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.