I'm a little bit quiet, but I can really go fast when I'm chasing a teaser. I'm going to go live with lisa-mom's two-legged daughter in Nevada when I'm old enough and I'll have a big brother named Merlin. I sure hope he likes me and wants to play. 

Adia I've already told you about. She was the first over the gate and usually the first to do everything. Lisa-mom has been saying she's a little troublemaker since Dia was only a couple days old. But Dia also has her sweet side and I think a lot of the reason she is always going downstairs is she wants to be with everyone else -- especially lisa-mom. 

Shay is even quieter than me -- except when he gets lost. Then he yelps really loud and someone has to go rescue him. He likes little crinkle balls and pounces on them. Well, he tries to pounce. None of us are very good at that yet. But he's probably the best. Besides pouncing on crinkle balls, he likes to attack the bigger cats' tails. Poor Uncle Zeke says he's getting pretty tired of kittens biting his tail. But it's so skinny and fun! 

My other brother is Makaio. Makaio is a good climber and has made it all the way to the top of the first little house on the big cat tree. When we have to stay in our room, he plays on the little cat tree all the time. Of course, this means that he gets swatted by big brother Brasen a lot. Brasen loves to hang out on the little cat tree and swat at us when we go over there. He's not mean about it -- it's just his favorite game. Lisa-mom says Brasen thinks we are squeaky toys.  

Natania is pretty mouthy. She is very opinionated and complains more than anyone when we have to stay in our room. Adia told her to just be quiet and learn how to escape, so now Natania runs off to the living room. Still, if she doesn't get her way, she has to complain. And what is her way? Well, she wants to go wherever she wants, play with whichever toys she wants, and not be pestered by lisa-mom picking her up for cuddles. She looks like she'd be cuddly, but she just doesn't have time for that.  

And last is Dasha. Dasha loves to be around lisa-mom about as much as Adia. She was really glad when she learned how to get out of our room. That way she can follow lisa-mom around the house as much as she wants. When she's not doing that, she loves to wrestle. None of us are safe from her attacks!  

Well, I'm going to explore under the couch. lisa-mom isn't home to carry us back to our room, so I'd better take advantage of it while I can.