The baby robins have moved on, it appears. Or they’re learning to fly – I went out to check the mail yesterday morning, and stopped by the tree to look in the nest. I saw no babies in the nest, but two robins were squawking and diving at me, so they may have been in the tree somewhere.
I did make Fred stop feeding the babies so we wouldn’t interfere with the natural course of things, but he insisted on going out to the front yard and tossing worms for the parents to snatch up and carry to their babies.
Those worms, let me add, were not worms he was able to dig up, because it’s been so dry here (well, at least until the last couple of days). They were worms that he bought at a convenience store (some convenience stores around here sell bait)(you know you’re jealous), which cost him $10.
Do you think I’ll be bringing up that $10 (FOR WORMS) every single time he tries to give me a hard time about money I’m spending on toys for the cats? Oh, yes indeedy I will. I look forward to it!
Tuesday afternoon, I had to take Declan to the vet. I noticed that he wasn’t playing with the other kittens, all he wanted to do was lay in the cat bed near the back door and watch the kittens run by. He also seemed to be favoring one paw, and felt warm to me. He howled and howled on the drive to the vet, only quieting down when he realized he could crawl under the blanket in the carrier. Once he did that, I didn’t hear another peep from him.
The vet looked him over thoroughly – he did have a temperature – and couldn’t find anything obviously wrong with him. She prescribed antibiotics in case he had an abscess forming. By the evening, he was hanging out on the couch next to Fred, chasing his tail.
Tuesday evening, I made dinner. The veggies have started coming in from the garden, most especially zucchini. I decided to make baked zucchini fritters (I use plain panko bread crumbs, though, because I’m not crazy about the Italian herbs. Don’t look at me like that, I just don’t like them! I think it’s the basil. Did I mention don’t look at me like that?). Sooooo we were eating dinner, and Fred went into the kitchen to get something, and he called “She ate one of the fritters!”
“She” would be Maggie, who is pretty much a stomach on legs. I can’t blame her, she is letting nine kittens nurse, for the love of god, but it’s kind of annoying that if I even think about walking near the kitchen, she appears and gives me the bright-eyed hopeful look. She’s constantly starving, but also PICKY and what she loves one day, she won’t look at the next. Frustrating!
We’d stupidly left the leftover fritters on the counter while we were eating dinner, and Maggie saw her shot and took it. The problem is that there was not only onion but also garlic in those fritters, both of which are toxic to cats.
(Human foods to avoid feeding cats.)
Now, there wasn’t much onion in the fritter she’d eaten – the recipe calls for 1/4 of an onion, which was spread over 8 fritters – but I didn’t want to take any chances. I called the vet and talked to her, and she suggested that since it had just happened, we should try to make Maggie vomit. If we weren’t able to, we could check her red blood cells every couple of days to make sure there was no damage.
We grabbed Maggie and took her into the bathroom, then gave her 3 cc of hydrogen peroxide. She was surprisingly good about letting Fred shoot it down her throat, and then she paced around the bathroom, licking her lips and swallowing. After 10 minutes, we gave her another 3 cc, and then both left the bathroom to get some evening chores done. Five minutes later, Fred went to check on her.
“You have GOT to see this!” he yelled, and I went to see.
I’m pretty sure she vomited up everything she’d eaten over the past week. It was awe-inspiring, to say the least. And there, in the middle, was every bit of the fritter she’d eaten. She recovered pretty quickly, and by bedtime was back to her usual “You have food for me?” self.
For dinner last night, I made more fritters (we are seriously getting quite a bit of zucchini from the garden right now and we both like these fritters). This time, I made two without onion and garlic, and let her have one of them. It’s not anything we’ll make a habit of, but after making her vomit the night before, we figured she deserved a treat.
It’s always something around here, y’know?
“Here, here, pass it here! PASS IT HERE!”
“PASS IT TO ME, YOU STUPID CENTER!”
So close, and yet so far.
Doesn’t seem to bother her that she keeps missing, does it?
Clove loves to stand there and watch Maggie lovingly as she eats.
Clove.
Coriander.
Cilantro (couldn’t get her to look at the camera!)
“Why yes, I AM sitting in the basket watching my brothers drink. What of it?” (Declan in the basket, Macushla front left, Finnegan front right)
Have I mentioned that they love this cat tree beyond all reason?
Ciara, up close.
Macushla, up close.
Fergus Simon and Finnegan. I love how FS has his big ol’ rabbit feet pressed against Finnegan.
It’s time for your weekly reminder: Corbie is gorgeous. That is all.
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Previously
2010: Fostering by the numbers.
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: What a difference five weeks makes.
Did you notice that in the cat tree pic, one little monkey is in mid-air?!?!? LOL
Yes, Corbie….you ARE gorgeous!!!
Yes, isn’t that hilarious? That’s Fergus Simon, and it describes his personality PERFECTLY. 🙂
WOW! Never a dull moment at your place!! Awwww!! Lovely mama Maggie!!! Glad she threw up the onions! She’s so lovely looking after all the babies! Yay!!!
Great to hear that Declan is ok now and staying in the basket watching his brothers! 🙂
Corbie – you are beyond handsome!
Yay that the baby birds have fledged – thank you for looking out for them!! Enjoy your home grown vegetables!! Take care
x
I have one thing to say.
PICS OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN!!! 🙂
I wish to be on record that I wish NEVER to see cat vomit pics ‘cuz I get enough of the real thing here!
Thank you.
I have to admit, the one thing that came to mind when I saw the post about the thirty five kittens was the year the Kirby cats came to live in my garage. I already had 13 babies on bottles, then the pregnant colony mom’s started popping kittens. Every morning I went out in the garage there were more. I ended up with 25 kittens that year and if some had not been lost through various circumstances with unhealthy mom’s and such it could have easily been 35 so I’m thinking “what’s the big deal”!! LOL! It happens, you deal with it! I am, however very glad that it’s over. I so enjoy all your kitten pictures, gives me my spring kitten fix!
25 kittens sounds like it would be a total circus – but also kind of fun, once they’re old enough to eat on their own! 🙂
I am seriously in love with Clove. Her tiny little tabby body and giant ears remind me so much of my Gravy when she was a little thing. Gravy (still small four years later at 8 pounds) now looks a lot like Corbie, but with a long white bib on her chest — good lookin’ when little, good lookin’ when grown up!
I do not blame you for being in love with Clove, she is beeeeeautiful. Of course, all the Spice Girls are (but I find that in the past few years, I’m having a new appreciation – possibly even a preference – for brown tabbies!)
I have one cat who likes some yogurt every now and then. He doesn’t like it when I add honey to the yogurt though. (I’m lactose intolerant but I can eat Greek style yogurt with no issues and I share my bowl when I’m finished.)
My mother happened to come visit when our very first bottle baby was old enough to eat on her own. My mother would eat a cup of yogurt in the evening while we were watching TV, and Maddy would get to lick the container when she was done. To this day (my friend Nance adopted her), she has a love for yogurt.
I bought I t-shirt from icanhascheezburger.com a couple months ago, and every time I wear it, it makes me think of poor little Maggie (and I laugh at the same time!). I’ve been meaning to post a picture of it for you for ages!
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UGGSU44pxts/TgNQB8jC73I/AAAAAAAAB5Y/cADVuYKYL8g/s1600/Kitty+007.jpg
Oh my god, that is ADORABLE!!! (And hilarious!!!)
Clove has quite a forehead on her, doesn’t she? How cute!
Glad to hear Maggie was a good girl and vomited after she was a bad girl and at the fritter. How sweet of you to make her her very own! (I would have done the same thing, for the record.)
Cats also like sweet potato fries that are left out by accident…just saying…
Seriously..$10 for worms! Ha Ha Oh yeah, I’ll bet you get lots of mileage out of that one! But..I think it would be something I would probably do to. What a sweetie Fred is!
Poor Maggie and the fritter! 🙁 Thank goodness you realized it was “she” that ate it. I wouldn’t want to be around your house if all the cats had to vomit! Gaaaa!!!
I’m glad Declan is feeling better and hopefully continues to improve. They are all such beautiful kitties (except Corbie..who’s GEORGEOUS!!!!).
Fergus Simon looks like he got caught in the middle of kicking Finnegan out of bed!
Robyn, everyday I read your blog and look at all the pictures of georgeous, cute, funny and amazing kitties that you have raised or are raising. Thank you (and Fred too!) for all you do for all the creatures in your care (fosters and permanents)! Your captions just bring these guys to life and make their personalities come through so clear for us! Not to mention getting a good laugh everyday, because it is good for the soul!
And, If we ever decide to raise our 2 cat limit in our house I will be driving from Canada to adopt one of your babies for sure!
“Ten dollars for worms”–ick! Ha ha.
Thanks for coming to visit Fennec. I do indeed think he’ll grow up to look just like Coltrane.
Glad all your kitties are all right since the onion incident.
“Stomach on legs” YESSSS that’s the term I’ve been looking for to describe my Maine Coon kitteh. She is a year old and only 6 lbs. Was a stray brought in off the street. Loves tomatoes, lemons, pickles (no onion/garlic), bread, beer, strawberries, avocado, you NAME it, she eats it.
Thanks for a laugh!
Ever your posts make me feel good. Love your photos and sensible words.
Kisses
Good work on mkaing Maggie yak but, for the record, I don’t really think 1/4 of an onion between 8 patties was going to hurt her. And you can put garlic in their food to help combat fleas, at least that’s what I know. I use something called ‘Fleaz’ and it has apple cider vinegar and garlic and herbs and…um…something else and it completely works. anywayz…
Clove is gorgeous. How cute is she pushing up against her adopted momma like that? Aww!
Corbie continues to be a poster boy – are his hips/pelvis any wider/stronger now, Robyn? is this the guy you feed so he has to eat upright?