Adventures

Whisk went on an adventure on Saturday. Mom needed to get kitten food so she took the kitten along. She traveled pretty well so like most cats in the car she did her some complaints. She was great meeting new people though.

Everyone is over a pound and Kettle is sneaking up on 2 pounds. The boys may be ready by mid June, Whisk sometime after that. 

Ree could probably go anytime but mom would like to get some weight on her first. She doesn't let the kittens nurse much at all any more. She is super sweet, can be held, doesn't care about the other cats here (she's even been hissed at by Daiquiri and was unmoved).

The kittens haven't purred for mom yet, but kittens raised by a cat mom tend not to early. But all three are playful and sweet.

Whisk will climb into a lap and sit.

Kettle is super curious.

Spatula is a good boy but does seem to have a question mark hanging over his head most of the time.

Random Fridays

Our fairy catmother struck again and sent up a Tespo playpen. We thought we would need it with the kitchen kittens to keep them in part of the foster room. Thankfully they came fairly healthy and didn't need to be restricted. But they will come in handy with the next batch of tiny kittens to keep them in place.

The tuxedo girls had a moment on Thursday. They get up the ladder and sometimes block each other. In this case, Goldfish wanted down and Chanel wasn't moving. Don't feel too bad....Goldfish has done the same.

Kitchen kittens

They have hit the hilarious on the go stage. Places to go, toys to destroy, siblings and mom cat to annoy.

Spatula

Whisk and a very big ball

Kettle and his momma Ree

Double trouble

Spatula

A lot of trouble 

all on his own

Kettle

Places to go

They are doing well and gaining weight. Mom had to set up an airlock by the door to the foster room as the kittens make a run for it when mom goes into the room.

Kitten videos

Mom tried to get Ree on video but all you get is a close up of Ree's nose...

However, the kittens were being cute yesterday:

Kettle

Whisk

Spatula

A small sigh

Ree, Spatula, Kettle and Whisk came back here on Tuesday. They are eating well and seem to be doing much better. So fingers crossed.

They are all playing and bouncing around like normal kittens. Eating everything in sight too.

Mom got weights last night. Kettle is the heaviest 1 pound 6 ounces. Spatula is 1 pound 3 ounces. Miss Whisk is a mighty.... 14 ounces. Keep in mind these guys are about 7 weeks old more or less and the average weight gain is a pound per month. But they are gaining and that is the most important thing.

Ree is supper sweet but so skinny.

Whisk says no to more pictures

The boys

Not a great week

This is definitely the worst part of fostering. Skillet died Sunday night. Tuesday night Griddle and Pot weren't doing well. Mom ended up at the ER vet with Griddle but the kindest thing was to let her go. Pot went to the vet Wednesday morning but passed away over night. Ree and the 3 remaining kittens are at the rescue getting medical attention. Mom is cleaning the foster room and tossing a lot of stuff that can't be washed. We hope to get the back soon. Please send all the healing purrs.

We know you all know this, but this is the reason we preach spay/neuter. If someone has been responsible when Ree was a kitten, none of this would have happened.

But this is how we want to think of them...

Happy Birthday Goldfish

Hard to believe she is 2 years old. Treats for all!!

The not fun part

Skillet is the kitten on the left (Griddle is next to her). All the kittens have not been feeling great over the last few days. They are on dewormer and another med. But Miss Skillet was the worst of the group so she spent last night with the director of the rescue getting fluids hoping that will get her back in track.

Everyone is pretty tiny for their ages but the black kittens are doing the best. Mom was worried about Spatula too but he came around over the weekend.

This is the hard part of fostering. Everyone thinks it's all cute kittens. And it can be. This group seems to be worry and a ton of laundry.

Let's see

Still stuck at home together. Rumor has it mom will be here through at least the end of May. We have mixed feelings about this....

The kittens are doing well. Mom wasn't sure all of them were eating canned food as she was seeing one black kitten and one bicolor kitten so wasn't sure who was who.

However....she caught all of them eating the other night. A couple of the black and white girls have to be shown the plate but mom feels better knowing they aren't just relying in nursing. Especially since Ree seems to have mixed feelings about it: she sometimes growls yet the other day woke them all up for a snack.

She is very very sweet

But she is super skinny too

A discovery was made

This is the bicolor boy.

He shall be Spatula

They love this Kasas

Mom can't tell the black kittens apart

But she checked when she took the picture

This is the boy

The kittens are SUPER friendly. They climb all over mom when she is in there. 

Kitten report

Everyone is doing well. Momma Ree is fairly young. She tends to like the kittens then not like the kittens. Ha. The kittens are bright and active and growing. So not sure if they are bitey or mom is already done being a mom. Don't tell her she has a while.

Mom got to see the Spartan boys on Saturday. They are all growing like mad and their families day they are doing great.

New kittens

Mom was at the rescue on Wednesday and saw kittens. Apparently someone else was supposed to take them but didn't show up so mom got them.

Momma cat plus 6 kittens. Momma is young and curious but taking good care. The kittens are probably close to 4 weeks old based on their coordination (or lack there of) but are small for that age (ranging from 10 to 13 ounces). 4 girls, 2 boys. 2 black (1 girl 1 boy) 4 black and white.

There has been a naming thing in waiting (cause mom thinks she's funny).

Meet Ree and the kitchen kittens: Pot and Kettle (the black kittens), Whisk, Skillet, Griddle and Spatula. (Thanks to Cupcake's head peep for the names for the black kittens....mom laughed hysterically)

Lazy

Mom is still working from home. Rumor is things may start reopening but no firm plans and no news from her work.

If you don't follow us on social media (and why not?), we announced on Saturday that Winston and Tillman were adopted...together!! The family has an 18 month old human kid so the 3 boys will grow up together.

In the meantime we refuse to allow mom to screw with our naps...

Kittens are weird

The boys were all neutered today. Thankfully one of our local mobile clinics has sufficient equipment to do some surgeries. For a rescue this is a huge deal.

No Langford pictures because.....he got adopted. A nice young couple wanted an,outgoing kitten and he was a good fit. They report he took a couple hours to adjust and them acted like he had been there the entire time.

OUT

Well that might have been a mistake.

Mom let the boys out of the foster room for a while the last few days. Ivy is pretending nothing is going on. Daiquiri is growling at them if they get too close. Chanel and Goldfish are treating them like new fun cat toys.

The boys are having fun running up and down the steps and the hallway.

They are all over 2 pounds but surgery dates are up in the air. Once that happens we know they will get adopted quickly as we've had lots of people looking for kittens.

Wand toy fun

The kittens are all doing well. Tillman is just over 2 pounds with Winston and Langford around 2.4 pounds. The struggle right now for rescues is not having access to spay/neuter clinics so they will be here a little while.

Mom broke out the wand toy and Langford was a fan. It took Winston and Tillman a little bit to get into it but once they did, it was game on.

Family time

It's been interesting have mom home fore over a week now. Lucky for us she's pretty quiet....except the occasional HBO words. MOL

We've been just doing our normal thing, though mom caught us sleeping in close quarters yesterday.

The boys are doing well. Mom got Tillman to purr the other day though she still has to grab him to love on him. In the meantime they are playing and being boys.

(Sorry...bad video from the web cam)

Thanks for the love

Mom has been checking on Ree and the remaining 3 kittens. Whisk didn't look great on Saturday but looked better yesterday. The boys were playing and looked good. Ree is still thin but letting the kittens nurse.

Mom is hoping they come back today or tomorrow.

The problem with kittens this little getting sick is they don't have many reserves. Mom spent the weekend cleaning. Laundry in hot water with bleach. Dishes through the dishwasher. Scrub down everything else. Tossed the litterboxes and scratcher. Bought new and got set back up.

Thank you for your purrs and prayers. We know fostering is hard and we are thankful you continue on this journey with us.

A new to them toy

Mom broke out a few new toys for the kitten boys. The felt circle was apparently scary....but only at first.

Then Langford decided it was HIS

Kitten on

These are trying times. We all know that. Mom is now working from home for at least 2 weeks. We know this to keep her and everyone safe. We do suspect this may screw up our naps. So far so good though.

Please know we are thinking of you. Watch the webcams....the boys are nuts and fun to watch - awake or asleep. These times are scary...we know that and don't take it lightly. We are sending you all furry love. 

Guess what we got

Well, the time has come....the foster room has new residents....kitten season is here.

These three boys came in to the rescue on Saturday after being found dumped in a trailer park. No idea where mom might be any more. That for us is always very sad.

They are a little concerned about being handled and mom being in the room. But mom got a purr out of the gray one on Sunday morning so we bet they are begging for attention in no time.

As you know if you follow us, mom loves a good naming theme. She is also a big fan of Michigan State University. With all the scary Covid-19 stuff going on, basketball was cancelled for the end of the season. In honor of that, she decided to name these boys after Spartans.

 

Winston

After Cassius Winston the MSU point guard

 

Tillman

After Xavier Tillman Sr the outstanding guard

 

Langford

After Joshua Langford. He was a senior this

year and a captain though he wasn't able to 

play due to an ongoing injury. 

These boys are about 7 weeks old - Tillman's eyes are just a little blue around the edges. Probably here for a couple of weeks. Although if the local spay/neuter clinic closes under orders from the governor, it could be longer than that....

Be sure to check out the web cams (links at the top) to watch them during the day.

Just some goofy cat videos

When your sister blocks your exit

Goldfish found the nip banana

teach your children

**a post from the mom

Over the weekend, a cat that was adopted 3 years ago was returned. They got a new puppy and the cat "wasn't adjusting" so he was brought back. After 3 years....and being declawed.

While this is enough to frustrate me by itself, I went back and looked at his paperwork. At the time he was adopted, they listed a kid age of 10 years. Which means the kid is now 13 years old.

And it got me thinking...what kind of lesson are they teaching her??

When kids come in to the rescue to donate stuff or volunteer, I try to make sure they know they are appreciated. They are the future of rescue. Their knowledge and compassion will lead us forward.

I do the same thing with my niece (aka the kid). She has been going with me to volunteer since she was probably about 4 years old (we would put her in a room with all the kittens and let them wear each other out). She and I go on vacation every other year and volunteer at Best Friends in Utah. She has gone to vet appointments with me with foster kittens.

I hope that kid grows up and learns better.

In the mean time - I know I'm at least making a difference with the kid in my life. 

 

We need to learn that kids learn so much more from what they see than what they are told. We need to be the example of compassion and responsibility. We need to be the better example.