Mini update / Thank god for Heather

On my way to my midterm, I was reading the Metro, and I almost burst into tears twice. First, over Abousfian Abdelrazik, and second over Tommy the dog. I'm not very good at displaying my emotions in public, but after the last 20 hours, I was just in super-hyper-emotional-overdrive.

Heather came over, and reassured me about Wiggles, and told me that "he is not on death's door". Hearing that from someone who knows something about the subject...just took a huge weight off my chest. I still feel emotionally exhausted, and just looking at Wiggles's poor little face looking all messed up still makes me want to just lose it.

Heather noted something too, something I'd only semi-consciously realized. I hate to admit it, but when I first got Chai, a part of me was like "yow, this is not a good looking cat". Her face was really angular...she was just not amazing to look at. I'd commented to myself earlier in the day that she was looking really good today, and didn't think much of it...but Heather pointed out that it's true, her entire facial structure has changed...she has a regular super sweet cat face now.

It's one of those things you don't notice when you're exposed to it every day. I described the original Chai as "a twig stuck through an orange" - the girl was super skinny, with a huge round belly. But she eats voraciously now, and I guess she's put on a fair bit of weight. We'll never know where Chai was 3 weeks ago and what her life was like, but I am guessing she's a lot better off now.

My friend came over today too to fix my air conditioner (thank god!) and was like "Emmet and Bart have gotten big!". I still think Emmet is my super tiny baby, and hasn't grown at all...but apparently over the last month he's almost doubled in size. I can't imagine him being that tiny!

Heather also gave me the number of a woman who wants to meet both Bart & Emmet on Friday...&I soooo have my fingers crossed. If they could be adopted together it would be absolutely amazing. So much finger crossing...this can't be good!

(Wiggles is the tiny one on top)

Sneezy

Sneezy isn't a name but a nickname. It's what I've been calling the little orange tabby kitten that caught Chai's URI.

I did something really stupid yesterday, I didn't weigh the kittens at the time I normally do because when I went into the room they were all balled up and sleepy. So, instead at 12am I went in to check on them before I went to bed, and while they were still being sleepy, I decided to check on Sneezy as he'd put on a tiny amount of weight the day before.

To my horror, when I picked him up, I could see there was crap all over his face. His eyes and nose had begun to ooze a clear discharge that had blocked off his nasal passageway. This is the part where I ran around crying hysterically for 4 hours trying to figure out what to do. I cried because I didn't have any formula, I cried because I hadn't checked on him sooner, I cried because this tiny kitten was so sick and it was in my mind all my fault. I left a message on Heather's answering machine at 2am that was just me crying. I went to bed at 4 am, and tossed and turned and repeatedly got up to see if Sneezy was still alive. I pushed Chai on her side and desperately yelled at her "Please feed Sneezy!!", but even when she offered her nipple, he wasn't interested.

At 8:45 I woke up, and ran into the room, so ecstatic that Sneezy had survived the night. Every time I woke up, I found Emmet curled beside my head, and that made me feel a bit better. Now at 2pm, I find myself diligently trying to syringe formula into this little kitten's mouth - and as lethargic as he is the rest of the time, he sure does struggle against me!

So, prognosis not good. But I'm trying, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed.


So, update. I have decided to name Sneezy Wiggles, as wiggling is what he likes to do while I either feed him, or try to clean his little face. I was just thinking about that scene in Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and that he shouldn't die without a name.

Still melting

I forgot to mention yesterday, that Chai's URI seems to be fading. She's had some blood around her nostrils, but the sneezing is less and the discharge is gone from her eyes.

I made the mistake of leaving her to roam the room last night while I took a shower. I came back in the room and heard feverish yells coming from the closet. I then watched her pick up a little black kitty with her teeth and carry him over there too. As if she hasn't made me worry enough as it is! The kittens today put on uberweight, 15-20g on average.

Right now I am watching Bart groom Emmet. Pretty cuuute! :P

Note to self, take some kitten pictures today!

I'm melting!

Oh lord, the heat here is crazy. I honestly spent like 2 hours lying on my hardwood floor in my pyjamas. I have no idea why the AC isn't working...I can see it outside spinning, I can hear it in the vents...but no cold air comes out! Luckily there's a window air conditioner in the kittens' room - I probably adjust that 10 times a day "Maybe it's too hot in here//Maybe it's too cold now".

I need to take a photo of Chai post Furmination. I've used it on 2 of my cats so far, and the brush is full in about 5seconds - &I mean, I brush my cats fairly often with my faithful Zoom Groom. I am definitely a convert & loving it...I don't know how it compares to a traditional wire brush though, because I tend not to use those.

Kittens are very messy. I changed the sheets in their box last night and this morning the once white towels were just...not white anymore. They are freaking hilarious to watch. They all get together in a little ball, and then a kitten on the bottom will wake up and try to climb to the top of the pile; invariably flipping over and flailing his limbs every which way. Then, this cycle repeats itself. I seriously just sat and watched them wiggle around for 30 minutes earlier. The less stripey orange one has really taken off growth wise...he is getting to be noticeably bigger than his siblings. They've all put on 5-10g today, with Tuxedo cat gaining the least.

Chai has kept spotting every day, which Heather says not to worry about as long as it stays as mild spotting and never becomes a full on bleed. Poor Heather...seriously, I feel so bad for bugging her so often, and she has been so incredibly nice. I really need to just take a deep breath and accept that things are usually likely normal as opposed to abnormal.

I'm still kind of trying not to name the kittens or get *too* emotionally attached to them. In case...y'know. But for today the little family looks good and all is well.

Random musings!

Kitten stuff first!

Heather ended up coming over last night, due to my constant pestering. She brought a dog crate with her to put Chai and her kittens in. I haven't had a pregnant cat in, oh, 14 years. So everything = freakout. Every time I go into the room, she's at the front of the crate meowing to be set free - she wants attention from me. I let her out for 20 minutes as per Heather's instructions, and ofc, she doesn't want to go back in with her kittens, even as they meow for her.

Then, at two am, she had some vaginal bleeding. Freakout number 1000 for the day. It took all my restraint not to make frantic phonecalls.

Heather also told me to google Fading Kitten Syndrome - and now every time I go in the room, I'm just glad to see all 5 kittens piled together and alive - as sad as that is.

So, random musing #1.

As terribly and incredibly lame as it sounds, I am loving this whole "community" I've been exposed to. Heather stayed for about two hours yesterday and we just talked about cats. &I definitely know that feeling, trying to tell some random person "oh man, my cat did this awesome thing" and the expression on their face goes blank. I'm so happy I can have an excuse to write about cats, and believe (whether or not it's actually true!) that someone is reading it. I love reading other people's blogs and knowing they're as crazy as I am. &I just love being able to actually have a conversation with, and meet!, other people who get where I am coming from. I have 11 cats in my house at the moment - and someone has MORE cats than me!

#2

I still cannot help but laugh when someone "thanks" me for fostering, or tells me that I'm doing a good thing. Are you kidding me? I get to play with kittens...I should be thanking TCR! My idea of a charitable or selfless act definitely includes some sort of personal inconvenience. Giving blood today, that could be construed as charitable as I had to overcome my fears and bear through the discomfort...but this? Seriously, cuddling kittens as some sort of self sacrifice? Before I sat down to write this, I was cuddling Emmet (who is getting more and more "calm" by the day, in that he now loves to just sit in my lap & be petted) who proceeded to sneeze all over my face. My instantaneous reaction to this was to burst out laughing. I don't know what it is, I just love them so much...and it's such an amazing gift to be able to have them here.

#3

Heather held Emmet and remarked that he was really well socialized. &inside, it just made my heart light up. I have seriously tried *so* hard to make these kittens as happy, healthy, and adoptable as possible. I am a *very* shy person. I have probably had more people in my house in the last month than I had in the entire previous year. I want Bart & Emmet to not be "shy" like my other cats for the mostpart are - I want them to be outgoing and willing to play with anyone. I was just so happy to hear someone say that it was working :).

By the way, my stairs look like the bloodied battlefield after the great "Kitten War". It is *SO* freaking hot here - as you walk down the hall you just pass cats laying on the floor, on their sides, on their backs. It's so cute...but it reminds me I do need to turn on the AC.

Oh, and I also bought a Furminator today as they had them at my #4 store in search of kitten food. I've just heard glowing reviews of it from other cat owners...I will let you know how it works!

The kittens have landed

I could not sleep last night. First, I lay down with Chai for a few hours, but then at four I still wasn't asleep, so I decided I needed my own bed. What a bad judgment call!

I was looking at a blog last night, and her pregnant cat had the same degree of movement with 10 days to go...so I figured it wasn't a sign, Chai was fine, the kittens won't be here tomorrow.

I went to check on her this morning, and was horrified to find droplets of blood lining the floor. Frantically I searched the FOUR boxes I had made for her to have her kittens in (I figured she would appreciate the choice), only to find her in a box of my things with her fur completely disheveled and some tiny faces squirming around her.

I am not entirely sure if she's "done", but I am going to bite my tongue and assume that she is. Poor Heather received frantic calls from me, "she is more interested in me than nursing!!" et cetera. Twenty minutes later, yes, she's in her box nursing four of the five kittens. The fifth one can not catch a break and find a nipple, despite my shoving one in his face repeatedly.

I had the humidifier in her room last night, and it definitely cleared up my own congestion, so hopefully it will help hers too. At the moment, Chai looks absolutely radiant...I'm so glad she could have her kittens in a big room vs a tiny metal cage. She looks very happy as a mom :).

So, onto the colors! :P
There are two black kittens, a tuxedo kitten, and two orange kittens. Gotta love calico cats :P


In other news, I saw that there is another pregnant kitty at the shelter. I don't know why, but I always feel for and worry about the pregnant ones. I am crossing my fingers someone else out there will be able to give "Pixie" and her kittens a new chance at life!

Getting closer

I don't know what it is, some latent maternal instinct I suppose, but I quite often find myself giving into my newest indulgence - petting Chai while I rest one hand lightly on her belly and beam with delight as I feel the kittens wiggling around inside her. To be honest, I don't know how she does it...her belly is huge &boy do those kittens move a lot. &not little movements! Huge traversals from one side of her abdomen to the other. I feel guilty every time I do it, but it's so amazing to me. I can't believe there are really little kittens in there.

Someone was supposed to come see Bart today, but alas, it's an hour and a half after we were supposed to meet and they're not answering their phone, nor are they here. It's bittersweet, I guess. I was mopping the floor when Bart & Emmet decided they wanted to run across it, then jump into the litter box. Bart ended up hiding from me for an hour as he evidently did not like my efforts to clean his paws.

Anatomy of a name

So, after sitting on the floor asking many times "do you want to be called X?", I finally made a decision.

First there were names offhand - June didn't work for her face - and then names inspired by books (namely "The Setting Sun" & "Pygmalion"). When she stood against the window last night, I couldn't help but remark what a huge cat she is. She has this incredibly long and high frame, with a little head and huge eyes fixed atop her lengthy neck. I started thinking that if she was a human, she would have been a Russian ballerina. I don't know the names of any Ballerinas & the Russian women's names I do know all come from the 19th & early 20th century in Tolstoy & Dovstoyevsky's books. Some of them are like, 14 letters long, and while I found them amazing - Julien told me in January that no, if we had a child, it would not bear one of those names.

So, Russian ballet. That made me think of Swan Lake/Lac des Cygnes...but Lac is probably not a well thought of female cat name, nor is Cygne. Then of course, hello...Tchaikovsky. Or Tchai, or! I keep hearing people talk about "Chai" and "Chai Lattes"...so there we go!

Chai came home last night, and I hadn't slept in about 30hours, so I felt terrible for Heather who was introduced to me in that loopy state. We took her upstairs&off to the closet she ran, as apparently it doesn't shut all the way, and can thus be opened by the strength of a scared, pregnant cat.

At about eleven o'clock, when I was ready for bed, I went to wish her a goodnight and she finally emerged. She desperately wanted affection, and I remarked to myself how incredibly skinny she is save for her swollen belly...the girl is huge and yet feels as if she's just walking bones. I decided instead to grab a pillow and blanket and sleep in the guestroom, and ultimately she alternated between yowling at the window ledge, and then curling up next to me in bed.

I went in again this morning (the yowling made me leave at 4am!), and I gave her skeletal frame a good brush and gobs of hair just flew off. I guess obviously they aren't really given any affection in the shelter, but I don't know when the last time this girl was properly cared for was. She was obviously somebody's cat...

I haven't taken any pictures of her yet, because honestly, she does not look so hot. The fur around her face is all oily and flush against her skin, and as it goes down to her belly it's all stringy and unattractive.

I did, however, take super cute Bart & Emmet photos that I plan to upload later...

Incoming!

This is the original shelter photo of "Kringles" that I fell in love with.

I spent the afternoon at the pet store, and I've spent the remainder of this evening vacuuming away; trying to get everything ready and in place for tomorrow.

I can't wait to watch her stretch her legs in her new home. :)