Musings & Ramblings

On Friday morning, I had to say goodbye to my little rascals. It was time for them to move on to their next adventure. While speaking to another foster parent, she summed up what we were feeling perfectly... Ambivalence.  Sadness, relief, hopeful, anxious, happy all at once.  I really tried not to think about it all too much this time around. I  had learned my lesson in previous foster care experiences to not get too emotionally attached, or at least try.  I know they are going to a good place who have their best interests at heart. I will say it is strange thinking that I wont be seeing them again though. Maybe Ill be lucky enough for one of the adopters to send in an update. Thatd be awesome!  My hope for them is to have safe and loving homes! Im confident that they will! :) 

Well, I thought Id be writing that the kittens have gone but alas, thats not the case...yet. They were scheduled to be transported last week, but I guess the place they are going to is undergoing a relocation process & the timing was off last week. So, once the schedules can be arranged, they will be leaving me! Its a very sad prospect in one way & then a relieving one in another. I need a break from all things cats for abit... Between one of my cats disappearing for a month, another coming down with a bladder infection (which I soon learned can be fatal in males if there is an obstruction!), and taking care of these kittens...I wont lie that Im looking forward to having some freedom again!  The kittens are doing fantastic though... very active & sweet. Im not sure if there is a biting phase they go through, but two of them seem to be in that stage right now. I feel a particular connection to Biscuit & Yogi Bear is so adorable in his bear-ewok-fluffiness, that he is hard to resist as well. Waffle is the zany one who is non-stop action. Miss Marmalade is always off exploring & getting tackled by one of the boys. Biscuit likes to be near me & makes sure I pay attention to him. Then, of course, Yogi is a bundle of fur who is tentative but also wants to be part of the action, he seems to always arrive at the backend of it al. He is starting to hold his own though which is great. :P

The whole "surrogate" thing got me thinking. It does feel like Im in "mommy" mode alot of times in a strange way! Constantly cleaning poop, making sure they get fed, worrying that they'll get hurt in the big scary basement when they are loose...and best yet, recently waking up at all hours of the night due to incessant meowing (not by them, but by mama)! Yep, the difference being these leave in a matter of weeks, not 18 plus years! LOL

This morning I released MamaCat out of the hosptial basket and into the great outdoors! After 8 1/2 weeks of being cooped up in there, I bet getting out of there felt good! I had her sit out abit & then I raised the divider & soon enough, she realized she was free to leave. She didnt zip out of there like a rocket, which is usually the case with feral cats. She was mellow & went about her way into the bushes. Not much time passed before she appeared back in my yard though, meowing here and there. Hmm, for her kittens maybe? Well, I was informed, not necessarily...some cats just meow after being released. Ok, then...maybe they are meowing out of happiness? Confusion? LOL Who knows! It was just sad to hear, knowing she wont see her kittens again, as would be the case anyway. She may have even left them sooner! Now, to be honest, I do hope she goes back to her regular feeder! I have 3 of her "children" who I feed & frankly, I dont want an addition. Im prettysure she will get back there...Ill have to see if the man is still putting out food for any other cats. Im not against feeding, its just if you do, at least get them fixed and if you cant, find out if there is a way you can.  Granted this guy is up in years, but he has a son who isnt...and then there's my neighbor, whose heart is in the right place, but didnt care much for the consequences or prevention of having an unspayed female in an overpopulated area as it is. Nor were they of much help when I thought Id try this TNR thing out. Who knows, they may have thought I was nuts! Oh well. I dont want to come off as high and mighty, i really dont, its just when I think of how much could be accomplished within a community if everyone did their small part. This holds true for so many things. But Ive found noone really wants to be bothered. Golly, I often dont want to be bothered either! But then you think of the benefits... ahh well, I digress.  Did I ever mention that the vet approximated her age at 5 years old. Yep, so 25 kittens in 2 years that Ive seen her...and Im sure she wasnt practicing celibacy those 3 other years!  And I know, this is just one measly cat! Im sure the rescue cat ladies, as I call them, would have a lot more to say on the subject since they are the ones who see the traumatic cases and who get the overwhelming phone calls!

Well, Im exhausted tonight. Its been a long busy day in general...and probably why my self-edit buttom might not have been working very well in this blog posting!! :P 

Status:MamaCat is Free Roaming tonight. And no worries of another kitten season with her! :-)

YOGI BEAR

Yogi Bear

IMG_5277

MISS MARMALADE

Miss Marmalade

IMG_5283

BISCUIT

Biscuit

WAFFLE

Waffle

Thursday I took MamaCat to be spayed. She is recovering nicely. Last night I finally got a full nights sleep though since the previous two nights, at 3am sharp, I kept hearing the sounds of her meowing filter up into my bedroom (do pillows have the ability to amplify sound or something -because I tell ya, it felt like they did!) She has to be separated from the kittens while in recovery, but I think she is now realizing everything is fine and will stop the late night meowing! The first night of course, I had to go down to ensure everything was ok,  wondering if she should have view of the kittens or not, deciding that she should & moving covering around, waking up kittens who look so cute & then want to play!  LOL Anyway, she'll be released in about a week or so! If the rain finally subsides, I'll put her out some days to get some fresh air & acclimate to the outdoors again, before releasing her. Shes been a pretty good captive, I must say. Although, last week  she did manage to snag my hand once with her nail (ow!) through the divider...she really hates when Im fixing the bedding. Its quite strange actually, as she doesnt mind anything else. Nevermind that I had been doing the same action for 7 weeks prior! Never try to reason with a cat!

They could not be any cuter! They are coming on 6 weeks old. They love to hop and run and CLIMB!!!! They are eating their solid food and overall havent been too messy with that. Ive received word that the mother cat will probably be spayed this coming weekend. Yay! Then about two more weeks for recovery &  she will be released. The kittens will then be up for adoption. 

As for names, Im thinking the young black one who I now discovered is actually a male, will maybe be named Chewie (for Chewbaca- he looks just like an ewok i think!). The black and white female perhaps Lola or Lily...or...? The remaining two are boys and Im still brainstorming for names...  

Hey... The little monkey's are doing great! They are growing into fine little kitties, if I do say so myself! :) About a week ago, I began trying to introduce them to solid food to begin the weaning process. It was slow-going at first with them not showing much interest. I think it might have been abit early. However, nowadays they all gather round the eating spot and feast.

They love hopping about and climbing the grid on the hospital basket. Its pretty funny seeing them hang there. Im not sure where they think they are going!  Their eyes are the most beautiful blue right now... which I guess lasts for only awhile. The youngest one is catching up slowly...but Im really beginning to think that its not just that its a week behind, but that its personality is actually mellow & laidback!  When I compare it to the others activity a week past, it still isnt where the others were. But its more like this particular kitten just likes to observe & take it all in, rather than jumping out into the world all willy-nilly. Ive created a little make-shift space for them to roam about...and if Im sitting there with them, all they will do is climb me. Its pretty insane! The mellow observer of course gets himself comfortable in some kind of nook and watches. Very funny!  Ive got more photos to post as soon as I get a chance!

The next challenge is naming these adorable kittens!