Those Wascally Kittens

Years ago, I had a cat that could turn on the TV and the stereo. I swore he had little cat raves while I was away at work because often the music would be really loud, blaring from the apartment. I'm sure my neighbors hated me and I highly doubt that they would have believed me if I had blamed the cat, even though it was true.

Kittens today go beyond that and are just as mischievous and are incredibly tech savvy. It's one thing to turn something on or off or turn up the volume. It's another thing entirely to change the password (or at least to put in a very good effort).

Even before these kittens were born, there was a camera on them, streaming video to the internet. There has always been tech equipment in their room. They've been around it their whole entire lives, even before they were born. And shortly after they learned to walk, they learned how to mess with this equipment.

At first, the kittens learned to block the camera. One of their giant nylon cubes always managed to sneak right in front of the camera. One might argue that the kittens were simply leaving their toys around the room and the cube coincidentally just happened to be in front of the camera. Of course, after well over a dozen times that the cube blocked the camera, one can safely say those rascally kittens were doing it on purpose.

The kittens moved on to actually turning the camera. They learned how to jump up on the camera stand and press a paw down on the camera, thus giving the audience a view of the carpet.

Turning the camera segued into knocking the camera completely over so that the view was of the ceiling.

I then learned to anchor the camera more securely. Frustrated with not being able to affect the camera angle, the kittens turned their attention to the laptop itself.

The kittens learned how to unplug the laptop. The cord that goes into the laptop is very touchy and simply bumping it can disconnect the power cord from the laptop. The disadvantage is that the laptop would automatically switch to battery and the kittens would have to wait for the battery to finally give out before the laptop would die, cutting off the broadcast. There had to be a faster method. Unplugging the router turned the wi-fi off completely, shutting down transmission of the broadcast. The cord is lightweight and can be unplugged quite easily. Occasionally, the laptop can pick up another wi-fi signal to keep broadcasting so even shutting off the router doesn't always do the trick. The kittens learned to turn off the power strip, which knocks out the router's wi-fi signal and two hours later, kills the laptop's power supply. Both units are gone when the power is shut off. Of course, the heater and the iPod are also on this power strip so turning it off makes the room cold and kills the party tunes.

One day, the kittens changed the orientation of the screen display on the laptop from landscape to portrait. I have no idea what they did to change that. It's incredibly difficult to look at a screen sideways while opening windows and typing. It's even harder to type when you turn the screen on an end so that you can see things upright. It took about 10 minutes for me to re-orient the screen display. Ten minutes of pure swearing. I think they were just testing me to see how tech savvy *I* was. The main thing slowing me down from fixing the problem was trying to understand how on earth the kittens achieved this task. No one button alone can do this. They had to press multiple keys together to do this. I'm pretty sure there were several kittens in on this scam.

This is when the kittens stepped up their game. I came in one day to find several screens open on the laptop. One, the user profile screen from the control panel. I think they were either trying to figure out how to partition another user or how to change my password to lock me out... The second window was a browser page about web scripting. I think they were trying to learn how to create their own site. And the final screen was a print screen, so that they could print out their findings to study later tonight.

I came in a day later to discover that the kittens were recording a video. I have yet to watch that video. I'm hoping it's a choreographed music/dance video, complete with back up singers. I'm pretty sure it's not. I'm pretty sure it's kittens holding up protest signs. I don't want to watch it. They're going to scare me even more.

The thought that perhaps it's not the kittens messing with the equipment but an actual human did occur to me. My husband rarely goes into this foster room so I'm pretty sure he's not the culprit. Plus, I caught one of the kittens (<cough> Zotz) red pawed. As I was cleaning litter boxes, I heard clicking. I looked up to find Zotz sitting in front of the laptop, typing away, with dozens of screens popping open onto the screen. It was like she was a savant. I stood there in awe of all the windows that were whizzing open and then the horror of it all struck me. A kitten was TYPING on the laptop and actual screens were opening as a result.

I realized it was only a matter of time before these kittens did some real damage to the laptop so I bought a cabinet and placed all of the electronics in there - router and laptop. I drilled holes so that the laptop wouldn't over heat in its enclosed setting.

So, in sum, here are the things the kittens have done with all the tech equipment:

• Block the camera
• Change the camera angle to point straight down
• Knock over the camera so that it points at the ceiling
• Unplug the laptop
• Unplug the router
• Shut off the power strip (which shuts off the router, laptop, iPod, and heater)
• Change the laptop screen display orientation
• Try to change my password or create another user
• Read about web scripting
• Try to print their findings
• Record a video
• Type

I have a pretty good idea who the instigator is. I think there are several culprits but I know who the main rebel is. Oh, I know him - and her - well. I'm onto them all.

Lest you think the kittens focus all their mischievous attention on the webcam, please note that they are equal opportunist rascals. They learned to open a drawer the other day. I found the contents of the drawer all over the room. They also, for some reason, feel the need to tear down the colorful paw prints that are hanging all over the room.

Oh, those wascally (rascally) kittens. How I love them! I wouldn't have it any other way. They keep me on my toes. They keep me laughing. They make me smile. They're such good kittens, rascally and all. I will miss them when they're gone.

Kittens Ready for Adoption - All they Need is You!

All of the kittens and Nadya are now up for adoption. If you are interested in adopting any (or all!) of them, please call Joan with Feline Rescue at 651-705-6264. Kittens are $135; Nadya is $120. There is a discount if you adopt multiple kittens (2 for $250; 3 for $360)!

Here are the bios posted on Petfinder:

Biscoff is a happy and easy going little boy. He follows his foster caregiver all over the foster room, wagging his tail, hoping she'll sit down so he can crawl onto her lap and get petted. He's the charmer of his litter, one of the first to greet new people, new people who haven't yet grown weary of petting him and telling him how handsome he is. And boy, is he handsome! He's got the looks. He's got the heart. He's got the soft, fluffy fur. He's a good natured boy that would love to  sit on your lap for the rest of his life.  Biscoff is great friends with his fluffy brother Stroopy and would like to spend his days battling Stroopy for HeavyWeight Champion of the World (well, at least of your house).

Double Stuff is full of zest, pep, and gumption. Just ask him. He is the talker of his group, always chattering away. He has an opinion about everything. Everything. He's zany. He's got a lot of energy. He's full of curiosity. He's also a big ol' baby and craves attention. As long as you bring the attention to HIM. He's been known to lay in his bed, crying until his foster caregiver comes over to pet him. That's right. He makes HER come to HIM.  Double Stuff would love to spend his days with his momma Nadya. She understands him and is quick to comfort him when he encounters something that is scary or makes him nervous. He's also great pals with his sister Fudge Stripe and could definitely spend his days playing with her.

Fudge Stripe (also known as "Fudgie") is sweet, gentle girl who loves long naps curled up with her brother Double Stuff and her sister Zotz. When there's no sunbeam to warm up in, she uses her brother and sister as blankets. She also enjoys sneak attacks on unsuspecting siblings. She's the queen of flash wrestling. She's the yin and yang kitten. One part sweet; one part tough girl with a devilish plan. She loves to play.  Fudgie would love to go to her forever home with her warm blankets, er, siblings Double Stuff or Zotz (or both!).

Shortbread is lovingly referred to as "Shortie," a name that is befitting because she is the smallest of the litter. The smallest AND the bravest. She's kind, gentle, sweet, and wickedly smart. She could take over the world if she wanted to. But her kind heart lets her leave the world safe from any plans she could concoct. She loves to be held. When she was a little younger, she would tell her foster caregiver that she wanted to play by tapping the toy, running over to the foster caregiver, tapping her, and then running back to the toy. And true to her gentle nature, she makes sure only to snag the toy, not human fingers. She keeps her claws in when she can. She doesn't want to hurt anybody!  And lest you try to take advantage of this small, gentle, and unafraid little kitten, you will feel the dopey wrath of her bodyguard Zagnut, the biggest kitten of them all! (Actually only that second part is true - Zagnut IS huge and he is Shortie's best friend, but he would rather sleep away his troubles than attack anyone. He's a gentle giant. A gentle, goofy, loveable giant.)

Stroopy is all fluff. All fluff and food. All fluff and food and wrestling tactics. Lots of wrestling tactics. He's not always the Heavyweight Champion of the litter but he does certainly try! He'll settle for the supreme title of World Wrestling Federation Champ. He's known affectionately as "Super Stroopy." He's got the moves. He's got the skills. He's got the great big fluffy butt. Go ahead and tell him that. He won't care. While he loves to pounce on his siblings, he also loves to charm the ladies. He's a cuddler. When he's not karate-chopping his brother Biscoff. Stroopy would love to go to his forever home with his brother Biscoff, a wrestling partner that challenges him.




Zagnut is a giant. A gentle, sweet, unassuming giant with an enormous head and a heart that matches. He's a lover, not a fighter. His best friend is Shortie, the smallest of the litter. He curls up with her and helps her bathe those hard to reach places. He's a goofy boy that puts up with the endless kisses his human foster caregiver bestows upon him.  Zagnut is going to be one BIG boy. We think his daddy was a bobcat. To
balance out your house, Zagnut the giant should be adopted with his sister Shortie, the smallest kitten in the litter. That's Zagnut's best friend. If you're in the mood for THREE kittens, he'd also love to spend the rest of his days with his sister Zotz.

Zotz is the leader of the litter. She was the first to do so many things. She was the first to open her eyes, first to get vision (and was quite startled by the sight of her foster caregiver). She was the first to start walking. The first to leave the den. The first to eat solid food. The first to use the litter box.  The first to escape from the room... The first to purr. The first to give kisses (and like being kissed). Zotz loves to play, loves to be held, and loves to chirp. That's right. Chirp. Zotz is the first to also learn another language. Chirp.  Zotz is ready for her new adventure - life in her forever home. She would love to spend it with her friends Shortbread and her brother Zagnut (as a trio). If you're looking for just a duo, she makes an excellent pair with Fudge Stripe.

And finally, Nadya's profile:
It's hard for me to write a bio that fully expresses how wonderful Nadya is, particularly without crying.

Nadya is one of the sweetest cats I've ever encountered. She has a generous heart and soul. She truly needs to win a Mother of the Year award. Heck, she should win Cat of the Year.

For those unfamiliar with Nadya's story, let me start from the beginning. It's a long story but it will show you just how marvelous Nadya really is. It will also expose just how much I (her foster caregiver) love this cat, after only knowing her for four months. You will fall in love with her, too.

Nadya was a stay living in a colony in Minneapolis when she was brought to Feline Rescue. She was pregnant. Her coat was dull and full of dandruff. She didn't make a peep in the car ride to her foster home. Once in her new surroundings, she hid for about a half hour and then decided that she was over the shock of being inside. She purred for me, a deep, happy, rich purr. She flopped over, exposing her basketball sized belly, begging for belly rubs. She sat on my lap. She was so happy.

After almost three weeks of waiting, Nadya gave birth to six kittens, one of whom died shortly after birth. A day later, two orphaned kittens, only a week old, were in desperate need of a nursing momma as they refused to take to bottle feeding. I brought them into Nadya's room. She knew something was up. I took them out of the carrier and began to rub them with Nadya's blanket, to help disguise their foreign smell. They started crying. Nadya instantly jumped up next to me and began licking the kittens. Once they quieted down, she left. I placed them next to her kennel where the other kittens lay. The orphans began crying again. Nadya ran over, picked each of them up, and carried them into her kennel. They were her kittens from then on. Nadya now had seven kittens to take care of. Her heart grew bigger.

A week later, Nadya developed an incredibly high fever and stopped eating. She nursed her kittens dutifully but would not eat for herself. Her kittens came first, despite how she miserable she felt. She was put on antibiotics and after a week, the fever went down. A few days later, the fever returned. An FIV test was performed. It came back positive. More antibiotics and sub-Q fluids for Nadya for 10 days. A week after her medication regiment was over, her fever came back again. She and the kittens spent three nights at the vet clinic. She continued to nurse and bathe and potty her kittens even though she felt horrible (her ears were so hot!) and was hooked up to an IV.

Nadya is FIV positive. The jerk who knocked her up bit her (males tend to bite the scruff of the female's neck) and infected her with FIV. FIV is akin to kitty AIDS. It compromises her immune system and makes her more susceptible to illnesses. FIV is not the worst illness to contract.  FIV is not something to be feared. It is not that scary. Nadya should live a long life. The worst thing about this diagnosis is that it will scare off good people who want to adopt her. And that breaks my heart.

She is the most wonderful girl. She's had a hard life - the tip of one of her ears is missing due to frostbite; she was on the streets, fending for her life; and, oh, yeah, she has FIV. And despite it all, she purrs. She's happy. She loves to be petted. She loves to play with her kittens. She's a fabulous momma. She's an amazing cat. FIV doesn't define who she is. Nadya's heart does.

If you want to read more about FIV, here are some good sites:
http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat-health-tips-shouldnt-fear-fiv-in-cats-feline-immunodeficiency-virus http://www.foha.org/index.php?id=92 
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/FHC/health_resources/brochure_fiv.cfm 

One thing to note:  She is safe around other cats (as long as they have a peaceful relationship). The only way this virus is transmitted is through a bite that breaks the skin. She cannot infect another cat through daily contact or saliva (from licking or drinking from the same water bowl).

Nadya deserves a good home. What she doesn't deserve is FIV. She's an absolutely fabulous girl. I can't stress it enough. She's so sweet. She has a heart of gold. She deserves someone whose heart matches hers.  After eating good food for the past few months, her coat is shiny, silky, glossy, smooth, and fabulous. Come meet Nadya and see just how beautiful she is, inside and out.

The End is Near (The Good End)

On the eve of the kittens' third month birthday (which is 7/2), I am both sad and happy. The kittens will soon get posted on Petfinder (and Feline Rescue's site - http://www.felinerescue.org) and should get adopted shortly after that. I'm so happy that they're getting closer to finding their forever homes. They're such great kittens and I'm eager for others to see that, too. I'm sad because they'll be leaving me. But that's all part of fostering and as soon as they get adopted, the next crew will come in.

In the Feline Rescue world, all of our cats get spayed/neutered and tested for FeLV/FIV. For kittens, this happens when they are three months old as long as they're three pounds.  If they're three pounds before they're three months old, they have to wait until they are 3 months old. If they're three months but not three pounds, they have to wait until they reach three pounds. For litters, if there are a couple that are behind in weight, they all wait (and the larger kittens thank the smaller kittens for prolonging their surgery date).

Last week, I ran out of Nadya's favorite canned food. She can be a bit picky. She ate but not nearly like she normally does. Because she wasn't eating as much, she also wasn't nursing as much. A couple of the kittens lost several ounces. Stroopy, who was the largest of Nadya's kittens, surprisingly took a nosedive. Biscoff seized the opportunity to climb to the top of the weight board and is now the largest kitten. Shortie, the smallest kitten, also lost several ounces, ounces she couldn't afford to lose. Now with the preferred food fully stocked, the kittens are gaining weight - almost faster than the weeks before. Stroopy doesn't like someone beating him and even though Biscoff gained a lot and Stroopy lost a lot, Stroopy is rapidly catching up. Can someone say piggy?

For Nadya's kittens, both Fudge Stripe and Shortbread are not quite three pounds. Fudge Stripe weight 2 pounds, 14 and a half ounces. She very well may weigh three pounds come tomorrow (7/2). Shortie, after rebounding from her weight loss, is at 2 pounds, 11 ounces. Hopefully by next Wednesday, she will weigh three pounds.

The kittens are forming some interesting pairs. For awhile, it seemed as though the kittens switched alliances every day. They never curled up with the same kitten or played with the same kitten two days in a row. For the past few weeks, it does seem as though some bonds are forming. Shortie and Zagnut often are in the same bed together. Zagnut likes to bathe Shortie, too. Shortie is the smallest; Zagnut is the largest kitten. One might think that he's her protector or body guard but I think she likes him simply because he's a very mellow guy. Double Stuff and Fudge Stripe are also often together at the top of the cat tower. I believe they've bonded over their love of heights, towering over everyone else. That pairing is quite interesting as Double Stuff is the most needy of the kittens. He loves attention. Fudgie, on the other paw, is the one that hates me (because of the whole abscess incident, which naturally is my fault). She is skeptical of human interaction. Double Stuff craves it. Hopefully his zest for attention will rub off on Fudgie. The two fuzzies Biscoff and Stroopy often play together. Biscoff is good hearted and amazingly sweet. Stroopy is a rough and tumble kitten who plays hard. Both love to be held and petted. Zotz plays with everyone... and no one. She's often curled up with her brother Zagnut or Shortie (or both since they like to nap together). She's quite good at entertaining herself. She also loves human attention. Shortie, Zotz, and Biscoff follow me around the room, begging for attention. Double Stuff cries until the attention comes to him (did I mention he's a bit lazy?).

Tonight (7/1), the kittens will have a photo shoot with a professional photographer KrisKreativ (she photographed them when they were 6 weeks old). In about a week (a day after their spay/neuter surgeries), the kittens will then be posted on Petfinder/FelineRescue.org, ready for adoption. They should be posted by 7/11. Adoptions will start soon!!