Snolly and Panjy

With the last article about Snollygoster and Panjandrum, they were kenneled and scared. On the same day, both Snolly and Panjy decided they had had enough of confinement and busted out of their kennels. I decided to leave them out.

They both ran whenever I walked in the room. After a few days, Snolly would come out to eat while I was in the room but once finished, he would run to his hiding spot. Panjy originally came out to eat but then once she realized food was always out, she opted to eat when I left. I never saw her after the first few days.

Snollygoster

Eventually, Snolly started shortening his circle that he drew around me. That scary bubble started shrinking. Every time he walked by me, he got closer and closer. I made sure to grab him when I could so that I could pet him and kiss him to remind him that he did like me. He really likes to be petted.

After several weeks, Snolly showed great improvement. His sister Panjy got worse. I was never allowed to touch her. I never saw her. On the day everyone went in for spay/neuter surgery, I saved capturing Panjy for last. It took me well over 20 minutes of chasing her around the room. Her favorite place to hide was under the couch. After about 10 minutes of chasing her from side to side under the couch, I finally took the futon mattress off the frame and laid that on the floor. Now she had no place to hide. After darting from me once, she realized it was game over and just slunk down and let me grab her. After her surgery, Panjy was kenneled upstairs.

It seemed like overnight that Snolly made a huge step in socialization. He started greeting me at the door with the other kittens. Why? Because I bring food when I enter the room. It is important to note that Snolly LOVES his food. The boy has gained two and a half pounds in 6 weeks. He's a pudge. After about a week of greeting me at the door, Snolly would then hang back while the other kittens shoved their way to the food. Why was Snolly avoiding food? Because Snolly learned that while the other kittens ate, my lap was completely open. He could have me (and my lap) all to himself for a few minutes. Pet, pet, pet, pet, pet. Purr, purr, purr, purr, purr. And as soon as the other kittens finished eating and started climbing on my lap (and stepping all over him), he'd run to the plate and devour what was remaining.

Panjandrum

Upstairs in her kennel, Panjy was very slowly coming around. I would take her out twice a day to eat. She'd get to eat while sitting on my lap. She learned she loved to be petted. She absolutely adores having her head scratched and ears rubbed. And after about week, she really started nuzzling into the kisses I planted onto her head. Unfortunately, any time I let her off my lap, she'd head for the nearest bookshelf or dresser and crawl underneath, out of reach. Being in a house still terrified her. People, she was starting the learn, brought her food and kissed her head. She liked that. She likes people. But houses are scary. But at least she wasn't climbing the walls.

She got more and more non-kennel time... but that was always spent under something. She would let me pick her up from under whatever (which was a far improvement over having to chase her). As little as that is, it was still an improvement. Every night, I'd find her hiding spot and put her back in her kennel. Just a few days ago, I came into Panjy's room to find her sitting on TOP of the bookshelf. She didn't cower or flinch when I approached her. She was quite proud of herself. I decided that Panjy had earned the right to stay out overnight in her room. No kennel. The next morning, she was walking around without fear. She earned the right to stay out in her room during the day. She is indeed improving. The next step is for her to approach me to be petted.

And the award for most improvement goes to Snollygoster. The other day, Tiramisu and Anisette had an interview. After about a half hour, Snollygoster came out of hiding and WALKED AROUND THE ROOM. With a complete stranger present! Of course, when she approached him, he ran into a corner and shook with fear but up until then he was fine. Someone else got to see him. He's becoming more comfortable with people.

My two challenges are slowly coming around. They're such sweet kittens. One day, they'll be fabulous lap cats who aren't afraid of anything. I'm hoping that one day will be very, very soon.

Updated Words

It's been awhile since I last posted about the kittens. You may have noticed that the room is a lot emptier. And soon it will be very empty.

Katherine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor were adopted together by a woman who likes shy kitties. Katherine was really warming up to me around the time of her adoption and more and more would let me approach her and pet her. Elizabeth had turned love bug/lap cat months prior. Now in their adoptive home, the girls are doing well. Their adoptive momma is quite smitten with having a loving kitten like Elizabeth. And Katherine is doing well in her new home.

Mugwumps had several interviews with other people prior to finding her people. She had always been polite with the other people and would greet them for about a minute before retreating across the room and refusing to have anything to do with the people who came to meet her. That all changed for the right people. Mugwumps jumped up on their shoulders and gave them kisses. She picked her people and they fell in love with her right away. Mugwumps went home to another cat and they're getting along well.

Taradiddle stole an adoption from Ingrid. Ingrid thought she had it in the bag and after about 10 minutes of being fairly social, stopped interacting with the people. Tara swooped in and stole the adoption out from under Ingrid.

But Ingrid's people soon came. Although Ingrid was quite shy with them, she still won them over. Ingrid needed a buddy so the mom and son chose a kitten from another litter. Since Ingrid could be quite difficult with other cats, that kitten (Espresso) came to stay with us for a bit to make sure that Ingrid could get along with that kitten. Lo' and behold, it was Espresso who had issues coming into the foster room! He was a pistol for several days, whacking anyone who dared to get close to him. All the kittens took it in stride, even though they desperately wanted to play with the new guy. Ingrid developed a crush on Espresso. He finally settled down and the two of them went home together.

Firkin was also paired with another kitten in foster care. He is doing well.

Herman was paired with an adult cat in foster care. Herman is doing well; the adult cat is adjusting to sweet Herman.

Tiramisu and Anisette were adopted together. Their new momma is excited to have friendly, sweet cats as her last several had been standoffish and skittish.

The last two to be adopted are Gazump and Jackanapes. I'm absolutely shocked about that. They are gorgeous AND friendly. My shy ones were adopted before my friendly ones. So odd. The boys have an interview on Saturday. Fingers crossed!

One In, One Out

Mugwumps

Mugwumps was adopted last week! She truly picked her people. Several people have been interested in her. She is quite gorgeous. But each time people met her, she hung around for a minute or two and then would walk across the room, refusing to return. For these people, she hopped right up on their shoulders. She gave them kisses and patted their faces. They thought they chose her but she actually chose them.

Panjandrum

Interestingly enough, Mugwumps was a silent kitty in the foster room. She rarely spoke and when she did, she simply opened her mouth and nothing came out. Once adopted, she has become a big ol' chatter bug.

A few days after Mugsie was adopted, another kitten came in. This in Panjandrum, Snollygoster's sister. The person who captured Snollygoster, finally caught his sister. She looks like a cross between a lynx and a rabbit. She is quite vocal and definitely wants out of her kennel. She's a little more wild than her brother. She vibrates when she eats, just like her brother.

Snollygoster is still confined to a kennel (so is Panjandrum). They're in separate kennels that face each other so they can see each other. They both get to come out when they eat. I place the bowl right on my lap and pet them while they eat (I take them out separately). They're both still super scared and confining them to a kennel ensures that they won't burrow into a hiding spot where I'll never see them again. They only get to eat when I'm in the room as it helps to reinforce that people are good, they bring food. They both are no longer flat against the back of the kennel; they sit towards the front and observe the chaos of the foster room. Snollygoster even snagged some toys into his kennel and will play quietly. As soon as I open the kennel door, they both retreat to the back of the kennel. The day they stop fearing me, moving away from me, they will get free room privileges. I was hoping Snolly would have graduated by now but a week was a little too ambitious. He's gaining weight and seems to be content. Panjie would like to get out; she's a little more high strung than he brother. She may take even longer than her brother to come around fully, though.

So that's the story. One got adopted and made room for another to join the foster room (albeit in a kennel).

And another one....

Snollygoster

And another one has entered the room. It might be awhile before you see Snollygoster wandering about. He was found up north wandering around by himself. The person who captured him said it took four people to get him. I'm assuming it took so many because he was completely scared out of his mind. He's a bit scared now. He lets me hold him and will even start purring but once released, he's completely wild. He is currently kenneled in the room until he learns to trust me.

Snollygoster definition: an unprincipled but shrewd person.

Expanding Your Vocabulary

Gazump, mid lick

Two more kittens have entered the room and I've continued with the unusual words naming theme. Introducing Jackanapes (definition: an impertinent, presumptuous person, especially a young man) and Gazump (definition: a swindler or cheat, particularly when selling a house and then raising the price or accepting another offer from a different buyer).


Jackanapes and Gazump were found in Frogtown (a section of St. Paul, MN). They were being harassed by several boys who were tossing them around like balls. Understandably, Jack and Gaz are a little leery of being handled right now. They purr when petted but do not like to be picked up. They are not fans of the other kittens in the room and growl up a scary storm when approached. The other kittens are quite stumped by this. It's actually quite funny to see a kitten who is three times their size freeze and then back away from Jack or Gaz. Oh, the power of a might roar.

Jackanapes

Gaz is quite fond of sitting behind me, just out of reach. He likes to continually poke me in the back. He really wants attention and interaction. He's just a little out of sorts from his ordeal. His brother Jack likes to sit on the couch behind me, just at my shoulder but not touching me. Jack purrs a little more readily than his brother.

Both boys are quite sweet. Neither hide. They stand their ground with the other kittens. They are not skittish. They're just a little apprehensive. They'll get over it soon enough.

The Dessert Menu

Cannoli

Some of you eagle eye cam watchers may have noticed some teenies running around the past week and a half. They were transferred from another Feline Rescue caregiver, who had too many fosters (her remaining all have medical issues).

Tiramisu and Anisette

Originally there were three new ones - Anisette, Tiramisu, and Cannoli. Unfortunately, Cannoli suddenly passed away. He was coughing and losing weight. He saw the vet a day later who diagnosed him with giardia (he had severe diarrhea). A day later, as I watched the camera, I noticed that Cannoli was exhibiting signs of distress - pacing, twitching, and gasping for breath. I immediately left work and took him to the vet. He was placed on oxygen and an X-Ray showed that his abdomen was filled with fluid. The vet recommended euthanasia. The three things that had the symptoms he was showing were all terminal. A necropsy was conducted; the results will come back in a couple of weeks.

The other two kittens Anisette and Tiramisu are sweet little tortie girls that are incredibly bonded. They are about 8-9 weeks old although they look to be about 6 weeks old. They're stunted (so was Cannoli). They came from Animal Control when they were about 4 weeks old without a mother. They are good little eaters and happy little girls. One of these days they'll get big. They absolutely love to sit on my lap.

Rest in peace, little Cannoli.

The New Kids - the Wordy Kittens

Kerfuffle

Mugwumps

Mr. Darcy was adopted on Saturday and went to his new home. He was the last of the official Kissy Kittens.

On Sunday, five new kittens entered the room. They are fairly friendly and are all ages. Since it makes it much easier to track kittens in our database that have unique names, I came up with never before used names. I call this group the Wordy Kittens. Their names are unusual words.

First off the bat is Kerfuffle. He's the oldest kitten at about 4 months old. He's a tuxy with 'tude. He has done nothing but growl and hiss. Constantly. He growls and hisses at other kittens. He growls and hisses when he's eating. He growls and hisses when he's playing with toys BY HIMSELF. Kerfuffle means "commotion" or "fuss." Yup. That's Kerfuffle.

Widdershins

Mugwumps is probably Kerfuffle's sister. She's a tortie that seems to be the same age as they're about the same weight (plus, Keruffle doesn't seem to hiss at her as much as the other kittens). Mugwumps is an independent person who is neutral (relating to politics).

Widdershins is the next oldest at about three and a half months. She's a Siamese mix who is very un-Siamese. She is friendly! She's bursting with energy. Widdershins means counterclockwise and yes, she is always moving in the opposite direction.


Firkin

Taradiddle

Taradiddle is one of the smaller kittens. She's an 8 week old tabby. Very sweet. Likes to lick. Taradiddle means "pretentious nonsense."

And finally, my favorite (yes, I do have favorites) - Firkin. I'm in love with Firkin. He's a 7 week old black and white (not quite a tux). He's all fluff. He's a tiny guy that loves to sit on my lap. I can't help but put him there. He's not going to be good at walking because I keep scooping him up. Firkin is a quarter barrel (relating to beer).

So there you have it. Five new kittens. 



All Those Kittens in the Room

Mr. Darcy

Rhett Butler

So for this group, I had planned on posting weekly articles about them... but that did not happen at all. And not only have I not bragged about how wonderful these guys are, I haven't formally introduced the new ones or announced adoptions. Part of the reason is because I have been a little busier than previously. I was "promoted" the Feline Rescue Foster Program Director! I run the Foster program now.

These amazingly kissy kittens have been such a joy to foster. From the moment they popped out of their carriers after the ride home, they have been so incredibly friendly.

Dorian Gray

Don Juan

Dorian Gray, at one time one of the smallest kittens, is what I refer to as Patient Zero. He developed a cold within 24 hours of arriving and by day 2, was absolutely miserable. I chose not to separate him from the rest as I didn't want to have him alone... plus, all the other kittens had probably already been exposed to his germs. One by one, every kitten got that cold. We're going on four weeks now. Some had it fairly mildly. Some had it pretty bad. They've been without antibiotics for more than 24 hours. There's some sneezing and a bit of runny noses but I'm hoping that will work itself out soon.

Barney Stinson

Lord Byron

Now for the adoptions. The very first to get adopted were Warren Beatty and Don Draper, two panther brothers. They've already left and have been at their adopted home for almost 2 weeks now. They're doing so well! The next two were Don Juan and Barney Stinson. Don Juan (DJ) goes up to everybody and kisses them and then curls up on their lap. He's quite the lovebug and would probably be adopted a half dozen times over. The next two to get adopted were Rhett Butler and Dorian Gray. They're going to a home with a 7 year old and an 11 year old girl and boy. Rhett was quite fine being lugged around by the little girl while she was visiting.

Casanova

After a lull in adoptions, Casanova and Lord Byron finally got adopted. They're going to a home with quite the energetic three year old boy. After his visit, both kittens slept for a long time. Since both kittens are normally very active, this was a refreshing surprise. Mr. Darcy is the last and has an interview on Sunday evening.


William Blake

The new ones. Several weeks ago, within a day of each other, I brought home a litter of three and a single. The single is William Blake. He is the botfly boy. I pulled him from the room a few days after arriving since he lost a lot of weight. He stopped eating and was vomiting up a storm. I had to give him sub-q fluids and force feed him formula. Since both of these tasks have to be done quite frequently, I brought him to work so that I didn't have to travel home to feed him. Another caregiver lives close to where I work and offered to take him after she found out he was with me at work. She is the one that noticed the oozing hole and sore on his chest. I had noticed a sore a few days ago. The oozing hole was new. Turns out, he had a botfly. Over the next few days, he would develop sores and then within 24 hours, a hole in the sore would emerge. This was the botfly making a hole to breath. He had seven removed from him total (although he actually had 9 in him - 2 were dead and the extraction of those 2 would be surgery. No sense in making him go through that). He had a record number of botflies in him. One of them did have to be surgically removed but he came out of it like nothing happened. After the first botfly was removed, William felt so much better and began eating on his own. Within a month, William went from 1 pound 1 ounce to 4 pounds. He's quite the chunk.

Elizabeth Taylor

Katherine Hepburn

Percy B. Shelley

The litter of three kittens are incredibly shy. Two sisters - the black one is Elizabeth Taylor and the tuxy is Katherine Hepburn. The brown tabby is Percy B. Shelley. Percy developed Dorian's cold and had it even worse than Dorian. Percy suddenly realized that the medicine I was forcing upon him made him feel better so this undersocialized kitten actually started seeking me out so that I could give him medicine to make him feel even better. It was quite interesting to watch him overcome his shyness. Elizabeth was the smallest kitten in the room and lacked confidence. She was easily bullied from the food and as a result, was not gaining weight. I removed her from the room for a few days (and let her bunk with William Blake upstairs) to give her a chance at food. It was this one on one time that helped her start to like me. Katherine is absolutely not fond of me. IF I can grab her, I can get her to purr. But that's IF. It doesn't happen very often.

Ron Howard

About a week after William Blake started feeling better, I got a new little kitten. He had coccidia and couldn't mix with the downstairs kittens (coccidia causes diarrhea and if the other kittens stepped in it, they'd get coccidia, too). The new guy is a little orange and white tabby with orange dots on his face like freckles. I named him Ron Howard. Unfortunately, his diarrhea was quite bad and he very quickly became dehydrated. He stopped eating and dropped a lot of weight. Again, I had to do sub-q fluids and 3am feedings. After four days, the medicine finally kicked in and Ron Howard started eating on his own. A week later, Ron Howard had gained a whole pound (kittens typically gain 4 ounces a week). Once the diarrhea subsided, he was introduced to William Blake and the two became best friends instantly. They're now inseparable. They've made friends with my own cats and are quite responsible little kittens so they get to stay upstairs and have pretty much free roaming time.

Ingrid Bergman

Another new little orphan made her way into the foster room. She looks almost identical to Dorian Gray. I had to clip a piece of her fur so that I could tell them apart. She came from a tree farm in Plato, MN. She was NOT fond of super friendly, in-your-face kissy kittens and growled up a storm any time a kitten approached her. I had to kennel her for a few days until she calmed down. She now really likes some of the other kittens. Casanova has a crush on her. I named this brown tabby Ingrid Bergman. She is a cuddler and a purrer and has invented several games that the other kittens now play.

Herman Munster

And the newest addition to the room - Herman Munster. He looks a lot like Ron Howard. He's an orange and white tabby. He was found under someone's porch... who then left him there overnight. He was brought to our shelter as the shelter intake person was under the assumption that this kitten was a good 4-5 months old (she got that impression because his rescuer told her that he was 10 inches long). He's about 7 weeks old and 1 pound 5 ounces. He ain't even close to 10 inches, tip of his nose to the tip of his tail. He's a wee little thing. I was going to name him Jimmy Stewart but changed my mind after I saw him in action. This little guy is a spitfire! He backed Mr. Darcy into a corner, jumped onto Casanova's back (the biggest kitten in the room) and rode him around the room, made every kitten freeze and stop eating their dinner, and has greeted every single kitten with a flying crab walk and hiss. Oooooh! He's a tough little monster. But he's also loveable. He fell asleep in the crook of my arm last night... after he stopped gnawing on my arm.

William Blake and Ron Howard

The seven Kissy Kittens will be neutered on Tuesday. Dorian, Rhett, DJ, Barney, Cas, and Byron all leave by the end of next week. Fingers crossed that Mr. Darcy will also be going to his adoptive home!

So by next week the room will not as chaotic... until I find more kittens who need rescue.

Adopted!!!

Pretty much everyone has been adopted.

Master Tigress

Shira

Master Tigress and Shira were the first to get adopted. They were adopted by a lovely family with two teenage girls. Each girl got a kitten. The kittens' personalities matched the girls' personalities... until the kittens switched. Tigress was always the wild one while Shira was always the cuddly one. And then shortly after spay surgery, Tigress became the cuddly one and Shira became a rascal. Her favorite game was to leap on the back of my leg and hang on while I walked around the room. And chomp on my feet. Their new names are Lena (for Shira) and Cleo (for Tigress).

Billy the Kid

Next to be adopted was Billy the Kid (no surprise there) with Richard Parker. They were adopted by a couple who had been married just a few days. Their laps will never be cold and they will always feel loved. Both kittens are incredibly loving and crave attention. When Billy is feeling well, he can be quite the rascal. Richard Parker has two speeds - rascal and extreme cuddler. Billy's new name is Koopa and Richard Parker will be known as Yoshi. They're names from Super Mario.

Richard Parker

Billy went in to get neutered on July 13th along with 8 other kittens but was rejected because his lymph nodes were very swollen. He has been seen by three different vets now. We're hoping that this swelling is just lingering from Billy's horrible cold. He will continue his anti-viral and antibiotics for two more weeks. If you're watching in the evenings, you'll see me try to give him medicine. He cowers when I approach with syringes. It breaks my heart. He absolutely is fed up with all the medicine. And to top it off, he had ear mites when he came to me. They've since been eradicated but the debris lingers. You'll see me nightly cleaning his ears. He hates that more than medicine and will tear around the room after I clean his ears. The poor guy is going to be so happy to go to his forever home where no one will mess with him and they'll just love him.

Ragna

Duma

Ragna was the next to get adopted. She's going home to a couple with a one year old little boy and two other cats. The little boy was absolutely amazing with the kittens, petting them so softly and nicely.

Duma landed the next adoption, paired with another Feline Rescue kitten named CiCi. For those of you diligently watching the camera, the extra kitten in the room for a few days was CiCi. Duma was not amused with the addition. She growled. The other kittens were fine with the newbie. CiCi was already spayed and recovered so she went home a week before Duma did.

Lucy

Lucy is going home to a young college student with a young male cat. Lucy has been charming everyone who came to meet other kittens. She loves to ask for kisses and purrs away as soon as people enter the room.

Next on the list of adoptions was Belle Starr. The couple was debating between Belle and Winifred but Winifred was very standoffish while Belle was in their faces. They liked that Belle was a bit of a spitfire. Belle will be going home with the couple who has an adult male cat in desperate need of a playmate.

Belle Starr

Batman and Harper Row got adopted by a young teacher living alone. She will never be lonely as both Batman and Harper are purr machines. Batman is an attention hound, constantly demanding to be petted, held, and kissed. Their human fell in love with Harper after Harper fell asleep on her lap, purring away.

Winifred

Winifred was the last of the posted kittens to be adopted. At first, I was sad because she was a black kitten - and black cats are the last to get adopted. But for Winifred, her color wasn't the biggest factor. Winifred is quite the independent kitten. While all the other kittens are climbing all over new people, Winifred is always off on the other side of the room, playing by herself. She's not very cuddly, although she does ask occasionally to be petted. Right after her spay surgery, she was demanding kisses. I was quite stunned. Winifred is going to a home with another young male cat who needs a playmate.

Annie and Clyde were posted last night (Sunday the 19th). I'm hoping to get them adopted by the end of the week. They both are incredibly loving and friendly and zany (Annie has the biggest personality I've seen), not to mention astoundingly cute. They should go quickly. Fingers crossed.

Annie Oakley

Most of the kittens were adopted prior to being spayed/neutered. We call this pre-adoption. Our kittens can't go home until they've had their surgery and been tested for FeLV/FIV. On Saturday, five kittens that were pre-adopted went to their forever homes - Shira, Tigress, Duma, Batman, and Harper Row. The foster room seemed so empty with only eight. The next day, Ragna went home and Winifred got adopted and went home the same day. Two more kittens gone. Six left in the room. I put out way too much food. It was a hard adjustment to go from 13 to 6 in 24 hours. Woo.

Tomorrow (Tuesday), the remaining kittens go to be spayed/neutered - Clyde, Annie, Lucy, and Belle. They all had to wait for Annie to reach 3 pounds. By Saturday, Lucy and Belle, and hopefully Annie and Clyde, will all go home. Richard Parker and Billy the Kid will be with me for a few more weeks, until Billy is well enough to go through his surgery. So there will only be two kittens in the room for awhile.

Clyde Barrow

On August 2nd, I am most likely getting 9 new kittens. They'll be about 10 weeks old at that time so they won't be with me for very long (at most a month, depending on health). They're coming from Iowa. No one is adopting kittens in Iowa, it seems, so a rescue is sending them up to us.
 

Superheroes Join the Furious 11

Harper Row

As some of you have noticed, there are two more added to the mix. These two were found in a blind woman's garage. Judging by how much growling and hissing these guys did the first couple of days, I'm pretty sure I know how she found them. Her adult son called Feline Rescue and that day, I picked them up.

Batman and Harper Row are brother and sister. They're about 10-11 weeks old. They were quite dirty when I got them. Harper had pebbles stuck to her fur. Batman has tar or asphalt on his feet. Their whites also weren't too white and they felt pretty gritty.

Upon arrival, the other kittens immediately introduced themselves. I love these guys. It doesn't matter who or what I put in their room. They're all very hospitable and accommodating. Unfortunately, Batman and Harper were a little overwhelmed with all the changes in their environment. They were not receptive to making new friends. The old crew didn't let it faze them and went on their merry way. I liken this scene of old kittens meeting the new kittens to Toy Story 3, where the toys first find themselves at the day care center and the old toys run towards them with the welcome "New toys!"

Batman

Batman and Harper were quite hissy and growly the first couple of days. They liked me and being petted but heaven help another kitten who approached them. And, oh boy, did a ruckus ensue when another kitten smashed into them while tearing about the room. Lucy did not take kindly to being yelled at by Harper. It's the tortie in her. We then had a screaming calico and a slappy tortie. It quickly died down. There was nothing really to be concerned about. It was funny with slightly scary undertones. Neither Harper nor Batman hid. They walked around the room growling and hissing. They would eat right next to another kitten without issue. They just did not want another kitten touching them.

Two days later, I rounded up everyone, including Ike from upstairs, for a photo shoot with KrisKreativ at Feline Rescue. The new kittens Batman and Harper Row had to endure a car ride with the other kittens. I drive a Mini Cooper and could only fit three carriers in the car. I couldn't segregate the new ones from the old ones. Due to the forced time together in the carrier, Batman and Harper finally got over being scared of the other kittens. They now play and snuggle with the others. Once at the photo studio, Ike was in heaven playing with all the kittens.

In other news, Clyde was removed from the room and placed in quarantine with his sister Annie. He is quite upset about his lack of space. Annie, on the other paw, is quite estatic about having  playmate. Clyde's cold is getting progressively worse and I can't have him infecting the other kittens. Since Annie, too, has a cold, it seemed best to combine the two sickies.

Billy the Kid is getting over his cold finally. He still has a runny nose and cough. But for the first time since arriving, he has been mixing it up with the other kittens and became Wrestling Champion of the Room in a matter of an hour (he successfully pinned pretty much every kitten in the room). Winifred, the ex-champion, was not pleased about being dethroned. Billy loves, loves, loves to be petted. He's not keen on sitting on my lap and can often be seen sitting right next to me.

A couple of the kittens were sneezing the other night so they've been getting an antibiotic. I want to nip this cold in the bud so that it doesn't spread to the others. You'll probably see me grab a couple of them to give them medicine.

So order has returned to the room. Batman and Harper have settled in quite nicely. All of the kittens love to play with everyone else, blurring litter lines. They do tend to have a favorite playmate but I love how they don't care whom they're playing with. Everybody mixes it up.

The Furious 11

Minneapolis Animal Control sent out an urgent message to rescue groups - they were close to full and would have to start euthanizing those in the feral ward and the sick ward. Since it's kitten season, most rescues are full with kittens. Animal controls are having to put down even kittens due to overcrowding.

I went to animal control and tagged as many kittens as were there, paying attention to the sick ones and feral ones. Often times, those who are deemed feral really aren't. They're scared and affected by people in uniform. They often suffer from kennel shock.

Little Old Lady - Lucy

Little Old Lady - Winifred

Little Old Lady - Ragna 

The first three I pulled were in the sick ward and had been there for 10 days. They were next on the euth list. Three sisters about 2 months old; two dilute torties and one black. I had three old ladies in my life who are no longer here. I named this bunch after those wonderful ladies - my grandmother Lucy, my other grandmother Winifred (Winnie, for short), and Ragna, my elderly neighbor that I took care of for years. She was the happiest and nicest person I've ever met. Never said an unkind word. Always positive about everything. Interestingly enough, the kitten Ragna would be well named as she is the happiest kitten, always purring and clamoring to be on my lap.

Outlaw - Clyde Barrow

Outlaw - Belle Starr

Outlaw - Annie Oakley

The next four were in feral. Three of them were on bite hold (which means they did bite someone), and one of those three did not look like she was going to get out of animal control because they thought she was too dangerous. They called her vicious. She's six weeks old and not even two pounds... but she's dangerous. Those three on bite hold were siblings; the fourth in feral was a lonely only, by himself. I named this group after outlaws (although my husband was quick to point out that one wasn't an outlaw, just a gunslinger). Billy the Kid is an orphan who is about 9-10 weeks old.

Billy the Kid - Crusty face

Outlaw - Billy the Kid

When I pulled him from animal control, he had the worst crusted over eyes/face I've seen in awhile. He was miserably sick and lethargic. I had to give him sub-Q fluids when he arrived and started him on antibiotics. The other three sibling ferals are Belle Starr, Clyde Barrow, and Annie Oakley. I took one look at Annie Oakley and knew something was wrong with her front leg. An X-Ray showed that the leg was broken and had been for quite some time as it was healing on its own now. She spent 11 days in animal control without anyone - even the vet - noticing that her leg was broken. No wonder she bit someone.

The final group is a litter of four who are 2 months old. They were neither sick nor feral. I figured if I had 7 already, I might as well have 11 total. What's four more, right? These guys are hysterical. They're friendly and cuddly to me but growl and hiss at everyone - including their own siblings. I have decided that this is just who they are. They're not mad. They're not scared. They just like to growl and hiss. I've named them after fictional wild cats. They are indeed the Wildcat bunch. Richard Parker (from the book Life of Pi) is the only boy of that litter. He is a tiger! He races around like a mad man and then jumps on my lap to cuddle... and then begins biting my legs HARD just because he's all wound up. Duma (a cheetah from the movie Duma) his sister sounds just like a cheetah. Holy cow! She growls and yowls all the time. Master Tigress (from Kung Fu Panda) is a tough little girl but it also very sweet. And finally, Shira (a saber tooth tiger from Ice Age) is, again, tough and sweet together.

Wildcat - Richard Parker

Wildcat - Shira

Wildcat - Duma

Wildcat - Master Tigress

So, we have three groups (from four litters) in one room - the Little Old Ladies, the Outlaws, and the Wildcats. All of them were at animal control for almost two weeks. They've done nothing but run since I brought them home. They were cooped up too long! For the most part, they're getting along. Billy the Kid is having a hard time mixing. He's the oldest - and by himself - and he has a lingering little cold. He's not feeling the greatest and I'm not quite certain he understands how to play and make friends yet. He's a bit awkward and I'm really having a hard time not giggling as I watch him approach the other kittens. The Little Old Ladies and the Outlaws seem to have found playmates within the other group. Richard Parker seems to have charmed the Little Old Ladies. The three female Wildcats need to settle down a bit before they bond. They've only known each other for a day so I suspect in a week they'll all be friends.

Annie Oakley enjoying cuddling

Unfortunately Annie Oakley, the kitten with the healing broken leg, is in confinement. She's not allowed to run on that leg. She's in another room, in a large kennel, bored to tears. She also has a horrible cold so I can't even put a sibling in with her to keep her company. She's sneezing, coughing, runny eyes, and snoring like a lumberjack (I actually thought it was one of my big cats making all that ruckus because it was so loud but it turns out, it was she). She's just plain miserable. She can't run. She's back in jail. And she has a nasty, nasty cold. She's so grateful for the few minutes a day she's allowed out of her kennel. She's an absolute sweetheart and purrs up a storm (amplified by her stuffed up nose). She'll see the vet again in a few days but it could be as much as three weeks before she's allowed to mix with the others. I am a little fearful how that re-introduction will go after she's been gone so long.

Ike

As a side note, in addition to these 11 kittens, I pulled one more - an older male black kitten. He is absolutely gorgeous and the sweetest thing in the world. He's so confident and loving. Nothing scares him, nothing fazes him. He loves to hug - he will actually stand up on his hind legs to hug you. He's so happy to be out. He was slated to be euthanized the day after I picked him up. And he knows it. And he's grateful. I look at him and think what a shame it would have been if he had been put down. He was brought in to be a playmate for another foster I have (upstairs). She's in desperate need of someone to play with. She doesn't quite like him yet and that's okay. All the other cats in the house adore him. He's Ike. My other foster is named Mica and we call her Mike for short. That makes this pair... Mike and Ike. Yup. I did it.