Happiness and Joy

Sometimes I just don't care because I know deep down if I do care I am in SERIOUS trouble. Such as the case with Happiness and Joy.

They are STILL at the shelter.

They are regressing even further. They are not getting the one on one attention they deserve. They are absolutely beautiful cats, but there are so many absolutely beautiful cats at the shelter who are out and begging for attention, that getting them a home is going to be a lot of work. Work I can not do as I have a job.

When I went to the shelter this morning I went to visit them. I just sat there crying patting Happy because I knew the chances. They would make wonderful pets and would make someone VERY happy if they had the time and the drive to work with them for a bit. I can't imagine it would take more than a month to get them settled into being pets. But sitting in the shelter they are turning in to wild cats. The manager is considering releasing them into a barn. It kills me to think they will lose their ability to enjoy human companionship. But at least (one way or the other) they will have each other. I've never seen a pair so bonded.


moar funny pictures

Updates on the nuts & others

I brought them into the shelter on Saturday to be adopted, and well frankly it was a serious mistake. It was the first sunny warm day around here all month (no, seriously) No one was at the shelter, so I left.

Stash got adopted first. Mac second. They told me that Hazel went home, but when I went to look at Cash and Almond, she was sitting right there. They mixed up the other girl tiger kitten that was in the cage with them (and who was a bit older and a bit bigger - hazel's paperwork said she was very petite.. and this other kitten wasn't) so we re-adjusted the paperwork.

Today I got an email that Cash and Almond went home together. I'm so thrilled over that. Cash really will benefit from having a friend with him. So Hazel is still there at this point.

Benny is still at the shelter. They are working very hard to find her just the right home. I suggested she might benefit from a harness and walking outside. I took her for her first walk on Saturday and it went very well, but I noticed she seemed to get over heated and her fur easily mats, so I suggested that they give her a lion cut. They gave her one and she looks really good. I think she actually really appreciates it.

Happy & Joy are still at the shelter. I checked in on Joy (Happiness is still in treatment room for a little cold) and she was interacting with the volunteer who was in the room with her. I was so thrilled!!! I sent in a little write up on them hoping to find them just the right home - as I so do not want them going to a barn.

Until they all have a home..

so sad..

I just got an email from the shelter that my Happiness and Joy are being returned to the shelter. :(

I never did stop worrying about them and wondering how they adjusted. I was told they went to a family with "girls" which sounds good, but then again, not all girls are nurturing and understanding of kittens with needs.

now that they are teenagers, I wonder how long it will be before they are adopted again. I hope they find the right home this time.

and I hope they are doing ok. can't wait to see them again. I'll bring my camera.

Happiness and Joy found a home

I went to the shelter on Friday, then again on Saturday. Sunday I was out celebrating DH's birthday, and someone came and adopted H&J. Shelter manager who was there called said they were a nice family with older children who were going to keep them indoors... it is very much a good thing.

Then why am I so sad about it??

I guess because I couldn't explain their quirks, and talk to the people directly to try to smooth the transition into the new home.. I'm overly worring, I know. Nice they had a snow day today to spend more time with them, that's for sure.

I shouldn't be so concerned (try and stop me) because on Saturday they showed some really interesting behavior. I knew they liked other cats, because they were always interested in mine as I walked through the house cuddling them trying to get them used to new things. Turns out they like dogs too. There was a high strung boxer mix being adopted Saturday, and Happiness came right out of the cubby to look at him.

There were several times they came out of their cubby to look around, so I know they are adapting. They will be fine.. even if their new owners don't take my suggestions for transition seriously (I wrote up a brocure for their adoption with suggestions on how to make things easier on them)

I guess I just really hate being denied that opportunity to talk to them. Time will quell my heart, I'm sure. Although I still think about the two little black feral kittens I had two years ago - but then again I met their family and was not at all pleased with them. And I still pray I was wrong about them all the time.

another side to my sadness is probably that I'm kitten free. I do have Boots here (cat sitting for my Dh's aunt) but he's pretty easy and very little work, and not at all kitten like.

Happiness and Joy, I so hope you are adapting well, and you enjoy your new family.

dropping them off..

So I went to the shelter last night, to drop off Happiness and Joy. It was so hard on me. The shy kittens always are hard on me.

I psyched myself up to do it, telling myself not even to think about it when I got home to pack them up. They hate the carrier. They know nothing good comes from the carrier. I grabbed them, gave them a little cuddle, put them in the carrier, grabbed the towel they were sleeping on, the cubby they hang out in, and their medicines and off I went.

They were VERY quiet in the car ride.

I got there, and they were huddled in the back of the carrier trying to be invisiable. The shelter manager help me set up their cage with their cubby and towel, and we put Joy in. Since they needed boosters, I kept Happy, and went to the back room with her she took her medicine like a champ. A scared little "this is not happening" champ. I put her in the top level of the cage and took out Joy. She too took her meds like a champ. When I was done with Joy, I noticed Happy hadn't moved. She was hunkered down on the towel trying to hide behind a slight fold. So broke my heart. I put Joy in with her, and Joy snuggled right up to her and tried to hide behind the same fold. They refused to move except to make the other more comfortable. Finally I couldn't watch it any more, and moved them down to the lower level so they could hide properly in the cubby.

I kept trying to tell them it would be ok, and that this was a good thing. How they would find their furever home and be able to sleep in a real bed, etc. After a while I knew I was talking more to convince myself that things would be ok. *hangs head* Yes, I am that kind of crazy cat lady.

Right before I left, I took one more look at them, and was a little heart warmed in the fact that while they were still hiding in the cubby, Happiness was actually looking out of the cubby taking in her surroundings. Much improvement from *MUST BE INVISABLE!*

The office totally needs to be cleaned, and sanitized. it stinks from litter that should have been cleaned out the day before they left, and cans that need to be recycled.. I need to dismantle the cage, and open up the door so my own cats can reclaim their territory. Poor Fleurp probably doesn't even remember what is in that room :)

Saying goodbye

Well it looks like Thursday is the day that Happiness and Joy are going to go back to the shelter *sob*

I know I can't keep them, but I always fear for the ferals. Will the new owners understand the unique needs of such kitties? Will they appreciate the joy of one of these kitties simply looking at you and purring, and what a mile stone that is? The shelter they go to is good, they will understand and explain, but it doesn't stop me from thinking about them.

Several years ago I had some ferals over Christmas. Two little black kitties who took a ton of work to get out of their shell. They were still reserved when they went back to the shelter, and the people who adopted them were people who came to the shelter when I had my previous set of kittens up for adoption who wanted to separate a bonded pair. We turned them down and they left in a huff, only to come back and take these two little scared kittens. I think of them often, because originally they were so adamant that they knew what they were doing, even though they thought nothing of separating a bonded pair. (among other arrogances) This time they were quite contrite, they listened and agreed with all the suggestions. And part of me always wondered if they just said yes to get the kittens, maybe with the intent of sharing the partner with a friend or family member. I asked the manager to call them personally to check up on them. I never did hear what the outcome of that was, but I felt better having asked.

I love the ferals and the undersocilized. I love winning their trust, and getting them to choose to love you. but there are a few who while they make that leap of faith, still keep one paw in the "reserved" category that break my heart when I have to let them go and leave them to face their new families all alone.

They are special. I pray that they find a home that recognizes it.

I was wrong again

Last time I was wrong, I thought Fleurp had a polyp. But her ears have been fine after the last longer does of antibiotics..

this time I was worried about H&J's incisions from their spays. H growed at me when I touched a certain spot, and J's looked like someone stuck a superball in there.

I just got back from the shelter. H didn't growl, and she looked fine. and they looked at J and said it is just normal swelling.

I am glad to be wrong.

I don't like it.. but I was glad :)

set back

Since H & J were doing so well, I asked the shelter if they thought they should stay with me for J's 3 weeks of pred. Since she's easy to pill, the shelter thought they could come back any time for adoption. I'm sad at that thought, but I went in to give J her pill and start saying goodbye.

I looked at Happy's belly and noticed there was a lot of extra glue and the incision looked a little wonky, so I tried to pull a little of the extra glue off her tummy. She growled at me. I immediately stopped and looked at her, and she looked hurt. I said I was sorry, and asked her if that hurt (like I was expecting a reply) I said I'm going to try again, if it hurts again growl again.. and I very gently touched her tummy in several different spots, and then in that spot and she growled again.

So I was bummed that she's got something going wrong, but I let her down to play some more. I picked up Joy to medicate her and look at her tummy and everything seemed to be healing just fine.. no excess glue, incision looked like it was healing well, so I medicated her then went to give her tummy a kiss, and that is when I saw a superball sized protrusion from her incision.. great.. another hernia.

what is it with my foster kittens and hernias lately? they have been done at different clinics. Some came back home with me, some went straight back to the shelter.. I don't get it..

another big step

I was on my computer in the office where Happiness and Joy are hanging out. They both sat out in plain site (which is HUGE) and sat and looked at me and purred. I talked gently to them, reached out to them, and *was able to pat them*

Just huge..

Its amazing what simple things become huge mile stones in under socialized kittens. i so hope they find a home with someone who understand the joys of being able to pat a kitten

LOL

I shouldn't laugh so loud, I'm scaring the kittens, but Happy is just so darn cute..

she's trying to bury the food and there is nothing to bury it with, so she'll pulling dry food out of her bowl, and trying to use that to cover with..

I asked her what she was doing after I heard the first set of scraping. She stopped and looked at me. I just kept watching, and saw her pull food out of the bowl. I said "HEY!" and she stop and froze and looked at me as if to say "What?" pulled more food out of the bowl, and proceeded to attempt to bury the wet food..

just too funny

Happiness and Joy, what a pair

a slightly blurry photo of Joy's stitches..

one step forward, two back

So this weekend we seemed to make signifigant progress with Happiness and Joy. Both of them were at the front of the cage wanting to interact with me. They did not shy away when I opened the cage and when I reached for them. I was so thrilled!

But Sunday I realized that Joy's face was NOT getting better, so I brought her into the shelter on Monday. Monday morning I guess they knew something was up, because they both cowered from me. I scooped them up and got them in the box, and off they went to the shelter where they went to the vet. They wanted to biopsy Joy's nose, and so they kept them over night. I got them yesterday. They spayed them to boot.

Joy has four stitches in her nose. I only found out this morning because when I got them home last night, she bolted out of the carrier (very bold for her) and ran to get into the cage. I hadn't opened the door because I had planned on looking her over and making note of how her incision looked, so she was cowered next to it. I opened the door up for her and she bolted in and hid.

I got a look at Happy. She was also quite timid and fearful. But she sniffed around her dinner bowls, so I fed them and left them alone for the night.

This morning all the food and water was gone, so I refilled them, and brought both out to be examined and for their dose of buprenex. Neither one reacted too much to it, which was nice. Joy purred and shook at the same time.. so not sure what is going on.. Happy refused to raise her ears the whole time I held her.. finding them a new home is going to be so difficult on them... and if Joy has Eosinophilic Granuloma, it is going to be even more difficult to find someone to take them. I hope it is just a fungus of some sort..

I am too easily amused

Joy and Happiness are at the shelter today. Joy's face started to swell. I have no idea what is going on, but clavamox is NOT helping it.

poor Happy really didn't like the idea of going to the shelter again, and when I was holding her she started purring, but then realized what I was going to do and pulled her scared cartoon kitty look (eyes open wide, ears completely back so all you can see is her round head with her round eyes) I felt so bad, but I do have a small hope that all these trips are helping her adjust to new surroundings. I mean she is going to have to find a new home at some point.

So while they were at the vet I moved the web cam to the sun room to spy on my kitties. I tried to check it this morning but it was very slow to load, so I thought that maybe it wouldn't work on the other end of the house (even with a wireless booster thing my DH hooked up) but I just checked it again and I set it up with out looking this morning, and low and behold I got a great shot.


What you can't see is Eli in the top of the cat tree sleeping in the little box up there. Kit is on the chair, and I believe that is Jack on the platform.

is it wrong of me to want to watch kitties sleep all day?

More Joy

You know, the problem with being vigilant and noticing issues when they first crop up, is you spend way too much time obscessing about them.

So Joy went to the vet last Friday, and was put on anti-biotics for this swollen lip. Well she is SICK AND TIRED of me looking at it now. So a squirmy kitten is not an easy thing to look at and examine, and try to go from memory if the lump is bigger or smaller or just changed from the previous exam.

She isn't holding her eye closed as much any more, so I'm thinking the medicine is working.. I think it looks slightly better from before.. but it is so hard to tell. Either way, she is absolutely holding her own, not getting worse, active, eating, playing, so I'm not going to worry about it just yet. If it is still a matter of degrees on thursday/friday I'll bring her back in.

After medicating her and poking her last night, I let them run around a bit. They still don't have free run of my office because they still cower when I go to pick them up. I do not want to re-inforce the "MUST RUN" instinct that happens when they are running loose. So what I do is let them run around before a meal, and when I want them to cage up I put food down. What one kitten does, the other kitten does, so one will go sample the food and the other goes in with her and poof, I have two caged kitties. Works out nicely.

But while running around, they decided to share the roll of paper towels with Fleurp. I was sitting at my computer wondering what the weird noise it was making was, and I all of a sudden realized I was also hearing the shuffling of paper towels. Now a roll of paper towels is an amazing cat toy (don't know why, it just is.. always has been, always will be) and I guess they decided to share it with Fleurp, who was helping them get it under the door. When I walked over they ran, and poor little Fleurp was left *holding the bag* if you will.. as I saw her little paws pulling the paper towels. I tried to pull them back, but she dug her claws in. So hard to unclaw a cat from a paper towel from the wrong side of the door, that is for certain! But fortunately I caught it early and only one sheet had made it out, so it didn't take me long to get it taken care of :)

Funny that they would share their bounty (oh the pun) with Fleurp, since they don't much like her when she makes it into the room with them.

Poor Joy

Well this isn't good.

last week I noticed what might have been acne on Joy's little white chin. I cleaned it off and it came pretty clean with just a basic picking. I thought maybe it might have just been food debris since it didn't come back and she eats out of ceramic bowls. Well yesterday I noticed the corner of her lip was swollen, just as Muffin's lower lip swells after she has a bout of acne. The vet called it a rodent ulcer, and we leave it untreated and it goes away.

Well Joy's lip seemed even more swollen last night, so I sent an email to the foster coordinator, but since I haven't heard back, I think I'll try running her in after work and get her looked at tonight.. although chances are they'll want to send her to the vet.

Joy doesn't seem to mind it though. She didn't much like my pulling on her lips to get a better look - but then no cat likes you when you pull on their lips.

Kittens love real meat

I bought a cornish game hen again to cut up and give to my kitties to snack on. Chewing is good for them, so I tried it once before, but I didn't have the chutzpa to cut up the bones, so it pretty much ended up in the trash. The few pieces I did get off were ignored by my spoiled rotten cats.

Well they were on sale, and this poor little hen was only $2 so I figured I'd give it another shot.

yea, I'm pathetic. I could crack the bones this time, but each time I did I apologised to the bird. Those things look so much like a bird (well duh they are) that I got all sad.

I don't think I'll do it again. I'll stick to the bigger birds that are already cut up so I don't think about it as much.

Well my kitties already had lunch, and I gave them some larger pieces of turkey leg to snack on, so by the time I got to the hen they didn't munch much. I'll save it for breakfast.

But in the process of scraping bones and cutting off meat, I had a few smaller pieces, so I saved them for Happiness and Joy. They are having a BLAST eating it. No growling which usually happens with kittens when they get their first taste of real meat, but maybe they are into sharing. Its so cute, you can just tell they are so thrilled by this snack!

OMG OMG OMG!!!

Ok, so I was sitting here uploading photos to photobucket, and I heard purring, so I turned and looked and Happiness and Joy were cuddled up in the uppermost corner of the cage (as close to me as they can get) just purring away. I thought it would be a cute photo, so I turned my camera on which of course got their attention and they sat up.


they looked so hopeful, and were purring so loudly, that I got up and went to give them attention. They kept purring and Happy reached out to me, so I thought they deserved a cuddle.. and JOY WANTED TO COME OUT!! she balked a little because I was pulling her out with one hand, but the second I supported her behind she relaxed and started purring and came right along.

so I had them side by side on my chest, giving them kisses and wrapped them up in my arms in a big hug, and they kept licking my nose (Joy likes to nibble my nose) and playing with my glasses. At this point Happiness starts to slide herself on her back and presents her belly!!!!! OMG.. *faints*

so friggen rewarding, so wonderfully amazing that I can earn the trust of such scared little kitties.. made my heart grow three sizes today..

Of course they are almost of size, so they are that much closer to going to find their furever homes now.. *sigh* but for the moment they are still mine, and they love me.

Happiness and Joy

I think I'm making good progress with Joy. Each day there are new little *oh yea!*s like I get to pat her when she's eating and she doesn't flinch. She runs up to the cage to sniff me, etc. She's not bad, don't get me wrong, but I want her to be fully socialized.. not sure I'm going to be able to do it, as she still holds on to that wariness (as you'll see in the video)

Happiness is fully transformed.. I let them both run free in my office, and when I came back after dinner to clean up, Happy hugged my ankle, sat near me and purred so loud I thought the room was vibrating, and she attacked my toes!! :D I brought in a feather toy on a stick and engaged her with it. She was SO friggen adorable, that I then got up to get my camera for the following videos, but unfortunately the spell was broken and I only got a glimps in the first video of her attacking the toy. The second video is of the two of them playing together.

You can see Joy's wariness. It's there.. but fortunately I think it is fading fast.

shhh

be vewy quiet.. we be hunting happiness..

*giggle*

Happiness and Joy got out of the cage today. Ok, so I was snuggling Happy and she just jumped down, so I let Joy out to run around with her. I got Joy fairly easily.. there was a moment of hesitation as my hand closed in around her, but once I had her she was fine. I snuggled her into my neck and she started purring. Her sister kept running, and so I pretended I was Elmer Fudd and wispered the above to Joy who was still purring.

Progress!!

Oh I'm so thrilled!!

Ok, lets see.. Saturday I took them to the shelter for a little outing. I'd bring them to work, but they are so scared, that I didn't think an extended stay anywhere yet was a good idea. So I took them to the shelter to be held by animal lovers.. I also got some new medication for Happiness, but once she got home she seemed to clear up, so I'm holding off on that.

The trip was good for them, they got some snuggles, and an outing, but it freaked Joy out, and when she got home she hid from me. So I left her alone. Wasn't sure that was the best move either, but I didn't want to re-inforce that *MUST RUN* feeling she was in.

This morning their box needed to be cleaned, so I did that. Joy watched me from the upper most level. I then took Happy out and snuggled with her. Joy really wanted to be a part of that, but my hand going toward her was still something she just can't handle. So I put my hand lower than the level she was standing on and scratched at the base - making her playful and interested. I was able to put my hand on her with out her flinching too much, and I pulled her out for a snuggle. I put Happy back and she started eating. I put Joy back and patted her while she had a bite to eat. I sat there for a few more minutes, patting Joy and playing the scratchy game, and Joy actually leaned out of the cage and asked to be picked up!!!! *happy dance*

She is going to need to go into a home that understands under socialized kitties.. but to me this is HUGE and shows such a huge leap forward in her progress. I need to get them out and play with them in the room, but I've been so tired lately that I just haven't been able to.