Random Fridays

HAPPY (belated) Birthday Tommy!!

and we are sure Tim got extra treats over the Bridge

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

The brandy kittens were tested on Tuesday and are....NEGATIVE (in case you missed it on facebook). The plan for the weekend was to put Saldano and Wheat in a carrier, clean and move a couple of things in the foster space. Then....mom wanted to move Marilyn and all five kittens into the foster space with Wheat and Saldano.

However, mom decided that moving them Wednesday night was the better idea. She was going to be home to keep track of everyone...and honestly was getting tired of the bathroom being a disaster. The kittens are getting big enough that it is a whole different kind of adventure with them in there.

So Marilyn and the five kittens packed their bags and were hauled off to the foster kitten space.

Saldano isn't too sure about that bigger lady cat

Saldano and Russell give each other the floof suit reaction

Calvados took it all in stride....then found a new toy

Kirsch and Chambord were pretty jumpy about the changes

All in all, it went pretty well. Wheat and Monroe were about as laid back as they could be. Marilyn checked out the place, found the food and made herself at home. The brandy girls were a little jumpy. Calvados and Russell wandered around and checked everything out, only getting jumpy when a certain gray girl would get in their faces.

Saldano was just RUDE about all of it. She growled, she hissed, she floofed out. However, there was no smacking or anything like that.

By the time mom went to bed that night, everyone had settled in.

Mom did take a few minutes to weigh everyone Thursday morning before breakfast.
  Saldano  1 pound 13 1/2 ounces
  Wheat  1 pound 6 3/4 ounces
  Monroe  14 3/8 ounces (not good...mom is keeping on eye on him)
  Russell   1 pound 13 3/4 ounces
  Calvados  1 pound 3 1/8 ounces
  Kirsch   1 pound 2 3/8 ounces
  Chambord   1 pound 1 3/8 ounces

Wheat is mostly fluff. She had some minor snot going on that is clearing up now, but we suspect she wasn't eating as much due to that. We are glad to see all the brandy kittens over a pound. They are still tiny for their age, but considering where we were with them 2 weeks ago, this is great progress.  And Saldano and Russell are well on their way to 2 pounds. Best mom can figure the brandy kittens and Russell and Monroe are 9 weeks old this week. The brandy girls are getting big enough that mom may be able to get collars on them to be able to tell them apart....hopefully. 

the patriot girls

Well, mom has embarked on a social experiment with the girls. Since they are still snotty, they can't be spayed and they can't go to the adoption center. But....is it just mom they don't like? Are they ok with other people? How do they do in strange situations???

She took them out to a couple of different places in the last few days and was pleasantly surprised. They hid for a few minutes but then curiosity got the best of them and they would come out to check out the new surroundings. They didn't mind other people holding them, though it took a few minutes for them to relax. Loud sounds would make them jump and hide, but they recovered pretty quickly. And they can be bribed with canned food and treats.  MOL

All in all, it reinforces mom's belief that they are adoptable into the right home. It will have to be quiet and with a family (or person) that is understanding and patient and willing to give them time to come out of their shells.

Freedom is definitely braver but Liberty did much better than mom expected of her.

Now to get them over the snot.....

when they first came to us

Liberty

Freedom

wordless Wednesday

Ivy

wait a second

The 10th annual fundraiser for the rescue was on Sunday. Mom ran some errands, cleaned at the store where she helps and then came home and got changed. As she was leaving, this guy walked straight toward her:

Seriously???  Mom thumped her head on the steering wheel of the car, then got out. He was RIGHT UP TO HER!! She grabbed him, shoved him in a carrier and carted him off to the rescue. Not neutered, no id, found out yesterday no microchip. Mom got a text yesterday that he wasn't really happy when the head of the rescue got there and checked on him, but considering his attitude on Sunday, hopefully he will settle down and be fine. Not sure about his age, but mom guesses 7-8 months old. And yes, we checked the local pet lost and found and got nothing.

Speaking of the fundraiser, mom reached out to Miss Sydney at Chewy.com and they sent over a couple of very nice scratchers and some treats and other things for the silent auction. And mom saw that Cat Lady Box sent over a box with the clock from last month too. We don't know the final numbers yet, but hopefully lots of money and awareness was raised.

Mom left a note to name the new orange guy "Waffles". MOL

weekend report

Mom was hoping to move Marilyn and the little kittens into the foster room with Saldano and Wheat. However, the little kittens still need to be tested. That should happen Tuesday. Then mom wants to clean up some in there and then will move everyone. The bathroom is getting a little small for kittens that want to run around and play.

But the girls are doing well. Saldano is a little hand shy but puts up with a lot of stuff. Wheat is hard to get a picture of at this point since she likes to come RIGHT UP to mom for some loving.

Everyone else is good.....

Random Fridays

Well, the little kittens seem to all be doing well. Mom is weighing them every couple of days and while Russell is still the reigning heavy weight champion (OF THE WORLD - so he would like you to believe), everyone else is steadily putting on weight and looks good. Monroe crossed the one pound mark and the brandy kittens aren't too far behind. Now if the girls will just get big enough that mom can put collars on them so she can tell them apart....they are even just close enough in size that there is no help there.

Monroe and the girls

Wheat and Saldano are still doing well. Saldano is so active and playful that it is hard to get a good picture of her. We actually have an application on Wheat, so once she makes weight and gets spayed, she will be going home with a retired couple that have another cat.

Saldano loves that tunnel.....she even naps in it

Liberty and Freedom continue to be snotty. The rescue has their big fundraiser/garden party on Sunday so next week once things settle back down, mom will talk to the head of the rescue about meds and spays and all that other stuff. Liberty still cringes when mom tries to hold her, but Freedom is a little bit better - she even came up to the bars the other morning and sniffed mom's finger. Mom thinks it helps that while she will still pick their noses, she has stopped medicating them and they are beginning to understand that being picked up doesn't always mean something bad tasting.

Liberty would like you to know she is still suspicious of that foster lady

We hope you have a nice and safe weekend.

chewy review #Influencer

We part of the Chewy.com Blogger Influencer Group. While we got the food for review for free, that does not influence our opinions. All opinions herein are our own.

This month mom wanted to try something different, so when she saw that there was something from Stella and Chewy's, she jumped at the chance to for us to try it.

However, she neglected to read about the product first. bad mom.....

We have tried freeze dried foods before that need to be rehydrated. And no one liked the first attempt a couple of years ago. Mom realized what she had done after she opened the box and thought - let's give it another try.

Yep....it was a bust. The brandy kittens and Monroe and Russell got first shot at this....even mixed with lots of KMR, they wouldn't touch it. Mom then mixed some for us and nope....not a chance. Mom isn't sure if it is texture or taste or what, but there was some sniffing and everyone walked away.

Don't get us wrong...we think this is a great option for those who are looking to feed a raw diet and this come freeze dried so you just have to rehydrate (directions on the package)....but no one here seems to want to give this type of food the time of day (the other we tried was a different brand, so it must be something about the texture).

Nice try mom....maybe next time.....

not so wordless Wednesday

Both Tommy and Daiquiri like to get up and sit on top of the tower. Not sure if they like it because it is high or because it drives the patriot girls NUTS! Maybe the driving the kittens nuts part is just a bonus....who knows. As you can see, the girls know someone is up there and are trying to get Tommy's attention.

keeping us on our toes

Mom took the little ones to the v-e-t on Friday just for a general check up since they are so small for their age. The v-e-t was busy (they squeezed us in) so we didn't get a whole lot of time (though one of the girls was cat-napped and carried around by a tech in her pocket for a few minutes) but the general consensus was keep on eye on them, make sure they are eating and bring them back if something pops up.

Marilyn is becoming less interested in nursing, so it became a little more imperative over the weekend to get the monkeys to eat something else. In fact, she has discovered she can get up on the vanity in the bathroom, so she does have a spot to escape. haha

The kittens are eating the kibble left out, but the brandy kittens are so tiny that the concern is how much are they actually eating. Mom tried several different kinds of canned food and FINALLY found one they will eat. It isn't her first choice, but hey....they are eating and they love the stuff (the girls growl at each other). So mom decided going for calories over content for the moment. MOL

snackin' time

Calvados

(mom still can't tell the girls apart)

FEEEED MEEEE

(says Monroe)

MEEEE TOOOOO

(says one of the girls)

Russell likes to throw his weight around which makes the girls scream. Of course, they tend to give as good as they get, but since he outweighs them (by about twice), mom tries to get him to back off.

The hope was to move them into the actual foster space, but until they are 100% with the litter box, mom is leaving them in the bathroom. That being said, she had to turn the lights on around 2am the other night as someone made an escape when she tried to get in there.

They are certainly bright and active and playful, so for now mom is just continuing to do what she is doing and we will see what that gets us.

weekend report

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOZART!!!

he's getting excited....space heater season is coming

Quick update: mom's football team lost, it was still hot on Sunday but it supposed to be much nicer starting today so mom left the window's cracked. Liberty and Freedom were supposed to go with mom to an adoption event on Sunday but are once again VERY snotty. Russell was being a bit of a bully on Sunday morning however, so mom took him along to give everyone a break....he freaked out a little bit in the new environment then took a nap. Everyone is doing well and mom thinks she has found a canned food that the little kittens will eat (YAY!).

random friday

It has been a long week. The brandy kittens were not feeling well over the weekend so mom has spent a lot of time awake and being worried. Chambord (who is the smaller of the girls) was doing pretty badly and while we aren't out of the woods just yet, she is eating and nursing. They have all lost some weight and are on an antibiotic to help with their guts. Please send them some positive energy if you can. Oh...and if they could learn to eat canned food, that would be great too....

Marilyn did finally growl at Daiquiri the other night. Daiq went over the gate and all 3 brandy kittens freaked out. We think what set off Marilyn was the HOWL that one of the girls let loose at Daiquiri. Daiq, along with Ivy and Tommy who weren't even involved, all came slinking down the hall looking pretty guilty before mom could get back there to check on everyone.
~~~~~~~~

We won a blogoversary prize from the ladies at Sweet Purrfections. Mom FINALLY got everything out and put this bed in one of our favorites spots. It has been pretty popular and there is usually someone sleeping on it.

~~~~~~~~~~

We still only have one board up on the doors in the foster room (don't get mom started). However, she wanted to do something to break up the stark whiteness of it. She asked around, got some suggestions, and found Wordy Bird Studios and ordered the decal above. It is vinyl and sticks right to the panel on the door. Pretty easy to put on and is 24" by 24". The green bird is their logo and a test but mom thought it was cute and left it.

Once the other panels are up and the camera is back online (technical issues still), we are going to see how it looks. Mom is thinking something else on the panel to the right (the panel to the left can't be seen on camera and is half covered by storage). And she is also thinking about maybe getting our blog url and that of the rescue made up to put on the doors too....you can never have enough advertising to get kittens adopted. :)
~~~~~~~~~

Mom says she doesn't care what the calendar says about fall....we still got the hots here and we want them to GO AWAY!

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.