Staying Healthy Is No Fun!

Yeah... She was pretty much giving me this look all afternoon

Vet day for the girls on Tuesday. Health checks, vaccinations, deworming, poking, proding, being ooohed and ahhhed over... it's been a long afternoon.,

They are healthy little peanuts, but back on eye drops to take care of the last of the inflammation and a dose of meds for potential ear mites (we can't see anything, but they're scratching lately so they have been medicated as a preventative measure). Add a dollop of flea medication (again, preventative... whew!) and being touched by strangers and Garnet and Belle have had quite enough of us today, thank you very much.

The good news is that the girls are learning I'm not all that bad in comparison to being handled by strangers. Belle purred in my arms and Garnet reached out to me whenever she was being held by someone else. She finally ended up sitting on my shoulder like a parrot (or a Chanel... take your pick). On the way home, a miracle occurred... I heard Garnet's voice for the very first time. Sure, I knew she had one. I had seen her mouthing meows to me through the glass door but had never been able to hear her. In the car, she decided that I should pay attention to her complaints while she batted at my armrest and squeaked about how much we tortured her today.

We took the long way home, picking up my little Italian Greyhound friend Zoey from doggie day care and dropping her off at home, before finally arriving back in Teeny Tiny Tabby Town. Belle has rearranged the blankets (and the clean rugs that she pulled down from on top of the storage boxes) and the girls have settled in to sleep off their distemper vaccine.

They're not much up for picture taking today. They said you might get lucky tomorrow.

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A Name For Mama

The Kits of Summer's mama has been going by the completely uncreative name of Little Black Mama (or LBM for short) since we first discovered her a couple of months ago. Thanks to the fabulous Tina, she now has a name of her very own. Since we are going with a baseball theme for this litter (but apparently have more girls than we thought we did), Tina suggested names from the movie "A League Of Their Own" which is about the women's professional baseball league that played in major league parks while the male players were gone fighting during World War II. 

Little Black Mama got her name from Detroit's own Madonna's character in the movie. Mae Mordabito, centerfielder for the Rockford Peaches, behaved in a way that earned her the nickname "All the Way Mae".  I'll just leave it up to your imagination to figure out how Little Black Mama became Mae ;)

I'll introduce you to Mae's babies tomorrow.

Ahem....

Thank you for your kind words and thoughts in regards to the Myles situation. I can understand every idea on every side of the argument, including those of the people who wished another solution was found. I think it's hard to remember sometimes that the tone of e-mail and blog comments sometimes "sound" different than the writer might intend. It's also so darn difficult to contain our emotion over these fur faces when we get attached. In the end of our saga, Myles begins anew and so do we...

"Ahem... Esscuse me... What about US?"

"Yeah! What about US???"

"You can open the door, but Garnet will not welcome you."

"Garnet will not join you in the hallway either."

"Who do you think I am, anyway? GRAHAM?"

My friend the kitten catcher received another update on our Graham Cracker boy. He has met his kitty sister and they are quickly becoming friends. He is keeping busy chasing his tail in circles and showering love upon his new family. He hasn't stopped purring since his arrival. I think that's absolutely fabulous news.

"You've strayed from the topic of US again, Lady."

Okay... how about this? The torbie twins are heading to the vet for their next round of check ups and shots on Wednesday afternoon.

"Not US, not US, not US!"

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My friend the kitten catcher has struck again! Another yard in her neighborhood has become home to a lovely lady who we have creatively named "Little Black Mama".

Little Black Mama is the mama to three spectacularly beautiful babes. She brought them out into the neighborhood to play and eat on the outskirts of the feral cat colony my friend has created. We have watched from afar and waited for the right moment for...

The next family of babies who will be moving into Teeny Tiny Tabby  Town.

While watching from afar, it was originally assumed that our litter of tuxie kittens was comprised of three little boys. As we planned names during Major League Baseball's All Star Break, I tabbed this group "The Boys of Summer" and intended on giving them baseball names. However, upon capture it was discovered that we have two little boys and one teeny tiny girl. So now, we refer to them as "The Kits of Summer". Individual introductions to come later this week.

The Kits aren't here in Teeny Tiny Tabby Town yet. They're feeling a touch under the weather and we've decided to keep them with the kitten catcher until they are well enough to join the Mayweather girls in the foster room.

So Coming Soon... "The Kits of Summer"

And moments after I hit "Publish"? I received a message from the kitten catcher. The babes took a turn and needed to visit the vet today. They will be fine, but their arrival might be delayed for an extra few days. Oh... and "The Kits of Summer" might very well be named "The Girls of Summer". Or "The Girls of Summer and Their Poor Lonely Brother"

A Gift For You

How did I not notice this before????

The ever-astute Connie (otherwise known as the fabulous author of Tails From The Foster Kittens) pointed out that Garnet's awesome orange belly spots are the in the shape of a heart.

Can't unsee it now, can you? I know that I can't. Garnet is saving up her love and her heart for a very special still-unknown family. We're lucky she's letting us get a sneak peek at it. Consider it her gift to you.

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We have another gift in today's post. Last month, I received an amazing gift from my dear friend Wendy. Wendy's husband and my husband were stationed in Germany at the same time in the late 1990s. We lived in the same stairwell apartment building on Ramstein Air Base. Our sons were born four days apart from each other. (I may or may not still be carrying a grudge that her son was born on my due date and I had to wait for an extra four days, but that's an entirely different story).

Wendy has a love of sewing, while her husband is a fantastic woodworker. They have left military life behind and have a great little business on the side. This little project started as a bed for American Girl dolls:

But then her cat completely took over.

I showed Wendy a photo of what our original foster kitty Tommy used to do in the authentic American Girl doll beds.

An idea was born and the prototype arrived in my house as a very special gift last month.

It's now a cat bed, complete with cat-themed bedding and catnip pillows.

To say they love it would be an understatement.

Why, yes... I was singing "No More Monkeys Jumping On The Bed" when I took this photo. Why do you ask?

I'm pretty sure this is the last time a pillow was ever on that bed.

Belle has redecorated again.

Wendy's fabulous creation is available in her Etsy story by following this link: http://www.etsy.com/listing/154013659/cat-or-toy-dog-farm-style-bed?ref=shop_home_active  They build the beds as they are ordered, so you know that your kitty's bed will be made especially for them :)

If you are interested in one of these fabulous creations, Wendy is offering a discount for you lucky Whiskers In The Window readers. Use the code CATBEDRESCUE for $10 off through August 31st.

Also, she will make a donation to her local rescue for every bed sold. It's a win-win-win situation. Wendy builds her business. You get a fabulous cat bed. Shelter kitties benefit. Hooray!!

Tail As Old As Time

Tail as old as time...

Cute as she can be...

We're barely even friends...

Then somebody bends... unexpectedly :)

The second half of our Mayweather sister act is our beauty Belle. She's a torbie like her sister, but with vastly different markings and facial expressions.

While Garnet looks a bit more "exotic" with her angular face shape, Belle captivates with her gigantic round eyes. She always looks deeply concerned and maybe just a touch worried, even when she's not.

Belle is a marbled torbie, with fancy swirls like her brother Graham. But Belle's swirls are extra special because her's are black and orange. She has a medium length coat, longer than her sister's but shorter than her brother's.

Belle saw yesterday's post and wanted equal belly time. And while she's showing off her belly, check out striped stockings and the mismatched toes... she also has mismatched front paws :)

Belle loves the bling... check out the amazing orange necklace that she wears every single day.

(Also look to that necklace for a demonstration of the true definition of a torbie cat: Torbies are more than orange and black striped cats. To have a real torbie, the stripes change color from one to the other... all within the same stripe. See how Belle's necklace goes from black to orange to black and back again? Those are some impressive Torbie pearls!)

While Belle was initially the bravest Mayweather kitten, she has turned into the least trusting of the three. She has taken her sweet time accepting human love and attention. Where she once ran and hid whenever I entered the room, she now approaches cautiously from behind. I can feel her whiskers and nose as she sniffs the back of my legs. She lets me touch her (with no sudden movements) and purrs while she's being held. Belle is getting braver each and every day, whether she means to or not.

You might say that Belle is the control freak of the Mayweather litter. She makes friends at her own speed on her own terms. She's also a bit of an interior decorator. Belle is determined to make the foster room "her own".... she moves every blanket to a location of her choosing; the cat beds are dragged from spot-to-spot; she pushes the boxes and dishes across the floor just because she can. I never know what the room will look like when I arrive because Belle keeps busy.

She's also a watcher. The rose garden is right outside the foster room window. I always have a Belle audience sitting on the window sill.

I'm sure she'd love to come to your house and watch you forever.

Or not.

Just kidding... Belle would LOVE to love you.

She's laugh a minute. Hurry and claim her before she's gone.

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If you are interested in adding a sweet Belle (or an equally sweet Garnet) to your family, you can contact me through the blog, through the Facebook page, or by sending an e-mail to teenytinytabbies AT gmail DOT com.

A Gem of a Girl

"Hello?"

"Is it me you're looking for?"

"You should be looking for me. Because you'd like me... You'd really, really like me!"

Miss Garnet Mayweather is a sweet gem of a girl, named for the orange "jewel" on the top of her head. She is a unique specimen among the Mayweather kittens... Her brother are sister are marbled pattern tabbies, while Garnet is a spotted tabby. Her siblings are from a rich color spectrum, while she is softer, whiter, and more "dilute" (but not really). The other two kittens are becoming fluffier, while Garnet remains short-haired. Her brother and sister are huge in comparison to our little runt of the litter. She has a bit of an exotic look to her facial shape that's hard to describe.

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"Garnet is SPECIAL!"

Yes, Garnet IS special. Besides her unique physical characteristics, she has a strong and independent personality. Smarty-pants Garnet was the last Mayweather kitten to be caught out in the wild. She was the last kitten to emerge from underneath the chair... the last one to allow herself to be held... the last one to purr for me. There were days I thought she would never be tamed. She's a teeny tiny bit stubborn. But once she gives in?

She loves hard... even if she's slow to admit it.

Garnet is now the first kitten to greet me at the door. In fact, if I'm slow to arrive in the morning, she bangs on the door and demands an audience. She was the first of the Mayweathers to climb into a lap on her own. She's quick to purr and doesn't struggle against the snuggle. 

She'll also let you kiss that belly. Please excuse me for a moment while I step away and silently squee over those amazing spots!

Teeny Tiny Garnet is full of excitement and adventure. She was the first Mayweather to climb to the top of the cat tree and the first to find her way to the windowsill (where she watches me garden with great interest). She loves a feather teaser and will chase it for as long as you're willing to let it fly. And... she's a daredevil. Not only does she climb the curtains that cover the doorway to the foster room, but when she reaches the top? She swings her little self up onto the curtain rod and walks it like a circus tightrope. I'm thinking about sending her to her forever home with a tutu and an umbrella ;)

Just like any precious jewel, we have a limited supply of Garnet. Once she's gone, she's gone and we will be unable to stock more. 

So if you or someone you know has had your eye on her, you might want to speak up soon.

You might even be able to score a set of sisters if you act now!

For more information about Garnet or to inquire about her availability for a lifetime of splotch kissing, send me a message to teenytinytabbies AT gmail DOT com. I'll put you in touch with the right person.

"Love and Cuteness Overload!"

You just know the update is going to be good when you hear that those words were in the subject line of the e-mail message :)

"Do I look cute to you? CUTE? I'm a big boy!"

My friend received a quick update from Graham (now Ralphie's) family. Apparently, the transition is going well :)  They can't get enough of him. He started off by hiding under the bed, but has gotten over his shyness. He's playing and snuggling and giving kisses and even demanding attention from the company. His big sister kitty is anxious to meet him and he can't wait to get out of the bedroom to see her either.

Mission Tame-the-Feral-Kitten Accomplished (at least for Round 1 of the current assignment)

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Oh, and this happened too...

True, Belle was chasing the shoelace when she climbed into a lap all by herself. But then she stayed a while.

"Not.Sure.Belle.Likes.This!!! Oh... Okay... Purrrrrrrrrrr"

That makes Round 2 and 3 nearly complete as well. The girls are getting friendlier and friendlier now that their big brother isn't around to hog all of the attention. 

I'll begin adoption bios tomorrow with Miss Garnet. Stay tuned.

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One more update...

Thanks Einstein and Norman...

Your garden is beautiful. Keep up the good work.