Look Out World...

The Jeffersons Are On The Loose

Our fraidy cat Jefferson kittens are a million (a billion, a bazillion) times more timid than your average Washington or Adams kitten.  Fearless inside the foster room, they were clingy, trembling messes outside of it.  I assumed a couple of reasons for this...

**The presence of their mother: They were (rightfully) far more dependent upon their mama and therefore trusted my world less.

**Contagions in the house: You name it, we had it... upper respiratory, ringworm, fleas.  Most of their little lives, I've had to keep them hidden away and segregated.

**Nature: They're sweet little loves, but not Washington or Adams kittens.  They are who they are.

Adding the Jefferson crew to Petfinder reminded me that part of my job remained undone.  Our babies needed exposure outside the foster room.  Not so much for meeting Simba, Norman, and Charlie (although there is an added benefit in knowing how they will react in such situations), but because it is somewhat imperative that a kitten not jump out of it's fur when someone turns on a faucet or a microwave.  Yep, that's how jumpy they are outside the foster room.  

So....

"Are you SURE that Roxie should be out here?  There's a dog and people with shoes and FIRE out here!!!!"

"Someone will get hurt on that plane, Lady.  Just look of Florence... She could fall off!!!"

"Clay should really get down from there before Lionel prepares for takeoff, Lady.  Make them get down!"

"Seriously, Lady... It's dangerous out here."

"See?  Lionel's just asking for trouble if he tries to play basketball with Mr. Simba."

"RUN, LIONEL, RUN!!!!!!"

No kittens were harmed in the making of this photo story.

Promise.

The kittens have had a few short field trips outside the foster room in the past couple of days.  They enjoyed it so much that they charge the door now whenever it's opened.  Lionel, Clay, and Willie Rae are the most determined to escape.  Roxie and Florence will leave if you insist ;-)

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A Few More Adoptables...

Check out Petfinder for our most current list of adoptable kittens.  You may see someone you know... perhaps a Jefferson, or a Washington, or a Malibu Adams.  She was added to Petfinder yesterday, although it will be another week or two before we would give her up.  The photos are all mine from her time here.  I'm going to try and see her this weekend and get you fresh photos.

If you check the link, you could see these new friends of mine too...

Bamm Bamm

Pebbles

Dino and...

Mia

(Who might have already snagged her forever home)

Weekend Write-up

We spent the weekend catching up with our friends at the rescue and making plans for the adoptions that are on our horizon.  Yep... everyone in our house is considered "adoptable" at this point.  That does not mean, however, that they are packing their bags to leave this week.

The Jeffersons

((Are Not Quite Ready to Move on Up, Thank You Very Much))

I was asked to upload our Jefferson family to Petfinder over the weekend, which I suppose makes them "adoptable" because they are now being advertised.  None are medically cleared to leave yet, though....

Our Mama will be spayed before she leaves us.  I haven't even made the appointment yet.  I imagine it will be another week or two before I do so.  We would like a little bit of time to pamper her and fatten her up (and give her the extra love she so richly deserves for doing such a fantastic job of raising her babies)

 Florence,

 Lionel,

 Roxie,

and Willie Rae are all on Petfinder as "adoptable", but they will still need to visit the vet for a health check and vaccinations before they will be allowed to leave.  Our rescue also prefers to keep our young ones until they are 10 weeks old at an absolute minimum... they aren't yet for another week (remember absolute minimum?  I'm bucking to keep them out of adoption weekend events for another 2 weeks at least)

Someone else has a Petfinder profile, but he's currently listed as being "on hold".  I want him.  My husband is resisting.  I see his point... we already have two cats and a dog.  But I love him in a way I can't quite explain.  And I feel ridiculously guilty for not having that same drive to keep the others (who I also love beyond all measure of reason).  I have another problem too...

What do we name him?

I feel confident that Clay is not his forever name.  We (the kids and I, because remember the husband isn't playing yet) are kicking around others that fit him and fit our family.  The short list includes Neville, Nigel, Leo, and Lionel (I know, right?  How confusing would that be??)  Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments.

The babies went online late, late Saturday night.  By Sunday morning, we already had received an e-mail expressing interest in adopting our Flo.  I'm not ready for this... but I will give her happily to a family who will love her forever as much as I do now.

On Thursday... after her vaccinations.

Henry, Abby, Tika

Quick!

Do you remember?

Which one is which?

Henry, Abby, and Tika are healing nicely and almost ready to return to Petco... with a couple of caveats.  The first is that our vet needs to clear them medically, which can happen no earlier than Friday.  The second is that Petco needs to be cleared medically as well.  Why, you ask?

Well... the dreaded r-word disease reared it's ugly head again in the condos at Petco of all places.  When Henry, Abby, and Tika returned to me with upper respiratory issues we closed the Petco condos because it had also become contaminated with our friend/foe ringworm.  Three kittens were removed who were diagnosed with ringworm.  We closed it down for over a week, with cleaners scrubbing and sterilizing daily for over a week before more kittens moved back in.  And... it came back again after the rescue opened the condos.  For a second time it has been shut completely down and will need to go through a major sterilization schedule before we can allow anyone else to move inside.

The r-word invaded my house again, too.  About a week after Henry, Abby, and Tika moved in one of them came down with it.  Remember how I was looking for an alternate foster for Tika but couldn't find an open space?  She brought a mild ringworm case with her from the condos.  She started healing and re-growing her fur within a few days of being on the meds.  Knowing what to look for, I caught it the very first day she showed symptoms which kept it from attacking full force.  Today, you can't see a single sign of it on her beautiful face.  We need a vet to verify it's gone before our three can move out of here, though.  

Henry and Abby had already fought their battles with the r-word as younger kittens and, while still technically able to catch it, had built enough immunity to keep from breaking out in spots.  Neither have shown a single sign of it during their month here.  Their upper respiratory is gone, but they will need to pass the black light exam before they can be adopted.

And here's where I'll reveal one more piece of information... the thing that took our Malibu Adams away?  Yep, the r-word.  She was with us when Henry, Tika, and Abby moved in and that's when we believe the cross contamination occurred (and now you know why I lost my mind that weekend and was ready to quit the whole foster game).  Her current foster mom says our Mally girl is ready for a re-check and might be up for adoption in another week or so.  I can't wait to squeeze the stuffing out of her.  I also hear she's so much bigger than I remember... sigh.

I'll be certain to get you an updated photo as soon as I see her again.

And Speaking of Mally...

I met her four of her brothers on Saturday.  You'll remember that our Adams kittens were actually five of a litter of thirteen kittens born to one super-tired mama kitty.  Born during the annual "Woodward Dream Cruise", all of our babies were named after cars.  Hence, we had Bentley, Hudson, Cruz, Shelby, and Malibu.  After losing one, our five came to me and our rescue director Paula raised the others.  Well, the others are entering the adoption market...

Sister Chevelle, a teeny tiny calico princess who was ever so much teenier and tinier than our Shelby and Mally, was quickly adopted before she ever hit Petfinder.

Brothers Monte Carlo and "Peeps" McQueen (named after Lightning McQueen and his refusal to pipe down) have also been adopted "lightning" fast.

Count Monte Carlo at the adoption expo the weekend before last.  He's Bentley with a black splotch on his nose!

Little Peeps McQueen at the same expo.  I bottle-fed this munchkin months ago (along with Chevelle).  The tiniest one of the bunch is packing up to go to his forever home.

But on Saturday, these four made their initial foray to adoption fairs...

Cooper (who isn't quite so "mini" any longer)

IROC (who has his brother Bentley's tuxie colors, but in person reminded me so much of Hudson)

Lincoln (who has a face that reminds me of Shelby... not sure why)

And Woodward... a fluffy gentleman who has already snagged himself a new home.

Yes, he knows exactly how special he is.

Brother Cruz is heading back to the adoption circuit soon too.  He caught an upper respiratory and needed to spend some time in another foster home (couldn't come back here with my upper respiratory kits because of the r-word which frustrated me to tears at the time).  He will probably be available again around the same time Mally returns.  

Sigh... it's been a rough fall for the teeny tiny tabbies (and their foster mom)

The news is all good from here on out.

It has to be.

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If you wish to check out our rescue's Petfinder listings, you can find them at this link.

If you would "like" or "share" any of the kittens you love (especially if you happen to be near or have friends in Michigan), we would greatly appreciate the exposure for our kitties.

We got calls from Canada looking to adopt Hudson just last week.

Needless to say, we updated his Petfinder profile to say "Adopted".  But we would be happy to entertain long distance adoption ideas for the rest of them too ;-)

Foxy Mama Friday

Our gorgeous Mother Jefferson doesn't make herself available for photographs very often.

But when she does...

 Just look at that beautiful buff mixed in with her dark, dark black.

 Our tortie mama is unlikely to stay still in front of the camera because she really would prefer to be in your lap... purring, snuggling, purring, (did I mention purring?)

 You can hear her deep, calming purr throughout the foster room.

The fact that her kittens rarely purr is surprising to me since their mama is all purr, all the time.

"Love me!"

"HI MAMA!"

"Don't look at the kitten.  Look at the mama!"

"HI MAMA!"

"Oooooph!"

 "WILLIE RAE LOVES MAMA!!!!"

"WHAT???  Willie Rae DOES love her Mama!  And, no... Willie Rae is NOT too big for this!!"

"Do you SEE what I put up with?"

"A Mama's only revenge is jumping on them and giving them baths... dirty little brats."

"WAIT!  Where are you going?  Take me with you!  We could get a latte and a pedicure and discuss fine literature!  Or heck, we could take a nap uninterrupted! WAAAAAAAAAIIIIITT"

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FIELD TRIPS WITH FLO AND WILLIE RAE

"Roxie! Roxie! Let us in!!!!!! There's a DOG out here!"

"Lionel! Lionel! Let me in!!!!! The handle is right up THERE!!!!!"

(P.S. I love that Flo is hopping on one leg trying to get in through the window)

"Hmmm.... Flo AGAIN????!?!?!"

"Flo thinks she looked good on there.  Better than Clay....."

"Oooooooohhhhhhh... Florence LIKES fishies!!!!!!!!!!"

"Um... Lady?  Why is that big man making those weird noises at Florence?"

"ANOTHER short one???  Can Norman inquire as to your limit, Lady?"

"Is Norman not enough for you?"

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Now I ask you.... HOW could you possibly put him down to do housework?

How Much is the Kitten in the Mirror?

You're so vain.

 You probably think this post is about you.

Don't you?  Don't you?  Don't you????

In fairness to Clay, he wasn't the only one.

Willie Rae realizes for the first time that there's something different about her forehead.

Poor little fraidy cat Flo is a teeny bit skeered of her reflection, don't you know.

Lionel?  Lionel was too busy eating the feathers to be bothered looking in the mirror.

Someone else wasn't too busy to be photographed for you, though...

Norman decided to go a little bit of punk rock for the holiday.