Sunday, May 31, 2009

a faked outing.


Since the big boss is back in town, getting the kittens out for an outting to my work is a little hard (he is allergic) so I took them to the shelter to be dewormed, and it seemed to help Cash and Almond.

so tonight I brought them up to the room I keep my rabbit in. Bri's cage really needed to be cleaned out and I thought it would do them good to have a new experience. The rabbit kinda freaked them out, there was some hissing before I got the carrier open. Bri was completely unimpressed by their little hisses. It was quite cute.

Photobucket

Mac was the most vocal and fluffy over the whole thing, as you can see, Bri is unconncerned.
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Stashio was very unsure of walking away from the carrier.

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Cash thought it would be safest to hang out in the box.

Almond was the most relaxed
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Then I brought them back to the kitten room and tried to get good close ups of them. My battery was dying, and they were being uncooparative. All except Stash. He apparently LOVES the camera..

Almond:
Almond


Mac:
Macadamia

Photobucket


Hazel:
Hazelnut

Hazelnut

Hazelnut


Stash:
Pistachio

Pistachio

Pistachio


Cash:
Cashew

Cat Tv


Cat TV
My kitties were quite intent on the new channel on our local cat TV station...
Cat TV Station
As you can see, As The Chipmunk Turns is very fascinating!

hate to admit it, but this is true here


funny pictures of cats with captions
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Friday, May 22, 2009

My Midnight Paramour


Jack, the kitty of my heart, the boy I love with whom I feel a special affection to (no, I won't ever admit to a favorite) changed into a distant boy as he got older. As a kitten there was no separating him from me. but now with the addition of so many other cats, and Muffin's insatiable need to be worshipped and loved, he has resigned himself to sitting across the room and watching me. I have tried to get him back, but he just never seemed interested.

Well for the past few nights, he's been waking me up in the middle of the night to cuddle. I can not refuse him.

Last night was slightly different though. Dh and I were laying sleeping face to face. It was quite warm, so each one of us had thrown the blankets off and in toward the middle of the bed. Jack walked up in between us, and started sniffing me. I patted him (thinking up until I actually touched him that it was Ollie, who often makes that exact same walk and DEMANDS to be patted) and then reached out to rest my hand on my dh's. Well Jack reached out with his paw and patted my hand. Several times. He then sniffed my nose, and then reached out and licked my lips! Now I don't mind being licked by my cats, but I've never been a fan of being licked on my lips. I reached up and pushed him away a bit, and patted him some more. He again reached out for my hand, and then after licked my lips again.

This very much had the feel of a lover. Maybe I'm reading way too much into this, but it was just a little odd to me.

I will admit I was thrilled Jack wanted to hang out with me, but the licking of the lips deliberately three plus times *shudder* not to mention he'll only hang out with me in the middle of the night. He's an odd little boy. But I love him so.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The opposite of Murphy's Law?


so I complained yesterday that Sun was being anti-social and that we'd probably have to .... well anyway.

Last night she was backed into the corner (her standard position) and I thought I would attempt to give her some wet food. I didn't even feel comfortable getting the bowl out of the cage (it was right by the door) so I put on leather gloves, and explained to Sun what I was doing. She just stared at me. I got the food in the cage, and covered the front back up. I went and sat on the couch and watched the kittens eat. They are REALLY into food right now. They have gotten to the point where they can eat so much food that their bellies end up bigger than their heads. Stash is a little food aggressive still, but we are working on that. I tried to introduce dry food to help them cope with the 12 hour stretches between meals but they really weren't interested.

anyway.. as I was watching the kittens, Sun got up and started eating.

That cat confuses me. I am just so not used to the feral brain

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

foster updates


well it has been a while hasn't it. I know I need to get new photos uploaded, as they have grown quite a bit.

I was so hopeful for Sun. She ate while I was in the room, and she pulled her back away from the wall, but events since then have shown me that I'm just deluding myself into thinking she is going to be anything but the wild child she is.

First there was the incident when she got out of the cage. She freaked when I tried to get her back in. Finally did and she hasn't left since (that I'm aware of) even though I've been keeping the door open. Then two days ago I reached in the cage for her food bowl, and she lashed out at me. Fortunately I was faster, but she did intend to do me harm. She spent the evening growling at me. I locked her up in the cage, intending to return her to the shelter the next morning. I am still not quite sure how to accomplish that. I have ideas, and I hope they work. The next morning she was still growling at me and I was all ready to try to capture her, but seeing the kittens curled up next to the cage really tugged at my heart strings. I was not quite ready to leave the cage door open for them, but I decided to give her another day to calm down a little.

It's now been three days, and I've started leaving the door open again. the kittens were normally sleeping with mom until this morning. this morning I found them in places other than the cage. I'm still very reluctant to give mom any wet food. Wet food went down on the lower level with her. I'm filling her water bowl through the cage. Her dry food is up on a higher level, so I feel safe refilling that.

She is a beautiful healhy kitty. It is a shame to have to put her down simply because she doesn't get along with humans... but what is the alternative? if she is actively going to go after humans then there is the risk she could hurt someone.

She isn't going back to the shelter immediately any more, but I doubt that she will stay with me the entire time the kittens are here. Several of the kittens need to learn to bond with humans, and they just aren't getting that with her around. now that some of them weren't sleeping with her, I'm thinking it is just a matter of time before they are comfortable with out her.

I'm going to ask the foster coordinator to tell me she went to a barn to be a feral cat. What they really want to do with her is up to them.

As for the kits.. Cash and Almond are holding back. They are the ones sitting looking at me from across the room. Stashio is still full tilt and he's starting to get food agressive. Hazel and Mac are completely human dependant. Totally under foot, wanting to be held and patted. Seems I have the whole gambit of neediness going on.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Photo Hunts - Painted



I love little tri colored tigers. To me they always look so painted.

This is Nina. She is from a litter I had back in 2007

Photo Hunts

Monday, May 11, 2009

I shall call her... "Mini Me"


Ok, I'm kinda getting freaked out by Muffin and Fleurp's relationship. Fleurp is showing so many of the characterizations of Muffin it is really starting to show. Fleurp is showing Muffin's devotion to me. They walk around visiting the same things together. Muffin does not mind in the least when Fleurp follows her around (but when Twee does it it is *JUST WRONG!!*)

Muffin, who has always been very much her own kitty, and who wouldn't mind if all other kitties disappeared off the face of the planet (except maybe Jack who helps her beg for treats) so she can be worshiped and have the people's undivided attention, actually doesn't mind spending time with Fleurp.

and surprisingly things have always seemed to just work out when it comes to curling up on my chest and getting attention. Muffin has always loved crawling up on my chest or under my arm and hanging out with me. She gets jealous and reacts violently when others come near during her "mommy time" - hissing and lashing out. Either Fleurp knows better than to invade this space, or luck or fate or who knows, but Muffin has never done that to Fleurp. Fleurp has raised Muffin's ire when she gets a little too rambunctious, prancing on the bed wanting to "play" and Muffin isn't in the mood, but Fleurp was quick to figure out if Muff doesn't want it, it doesn't happen (unlike Twee who continually asks, much like a child in a car ride asking "are we there yet")

While I wouldn't quite go so far as to call them Best Buds, I never thought Muff would develop a feline bond, and this still amazes me.

When five cats becomes 14


When I go and feed and play with the kittens, I let them out of the cage, and when I am ready to go, I pick them up and put them back - usually one or two at a time. I count them as I put them back to ensure I get all of them in there and no one is left out.

When I get past the original number of kittens I usually giggle and keep on collecting and counting, and generally herding kittens.

This weekend though they were so determined to not stay in the cage that I finally ended up picking all five of them up at the same time and putting them away. The next morning I decided to leave the cage door open and see what happened.

Last time I left the door to the cage open, mom got out and would not go back in. Where as the kittens had yet to show they were good about finding the litter box (when they are little they'll just go in any corner that is close) I wasn't willing to let them have free run of the room. I figured I was asking for trouble, but how much more trouble was it to round up 14+ kittens??

When I went to check on them that afternoon, they were all out playing. Mom was once again under the couch. I decided to put some food down (and in the cage) and left to see what would happen.

When I went to check on them that evening, mom was back in the cage, and so were all the kittens. Just warms the heart to see them all pouring out of their "nest".

So they have had free run of the room for a little over 24 hours, and they seem to be doing well. Mom has been in the cage each time (save for the first) I went down to check on them. I'm still feeding them in the cage, so that might have something to do with it.

I also had another little milestone with mom. She got up and had a few bites of the food while I was in the room. Again this might not seem like much to someone who has never dealt with taming a wild kitty, but it does take some trust for her to move closer to me (the food was between me and her - even if it was in the cage) and to allow herself to be vulnerable enough to eat.

I'm having my wisdom teeth out on Thursday, and taking Friday off. I might just park myself in the kitten room all day Friday and see what happens.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Happy Mommy Day,


For years, my kitties didn't realize about the human holiday called "mother's day" well a couple of years ago we explained it to them (we don't have human children to teach them) and since them I've gotten Mother's Day gifts.

This year I got a pair of shoes I have been hinting horribly to my DH, and the following note:

Happy Mommy Day,

To the best kitty mommy in the world that there was EVER.
We love you,
Ollie
Muffin
Jack
Eli
Tweedle
Kit
(flip page over)
And me too! I'm Fleurp. They didn't want me to sign it cause I'm little and cute and they are all jealous and everything and I love you more than them and I wont let them stop me and and...

Made me smile. That is soooo Fleurp.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Jack's entry in the Caster Mother's Day Contest


I would nom-inate my nom I mean Mom, because she does give me yummy food, and take care of me and my brothers and sisters (even the ones I don't like) but I am not gonna do it.

Why?

BECAUSE SHE KEEPS BRINGING HOME MORE CATS!!

I remember when it was just me and Ollie and Emmy. We were a nice little family, and there was plenty of noms to go around, and treats were plentiful and there was always a spare lap. But then she brought home another set of kittens to "foster" (yea.. that just means she's testing them out to see who she's gonna keep!) and she ended up keeping Muffin and Eli!! Ok, so five isn't so bad. There was plenty of room, and plenty of food, but there were more competition for the treats!

Em got sick with the diabetes, and mom took care of her for years before she died of cancer. I miss her, but there were special treats for me, I did like that.

But she also kept Tweedle, and Kit and now this newcomer Fleurp is obnoxious! and to top it all off there are even more cats coming and going. It is so frustrating to me when she makes a yummy smelling treat and then brings it to those baby kitties and she won't give me any!!!

I shouldn't complain, I get yummy food and very yummy treats, but the competition for the treats is fierce now. I have to make sure I eat fast or Fleurp will come steal it! and sometimes when I go to get my ears scritched there will already be a cat or two on Mom and I *ugh* have to wait my turn!

Ok Ok, I like my brothers and sisters, but why can't it be all about the Jack!!

No no, the OTHER hand


Well Mac is eating food but only if I hand feed it to him. I have been able to trick him in to eating off a spoon, but once he figures it out it is no longer food, and he screams. And that boy SCREAMS!! He's worse than Twee ever was in regards to eating, and he's only three weeks old!! Seriously! he shouldn't even be eating at this point. Ok, so they are coming up on four weeks, but still!

I wasn't going to feed him last night, but the screaming just got to me. So I picked up a little food in my left hand and offered it to him, and he summarily rejected it. Apparently the left hand smells different from the right hand, because the moment I transfered it to the right hand it was acceptable to eat, and he ate.

the other oddity about him is he can only seem to eat about three mouthfuls at a time. He noms and then walks away, then two heart beats later he's screaming for more food. Man I can't wait for that lightbulb moment to come on and he can feed himself.

I don't know who is worse though, him for demanding it, or me for giving in.

12 step program fer LOLcat addicshun<br />wud be moar effectiv if teh steps weren't so darn kyoot!
see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Monday, May 4, 2009

feeling more relaxed?


This is the first time I've seen Sun with her back to the front of the cage. She's always been upright or with her back to the back wall. I suspect she is feeling a bit more relaxed in the house.

Cashew is eating on his own, has for a couple of days. At first I thought he was just sucking the gravy off the outside which he might have been doing, but this morning I fed food that was so well mixed together that there was no gravy.

Mac is a riot. At this point he wants food, but he believes that only food flavored with finger is actually food. He sits there and SCREAMS at me until I offer him some food. If I offer him the plate of food, or a spoon of food, he keeps screaming.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Introducing


Macadamia
Macadamia
Pistachio
Pistachio
Cashew
Cashew
Almond & Hazelnut
Almond & Hazelnut

I call Pistachio, Stash, or Stashio (and crazy boy, since he's so walk first and look where he's going later) Macadamia is called Mac. Cashew is Cash, and Almond is generally "the other tabby boy" and Hazelnut is Hazel. Probably not very fair to Almond, but at this point he is not distingusing himself in any way shape or form. He's just the other one.

Mac decided to eat litter. Since they are getting out of the cage, he went to investigate where I keep the litter. He thought it was quite tasty. Why? I have no idea. It isn't like he's eating solid food yet.

A cacophony of complaints


Vet day today. Yes, once again I am foolish enough to think I should take all of my cats to the vet at once. But yet again I'm glad to know I can evacuate the house in under half an hour if necessary.

I closed the bedroom doors, and threw some dry food on the floor down the hall. They 'fell for it' and went down the hall to chow down.

Eli has to be first. If he even thinks there is a trap set for him, he is off and running and then hiding very well. He saw me coming down the hall and realized what was going on. He tried to make a break for it, but I knew it was going to happen and I zigged when he zagged and into the carrier he went. The rest of my cats are happy enough chewing on dry food to not notice their ranks are being thinned out.

so then they were all in carriers. Playing Tetris, we got them all into the truck and we were off. We were surprisingly early. Ok not really surprising as I was early last time I took them all to the vet. I like to leave plenty of time. They all complained the whole way down and DH said they sounde much like a symphony does right before a preformance.

we got to the vet, and unloaded. Got into the appointment, and the cats preformed well. Tweedle surprisingly came out with a mouth like a sailor. Oh she swore up a storm. I don't think she quite understood why she was hissing and growling, but she wouldn't stop. she took comfort in the cuddling and the cooing, but the hissing still continued.

We did rabies only. It had only been two years since their distemper, and since the new recommendation is three years, I'm going with at least that. I've decided to stop giving Ollie vaccines. Because that growth was much where the vaccines are given, and he's 10 now.. better safe than sorry.

so an hour and a half later, we packed them all up, paid the $340 fee and came home.

Kit did not enjoy the ride home. she ended up salavating all over the place.

But they are home, and they are healthy and "unremarkable" medically. I knew this prior, but it good to know.

Photo Hunts - Walking


this one was timely for me. The kits are bursting out of the cage and very anxious to use their little legs. Their feral mom is not amused, but I do think a part of her is happy they aren't crawling all over here when they are out of the cage. Photo Hunts

Bonus video

Friday, May 1, 2009

Contentment


I mean come on, doesn't this image just scream contentment :)

I decided on names last night. The petite boy is going to be Pistachio. The girl, Hazelnut. The gray boy is Macadamia, the boy with the white feet is Cashew and the other boy is Almond. Yup, they are a bunch of nuts. I've decided to call the mom cat Sun. I tested her this morning, by reaching around to the side of the cage where she was hanging out. She immediately tensed up. I know if I am going to save her I am going to have to push this, but I'm scared to. I was even frightened to take the bed out of the cage. The irrational part of me is fearful of what she might do to the kittens. Might she kill them out of her own fear of wanting to keep them safe??? probably not, but part of me thinks that. Until the kits are old enough to eat on their own I'm not going to push myself on her.

Will pushing myself on her work? Maybe given enough time and her inclination and past history. *shrug* It is sad all around. I doubt she'll ever make it to be a lap kitty.

sad


http://www.messybeast.com/feralkit.htm#Adults

Taming adult ferals is traumatic for both parties, time-consuming and often unsuccessful. It is not usually possible to verify whether late-tamed cats were feral from birth or strays gone wild which were subsequently re-tamed, in most cases I suspect the latter. I do not promote the confinement and taming of adult ferals - these are not temperamental pets, these are wild animals which find close captivity and forced human contact stressful. Most are best neutered and rehomed to a semi-wild environment, e.g. as working cats at stables, where they can choose whether to socialise themselves with people.

Well it isn't like she can go anywhere at the moment.. so I'll give it a shot.. While I have hopes, I'm a realist and have been since the begining.

Feral vs Stray


Ok, this has bugged me for a while, and chances are I've already ranted about it on this blog somewhere. But someone just recently posted that they adopted a "feral" cat. and the cat is friendly and loving.

Ok.. two types of cats. Feral and stray.


Strays and Feral cats are so different that they almost seem like two completely different types of animals. I have known shy stray cats that open up after a day or two or a week. Getting a feral cat to open up is like .. well I haven't yet seen it happen, so I'm not quite sure what it is like.

If you can touch it and love on it, it is not feral.

for more information

I'll see if I can't get a video of Sun soon. Another difference I've seen between feral and scared stray cats is that stay cats will give you warning. They understand the ability to signal to a human. Sun does not react until she actually lashes out at me. Neither did my previous feral mom..
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