9-19-25 Friday

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Ok-totally off topic here ..Last night I was rewatching one of my favorite series on Netflix called “Call the midwife” and decided that I will name my next cat Sister Monica Joan, and then realized that Call the Midwife would be a great name for a litter.

I will keep that in mind for the future. (Call the Midwife is one of the many shows on my “to watch” list. I haven’t yet, but I want to!)

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Question Time! We have 2 stray cats that have been coming around for several months. One has become very friendly and sociable to the point where we’re thinking of adding him to our clowder. He spent last night in our garage (first time!) and we set him up with a litter box, bed, and food/water. However, I don’t think he knows what a litter box is because he peed on his bed (a waterproof cushion, so no harm done) instead of in the box. Do you have any experience with training a full-grown cat to use the litter box?

I can think of one foster off the top of my head who didn’t quite “get” the litter box at first – Kristi, from the Olympians – and this is what I tried:

1. Dr. Elsey’s makes a Cat Attract litter, AND a litter additive. I prefer to use the litter, because I think the attractant is probably all through the litter (whereas the attractant you sprinkle on top and will get mixed in as the litter gets used.) It probably doesn’t REALLY matter which you try, they probably both work out the same, but I just tend toward the litter first. (I do buy the attractant and

2. Scoop a pee clump or a poop clump out of another litter box and put it in his litter box, so he’ll get the idea.

3. If neither of those works, then try what ultimately worked for me with Kristi: dig up some dirt from outside, and add it to the litter box. I’d do, like, a hefty sprinkle. That was what made the connection in Kristi’s mind, and from then on she always used the litter box.

Those are the only suggestions I can think of – but if anyone else has any suggestions, feel free to comment!

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If you saw this picture Fred posted on his Facebook page the night before last, and THEN saw my “good night innernets” picture, it is very likely that you thought that this cat:

And this cat:

Are the same cat.

They are not.

In the vein of “when it rains, it pours,” say hello to Esmerelda, who is a foster, and who is exceedingly friendly.

Esmerelda showed up on our property, oh, maybe a week ago? We have neighbors who allow their cats to roam free, so we figured that another neighbor had gotten a cat. She kept showing up. And then she disappeared for a couple of days. Then she came back and didn’t leave. Though it’s hard to tell from that picture, she’s very very skinny.

At the end of our road are about 10 duplex apartments. Pretty recently, at least three families moved out of their apartments. And I am pretty sure that one of those families left her behind.

She’s now a foster for Forgotten Felines of Huntsville. She’ll go next week to be tested and vaccinated, and when she’s put some weight on, she’ll be spayed. Fred thinks she’s less than a year old – I tend to agree, I’m thinking 9 months, but we’ll get Michelle age her next week to see if she (who knows far more than I about aging cats) agrees.

Please note those two scabs next to her nose. Those are courtesy of Rocco, who took GREAT offense at her presence on HIS property. (Yeah, he’s got some nerve.)

She’s spending her time split between Fred’s bathroom at night, and his office during the day. Did I mention she’s super friendly?

So once she’s vetted and spayed, she will be available for adoption. If she strikes your fancy, feel free to email Forgotten Felines at info (at) ffhsv.org to inquire. I imagine she’ll be ready to go in a couple of weeks.

And please save your “Oh sHe’s mEaNt tO Be a pErMaNeNt rEsIdEnT” nonsense. Charlie, as I’ve mentioned repeatedly, DOES NOT LIKE adult female cats. And did I mention Rocco? So, yeah. Nope. She won’t be staying here.

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That’s Flamenco facing the camera.

She’s second from the right. See the orange spot on top of her head?

Facing the camera here is Sashay. See the orange splotch above her nose?

She looks like she’s giggling here, but that’s a hiss. That’s right, we have some little hissers!

Mambo! Which I know because he doesn’t have a green ear.

And Tango, who does have a green ear (though you can barely see it in this picture.)

Bellied up to the milk bar. I love it when kittens are good eaters!

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Nolan says “You running that ding dang Roomba again?” Sure am!

“This is a comfy chair.” Glad you approve, Owen.

Just a Patsy in her donut, with a fishy.

Line ’em up! From left: Patsy, Owen, Nolan.

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Posted on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr/ Bluesky) yesterday.

YouTube link
Say hi to our new fosters – mama ChaCha and her kittens – two classic orange tabby boys (Mambo & Tango), and two torbie girls (Sashay & Flamenco). The kittens are 2 days old. ChaCha was an owner surrender at our local animal control. She was surrendered around noon on Monday, and gave birth in the early hours of Tuesday morning. All are doing great and are utterly adorable.

Here are your cheat sheets so you can tell who’s who! (If you missed it, we have new fosters. Nolan, Owen and Patsy are still here with us, though, so you’ll still be seeing them.)

Patsy, Nolan and Owen have their eyes on the prize.

Sleepy little pile. From left: Mambo, Sashay, Flamenco and Tango.

YouTube link
I introduced Nolan, Owen and Patsy to this spiral tunnel thinking they wouldn’t really like it, but color me surprised – they love it and are constantly playing in it.

Owen says “I’ll keep your slippers warm, lady.”

Kitten pie? My favorite! (From left: Tango, Flamenco, Sashay & Mambo)

Good night innernets. (Nolan & Owen)

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Previously
2024: No entry.
2023: (I know what my next move was, and it involved poking that belly which means that her next move became rolling away from me.)
2022: Mike shows off his teefs.
2021: All 6 kittens, present and accounted for!
2018: Meet the new fosters! (Ryder and her Fleet.)
2017: “Was just a quick nap! I’m ready for my mission, lady!”
2016: “Lady, you stop hovering over me. You’re making me nervous!”
2015: “ESSCUSE ME I HAS A COMPLAINT AND MY COMPLAINT IS THAT IT’S ONLY WEDNESDAY PLEASE REMEDY THIS IMMEDIATELY.”
2014: Smilin’ Joe, the tuxie-doe
2013: Meet the Sopranos.
2012: Rough life, Pickle Joe.
2011: She’s no shy, retiring violet when it comes to kicking her brother’s butt!
2010: No entry.
2009: Beulah update!
2008: No entry.
2007: The best picture ever taken on the face of this planet.
2006: Maddy Milk face.
2005: I have a feeling that bleach is going to be my best friend for the foreseeable future.

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