Jiminy and Cricket are gone.. New kitty has arrived

Well I have to say, I am a little sad and a little happy at the same time.  I was able to get Jim over his fear of people, and definitely made some major improvement in Cricket.  They both were interested in me when I showed up and Cricket didn't mind when I patted her if she was just sitting there (but please don't when I'm busy) I felt bad about having to keep them locked up.  When they had free run of the room, they peed on the couch twice (not sure if it was both of them or just her) so I covered the couch.

Which worked ok at protecting the couch, but not the cat beds (see the peeing across the room post) So I covered those.  They seemed to be ok using the box when they were locked in the cage (see image above far left) but I couldn't leave them in there all day, kittens need exercise.  So for an hour each morning I let them run around.  They seemed to be doing ok in the peeing front as of last night.  But this morning I realized it was a different story.

As I mentioned, they weren't eating well at all.  I tried dry food, I tried KMR, I tried loaf food, I tried shredded food, high gravy food (biggest hit) and fish food.  Still between the both of them they might have eaten 3 oz of food a day... not nearly enough for growing kittens.  They were losing weight.  The litter box had urine clumps in it the first few days.  I wasn't so concerned about no stool since they weren't eating much.  This weekend I noticed there was stool debris - as if they had diarrhea.  So I gave them some strongid. I thought if they had worms, it would account for the diarrhea and some kittens have poor appetites if their stomachs are full of worms.  It wasn't getting better, and this morning Cricket had diarrhea all over her back legs.  I called the shelter and gave them the story of not eating, losing weight, and now the diarrhea, and they wanted to see them.  I brought them in, and they think it is best if they watch them for a few days and hopefully get a stool sample to test.  it is a problem when it is pure liquid getting a sample in to them, as it is absorbed by what ever it is in, and is impossible to test.

So I brought them in.  I was thinking I'd get them tonight or tomorrow AM, but they think it is best to keep them for a few days, and since they didn't have an empty cage to put them in, they asked if I could take a new one.  Chances are J & C will end up with the manager and go from there.  I'm sorry I'm not going to see this one through, but when I cleaned up the room from their romp this morning, I realized someone went pee out side of the box again.  I went to put the litter box down for the new pregnant kitty I took in, and saw a pile of stool in the corner.  It was almost pure mucus... which is not good.  So on the upside, I won't have to deal with inappropriate elimination. I just hope they don't have some foreign problem that is going to infect the kitty I just brought in (because while I cleaned, I didn't have time to bleach every surface so if they have something hardy and long lasting, it could be an issue)

I set momma kitty up with a new litter box, and a new box for a bed, and she seems to like it just fine:

She doesn't have a name at this point.  She ate half a can of food, and enjoyed looking out the window as I was leaving. I'm hoping she pops out the kittens right quick and everything goes smoothly.  I know I can't see these kits till the end, as we are going to Florida in a month, but I can at least open up a cage at the shelter for a month.  *fingers and toes crossed everything goes ok*

I didn't check this morning, but I was in there on Sunday, and I saw the July fosters.  Cordi had been adopted, but Angel, Willow and Spike were all still there, and in a cage with a number of little black kittens.  It was so adorable, Angel and Spike were right at the front of the cage looking for attention, Willow was curled up in the back surrounded by little black kitties.  She really didn't want me to disturb her, so I didn't.