kittens

do they not kill you with the cute???

Tostada is the darker tabby girl

Taquito is the lighter tabby girl

Blanco...honestly, he is a whiny little guy....but adorable

sleeping girls

Margarita says "turn off the dang flashy box lady"

a momma's work is never done

Still no real interest in canned food or the litterbox, but we are sure they will get the hang of it. They are getting more and more mobile....and into the hoppy stage. They run forward, hop a couple of times, then fall over (cause gravity is a greater force when you are that short). They are super curious about mom and come over to check her out when she goes in and sits on the floor with them. They haven't discovered Daiquiri yet - she still hops the gate and sits outside the bathroom door. She has been told off a couple of times by Margarita, but when they caught sight of each other a couple of days ago, Margarita didn't get too worked up. So it may just be the closed door thing.

Orange you glad it's Wednesday

Chewy review

Chewy.com asked us to review some treats. Far be it from us to turn down that offer. We got some Blue Wilderness Chicken and Duck flavor this time. They are grain free - and hey...they are currently on sale. :)

Around here, treats are usually a big hit. Mom shakes a bag or our treat container and we all (or most) magically appear. Ivy didn't show up for this trial, but there were some left over, so we know she will get some. These were a hit with everyone. We do tend to like the softer treats better and these were nice ones. Mom said they even smell like chick-hen.

She did take them into the bathroom and give some to Margarita (forgetting her camera of course). Margarita didn't seem too interested, but mom left some in her food dish and they were gone the next time mom checked on everyone.

Overall, we give it the 6 cat salute (we can't say 7 since Ivy was nowhere to be found for the test).

Oh, and mom says that she has mentioned before about Junior and his "whine" as opposed to meow. She finally got it recorded as he was complaining about the treat service.

Fiesta kittens - 3 weeks old

Amazing that they were three weeks old on Saturday. Mom put out a litter box for them and offered them some gooshy food, but they aren't interested yet (which isn't really surprising, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared). They are all getting around pretty well....some go backwards better than forwards. MOL And the tile floor is still too slippery for baby toes.

 

Salsa - 15 3/8 ounces

He is the big headed boy

And as they have gotten older, it is easier to tell the orange boys apart

 

Queso - 14 3/4 ounces

Pretty sweet

 

Blanco - 14 ounces

He is turning into the drama queen of the family

 

Tostada - 12 3/4 ounces

Our tiny adventurer

 

Taquito - 13 ounces

Super sweet but squirmy

One that will make you laugh - mom sure wishes she had the camera with her: the kittens all pile near or on top of each other to sleep. At one point, Queso's back paw comes up to scratch an ear....only Salsa is laying on top of Queso, so all that happens is Salsa gets whapped....over and over....in the face. Salsa can't figure out who's whapping him and Queso can't figure out why his ear still itches.

Random Fridays

Yep - still playing fetch. The new fetch toy is a green foam ball. Mom is looking for alternatives - while this one flies great and is easy for Daiquiri to pick up, it is falling apart and mom doesn't want Daiquiri ingesting any parts of it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not much planned for this weekend - mom was moaning something about spring cleaning. sigh...

Oh - and while we had some very nice weather last weekend and open windows, Mother Nature changed her mind again and now it is chilly here again. Mom even gave up on Wednesday and turned the heat back on. She says it is cause of Margarita and the kittens....sure, whatever works for you mom.  MOL

We hope you have a spectacular and relaxing weekend.

two word Wednesday

You're welcome

Transport Tuesday

This is Ellie Mae....

Mom helped get her from Kentucky to Canada over the weekend.

We don't know much of her story, but the way she came to the rescue was interesting. Ontario Bloodhound got a call from a shelter in Kentucky asking them to take a male bloodhound. The details were worked out and the dog was moved to a local vet to be checked over and neutered and boarded while transport was set up. As all that was happening, OBR got a call from the vet office that the dog had bitten one of their techs. Calls went back and forth with the rescue, the shelter and the vet. Turns out the shelter didn't give quite full disclosure. Now a decision had to be made....what do to with a dog that may be aggressive. The vet spoke to the head of the rescue and asked that the dog be given a second chance as the vet has interacted with the dog and thought he could be helped. Luckily, there is other rescues in the area. A local trainer said she could help, but was boarding another bloodhound that needed rescue and that would be the spot. So....a deal was worked out. Ellie Mae came to OBR and would take the foster spot and the dog would move in with the trainer. We hope she can help him and that he gets a chance at a home.

In the meantime, Ellie Mae is a petite and super sweet bloodhound girl. Maybe 60 pounds (and yes, that makes her a small bloodhound), she climbed right in mom's car on Sunday and snoozed the entire first leg of her trip to foster care.

Fiesta Kitten Report

The kittens turned two weeks old on Saturday and are making steady progress getting bigger and learning to use their short legs.

 

Queso - 10 3/4 ounces

 

Salsa - 11 1/4 ounces

 

Blanco - 10 3/4 ounces

 

Taquito - 9 5/8 ounces

 

Tostada - 9 3/4 ounces

Margarita is a happy momma cat and takes such good care of everyone. Mom is still trying to get a good picture of the girl - Margarita keeps blinking.

The kittens don't howl quite as quickly when mom picks them up now. They tend to look at her and blink a few times before realizing something might be amiss. They are pretty wobbly but getting around for the most part. Another week or so and then the sames will really begin.

slacking

Sorry no posts yesterday and nothing too interesting today....mom got bronchitis which makes her bark like a woofie. She just hasn't been too motivated....and we don't have thumbs.

The kittens are doing well and getting a little more mobile each day. Everyone has their eyes open, which has made Taquito a little more hissy at mom....MOL  They will be 2 weeks old tomorrow.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. It is supposed to be over 70 degrees here today so mom opened some windows and put in our protective screens before she left for work.

Blog the Change - transports

Most of you know by now that mom drives transports sometimes on the weekends. We thought we would take this Blog the Change moment to walk you through how she gets noticed and what is involved.

When mom first got interested, she just put "dog transports Ohio" into a search engine. That led her to a yahoo group and she joined that group.

Now, starting Sunday night she gets about 15 emails that have states in the subject line. This allows her to easily filter out and delete the emails that she isn't even close to. Then it is a matter of reading each and seeing the number of dogs in transit and if they are actually going through where we live. Keep in mind, mom drives a small car so she is limited to how many fit. And the Beetle isn't exactly crate friendly.

As part of this group, mom was introduced to Ontario Bloodhound Rescue. That is who she drives for the most....the tend to send one dog at a time and it is easy to fit into a schedule.

Generally run sheets are completed and sent out to drivers on Fridays. This includes the information about the dog being moved and each driver on the transport - so you know who to look for in parking lots. Most hand over spots are restaurant parking lots since there is enough space and those are usually right off of major interstates. One of mom's friends used to drive and joked that she and her husband were seeing Ohio one Cracker Barrel at a time.  :)

On the day of transport, mom checks the car....cover for the backseat, water dish and water, extra towels, paper towels (she has a box she throws in the hatchback). Then it is off to the pick up spot. Get the dog and paperwork and anything going along and then take off for the next spot.

Mom figures on the list she belongs to, there is probably about 100 dogs moving each weekend. And there are so many groups out there. Just be sure when you agree to drive that you understand the time commitment and safety issues driving with dogs in your car. Follow the rules set by the coordinator (some dogs can't be let out of crates, puppies are usually no paws on the ground). Be on time - or early - to your meeting spot. And most important have fun - you are helping to save a life.

And it isn't just dogs....there are cat groups out there too helping to save lives!!

Daiquiri and Tim

No matter how old the kitten, no one seems to be able to resist Tim's charm

OK - and for some reason she was biting his collar.....

Fiesta kittens 9 days old

Mom weighed them on Saturday when they were officially a week old.

 

Queso - 7 3/4 ounces

 

Tostada - 6 3/4 ounces

 

Salsa - 7 3/4 ounces

 

Blaco - 7 3/8 ounces

 

Taquito - 6 3/4 ounces

Everyone is right on track - the boys are pretty equal and the girls are just a little bit smaller. And as of Sunday night, everyone but Blanco had their eyes open at least a little bit. Apparently he has decided there isn't anything that interesting he needs to see.

Margarita the mom cat is doing great with them and is pretty lovey with our mom as well. She only really gets distracted when there is there is the possibility of canned food being served or when she realizes Daiquiri has jumped the gate and is on the other side of the door.

random Fridays

We bid on a bed made by the mom over at Celestial Kitties

It came in the mail and has been of HIGH interest

(more for its ability to be hauled all over the house rather than sleeping on it)

Tim....the cat laundry was clean

but the lid wouldn't close (mom doesn't always fold)

So he knocked the lid off and climbed inside

Mom is thinking about going with a fiesta theme for the foster kitts and mom: mom cat would be Margarita, the orange kittens would be Salsa and Queso, the black kitten Blanco (cause if you are going to name kittens, why not be contrary as well), and the tabbies Taquito and Tostada. What do you think???

plus 6

The bathroom is occupied again. Mom got an email from the rescue on Monday saying they needed foster homes. Mom immediately sent a text to the head of the rescue and picked up this crew last night:

Mom cat is doing pretty well. Seeing other cats stresses her out some but they did get her tested (both negative) and vaccinated at the rescue before coming here. She did hiss some as mom brought her upstairs and has hissed at Daiquiri under the door a couple of times as well (we suspect it is mom hormones). But overall is being a great mom and even let our mom give her a pawdicure. The lady who "found" her said she was a stray but this girl is relaxed with all the house sounds, so we have our doubts about that.

These kittens were born Saturday - mom got kittens for her birthday!!!  We would love to tell you genders and names, but mom hasn't taken her remedial gender test yet (and they are pretty tiny). That will come in good time.....

OK - and if mom had to guess (and she loves to do it), the tabbies are girls and the rest are boys. The black one has some faint stripes on his legs, so it will be interesting to see what happens as he gets bigger. Oh - and mom cat keeps making faces at mom when the camera comes out....she will keep trying for a better picture.

National Dog Fighting Awareness Day

If you have followed us for any length of time, you know that while we are cat focused, mom has some dog tendencies. Not to mention, being involved in rescue and advocacy means that she has an interest in saving those that can't help themselves.

Today is National Dog Fighting Awareness Day sponsored by the ASPCA.

Mom has met and worked with dogs rescued from fights. While some out there will say that these dogs can't be saved, mom says every animal deserves a chance. And looking back, the first real national instance of this was when the Judge in the Vick case made a decision to appoint a guardian to help assess and place the dogs rescued from the property. It was one of the first times in history that someone stood up and said these dogs should be assessed as individuals rather than seen as aggressive based solely on their background. And since that time it has been used as a reminder to evaluate these dogs....and more lives are being saved. These dogs are the victims, not the criminals.

If you have an interest, Ray the Victory Dog's mom has a blog. Ray was rescued, rehabbed and adopted. He now serves as a service dog and ambassador. Cherry was another dog from there who lives with another pit, a black cat and two kids in his family. And Handsome Dan was adopted and his family decided to pay it forward by starting their own rescue.

And keep this in mind....by ending dog fighting, other animals that these "people" use as bait as safer as well. Society as a whole is affected by not just the fights, but the elements that go along with it - violence, drugs, guns, gangs and so many other things.

drat

It was that time of year for Ivy.....

 

unsuspecting

Mom tries to make sure we get our annual check ups and vaccines. Ivy was due and mom had Monday off, so the appointment was set. Now, Ivy hates to travel and everything, so mom spent the morning being all nonchalant until WHAM - she grabbed Ivy, stuffed her in the carrier and off they went.

Ivy of course sang the song of her people all the way there....mom says Ivy must have been an opera singer in a past life.

She weighed in at 12 pounds 13 ounces (oh my) and got checked over. Dr B says her teeth look good and she is healthy. No comment on the weight.....maybe she got distracted by the growling and the pooping (Ivy poops when she is stressed).

All in all, not bad, good review and it is all over until next year.

(we used to used a mobile vet but with using this clinic for the fosters, mom did some thinking and decided to switch us all over there....she loves the mobile vet but says with us getting older she prefers hauling us off to a clinic that has some equipment on site).

Happy Gotcha Birthdays

Can you believe the orange menace has been with us for 4 years??!!???

Happy Gotcha Day Junior!!

He has gone from a skittish 3 month old kitten to a skittish almost 5 year old adult. MOL  Every once in a while mom will catch a glimpse of potential in him for friendly-ness, but for the most part he doesn't want much to do with people. Mom says she is glad that he is so good with the kittens. And hey - Daiquiri thinks he is awesome!  (for new readers, you can read about his introduction here)

In addition, the mom, her best friend, and the kid are all celebrating their BIRTHDAYS!!!
     Ivy: wait - should we have gotten mom a present???
     Daiquiri: doesn't that Santa Paws guy bring the presents??
     Ivy: no, dingbat, only at Catmas....otherwise, for our birthdays we get present from mom.
     Daiquiri: so she is going to buy herself a present for her birthday?
     Ivy: sigh.....

Mom is actually visiting her family this weekend, so we are celebrating by trying to get more treats out of the pet sitter. Wish us luck!!

Random Friday

Anybody wonder what we are plotting????

you go away mom

we is plotting planning

OK - admittedly, Ivy is most likely just plotting another nap here.

not much plotting going on here either

We wish you a peaceful weekend.  Mom says thanks for the kind words yesterday.

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And if you didn't see it on facebook......FANTA GOT ADOPTED!!

This is a fun story, but we have to back up to Monday. See, over the weekend Miss Mona (the head of the rescue) decided that Fanta was being neutered (SO THERE). Mom took him to work with her on Monday, but couldn't find a spare carrier, so she used one of ours. No big deal. Miss Mona picked him up, mom stopped at the adoption center Tuesday after work to see him, and he has already been adopted.

Well, about 10:30pm on Tuesday, mom had a thought....she forgot to pick up our carrier that evening at the adoption center (her mind is going - don't worry about it). So she stopped again on Wednesday. Miss Mona said the carrier was at the clinic. SOS? Nope, Rascal.** Mom said - oh did you need to use it for someone else?

Turns out, Miss Mona was taking a couple of dogs to Rascal for surgery. She mentioned Fanta, they had an opening, so he had his neuter surgery there on Tuesday. And from there, he actually never came back to the adoption center....he charmed everyone at the clinic and one of the vets decided she HAD to adopt him. Miss Mona said Wednesday night that the vet called her about the dogs and mentioned that Fanta had moved right into her house with no concerns and was already king of the castle (she has a couple of other cats). There you have it....an even better story that we originally thought!!


**we are lucky enough to live in a city with lots of different clinics. SOS is low cost but does only spay/neuter but is also feral friendly - meaning you can bring them same day in a live trap until 2pm. Rascal is low cost as well (both are non-profits) but they have clinic hours for wellness checks and vaccinations as well as being a 24 hour emergency clinic.