1-18-19 How Well Have They Aged Friday

Posted on by Robyn

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My old, old, old cat seems to want some warmth for his old bones. What is your favorite (indoor) cat-activated heating mat (brand and where’d you get it)?

Depending on what kind of bed your kitty likes, I can recommend the Aspen Pet Self Warming Bed if he likes the big, plush overstuffed type of bed (they come in larger sizes, too), or if you’re looking for a mat-type bed, we’ve used (and the cats have liked) the Milliard Thermal Cat Mat. I’ve gotten both of those beds from Amazon, but I think (though I can’t swear to it) that Petsmart or Petco would have the mat-type beds, especially this time of year.

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Finishing up the Permanent Residents: How Well Have They Aged?


Newt in October of 2006, the first time Maxi brought him around to meet us, and from two days ago. (There was a time when I was sure Newt would never happily spend time inside, and clearly I had no idea what I was talking about, because I can’t even remember the last time I saw him outside.)


The end of November, 2006.


Kara and her about-to-pop pregnant belly (April 2008), and from earlier this week.


Those big wide eyes! This was just a few weeks later – her kittens were sleeping and she was getting some petting. She already had that stern Sheriff expression going on.


Jake (left) and Elwood in their very first picture, August 2009. And on the right from earlier this week, lookin’ loony.


In January 2010. This picture cracks me up because it really shows off his loons!


Khal in November 2015, and from last week. Isn’t he magnificent?


One year after we first spotted him – November 2016, when he showed up again after several months’ absence, and Fred decided it was time to get serious about taming him.

Even though we didn’t do this for the other permanent residents, let’s see a picture of Khal from one year later, November 2017.


Inside, but still giving me the suspicious eyes.

And lastly, one year later, which brings us to December 2018.


“You coming to bed, or what?”

We’ve come a long way, baby.

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People of the innernets, one last thing before you go.

Our long national nightmare is over.

The foster break is at an end.

Meet Caroline.

She was pulled from the shelter in Athens yesterday and came to us last evening.

She is tiny – just 6 pounds – and she is extremely sweet and confident. When we opened the carrier to let her out, she came right out and explored every inch of the foster room with her tail held high. She loves to be petted. The feather teaser perplexes her, but she finds toys interesting.

She and her beau were turned into the shelter by their owner, who due to a job loss is moving. Caroline is 8 months old, a little older than Ryder’s kittens, and smaller than most of them.

Did I mention tiny?

And yes.

She is pregnant.

(They said at the shelter that they thought she had a week or less to go. I think she’s probably got a couple of weeks, but also we ALL know that I never know what I’m talking about when it comes to this. I do hope that she has a couple of weeks, because while she’s in good shape – she’s small, but not skin and bones – having some extra time to rest up and gain weight can only be a good thing. I’m hoping for a very small litter. If that tiny thing pops out 8 kittens, I promise you I will freak out, and none of us want that.)

PS: The naming theme: it’s Little House on the Prairie. She’s Caroline (Ma Ingalls!) and the kittens will be given names from the books/TV show, not necessarily just the Ingalls family (I mean, don’t we need to name the bratty one Nellie?) I’m not sure what the litter as a whole will be called. The Pioneers? I don’t know. Suggestions?

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Previously
2018: “What. Do you WANT. LADY?”
2017: Hello, beautiful.
2016: “Well, well, well,” says Stefani. “FINALLY my tank arrived!”
2015: No entry.
2014: No entry.
2013: Sooner or later, all cats end up in these beds.
2012: Cuties.
2011: When the nice couple showed up, we took them upstairs to meet the boys, and I tell you what – it was embarrassing, how many cats went scattering as we walked through the house.
2010: No entry.
2009: No entry.
2008: “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse.”
2007: Moonman is such a sweet, friendly guy and he’s worming his way into Fred’s heart. (No, we’re not adopting him! But Fred’s going to be sad to see him go.) (FYI, you now know Moonman as Joe Bob.)
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.

Comments

65 thoughts on “1-18-19 How Well Have They Aged Friday”

  1. I share my name with a Foster Kitty at Love and Hisses! My life is now complete! She certainly is teeny tiny! Looking forward to seeing her journey with you.
    P.S Baby Jake…this post is just the cutest!

    2. i fear i shall never share a name with a cat. my actual name is Cassity Shea. my parents gave up on that mouth full and call me Cassity. my freinds all call me Cat though.

      1. My first thought was Prairie Dogs which instantly morphed to Prairie Cats. Though I’m having trouble typing “prairie” very quickly!! LOL

          1. I love it! (“Moggy” is to cats what “mutt” is to dogs, for those who don’t know the reference. 🙂

  3. I cant tell you how much I would enjoy it if three or four weeks from now you announced, “By the way, Nellie’s a boy.”

    Also, The Wilders.

  4. Did anyone else beside me spontaneously start to sing “Sweet Caroline” when they spotted her first picture? She’s gorgeous!

    1. Nope – I did, too. The Diamonds, I thought at first. Holly, Shiloh, Desiree, Kentucky, Longfellow, Heartlight. Cräp, Iz old.

      3. Cracklin’ Rosie!

        “By the way, You Don’t Bring Me Flowers is actually a boy.” (I crack myself up.)

  5. I saw her pic and a bit of her story last night and so hoped that she was coming to your house. Yay! Did her beau come too?

    1. No, she’s alone in the foster room for the time being… luckily, she doesn’t seem to mind being alone, though she also appreciates the frequent visits from the humans! 🙂

  6. Bah dum bum bum…. So good! So Good! Yes! I, too, went into a refrain of Sweet Caroline! The cats of Shady Cove sure do wear their 10 years later better than most!

    Little House on the Prairie…. yeah!!! I used to want to be Laura Ingalls and make my own butter and bread and wear pretty calico dresses and bonnets and long braids… I read all the books… Then I realized they didn’t have air conditioning or indoor plumbing and the stuff at the grocery stores was a lot more convenient and calico dresses and braids were not as cool as feathered hair and skin tight jordache jeans – with a sweater that matched the colors in the fancy stitching on the pockets! Oy… maybe that’s where I went wrong! hehe 🙂

    Caroline is beautiful – I have a thing for tuxies! How’s about a kitten named Wilder or Oleson? Almanzo? Mrs. Beadle? Hester, Grace, Percival, Jeb, Ebenezer, Lars? Whoo hoo! Can’t wait!

    Happy Friday, y’all!

    1. Also, I just cracked up while looking back on this…

      2016: “Well, well, well,” says Stefani. “FINALLY my tank arrived!”

  8. Awwww, sweet baby girl! She’s not much more than a baby herself, poor thing.

    And I lovelovelove the naming scheme!

    So, how mad is Fred? I thought he wanted all of January, and you got about halfway through.

    1. Maybe Caroline pretended to be a scaredycat. That’s what I’d do to get into that sweet setup. (I almost said, “That’s what Brian Boitano’d do!” Oh, I miss his toes – all 24 million of ’em.)

    2. He was actually okay with it. I think the idea of having a foster-free month and the reality were pretty different than what he expected!

      1. Isn’t that always the way. He loves the little monkeys and having them around more than I think he likes to let on. 🙂

        Lucky us!

  9. Oh, that poor sweet baby!!! 🙁 (Meaning “poor sweet baby” because she should NOT have to endure a pregnancy at her ridiculously young age.) At least she can have her ONLY batch of kittehs in the best place in the whole wide kitteh world, then NEVER HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN!!!!

    PS The floof is STRONG with Khal!!!!!! 😀

  12. I just love seeing early pictures of the Permies. They’re all just as handsome and gorgeous as they were they came to you… (I need to go back and look up Kara’s babies!)

    Dafuq…8 months old and pregnant (sounds like the start of a new classy, classy reality TV show…)??! Hell yeah, she needs fattening up, she really is tiny! Well, she’s in good hands now, of that I have no doubt. And I bet her babies will be so, so adorable!

  14. Love Little House! Hmm a unifier…Idk.
    Caroline, Charles, Laura, Mary, Albert, Nellie, Willie, Mr. (Isaiah)Edwards., etc. P.S. I would love a kitten to be named Almanzo (but of course it would be called Galdamo or other botched versions LOL) maybe the Wholesomes because that was some good wholesome upbringing they all had. Michael Landon was such a great person.
    and now I have the theme of LH running through my head NOT “Sweet Caroline”!

  15. I just love Jake and his funny expressions and his cute face with the little cheeks. What became of Elwood? Looking forward to more kittens soon!

  16. I was thinking of Neil Diamond just last night.

    More important, thank you for ending our long national nightmare!

  17. Caroline is gorgeous! I have such a sweet spot for tuxies, especially the ones with little white chins and no other white on their faces — my Charlotte, Dollie, and, currently, Allie all had/have those markings.

    And I just realized that maybe one reason Jake looks like he has the loons is his little “cheeks” – it makes him look kind of like he’s pursing his lips and puffing his cheeks. (And I can’t believe Elwood has been gone that long…..)

  19. Oh my goodness Caroline has my heart! Our cat has the same colouring, argh i am in love. She is such a sweetheart! 😀

    And Khal is so majestic i adore him. Also that photo showing The Loons is hilarious.

  20. The Pioneers would be a good litter name for Caroline’s kittens. The Walnut Grove Gang is good too. She’s very pretty; I hope it’s not a big litter. Maybe just 3 or 4. And at least one Nellie.

  22. I was going to suggest Pioneer Posse. Or maybe the Sod Busters.

    Y’all forget about Cracklin’ Rose (Neil Diamond)? Or did I just miss seeing it?

    If Caroline takes another two weeks, you’ll be into February. And meanwhile, it’s just one itty bitty “adult” cat! 😉

    1. The Itty Bitty Prairie Committee!

      I thought of Cracklin’ Rosie, too, on the way home tonight, but neglected to scroll down before I added it as a reply up top. My bad.

    2. A kitten named Rose or Rosie could actually work twice. Cracklin’ Rose for one, Rose Wilder-Lane (Laura’s daughter) for the other.

  23. What a sweet little tuxie! And she has that adorable white chin just like my Chloe. It makes me sad that such a tiny, young kitteh has to go through pregnancy and birth. I hope everything goes well for her.

  24. Yay! I love to see Fred petting her and not upset that his moratorium is at an end! Bless her sweet little self – she landed in clover didn’t she? You will need to share how you convinced him she needed to come to y’all. (OR vice versa!)

    everyone now! SWEET CAROLINE – bah dum dum dum…

    1. My pet theory (bwa ha ha), is based on the Dec. 28 foster break announcement itself:

      >>>As for me, I’ve been using the kittens as an excuse not to do much more than the bare minimum of house cleaning, and now I have NO excuse.<<<

      Nothing gets me a project faster than being between projects and "…now's a good time to catch up on all my ______."

  25. I was going to suggest Prairie Cats, too.

    If Caroline just has a couple kittens, I’d go for naming them after the Olesons. I think Nels and Nellie are cute. Two boys could be Nels and Willie. Two girls could be Nancy and Nellie. Of course, I know there are naming issues as to what has been used before 🙁

    1. Ethan is not the baby daddy – he’s been with Forgotten Felines since he was tiny and he’s been neutered, but the idea of him slowing down enough to do the deed is cracking me up!

  27. Wait for it.

    Caroline. And Her (get ready…)

    HALF PINTS.

    ::crowd goes wild!!!::
    ::high fives in the direction of the Canadian border!!!::
    ::fist bumps::fist bumps all around::

  28. Oh, yay!! I know a break was needed…but so glad there’s a foster that’s (supposed to) have kittens again. She’s a cutie, and I agree, so young and tiny. Can’t believe how bad kitten withdrawal has been, even with all the permanent star posts!

  30. I saw the FFH post on Facebook and wondered if your break had been long enough that she’d be going to you 🙂 What does Daddy look like? She doesn’t look big enough to have many, hoping like you it’s a small litter.

  31. Aww, she’s adorable, and about the size my family’s much-missed Emily was. She came into the family at about a year and had already had a litter of kittens, and was always a very small kitty.

    Love the theme. Love the books. 🙂

    1. Rachel’s mom here, and Emily’s human for over 18 years (not including her year before I took her home). Yes, I miss her! As I remember, though, she had FOUR kittens. So brace yourself, Robyn, a tiny litter may not be in Caroline’s future!

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