Remember Me Thursday

It is that time of year again....Remember Me Thursday  when we bring to light an effort to remember those animals that never get a home of their own.

Be sure to read our post from last week about the local issues still ongoing with the dog shelter in our town. Five rescues filed a lawsuit on Thursday asking for a restraining order to stop the deaths. The Judge wouldn't sign it until they posted a bond of $100,000 to cover the cost of the shelter keeping the dogs alive in the event that the case was dismissed. The money wasn't raised (no surprise given they had about 24 hours), but the rescues agreed to withdraw the case based on an agreement with the dog shelter that no more dogs would be killed without a blood test being done for distemper.

The last update we had was Thursday night when the total number of deaths was at 84. We suspect that more died Friday before the agreement was made, but we can't be sure since there has been no confirmation. Luckily Ohio State University and University of Wisconsin are helping with testing and we hope this will help make a difference. The local humane society is taking in stray dogs rather than send them to the county facility. And rescues have been able to pull dogs that were well past any need to quarantine (ie - their vaccines would have been effective prior to the exposure).

#RememberTheRescue Challenge:
Take a picture of your rescued pet. Post to social media. Use the hashtags: #RememberTheRescue and #RememberMeThursday and your favorite rescue could win food, toys and other prizes. Cool right??

Please take a moment to honor those that HAVE been rescued....and remember those that never got that chance.

Adopt a Less Adoptable Pet

Started several years ago, extra special attention has been to those pets that may get passed over for whatever reason: coat color (black), senior, special needs, FIV+ or FeLV+, etc

We are going to talk about Liberty and Freedom - the patriot girls.

Freedom

Liberty

Honestly, mom is beginning to find their names ironic more than anything else. The woman who found them as kittens gave them the names since they were found around July 4th. However, they haven't gotten much liberty or freedom around here.

When they came to us, it was with an upper respiratory infection. Mom kept them in the tower for two reasons - so they kept their snot to themselves and to make it easier to catch them to medicate them (even then they were a little shy). However, over time the URI has come and gone but not completely gone away. Mom has tried nebulizing them and a couple of different medications. She wonders if it may be chronic....and if it may be caused by stress.

In addition, both girls got out of the foster room where they were going to spend the weekend while mom was out of town. She spent quite a while trying to catch them again. When they were put back in the tower, it almost seemed like they relaxed since it was a smaller and "safe" space. There was some original conversation with the rescue about maybe them becoming working cats, but if the house makes them afraid, no telling what would happen elsewhere. We couldn't stomach them being moved and then disappearing out of fear.

What makes them less adoptable?

• At this point they are almost 5 months old. We have noticed people want tiny kittens or feel sorry for adults, but the juvenile kittens tend to be around longer. 
• They may have chronic URI (or it may clear up when they aren't feeling stressed). 
• They are skittish and are going to take some time and love and patience to come around in a new environment. 
• And they are bonded - they love to play and sleep with each other and can be found piled up napping.

Don't get us wrong....we also suspect that them getting a home of their own will help them feel more secure (once they adjust) and safe. Once that happens we suspect the sneezing will lessen and they will come out of their shells. Right now, they have mainly been at the shelter or with us, and that entire time has involved being caught and medicated. You would dislike mom too after all of that.....

That being said, they are very sweet, very playful and their coats are SO soft. Freedom doesn't mind being held and loved on - but you do have to catch her first. Liberty will tolerate a few minutes of petting but she is definitely more hand shy (and you are going to have to catch her first too). Mom laughs watching them play and tumble around the tower. We wish we had a room that could be emptied and closed off to give them more space to play.

Mom has decided this....our rescue does not restrict out of state adoptions. If you know ANYONE who might be interested, please please please let us know and we will work very hard to make it happen.

kitten report

Wheat and Saldano are still doing great. Just need to gain a little more weight and they can be off to their forever homes (we are sure they will go quick). They spend a lot of time playing together but tend to nap separately.

The little ones are.....little. They are still nursing and eating on their own. Mom tried to syringe feed the brandy kittens some KMR and they didn't seem to care too much about it. She has put some out in a bowl and they will drink some - though mom has to be in there to be sure that Marilyn doesn't drink it all.

That being said, they are bright and active and playing. Mom made an appointment with the v-e-t for Friday just to have them looked over....just in case. 

mom just realized this picture makes Monroe look like a mutant

his head really isn't that much bigger than his body

this girls - still can't tell them apart

Russell is the biggest of the kittens. He does tend to throw his weight around and make the little ones cry some - though the girls tend to give as good as they get.

Mom has been putting up one of the gates and sitting with them to supervise but allow them to have some more space to run around. They seem to be enjoying it and seeing the world outside the bathroom. Calvados tends to pick a spot on mom and watch the shenanigans.

And bless Marilyn - she is SO chill. Mom put up the gate on Monday morning while she took a shower and of course Daiquiri had to jump it to see if she could mooch some kitten food. Marilyn just laid there and watched her walk by. Though one of the girls freaked out and put on her stranger danger suit....which is more hilarious than scary.

weekend report

sigh.....we STILL have the hots....at least enough during the day so that mom won't open the windows. our condo is on the 2nd floor and really doesn't have a straight line for air to rush through so better to run the cold air and keep it comfy.

We hope you all had a great weekend. Mom ran errands, watched some guys in green run around on tv (which makes her yell), and just relaxed some.

Random Fridays

We were hoping to have open windows for a while, but it appears that the days are going to be warm. Though mom says the nights will cool off and she will open the windows then. It is tough since we live on the 2nd floor and there really isn't much air flow through the condo.

Wheat and Saldano continue to get along. They are playing some though tend to nap on opposite sides of the room. At least there is no more singing of the "I am lonely" song.

Marilyn and the kittens are doing well. The black kittens are pretty tiny still and that worries mom some. She put canned food out and they ate some but not much.

Marilyn is so friendly that getting her picture can be tough

Monroe and Calvados

one of the girls has a complaint

both girls (can't tell them apart yet)

Russell has a skeptical

(actually he had an eye booger)

Mom pulled out the gates the other night and sat in the hall inside the gate to give the kittens more room to run around. Daiquiri of course wanted IN but mom told her no. Fortunately Marilyn seemed unfazed both by wild kittens and Daiquiri outside the gate. But that doesn't mean being INSIDE the gate would be OK.

The kittens had a good time running around a little more space. Mom won't leave the gate up unsupervised, but it is a nice way to get some air circulating and give the kittens some room to run.

Hope you all have a safe and happy weekend!!

weekend report

We know it is Wednesday, but mom was gone all weekend and didn't get around to updating anything until yesterday afternoon. She spent the weekend in Tennessee with her family and got back Monday night.

Which would be her excuse for not wishing Spud a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Barley wasn't adopted over the weekend, but the center seems to be busy on Tuesdays, so we are hopeful he will get adopted this week.

 

Liberty and Freedom

The patriot girls are back in the tower. They were both out of the foster room when mom got home and were running scared. She managed to get them and put them in the tower to keep them contained. She is going to email the head of the rescue about the next step. Mom is sure she can't get them any friendlier - they have been medicated so many times they are afraid of mom. Plus she suspect part of the reason for the continued snotty noses may be stress.

Marilyn continues to take very good care of her boys and Fiona's kittens. The brandy kittens are still pretty tiny, but they are active and eating and seem to be doing well. Nothing is ever guaranteed, but we continue to hope they will thrive.

With Hops adopted, Barley at the adoption center, and the patriot girls in the tower, Wheat was by herself in the foster room. And she was NOT happy about it. She sang the "I am very lonely" song over and over....loudly and in siamese.

So mom contacted the rescue and Tuesday afternoon brought home this:

 

Meet Saldano

Ironically, like Wheat she was left in a box at one of our remote adoption centers inside a pet store. We figure this means it was meant to be. She came right out of her carrier to check out the foster space and within an hour or so the girls were playing happily together.

naming day

Well, mom decided on names for Fiona's kittens.

They continue to do well with Marilyn and her boys and we are very grateful for that.

Mom thought about trying to stick with similar names to Marilyn and her boys since they are now all one family. But it didn't seem to work. She thought some more, play around on the interwebs, and made a decision. Meet the #BrandyKittens

Lakka was named in memorium. We don't like kittens to go unremembered, so their little gray brother that didn't make it has a name.

The boy is the short haired one and his name is Calvados.

The girls are going to be fuzzy like their momma and are named Kirsch and Chambord.

Calvados is an apple brandy, Kirsch is a cherry brandy and Chambord is a raspberry liquor (ok, not a brandy, but close enough). Lakka is a cloudberry (Finish) liquor.

Mo Cats Day

Thanks for all the comments yesterday. We will keep you posted if we catch Fiona along the way.
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Some good news:

ADOPTED!!

Hops has been adopted. The market from Sunday was located in a shopping strip. One of the owners of the aquarium store next to the market came out a few times to check on the kittens (the table was right next to their front door). The owner filled out an application, mom checked it over and everything was fine, and Hops went home Wednesday afternoon. He will have 2 dads, and older kitty sister and 2 dogs to live with. Normally adopters come to the adoption center to finalize everything, but Hops was still at the house and the adopter works on the opposite side of town from the adoption center. So mom decided to deliver....and Hops got to check out the fish store!!
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Every year we make the laughing comment that our Mo thinks this holiday is ALL about him.

This year we would like to ask mom to have "no mo cats" for a while until these guys grow up and move along. (mom says she makes no guarantees)

So far they seem to be more into making a mess than eating much. There is evidence they are using the litter box, and we are sure Marilyn is THRILLED by that part of it. They can often be found all piled up together, which is such a joy to see. Obviously the kittens don't care that they aren't actually related. And bless Marilyn for being so tolerant....she is caring and feeding all of them and the other night after a snack, two of them climbed up on her back and took a snooze. MOL (of course mom had left her phone and camera in the other room too....)

Barley will be headed up to the adoption center today and we have our paws crossed he gets adopted over the weekend. He got pretty whiny Wednesday night after Hops left. He was in the foster space with Wheat (the patriot girls were still in the tower) but apparently she just wasn't interesting enough. Mom played with them both, but if she left, he grumped. Finally mom gave up and moved the patriot girls out of the tower and back into the foster space. Mom didn't want Barley exposed to them, but 2 days of whining might push her over the edge. MOL  Barley was super excited to see the girls. Between that and his flirting with Fiona, Barley must have a thing for older women. hahaha

Liberty and Freedom are responding to the different meds and seem to be doing much better. Mom also borrowed a nebulizer from the rescue and used that for a few days on them both and we are sure that helped break up the snot. Not ready for surgery quite yet, but getting there.

Wheat is doing well. Her eyes are still a little goopy, but she is playing and super friendly. Just need to get some weight on her and she will be ready to go.

We also want to apologize if you have been checking the web camera. We are in contact with the company and we think they are sending a new one. Not sure if we just got a wonky camera or what, but it has been working sporadically for the last 10 days or so.

Dear Fiona

Dear Fiona:

We wish we could explain to you why you were caught and then put in a big crate with your kittens.

We wish that we could explain to you that living in a house with a family is a good thing.

But sometimes that just isn't meant to be the case.

We do make you this promise.....we will take VERY good care of your kittens.
We will raise them and help find them loving homes.

Love, your short term foster family


**note from the mom: the plan originally was to move the kittens in with Marilyn (the other momma car) over the long weekend. That went fine. Fiona has gotten more and more stressed over the last week - the minute I would enter the foster space (the door has a creak), she would start to growl. She never lunged at me when I opened the crate to clean her box or feed her but I suspect it was only a matter of time. She did swat at me once through the back of the crate however when I was moving something and got too close.

However, getting her caught and spayed didn't quite go as planned. I had the trap upstairs Tuesday morning with the intent of getting her to go in and then dropping her off at the clinic. Instead, she shot out of the crate. Around the foster room, up the curtains, across the large shelving unit and eventually up the screen door....and into the condo. CRAP! I tried to corner her by the front door but no luck. She got cornered by the TV, but I am by no means dumb enough to stick my hands any where near her.

Eventually I got her back downstairs and herded her into the garage. Thinking later, I had her pinned behind a table in the entry way and might have been able to get her into the trap, but let's be honest - it was early, I was now hot and sweaty, and honestly, my blood pressure was probably through the ceiling after a couple of fly bys from her.  I set the trap in garage and went to work hoping a couple of hours of calm and quiet would work in my favor. I went back home, taking lunch early (if you can get a feral in a trap to the clinic before noon, they can be done same day) but no luck.

Here is where I make a hard confession: I am certain she somehow managed to get out of the garage. I left the trap and food in there with the door closed for 2 day. The food was never touched....and she was always willing to eat. Hopefully she will stick around....there is food, water and shelter available in the garage. Hopefully Allie will find her and they can be a pair. I will keep my eyes open and keep setting the trap in the hopes of catching her. I just feel like I failed her in that final step....but I will keep trying.

blended family

Well, Monday was a holiday and mom used that time to make sure the new blended family was going to work. She moved one kitten Friday afternoon and Marilyn was fine with it. She licked her right away and when mom checked later, everyone was nursing.

Russell and Monroe seem more confused than anything else.... Mom thinks the kittens are probably all about the same age, but Fiona's kittens are much smaller. Mom is going to move the scale and start a chart, but for now it is pretty visible.

Russell and Monroe are interested in the kibble that Marilyn is eating

Not sure how much they are ACTUALLY eating, but at this stage

is it a lot of "monkey see monkey do" and that is how they learn.

Marilyn has learned to grab a mouthful and eat elsewhere. MOL

Marilyn and the first black kitten from Friday night

Monroe was actually nibbling on Marilyn's toes

All five kittens are healthy and active. One of the black ones slipped out of the bathroom door on Monday afternoon and went marching down the hall liked he owned the place. They are all so curious about everything. Teeth coming in and getting a little more coordinated. Mom suspects they will be eating more and more on their own soon. She put some canned out but Marilyn ate most of it before mom had a chance to get the kittens to try it.

weekend report

The weather has been cooler at night here, but still warm during the day. But mom says fall is in the air and we should be back to open window weather soon.....

Mom went to an adoption event on Sunday and took the beer boys. They were great....tentative for the first few minutes but then checking out area and all the people.

Miss Paula, Truffle and Brulee at Sweet Purrfections had a giveaway for their 5th blogoversay and we won.

Daiquiri had to inspect the box

There were lots of treats, a tunnel and a new bed (the red thing).

There is also a new big scratching post that mom hasn't put together yet.

 

three day weekends are exhausting

  

 Barley discovered how to climb over the "airlock" system

set up for Fiona. He likes to sit next to her cage.

 

Box inspector

Mom moved Liberty and Freedom into the tower together since they are both snotty (and being treated). Hops and Barley were neutered on Monday. Mom moved all of Fiona's kittens in with Marilyn and that seems to be working well....stay tuned for more on that. Wheat is doing well and weighs about 1.5 pounds.

random Fridays

We wish you nice weather for open windows and less rain for those getting hit by storms.
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If you are going to be around central Ohio on Sunday, mom and the rescue will be at a Vegan Popup Market from 12-4pm with the beer boys (Wheat won't be going - she is too small to be spayed yet and mom doesn't want to deal with a bazillion people that want the "cute kitten"). Details here
   A comment just pointed out there was no address in the link: It's All Natural 1360 Cherry Bottom Road, Gahanna, OH 43231  (sorry about that - no idea how they posted an event and didn't think to put the address)

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not sure what is funnier, the facepalm or the expression on Russell's face

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seriously, there is a momma cat and 3 kittens in that picture...

Our goal is to leave the kittens with Fiona as long as we can. However, we have to consider her stress as well. If she gets too stressed being crated and in the house, she can stop caring for the kittens. She has started randomly growling both at mom and just in general. We have to weigh any risk to mom, to us, to her kittens and to Fiona herself in deciding when she is released.
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Marilyn's kittens

Well, mom can't seem to get her hands on Fiona's kittens on a regular basis, so she is getting her tiny baby fix from Marilyn. Mom took Marilyn and her kittens thinking that it might be a good backup for Fiona's kittens depending on how things are going with having a feral mom in a crate. So far Fiona is doing a good job taking care of her kittens, but it is hard to monitor their weights and health when mom can't get her hands on them (unless they walk up to the front of the crate voluntarily....which they do on occasion). That said, Fiona is getting a little more grumpy too, so mom may try over the weekend to see if a) the kittens are eating on their own and/or b) if Marilyn will take on 3 more kittens and everyone is getting a decent meal.

In the meantime, we have determined that Marilyn's kittens are both boys. Mom did some searching on the internet and discovered that Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell did a movie together called "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". And so we introduce you to....

Monroe and Russell

Their ears have started to stand up and they are getting move active. Mom put a big box in the bathroom and they haven't figured out how to escape yet - probably much to the relief of Marilyn. They do seem to enjoy slapping each other and chewing on each other - which will stop being fun when they get more mobile and get teeth....hahaha

your toes smell funny

gotta keep it clean