At the Shelter

Well this one was a hard one on me.  I vowed I would stop taking only kittens because I become so attached, and I apparently forgot all about that.  Even with Tinsel, I couldn't help become attached, especially with all the snuggling and purring they liked to do.  They were of great comfort when my heart was breaking, and it broke again when I had to pack them up and bring them down, and again when I had to leave them there. 

Knowing it is the right thing, doesn't make it easy.  As much as I would love to keep them, the crew needs a little stability right now and my attention.  Jack (at least I'm 90% sure it is him but I don't see him every time so I could be wrong) is still having issues and peeing on the heater from time to time.  I can't sacrifice his happiness to keep them.  Someone is going to be very lucky adopting those two.  I just hope they are open enough to enjoy their love.  Too many times I've seen people who adopt (actually it is mostly surrendering) cats and not really want a cat.  Bear from a couple of years ago was a prime example of that.  Poor thing was almost afraid to be a cat.  I could see his spirit expand when he realized he was in a cat friendly home.

Anyway.... I can hope that anyone willing to adopt two kittens will be a great home.  And give them lots of love and kisses.

The shelter provides boxes in the cages for the kitties to sit in.  Tinsel came out of one of these cages, but he seemed a little freaked by being put back in one.  Peter... well lets just remember that Peter does not adapt quickly to new situations

 There was maybe half or even a third of the normal cat population at the shelter.  The dead of winter always thins out the available pets for adoption.  Not so many people out and about to find them, or people thinking a cat would be nice in the cold weather, or a combination of things.  This cutie here didn't have a card on the cage so I don't know who he/she is.  I just loved the eyes though.  Reminded me of Bear, but not as big. (but still a big kitty in his/her own right)

 This is Spencer.  He is a total flirt.  Kept trying to get me to give him some attention.

There was a six month old boy who was just adopted, so he had gotten quite a bit of attention before I showed up.  He was unhappy that he was still in his cage, and was crying.  Peter and Tinsel were interested in what he had to say, and came to the front of the cage to check it out.  I thought that was a good thing, as they weren't so freaked out that they didn't want to check things out.

Goodbye Bearbear (no really this time)

Well I found a home for Bear (or as I have come to call him Bearbear) A woman on the message board I hang out (and was shamelessly plugging him on since I got him) fell in love, and said she wanted him.

I was happy, but very sad about the whole thing. He had come to take up a nice spot in my house, and was quite a little love bug. I knew that there was no keeping him with out severely disrupting my kitty household. Ollie had already expressed his displeasure at the "intruder" by randomly beating up other kitties simply for existing. Ok and he drooled.. I am NOT a fan of drooling.. (which is kinda like saying I didn't like a guy cause he wore loud pants.. no big deal, but I had to focus on something to steel my heart)

We brought him down to MA on Saturday. I had gone over to the shelter to make sure the paperwork was all settled (which it wasn't) and while I was doing that my Dh was going to clean out his litter box so we could bring it with him as it was a really large box. When I got home from the shelter, Bear ran to 'his room' (where his box had been and where he had been staying) and meowed quite pitifully. He seemed to know what was going on. Since he didn't know what was coming, and he liked where he was, he started to lay a guilt trip on me. didn't want to get in the box, meowed quite sadly and made guilt eyes at me.

Once we got on the highway, I let him out of his carrier so I could pat him and tell him it was going to be ok. I am not a fan of pets out of carriers in cars, but I figured if we got in an accident it wouldn't be pretty anyway, and what really were the chances if Bear was good. I figured if he tried to roam about the cabin I'd just lock him back up.

Well he climbed up on my lap, and looked out the window. It was a little odd, because when things caught my attention, I would see Bear's head whip about to look at what ever it was I was looking at. He tried to get up in the window and sit on the dash board, but I wouldn't let him. He tried to look in the back, and I wouldn't let him, so he settled for sitting on my lap and occasionally looking out the window. He would pant from time to time, so I kept adjusting the air conditioning vents to blow on him and he'd stop. After about an hour - and when I was properly covered in Bear fur, he slowly started to migrate to the seat next to me. He just sat there very calmly. Didn't meow, didn't fuss, didn't try to get into places he shouldn't. Just a smart good kitty. We finally made our destination, and I had to laugh. We were looking to meet up with a specific type of car. One came in that was a different color, but looking at it I saw it had a pro animal bumper sticker. Then after the exchange was made, there was another car with a animal bumper sticker, and a third car with a license plate of "PURRR" It seems the universe was letting me know it was going to be OK.

But I do miss him.. and his silly ways of being very cautious on the bed.. the drool.. the happy purr at being able to be a kitty.. heck, even the 'scratching' of the furniture and bed. I don't miss having to lock him up to make sure he had access to food, and I don't miss Ollie being spastic..

I know I did the right thing.. but I just hate when the right thing hurts so much..

Welcome Back Bear

ugh! he's back (ok I don't mind at all)(well mostly)

I thought he was doing so well, and with my BG reading of 81, I thought they would want to take him and put him on the adoption floor.. no such luck.

He had a BG of 245 at the vet.. they were impressed, but I'm not. Although if he has stress issues, and releases glucose that would make sense. maybe I should keep him for two weeks and then ask them to do a fructosimine (man I wish I could spell) on him to show his BGs over the past two weeks..

I brought him home last night. I put the carrier down while I checked the answering machine, and my kitties investigated. Since there was no hissing involved, I thought I'd let him out for a little exploration. Well he slinked around for a bit, and waited till my back was turned and took off. could not find him ANYWHERE..

now if you remember, my husband's aunt's cat did this while staying at my house. I swear there is some invisible sign that is visible to visiting kitties that says "HIDE HERE!!"

Searched and searched and called out and searched some more.. no Bear. My own kitties followed me around and laughed at me. Finally I gave up and went to bed. I knew he had access to food (although it was my own cat's food) and litter (again, my own cat's litter box) so I figured nothing bad could happen..

At 1 am I heard some growling. It woke me up - as it always does - and I figured it might be the elusive Bear trying to get into bed.. but no Bear. I get up, and find Bear laying at the end of the hallway all sweet and innocent. I scoop him up and throw him in his room, where he proceeds to pound on the door for the next two hours!!


when picking up Bear, I visited with Huck, Bil and Zale. They were quite groggy. Lovey was very awake, and wanted OUT of her cage. The kits just wanted to crawl up on my lap and go to sleep.. talk about your guilt trips. I felt bad, but it needed to be done. Must say taking care of six kittens is WAY easier than 11! or even 10. Although they were quite frantic for food this morning.. don't know why, they got more than they usually do (I feed one large 13 oz can have for both 11 and 6) the kits were much more me orientated than they had been before. Previously they were too busy playing with one another.. this morning they were ALL over me.. made me giggle.

Bye Bye Bear

I mentioned his good health to the shelter, and they want him back for a re-check. If things go like I think they are going to go, he'll be up for adoption before I can sneeze, and probably be adopted just as fast. This guy is amazing.. so loving.. so wanting attention.. so quick with a lick!

Unfortunately he's a little camera shy. So ignore the background of nightie.. that's just me.




I wouldn't mind keeping him, but there is no room at the Inn.. six is enough.

81

Bear was so active and so happy, that for the fun of it I thought I would test his blood sugars again. I got an 81. Yea for Bear! now I just need to finish out his meds and get him a recheck and I bet he'd be ready for adoption.

Ok maybe not that easy, but he's on the right road!

Hey Mom, it's your Birthday!

So let me FINALLY come out of my shell, and POUND on the door and scream at you all night long..

OMG Bear was a total PITA last night.. he finally decided he wants out of his room - he must be feeling better - so he was pounding on the door and meowing. Fortunately his meow isn't that loud, and I FINALLY wised up and stuck a shirt in the door to make it tighter so it wouldn't bang against the frame. But twice in the night I got up and opened the door to see what his issue was. The first time he poked his head out then very cautiously walked down the hall. Ended up in the bathroom where we feed our cats. He was walking low to the ground, so he was still a little unsure of himself. He ran into my cats, started hissing, so I put him back. an hour later he started pounding again, so I opened up the door and this time he went very quickly in the other direction. I didn't want him to go into the room where I keep my rabbit, so I shut that door on him. He went and explored the back bathroom, then went back to the original bathroom. My cats hissed first this time, but he didn't slack off in that department, and after my last experience with Dovey I was a little reluctant to let them 'work it out' so I grabbed him and put him back, and in another hour he was pounding again - which is when I stuck the shirt in the door. He kept at it for a while, but it wasn't enough to really get to me. I had also gone in to visit him, and he was all up in my lap, licking me, and head butting me. OMG I could easily fall in love with this cat..

Speaking of Dovey, she went back to the shelter today. I felt so bad, but it needed to be done. Friday I took the kittens in to work... no wait, let me digress a little further. Kit has wanted to play with kittens since the last set went back, but I really didn't want to let the kittens out in the house, so I put her in the kitten room. Lovey didn't care but Dovey went off the deep end. Actually attacked Kit. Fortunately I was very quick to break them up, but she was quite upset for a while afterwards.

So I took the kittens to work on Friday, giving Lovey and Dovey some time alone. The kittens were very reluctant out and about, and overly concerned. Fern was fine and quite the little show off, but the rest would have rather gone home. So sad. they are going to have such a hard time with adoption.. *shrug* they'll get over it.

When I brought them home, Dovey once again went off the deep end. Growling and hissing and spitting at the kits. I tried to corral her to try to calm her down, but my attempts only sent her further off into la la land. I was actually afraid of her. I finally got her, and locked her up in the cage. I called the shelter to see if I could bring her in, and they said I could, but I then thought a little better of it and thought I'd let her calm down a bit. After an hour or so she was eating treats out of my hand, but overly concerned and growling when I showed her a kitten of either her litter or Lovey's. I took all of the kits weights and emailed the shelter asking to bring some of them back, and told them how Dovey was done being a mom. They told me to bring her back right away, and I have Huckleberry, Bilberry and Azalea scheduled for surgery on Wednesday. I am not a fan of doing this, splitting up groups, but I am getting horribly overwhelmed with them all and Bear.

Dovey did not take well to the shelter. I was able to capture her pretty easily but not with out some torbi-tude. When I got there, she was shedding up the wazoo, and her eyes were as big as saucers. I gave her some food and tried to comfort her, but then again she was never my biggest fan.

I checked up on Licorice while I was there. He's still there. very mellow boy. However he's either got a food allergy or ear mites pretty badly. His ears were a MESS and he was tearing them up as well as the back of his head. I know that it is hard with so many cats, but you'd think they'd take a short amount of time and touch each one each day or two.. Yes, I'm ranting, I just feel bad for him.

ok so I feel bad for all of them, but some adjust to shelter life better than others. It is a crying shame there aren't homes for all of them.

what really got me thought was a pair of kittens they had in the manager's office. OMG they were so full of personality that I was drawn to them before I even knew they were there! So brighht eyed and social. the one (they were both black and white) that I saw first had six toes on each back foot. The other bit is that he had one foot all bandaged up, and the other was bent inward at a 45 degree angle. The other had both front feet bandaged up. I will admit they looked a little pathetic, but I didn't feel sorry for either one of them. They were just so happy and wanted attention. I wanted so badly to take them home, but I'm stretched pretty thinly at this point that I didn't think it was fair to anyone. but I so totally want!!

for compairison

I thought it would be fun to get photos for compairison from the kits, my kids and Bear.. in case you can't see the weights, Apple is 2lbs 2 oz, Ollie is 10lbs, Bear is 15.

Apple

Ollie

Bear

Fern and Apple - I just liked this photo

more progress

I got Bear belly last night. Sent DH in to spend time with him too, and he got Bear belly too. he then hopped down, scratched around in his box, and laid down to go pee.. such an odd little boy.. although I bet he'd LOVE our litter boxes..

We are going to have a Kitten Friday at work tomorrow. I can't begin to fathom the trouble they are going to get into!

Break through!!!

This morning I went to pill Bear, and then cuddled him a bit. I told him that I was sorry for all he was going through, and that I wanted him to feel comfortable here. I also apologized for what I was going to do tonight, which was pill him, trim his nails, test his blood sugars and give him some rescue remedy.

When I went to pill him tonight I moved the chair, and instead of having to tip the chair over and physically remove him from it, he actually came out!! on his own!!!

This is HUGE!!!

I gave him some more antibiotics, a bit of RR, and a pill to help stimulate his appetite. I forgot to test his blood sugars, I'll try to do that tomorrow.

And then just now he sat at the door and cried out. I opened the door and he looked around, but then saw Muffin and hissed and went back into the office and sat under the desk. I tried offering him treats, but he wasn't into it.

I'm so freakingly impressed!! This really is huge for me... well and for him! now if only we could get him to stop hissing at the kids, we'd have a nice happy house hold. I'd love to bring him to bed with me for some good cuddling.


Since I pulled out the nail trimmer, I decided it was time to do the kittens too - since someone caught me on the neck last night. They don't mind getting their nails trimmed, but they really hate being locked up in the cage.



They much prefer to be free! only problem is they need to be in a cage to find a new home in a couple of weeks. I'm sure they'll be better when they are at the shelter..

Bear

I think I see a smudge of progress with bear. He kinda ate some of the food I gave him last night (FF Salmon) and when I went back into his room to get something, he was out and about, and just hunkered down. I got to pat him.

I had to pull him out this morning to give him his pill. I shoved it in his food yesterday.. but since he isn't eating all of it, I need to make sure he's getting it for certain once in a while. I gave him some of Emerald's Innova Evo canned food, and he seemed to like that. He's a really big kitty, he should be eating a LOT more than he is. I'm starting to get very concerned.

I remembered this morning I have some feliway dispensers in the kitten room, I'll bring one out and see if that helps him.

The hiding I can deal with, the avoiding I can deal with. It is his being so nervous he shakes that breaks my heart.

Bear is taking a long time to adjust

Well poor Bear is still very uncomfortable at the house. I had to pull him out from behind the computer desk again. so I pushed the desk in such a way that he can't get himself back there, so tonight he was shoved inside the recliner. I feel so bad. He's so nervous he shakes. what's worse is he has quite a few mats, so I'm trying to relieve him of that, and he's not liking that either. He's not to bad to pill, but have I mentioned his size yet?

This cat laying down is as long as an average cat carrier. not stretched out, simply laying down. His head is almost twice the size of Jack's head. he is maine coon to the EXTREME. His fangs are quite impressive. He's really a big ol sweet heart of a cat - or maybe he's just too nervous to act out, but when I pill him he just lets me. although I certainly would NOt want to get my fingers caught in that mouth - OUCH!

I thought a feild trip might help him out. so we have brought him out into the new sun room. He slinked under the table, then realized all of my kitties were looking at him, so he looked out at them.

He seems interested in the other kitties, but he also started to visibly shake again. I can only imagine what these past few weeks have been like for him. He was in a home, and then started feeling ill, so he was disposessed of his home, sent to a shelter, back and forth to the vets, then a bath, then this.. it is apparently all just too much for him. He's now currently hiding out behind my chair.

the count is now 18

So my six, the two moms, their eight babies, the one orphan, and now I've got another foster at the house.

Yes, I swear the word "sucker" is on my forhead, but only animal rescue workers can see it :)

Five yr old, long haired 20lb (I'm guessing) black kitty. Declawed. Has a urinary infection, and high blood sugars.

so he's here on antibiotics and DM food to see what happens. He's had a rough couple of days apparently. He took his bath from the shelter very well and he drove to the house just fine as well. As soon as we let him out from the carrier, he tried to shove himself under the kick plate of my computer desk. It is barely big enough to fit a kitten.. not the big huge male that he is..



The kits downstairs are progressing nicely. Two pounds four ounces.. so it is just a matter of time before they are ready to go. The question is, do I send them all back and keep Fern, or do I keep them all and wait for fern to catch up with them. she is pretty much half their size at this point.. she's going to be a really small kitty just like Kit.. might take FOREVER.. which wouldn't be fair to the rest of them. Hopefully she'll have a growth spurt soon, and catch right up and I won't have to worry about it.