Jump to comments Jump to sidebar
Regarding Clark: a few days ago (I want to say Sunday, but my notes are downstairs and I am not, so you’ll have to go with my best guess), Clark went from running around the foster room with the other fosters, to doing nothing but hanging out in the crate with a couple of the other kittens. I’m not going to go into every detail, but at some point during the day I realized he’d vomited at least once, and had lost weight since his morning weigh-in.
I moved him from the foster room to downstairs into the crate with Sebastian so that I could monitor him more closely. I didn’t sleep a wink that night, and I truly didn’t think he was going to make it through the night. He did, though, and after conferring with Michelle I switched up a few things. What seemed to help the most was feeding him smaller amounts more often. He would occasionally vomit, but there was a lot less vomit than there had been, and the life has come back to his eyes.
He’s not out of the woods, but I think he’s going to pull through. For now he’s still sharing the crate with Sebastian (who is perfectly fine and starting to be a mouthy little thing) and sometimes they cuddle up, and sometimes they don’t, and the cuddling is the most adorable thing ever.
Sebastian says “Ahoy, matey.”
Clark’s hanging in there.
A non-cuddling moment.
After starting off as a strong bottle feeder, Sebastian has suffered from what I like to call “bottle blindness” where all of a freaking sudden he doesn’t know what a bottle is, doesn’t know what a nipple is, and wants to know why I’m torturing him. When kittens who have some weight on them do this, I’m okay with messing around with them. “Would the young master prefer a different nipple? A different bottle? A syringe instead of a bottle? A different temperature? No? Okay, that’s fine, no problem, I’ll drip formula on your tongue for the next hour.”
But when they’re underweight to start with, I’m not messing around. Therefore, I am currently tube feeding both Sebastian and Clark. Hopefully they’ll eventually rediscover their bottle roots – “Where ya been old friend?!” – and make my life a bit less stressful (I can tube feed, but I hate it. It just seems so… RUDE. Pardon me while I shove this tube down your throat, kid.) I don’t remember the specifics, but I think Rufous was about three weeks old before he decided to go back to the bottle randomly one day. Hopefully these two will do the same, but for now tube feeding it is.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If it isn’t clear in his pictures, Benji is a mess. He loves to swim in his food, and I refuse to give him a bath every single day. So I keep him as clean as I can with wipes, warm cloths and a comb, and when he’s figured out how to eat properly, I’ll give him a real bath.
Nigel’s flirting.
Monty (left), Matilda (right) and Nigel in my lap.
If you see a black kitten and can’t tell whether s/he is wearing a collar, look at their nose. If there’s food on the nose, it’s Monty. If not, it’s Matilda.
Margarita has a think.
Hazel hanging out in the crate, keepin’ warm.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Regarding Beatrice: I know I joke about how much she hates me, but I’ve gotta be honest: she’s not happy. She’s a feral cat and being in a room where humans randomly come and go is stressing her out. She spends her nights howling and digging at the windows (no, she’s not in heat. YET.) It’s not a matter of time and effort on our part (and yes, we’ve tried the Churu – no interest – and she feels the same about Fred as she does about me. Actually, her opinion of Fred might be more negative since his slow approach with a plate of Churu was apparently somewhat terrifying.) She is 100% OVER the kittens – it’s kind of amazing how quickly she went from “You wanna nurse? Go for it.” to “New law: all kittens who approach get MANY HARD SLAPS.” She’ll occasionally let a kitten snuggle up to her, but after a minute or two she slaps them and stomps off. (Poor kittens!)
She’s scheduled for her spay next Wednesday, and they’re going to ear tip her and find a space for her (no, she will not be going to Petsmart).
Were you just thinking to yourself “Self, I am DY.ING to adopt a cat I cannot – and may never be able to – touch. And I would provide a safe home for that cat where she could go outside and do feral things and I could feed her and she would be living her best life.”? Well, you go ahead and drop an email to Forgotten Felines of Huntsville at info (at) ffhsv.org, and they will see about hooking you UP. (Obviously, you would still have to go through the entire adoption process, fill out an adoption application, etc.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Khal says “LADY. Stop taking my ding dang picture and open this window for me!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posted on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr/ Bluesky) yesterday.
Breakfast is served! On the left is Monty, sharing a plate in the middle is Matilda and Margarita, and over there is Mister Bedhead himself, Benji. Hazel and Nigel will wander along to pick at the food at some point, and Beatrice will likely clean the plates when the kittens are done. Sebastian and Clark are being bottle fed.
Not the greatest picture, but please note that Sebastian’s eyes are opening! He’s opted for the slowwww open, as opposed to the “Surprise! It’s eyeballs!” move. He’s 10 days old, so right on track.
YouTube link
I’ve nicknamed Margarita “Little Mouse” because (please try to follow this very complex reasoning) she looks like a little mouse as she trots around the room, and good LORD is that girl cute.
Beatrice, up high. “The better to keep an eye on you, and ignore the kittens.” (No, she’s not coming around – she’s just staying where she can keep an eye on me. Still growls if I get within 8 feet of her, but the room isn’t that big so she’s going to need to get over herself.)
Nigel gives Monty’s tail the ol’ chomperoo.
Good night innernets. (From left: Clark, Benji, Hazel – and over there in the corner, Nigel.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Previously
2024: When the feather teaser comes out, the chattering begins.
2023: No entry.
2022: No entry.
2021: The Queen in her onesie looks pretty happy.
2020: And Carmelita said “Wait for me! Wait for me!”
2019: Willie’s got his serious face on.
2018: “:::urrrrp!:: Oh! ‘Scuse me!” says Scott.
2017: All aboarrrd!
2016: No entry.
2015: It takes a lot of licking to keep those toebeans clean.
2014: “Gawd, MOTHER. You’re SO EMBARRASSING.”
2013: And Buttercup vacates the scratching post, upside-down.
2012: Hellcats and Hatecats.
2011: No entry.
2010: Maura and the Bookworms.
2009: Beulah and Bessie.
2008: Best. Picture. EVER!
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.