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How is Crumpet doing ? I haven’t seen anything was wondering.
She’s fine. Still at Petsmart and hasn’t had any inquiries.
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I believe I have shared this before, but here’s what’s going on with colorpoint kitties:
The colorpoint mutation is a defect in the enzyme tyrosine kinase, which is part of the melanin production pathway (the process by which fur color is produced). It makes it so that the pathway is broken at normal body temperature, which means that colorpoints are born white. It works just fine at lower temperatures, though, so you start seeing color come in at the extremities first – the coldest parts of the body. The genetics that determines what color they would have been without the defect is the color that shows up in the points.
My little mutants! (And thanks for that, Girlwanderer, I think that is so interesting!)
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Where did you get the wooden track ball and the window bed that Meander likes so much?
The window bed came from Amazon, here. And the wooden track ball toy came from a friend, but it’s also on Amazon, right here.
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Have been following you for a very long time and I just LOVE sweet old man Newt (Newtles)! Robyn, would it be possible for you to show a photo of him at least once a week?? His face reminds of an old warrior lion enjoying his “retirement.” I, too, have an 18 year old kitty and I know how quickly things can change at this age, so I would like the pleasure of seeing this old gentleman as much as possible. Thank you.
Well, that won’t be hard to promise – I post his picture every Monday (each permanent resident has a day of the week – Newt is Monday, Alice Tuesday, Khal Wednesday, and Charlie Thursday. Friday is Rocco or Trixie (if i have picture of them) or whatever I happen to have on hand.) 🙂
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Have you found that taking the kittens for car rides in the carriers before having to go to the vet helps them be more tolerant of car rides? I didn’t do that with my 19 YO cat and he cries the whole way to and back home from the vet every time! I tell myself, next cat will go on frequent car rides!!
I do think it helps – I haven’t done it with every litter (even though I mean to), but the ones that I’ve done it with seem to be more accepting of being in the carriers – and maybe less scared of them. I feel like doing something positive before putting them in the carriers (with the Friskies treats) and then something they LOVE afterward (the Churu) really helps. I don’t know that they’ll ever, y’know, hop into the carriers and demand to go for a ride, but as long as they’re not utterly terrified I’ll be happy.
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Pita’s all “Hey lady, I’m ready to do some leaping!”
Then it was Babka’s turn while Crouton sat there all “?”
Crouton’s all “Don’t feel like jumpin’ today, lady, but thank you for the offer.”
Then Pumpernickel just smiles at me, all “No, I’m good. Thanks!”
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I swear Meander looks like she’s rolling her eyes. “This AGAIN?”
Skip approaches the milk bar from a different direction.
Mosey’s all “‘Scuse me, pardon me, coming through!”
Meander’s keeping an eye on me.
Skitter’s complainy little face is just killing me.
I keep forgetting to link to the chart for the Hopalong Gang’s weight chart. It’s right here, and at this point you can see that we’ve got three weight classes: Small (Dillydally & Mosey), Medium (Bolt & Lollygag), and Large (Skitter & Skip.) It won’t necessarily remain that way, but it’ll be interesting to watch!
Also on that spreadsheet, if you look for the tab that says “Comparative Weights”, you can see that at birth the Hopalong Gang was slightly bigger than the Crumbs. At 1 week, they were smaller than the 1 week old Crumbs. And at 2 weeks, they’re bigger again. I’m honestly amazed at how big they are – Meander was underweight to start with and it took a bit for her appetite to kick in. It finally did kick in and she’s got a voracious appetite, so those kittens are just going to keep on getting bigger.
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Posted on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr) yesterday.
Good morning, and please admire Pumpernickel’s perfect (mostly) pink beans.
“You know, it’s true. You really CAN hear the ocean if you listen hard enough.) (Meander & the delightful belly, toes and tail of Mosey.)
YouTube link
The Hopalong Gang is two weeks old (as of yesterday), and though they are rapidly getting bigger, they still manage to all fit at the milk bar at the same time. I don’t expect that to be true for too much longer (at which point they’ll time-share the milk bar; I weigh them daily for about the first month, so if any issues arise I can help supplement with a bottle).
“Laundry’s done, man.” (Babka)
YouTube link
Pumpernickel’s here to let you know that he’s Da BAYbee. He’s so emphatic about it that he even makes some sound rather than giving us the wee baby soundless meow!
A tail of 4 tails. From left we’ve got Dillydally (orange tabby), Bolt (blue collar), Skitter (you can’t see his collar because he’s buried under Bolt), Skip (green collar) and Lollygag (red collar.) If you look at their tails, you can see that their colors are starting to show – Bolt and Lollygag have dark tails. And Skitter and Skip appear to have cream/red tails, though it’s very subtle. This is at 2 weeks – I wonder what they’ll look like at 4?
Good night innernets. (Crouton)
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Previously
2023: “Ya got me, lady. I give up. Take me to jail, I’m a bad boy.”
2022: Hollyhock and Bramble give me the suspicious eyes.
2021: Uno’s all “Wait, wait, wait! Wait for me, Mama!”
2020: Carmelita gets sassy with Mama.
2019: Then Willie gets the chomperoo from both sides.
2018: Snuggling with Deanzilla.
2017: The Cajuns, one month old.
2016: “This rug is very soft!” said Princess Consuela disapprovingly.
2015: Sleepy Sunday.
2014: Dennis needs a home!! (I love the pictures in this post.)
2013: Khaleesi’s birth story.
2012: No entry.
2011: “It was skeery.”
2010: “What? I’m just rolling around, here. I’m not gonna steal your box!”
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: My feng is not shui’d, and it’s annoying me.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Years ago, before a move from NC to MA, I asked the vet how I could help my cats get through the long car trip. She asked, “Have they ever been in a car and not ended up here?” Ah, no. So I took them for a ride, just drove around for an hour, and they were SO confused when we got home! They ran from room to room, sniffing, trying to figure out why we left home and came home. It was hilarious!
Is it just me, or has anyone else been looking at mama Meander and thinking that she’s channeling our dear, departed Archie? I know the genders are swapped and the coloring is different and all, but her face shape and seemingly permanent expression of displeasure really remind me of him at times. (Though I guess the true proof would lie in how she reacts to dishtowels! LOL)