Weekend Wrap-Up

When we left off on Friday, there were some unknowns going into our weekend. We were still waiting on health checks for Henry, Tika, and Abby.  We were still waiting for forever homes for Lionel and Willie Rae.  We were waiting for news from Malibu's potential adoption meet-up.  So to catch you all up....

Lionel and Willie Rae spent one last Saturday morning snuggling in the sunshine with their mama.

"Got your tail, Mama!"

When I look the shape of Mama's tail to Lionel's paw, I see an upside-down heart.

Mama loves Lionel.

Lionel loves Mama.

More on Lionel later...

Henry, Tika, Abby

The terrific tabby trio visited the vet on Friday afternoon.  I knew they were big, but holy cow!  Abby weighed in at a petite 6 pounds 1 ounce, while Tika weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces.  Henry Washington, the bruiser of the foster room, tipped the scale at 8 pounds 5 ounces... at 6 1/2 months old.  Our baby is growing to be a big, big boy.

As I suspected, Tika's ringworm is completely gone and she was cleared to return to Petco on Saturday.  Henry was given the a-ok to move out too.  Abby was a bit borderline.  She still has a watery eye and snotty nose, so we decided to keep her at home for one more week of snuggles and recuperation.  My goodness is it ever quiet upstairs right now.

Too bad we can't say the same for Petco...

It seems that someone has been working on his jumping skills while he's been away from the store.

Really, Henry?  This is how you behave right in front of Santa?????

"Uh-oh... Do you think he noticed?"

Henry scared the life out of every volunteer at Petco on Saturday afternoon by leaping to the top of the cat condos and wandering around the roof.   When it became apparent that I was too short to get him down without a ladder, I did the next best thing and pulled out the camera.  Yes, I encouraged the misbehavior by fussing over him and recording it for posterity.  You're welcome.

Tika and Henry settled in as the only residents of the cat condos and immediately began setting up house like a pair of old married people.  Henry checked the shingles (hee hee).  Tika washed the windows (by going back to her game of splashing the entire contents of the water bowl on the walls and floor).  Henry napped.  Tika nagged him by pulling on his whiskers.  And then they settled in together and purred, purred, purred.  They clearly love each other.

By the way... they both whined and fussed at me without mercy when I arrived on Sunday for adoption hours.  Apparently, they already thought they were home with me.

Malibu

Miss Malibu had an interview with potential adopters on Friday.  She was offered the position but declined the deal.  

Not sure what our girl requires in a family, but this one just didn't do it for her.

(And I love that she was given the final decision in the matter)

Lionel

Our big boy Lionel watched and waited and waited and watched for his chance at a forever family.

He hung out with the big boys for a while and checked out their toys.

(These would be the brothers of our Adams kittens, by the way.  Dark orange Cooper, Buff Peeps, Tuxie Monte Carlo, and Tabby Lincoln)

And then... his family arrived.

We couldn't have asked for a better situation for our boy.  Lionel's new mama has had a rough year.  She lost both her husband and her cat in the past year and, as she put it, she needs him.  She came along with her teenage granddaughter and picked Lionel out of this beautiful gaggle of boys to be her very own.  Our little Lionel will be spoiled and loved beyond measure.  I couldn't be happier for him.

Here's to a worry-free life for our worry-eyed boy.

Don't worry... I gave him enough good-bye hugs and kisses for all of us.

(and then some)

Willie Rae

Willie Rae worried through the weekend at Petco.  A dog rescue shares the adoption space and we had a couple of enthusiastic barkers.  Our baby girl has obviously met a dog before (and has heard him bark), but these new dogs made her feel exceptionally uncomfortable.  She hid and trembled whenever I pulled her out of her hiding spot.

This was as happy as our silly Willie Rae looked while at Petco.

We tried introducing her to the boys (well actually, this was Monte Carlo trying to introduce himself...), but she wasn't interested in making their acquaintance.

Who could blame her?  These are the same boys who stole her track ball...

and put their boy germs all over it.

And they did "boy stuff" like make blanket forts and jump out at her from underneath them.

(This would be Cooper... our undercover operative.  Our brave and friendly boy comes to Petco for the naps.  He burrows under the blankets and stays there unless we drag him out, or unless Willie Rae accidentally steps on top of him.)

Willie Rae met and enchanted more than one family over the weekend.  Even teeny tiny timid babies know how to turn on the charm when necessary.  But at the end of Sunday's session, she came home with me (and is currently terrorizing the main house while her Mama worries in the foster room).  You know me... I'm in no particular hurry to send her on her way and am just happy to have her here at home.

The more she grows into her torbie coloring, the more Willie Rae reminds me of my lost love...

 and the harder it will be to say good-bye.  I will if the right family comes along.

Or she can stay.  I'd keep them all if they needed me to (but you already know that about me).

We'll make the return trip on Saturday, along with Mama and Abby.