Update on First and Third

I got a phone call on Sunday that they were back at the shelter and up for adoption.  By the time I got there Second had already been adopted, but First and Third were there.  They had been renamed by their current foster parents to Spot and ... well something else beginning with S but sadly I don't remember.  I am sorry I didn't get to see Second.  I bet she was quite lovely.

This is what they looked like then.  Second is in the front, First is in the middle and Third is in the background...

This is what they look like now..   That is First with his nose down.  You can't see the spot on his nose (he was the one called Spot) it had gained a few friends.  That is Third with his foot up behind his head.  I couldn't believe how dark he had gotten.  He seemed like he was going to be a tan kitten.  They were both quite frightened, and I could not get any better photos than this.  I feel a little better that I wasn't the cause of their not adjusting while they were with me.  It must have just been their nature.  It was odd because their mom was so friendly.  But the couple who took them in spent a lot of time with them, and did what they could to help them socialize.  I know I let them go early enough that if it had been the lack of time I had they would have adjusted out of it..

First to the vet

Ok, so he really didn't go to the vet, but it was a cute title.  He went to the shelter. He was so quiet this morning, bordering on lethargic, so I brought him in to be looked at by the staff.  They said they see this all the time, and that the vet would probably take an xray and not do anything but recommend rest... so they sent me home with him.

might be broken, might not.. we don't know.  But kittens heal quickly, so unless he stops eating I'm not going to worry (yea right, I'm going to worry.. but I'll deal)

Ollie is going to the vet tomorrow.. like I don't have enough worry in my life right now..

limping kitten

Well this evening I went in to feed the kittens and Lulu, and all four kitties were by the door waiting for me.  I went in and sat near the feeding station to feed them, when I realized First appeared to be standing funny.  I picked him up and looked him over and he seemed fine, but he seemed reluctant to put all four feet on my lap, so I put him down on the ground, and he immediately held up his right front foot.  I picked him up again for a closer look at that foot, and it does not appear to be swollen, nor is it overly hot nor cold, and he didn't cry out when I felt for broken bones.

I realized I fed them in a hurry this morning and might not have seen them.  DH who fed them last night said First was hiding behind the couch - which is totally unlike him as he has always been a social butterfly and DH really wouldn't have noticed that.  So there is a good chance he could have hurt himself sometime on Sunday.

I feel bad that a) he hurt himself and that b) I might not have known for over 24 hours.

Eating solid foods

Third was the first to eat solid foods.  Kinda freaked me out when I saw him sidle up to mom and start noshing on her food.  Second has also decided that solid food is good.  First has yet to figure it out, but that's ok... no major rush.

These kittens still have little use for me.  I cuddle them and coo over them, but they want down, and hiss at me often when I come in to visit.  I know I'm not spending a lot of time with them which probably isn't good, but I'll try to change that once Skippy has been settled (notice I did not say returned - not to say I'm not not returning him) and they are all eating solid foods.

I'm not sure why names are not coming.  Maybe they like their designations.. but it doesn't seem very dignified..

As for Skippy.. I HATE both options I have. I so want to keep him, but I so  know that would not be a good idea.  I know he should be returned, but I so very much hate that idea as well.  Not only for the crap shoot of a home he might get, but because then I wouldn't have him.  But he drools.. I hate drool.. *sob*  My plan was to keep him a few days after the medication was finished.. but now I'm thinking I'll keep him till Sunday.

Kitten Videos

I suggest you screw your head down, put on anti-explosive head gear, and be prepared for the onslaught of cuteness.

If your head explodes, you can not say I did not warn you!!

First, they were sleepy


Then, they were waking up


Then I was trying to get video of "Third" walking around. I haven't quite decided if he has a bad gait because he's only 4 weeks old, or if because he's missing a couple of neurons from his mom being injected while pregnant. He also seems to have a constant case of the hiccups.. which is pretty obvious in one of the videos..

Happy 3wk Birthday

There were just so many cute photos that I had to put them all in a slide show.

the cuteness continues

Ok, Lula is unique.. I admit it.

Last night she moved her kittens again. I told you yesterday she gave her kittens a toy... well when she moved her kittens she moved the toy!! :)

What a good little mom she is!

Sharing the cuteness

Two very adorable things happened recently.

First Skippy. He's not doing well at all. I realized his URI was coming back, so I got more medication for him, and by the time I got it home, he was in full blown congestion. Stopped eating, rasped when he was breathing, just generally being pathetic. DH couldn't stand listening to him complain about being alone in the bathroom so we brought him into the bedroom for the night. He curled up under my chin and stayed there all night long. Now normally my cats curl up with me, but as soon as I start to wiggle to get comfortable they move on. Not Skip. Every time I tried moving to get comfortable, he snuggled deeper into my neck. Woke up several times in the night, and in the morning realized he hadn't moved. Didn't use his box, didn't finish his dinner, nothing. He did not want to wake up and start the day, was very much a teen fighting not to go to school. Once he realized I was getting up, he decided it was play time, and once again he went from stop to go. :) I swear that boy only has those two modes.. He wasn't into his breakfast at all, so I left him locked in the bathroom (figured there was less to distract him in there) with the heater on. I so need to find the perfect home for him. He so deserves someone who will give him all the love he craves after all the misery he's been through so far in his short little life.

Then I went down to deal with Lula and her kids. She was all "Hi! Hi! Hi! Hi!" and getting around her to check on the kittens wasn't easy. She's such an attention hog. When I finally got to the kittens, I realized Lula had given them a kitten toy to play with. It is a small little pastel colored cloth ball designed for kittens. It was just too cute! I mean they barely recognize that they own their own feet.

Lula also created quite a stir yesterday when she decided to break out of the kitten room (did I mention she is an attention hog?) because we were in the room outside of the kitten room ignorning her cries for attention. We have a window into that room, and there was a screen in the window. She busted right through the screen, startling the crew that was down there with us. She was so proud of herself for getting to us, and only wanted us to worship her :)

Skippy went for a walk, and picts

Well I have been feeling that we haven't been paying enough attention to Skippy, so I thought I'd give him a treat and see how he liked going outside for a walk. I got out the harness and tried to put it on him. He didn't much like it until I explained that it was going to be fun, and we'd get to go out, and then he settled right down and he let me put it on. I took him outside, and he was generally ok. He did freak out once, but then he settled right down. He enjoyed rolling around in the grass and acted pretty much like it was cat nip :)

He also found the fun in sprinting. And MAN is he fast!! So basically he had two modes, laying down or lighting fast running. I was a little concerned as the harness hasn't had that much testing, and I didn't want him to break out of it (cause I'd never catch him if he decided to sprint down the street) so we came in. We spent our half hour (MANDATORY!!) cuddling and then he started exploring the bedroom again and being silly. He's currently hugging DH's foot.

The newbies are growing like weeds. I swear they have tripled in size since their birth. Their eyes are slowly opening, and they are starting to test out their legs..

love the tongue


Here are the orphans the morning of their adoption. Their new home says they are doing beautifully, adjusting nicely and dealing with their older cat very well. They also apparently haven't stopped laughing since they brought the kittens home.

picts

The kittens are growing like weeds. The boys have lost their cords and are fat and cubby. The girl still has hers, and is smaller and petite compared to them.
KITTEN BELLY!!
Then they were screaming and Lula came to the rescue.
When I went upstairs Fleurp was being adorably cute and wanted her photo taken.
I got up this morning and saw this, it was just too cute and had to share. Jack (gray) Ollie (black & white) and Muffin (white and gray)

Orphans at the vet

Oliver, Anne and Annie are at the vet to be neutered..

they were a little mad at me this morning because I forgot about the appointment until I was about to put the food down for them to eat.. very mean of me to offer food and then snatch it away before they could get any.

Lula will be glad when they are gone, she is sick of being locked up.

and a brother and sister make three

Well after I stopped home for lunch, Lula popped out two more kittens. A little girl and then another boy. I can tell because of the various state of dampness. The original boy was all dry and fluffy, the girl slightly damp, the boy quite damp and his cord hadn't dried up at all.

I can't tell if Lula has any more or not. I felt up her abdomen, and I don't feel another one in there, but considering the state of the her belly prior to these deliveries and the state of her belly now, I wouldn't be shocked if a few more show up.

Here are the three of them. If you imagine they are a triangle the first boy is on the top left, the second boy top right and the girl is at the bottom.


Oliver was a little bothered that there was attention being given and he wasn't getting any so he climbed up in my lap and asked for it :)

Lula, labor and kittenage

Last night Lula was very restless and could not be comforted. I had moved her up to the office that morning after a feeling that the labor would go badly if the orphans were to get involved. She complained loudly when I got home from work and so I went in and I spent a great deal of time massaging her belly, but she kept getting up and wandering around, then meowing at me because I wasn't rubbing her belly :)

I gave up at around 10 and went to bed. at 3:30 she woke me up crying, so I took her into the sun room and set her up in her box and proceeded to massage her belly as much as she would let me. She had some spotting, and some very active labor, but produced nothing. Finally at 5 I had to go back to bed so I set her back up in the kitten room cage and went to bed.


at 8:30 she still hadn't produced any kittens and no longer seemed to be in labor. She ate some food, and proceeded to wander around the kitten room for a few minutes while I tried to check if she was in labor or not. I figured if she was that active that she must be ok and left.




Since Skippy had to go to the vet today, I knew I would be running home at noon. I just checked in on her, and we have one kitten and still one very large belly. So I guess things are going well - if albeit a little slowly.







and this was the sceene outside of the kitten room.. Guess my cats weren't amused at my sudden appearance and not paying any attention to them.

Kitten watch

Yesterday Lula wanted to have her belly massaged. Good sign. Last night she spent a bit of time grooming her vulva.. another good sign. she then came up and sat behind me on the couch, and I leaned my ear on her belly. She was purring pretty loudly, but I heard squishy noises which I took to mean her kittens were moving around, and then I felt a distict push against my ear. This is the first time I have felt a kitten move.

Very exciting.

You catch more flies with kittens than with honey

Just so you know :)

Being the dog days of summer, once again my foster room has been swarmed with flies. How they get in? I have no idea. Why they want to be in there? no clue really, unless they are smelling the deposits in the litter box and think kitten poop is the bee's knees? (do flies like bee's knees?)

so for the fun of it I brought down a paper plate with a little honey on it. Flies completely ignored it. However, the kittens LOVED stalking and pouncing on the flies. So.. kittens are a better fly catcher than honey.. albeit a bit unreliable, and their pouncing skills leave a LOT to be desired.

Last week I noticed a flea on one of my own cats. Muffin tends to get fleas on her face. Not sure why. Maybe I'm just more able to notice them on her since she's white. I played ignorant and hoped it was an only child until late last week I saw another one on her, and one on Anne. *rolls eyes*

So I went to the shelter and told them the kittens have fleas, and I was sent home with frontline. Enough to do the kits and four of my own kitties. I have enough to do the rest, I just haven't gotten around to it yet, because once I started dosing my own crew, half of them took off for hiding places yet unknown by Mom. I'll end up having to do one a day (hopefully) and if I'm smart I'll start with Eli, since if he figures out he's on the hitlist he will find his space ship and go home.

I also mentioned the odd reaction the orphans had when I dewormed them last week. They became quite pale and went off their food. I was concerned enough to force feed Annie, but by the time came around to bring them to anyone for a check up they were back to their perky selves. The manager was a little concerned by that, and so I didn't deworm them yesterday but gave them the flea meds instead. I'll deworm them probably tomorrow, since they are supposed to get it once a week for three weeks. I also weighed them, 1 lb 10 oz... so probably Labor day weekend adoption :)

Lula has yet to give birth. I ask the manager when she came into the shelter - so I would know when she went past her last possible due date. She came into the shelter on the 9th, so if she got pregnant that morning she wouldn't be due until Labor day. Labor day?? arrgh. I don't want to wait that long for kittens!! I don't feel any kitten movement - which is usually a sign that she's about ready to pop (because there is no room for them to move) but considering her history, I'm watching her like a hawk for ANY change in behavior or attitude. I'm so scared they are dead or are about to be. but then I still panic that (live) kittens might have died overnight too. Lets just say I'm overly cautious.. (you say paranoid like it is a bad thing)

Yesterday I spent extra time in the kitten room. Usually it is play, feed, clean and gone, but I had some free time and a book I was reading, so after cleaning I sat down on the couch and laid down to read. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon. Lula curled up (well as much as an obnoxiously pregnant cat can) on top of the sofa above me, Oliver sprawled out on my leg, Annie curled up in the crook of my knee, and Anne laid down on my arm, and spent way too much time gazing up at me as if to say, "You are the most wonderful thing, thank you" :) It was just too cute.

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Lulu or is it Lula?

I think the name given to this kitty is Lulu, but I think I'm going to call her Lula, and if perchance any of her kittens make it, I'll name them after the Plum Series novels by Janet Evanovich
It is quite humorous to go to the kitten room now. Lula has no interest in the orphans, but Annie and even Anne think that she needs to be intimidated by their massive size. Oliver is ok with her, and doesn't pay her much mind.
This was Annie's more adventerous spirit. Most of the time she's back arched fur out. Lula couldn't care less. She likes exploring the room, using the scratching post and stretching her legs. I keep her in the cat condo while I'm not around to supervise, because I don't want her giving birth anywhere but in a contained area.

Gratuitous Kitten Shots:

The orphans were tested

and they came up negative. :) onward and upward for them.

And once again I went to the shelter I came home with a new kitty. Lula is a very pregnant cat who came into the shelter and got ill before they could spay her. They vaccinated her and gave her antibiotics, so the question of the health of the kittens is very much up in the air. *shrug* Hopefully they will be ok.