The ups and downs of Abby

I know this photo is a little blurry, but I like her expression so much 

We are still having difficulties with Abby's glucose levels.  Sometimes she goes up when she should be going down, and other times she goes down when she should be going up.  It is enough to drive me a little insane until I reminded myself that while it isn't ideal that her sugars are high, they aren't so high that we aren't doing good here.

I am not sure what is going on, but over the weekend she ate less than she had been and I was starting to get worried about her. I peeked in her mouth, which she was none too happy about, and I saw quite a bit of tartar on the small amount of her mouth I was able to see, so I sent an email into the shelter asking if they might want to consider getting her in to the vet for a once over and a possible dental.

Don't worry about her eating less.. she then hurled up a hairball and was back to eating her normal amount. I'm not surprised at all about the hairball as she is still shedding more than I would like, but her fur is starting to look a lot better than it had, so we are doing something right.

I am also seeing more and more normal cat behavior from her.  She is rubbing her chin on things, sniffing me when it is appropriate. She still flinches a bit, but not as much as she used to. I've been using the Spirit Essences Stress Stopper on her, and I'm sure that with some time and my assurances that I won't ever hurt her are starting to sink in.  She is not a 'on your' lap cat, but really is a 'next to your' lap cat. I've been working with her on trust issues by picking her up and holding her and letting her down when ever she asks.  This also helps with communication as it helps her to know that I am listening to what she is telling me and I will react accordingly. Only time will tell

updates:

I went into the shelter on Sunday to get some more supplies for Abby and saw a young couple with a small child in with Chandler. The man was holding him and patting him and getting himself covered with fur.  I stopped in to talk to them to see if they had any questions and they really didn't, but wouldn't it be awesome if our boy sweet talked himself into another home.. That boy has some SERIOUSLY good mojo on him..

Lena was adopted last week. I stopped in to see her and she wasn't there. One of the shelter workers told me that she went home with a friend of a friend and she had already gotten an update and she was doing well.  I wish they would send me an update (my adoption cards all have my email address on them as well as my fb page) but it so rarely happens.

Saying goodbye.

Well this one was harder than I expected it to be. Interestingly enough not for the new kittens, I know they will be fine, but for Lena.  I love Lena, I do, but I have known all along she is not my kitty.  So, knowing this, I though I would be sad to bring her back because I love snuggling her and I knew it would be hard on her, but I didn't expect to cry..

Before

After

I know my issue isn't so much her not being with me any more, but the uncertainty of the life she is about to enter.  If I knew where she was going, knew what home, what people, what was there for her, it would be easier for me. Granted I know there are not certainties in life, but will she go home with Glimfeather? will she adjust to her new family, will they adjust to her? will there be snotty kids who won't respect her? Will there be a yappy dog who will harass her?  I just want her to be happy, she has had such a rough life so far.. She has lost everything she has ever known and loved.. (it didn't help that she did not want to be caught this morning and avoided my attempts to get her)

*sigh*

I will write up an adoption card with her history, her likes and her dislikes.. the staff know her story and will adopt her out with those considerations, I can hold on to the fact that they will work to find her a good home.

After leaving her there, my eyes started to tear up driving to work.. the radio was on and I noticed the song that was playing..

I don't need you to worry for me cause I'm alright.. 

this is not the first time a song  has been playing on the radio as I have left the shelter in tears that seemed to be talking to me.  It is pretty amusing too because I so infrequently listen to the radio these days, I tend to listen to books on tape.  After that song came

and I had visions of a 10 yr old me at the roller rink, (seriously check out the link) which for me was some old warehouse type building in the back of an industrial park in the middle of nowhere except it was THE place to go because it really was the only place to go, being so excited this song came on and jumping up and rushing to get out on the floor to skate to it..   It made me smile..

So while I'm weepy today, and probably will be for a bit.. I shall randomly yell out in my mind (not stand up in the office and do it because that would just be weird) REVERSE SKATE! and think of Joan and music from the 80s..

The kitten's time at Casa de Gato has come to an end

As I mentioned on Monday I had someone come to the house to take a look at the kittens.  They were looking for just one kitty, not thinking that they could responsibly take two. I gave them my 'spiel' of why two kittens are better, and said I respect their decision if they feel they can only take one. I left them alone in the kitten room for a while to let them get to know the kittens. They were all initially a bit freaked by the newcomers into their territory, but with our chatting and some encouragement from toys, they came out much quicker than I had expected.  Formerly feral kittens tend to have a hard time with change.  Tawny was the first one out.

They had originally come to see Lena, but with my thinking she would be better with a friend and their limitation of only being able to adopt one, and Tawny's fierce adorableness.. well hopefully you can see where this is going.  They left that night without being sure, but the next day I got a message that they were going to adopt her. I can't blame them in the least, Tawny is pretty awesome. I think she will do okay as an only kitten.

Now we have a more pressing need to get these kittens in to be neutered, so I sent another message to the shelter and they have a opening for them today, so I will be bringing them back this morning.  I doubt they will be coming back to me, so last night was my last night with them. I walked into the room and they were all 'oh love me love me pat me pat me' but probably because they were out of food. I brought the camera down with me in hopes of getting a few more good photos of them for adoption cards, but these guys would NOT sit still.. after feeding them I had them running around and leaping for almost two hours.. it was crazy..

I finally got another good snuggle in with Lena, and when she was done I left to go edit photos and blog.  A huge part of me doesn't want them to go, but the practical side of me that not only knows it is beyond their time, but knows they have entered that crazy, into everything, so much energy if you could harness it you could power the world phase, and with them all in that one room it is just too much mayhem. I'm really surprised they haven't broken something yet *knockwood*

So here are the pictures from last night..

Lena is looking a bit ragged these days.  It is tough being a long haired kitten as they need to lose their kitten fur for their real coat to come in.. I've been combing her regularly but even still there is a lot of fur laying about the kitten room.

Good luck sweet kittens. I wish you well

And so the kittens are still here..

like I'm complaining.. lol.  I know I am very lucky to have kittens in the dead of winter and so since the shelter isn't chomping at the bit to take them back, I'm not going to force the issue.

It also is probably a good thing since the kittens have been sneezing quite a bit lately. I started them on colloidal silver and it seems to have stopped now, *knockwood*, but Lena is still having some ocular discharge, so I am in absolutely no rush to give them up... although I'm pretty sure I already said that.

I haven't really talked about the individual kitten personalities for a while, so without further adieu:

Athena

Athena is your 'typical kitten'.  It is really hard on me when I get these because there really isn't any one thing outstanding about her personality.. She loves to play, run around, wrestle her siblings, climbs up on my lap for attention, lets me pat her and kiss her and play with her, but no one thing stands out as uniquely Athena.  I usually get one of these kittens a year.  Do not get me wrong, she is awesome. She is so much fun, she makes me laugh..

Glimfeather

Glimfeather is really coming into her own, and it is so nice to see. I know she has a bit further to go because she still is shy in some aspects, but I am sure that will come in time. She loves to sit and look at me with a quizzical look on her face. She also likes to sit on the litter box box and get in my way.. I am pretty sure she is going to be a goofy girl.

Tawny

Tawny is really adorable. She likes posing and showing off how cute she is. She also has had a tendency to try to buff my face with her coat, which I've always adored in a kitten.

The kittens all look a little sleepy, because they were a little sleepy. Getting photos of them at this stage is harder because they are always on the go.

Lena

Lena, oh sweet adorable lovable sweet Lena. This girl is killing me with her personality. She still has yet to climb up on me on her own, but she will climb up on the couch and sit next to me. I pick her up and lay her on my chest and if I rub her rib cage under her armpit she will instantly settle and start purring. She will lay like this for quite some time, and she will reach out to my face from time to time as if to pat me back. She absolutely does not like being medicated and has started flinching from me when I have given her drops in her eyes. I need to be careful to make sure I give her lots of positive reinforcement to keep her from being afraid. I have noticed her spending less time with the kittens. I don't know if that is because they have entered that stage in their kittenhood when they are everywhere all at once and she is coming out of it. I still get the feeling she wouldn't be happy as an only kitten, but I'm no longer married on the idea that she has to go home with Glim.  I'd still like that because I just like them together.

Speaking of adoptions, I do have someone stopping by this evening to do a meet and greet with the kittens to see if they might want to adopt.  I can't wait to see how it goes.

Lena and her feet

Lena is a polydactyl kitty, meaning she has some extra toes. She only has extra toes on the front feet, but she does have a spare claw or two on her back feet.. Fortunately they don't seem to bother her and she has some control over them - well at least the front ones, but this will mean she will need someone to monitor those inner claws and just make sure they don't overgrow and pierce her feet.

Because of the way her feet are shaped, it does kind of look like she is walking with her feet turned outward like in that last photo above, but that is just the way they are laid out.

I hope that no one makes fun of me because of my weird feet... 

because they are really awesome at catching fevvers.. 

Possibly the last Monday Morning Update on the Kittens

Lena has been dealing with more repercussions from the kitty cold going on in the kitten room right now but she is still doing remarkably well despite it all. She occasionally has both ocular and nasal discharge, but she is still eating up a storm and playing on a regular basis with the kittens.

I am still torn as to what to suggest with her. I hate the idea of her going off into a home without a friend, I fear what so many losses will do to her mentally. I'm sure she would get over it, but if we don't have to...

She has turned into one of the sweetest cuddlers I've had in a long time.  Smed was the most active and Tawny is starting to excel in the Smedly school of face buffing (I wonder if he left some instructions somewhere) but Lena .. *sigh* I love her.  She won't climb up on my chest on her own, but she is now coming to sit next to me and looks at me as if asking. I pick her up and snuggle her right into my chest and lay back or lay down and she purrs and rolls on her side and lets me pat her chest and she snuggles in and purrs. She will occasionally pat my face.. I'm telling you, who ever takes her will be very very lucky.

A photo posted by Connie (@tfkblog) on Jan 9, 2015 at 2:02pm PST

Glimfeather has shown some improvement in her socialization since going to the shelter. I stopped in at work with them, and she bolted out of the carrier - which made me fear for her and makes me believe she needs to be an indoor only kitty. Since coming home she has been more open to my walking up to her and she hasn't been as afraid of my husband - and you saw how well she did with the dress I put on her.  So other than her going outside I'd say she will adjust pretty well to pretty much any home.  Athena and Tawny are now complete failures at being feral and are completely ready for their next journey in life.  When I went to the shelter to have them tested I was told they are ready and plans will be made to get them in to be neutered.

Basically we are just biding time till there is a spot for them at the shelter. Lena will go with them and hopefully between now and then a solution for her will present itself.

The kittens prepare for the #GoldenGlobes

Time to put on the Party Dresses and go to the Golden Globes

pay no attention to the man behind the scenes.. 

ooooh, shiney

Um, I don't think these are the globes the people were thinking about.. 

but we are still wearing party dresses right?

So does this mean it is time to paaar tay?

and shake our groove thing?

shake our groove thing, yeah, yeah

my girl just wants to party all the time, 

Party all the time

Cause this is thriller.. 

Thriller night.. 

What else are three pretty kitties supposed to do in party dresses?

I'm thinking Tawny prefered an off the shoulder number.. sadly I really didn't have that as an option.

DH asked how come Lena got out of the party dress option, and it was because I only had three dresses in a small enough size unless I wanted to break out the santa outfit, which just seemed silly (because everything above is oh so dignified)

I was really surprised how much Glimfeather liked her dress and was not interested in taking it off at all. Athena tried on and off to shed hers, but in the end I had to help her. Tawny's dress was simply too big for her and thus she was able to play a real party girl of the night ;)

Whisper Wednesday (aka not quite wordless) - Ho Ho Ho ?

Sir, please tell that lady to never to that again...