“I HAZ A COMPLAINT AND MY COMPLAINT IS THAT YOU ARE OVER THERE AND NOT PETTING ME!”
“HUGS!”
“My paw tastes like litter. Why does my paw taste like litter? I don’t like that. Bleh.”
“Look, lady. I was SLEEPING. You go ‘way.”
Ember, Puff, and Scorch all look like they may end up with gold eyes – they’re starting to turn gold in the centers, at least.
They love laying on Fred’s bed when the morning sun is coming through the window.
Ruth, considering jumping up on the bed. But she saw me and paused as if to say “Oh. I didn’t know YOU were up there.”
Puff and Norbert, keeping an eye on me.
Scorch and Ember, doing the same.
The Dragons seem to be doing okay without Khaleesi. Like kittens tend to do, as soon as their mother isn’t around, they turn friendlier toward the humans. I guess they know that if they want some of that yummy canned food, they’d better be charming to the provider! They haven’t come downstairs at all – I assume that spending three days in a row confined to the foster room reset them, so they’ll take a while to start coming down. Every time I checked on them yesterday, they were all five in the foster room, sleeping on the cat tree.
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“I HAZ A COMPLAINT AND MY COMPLAINT IS THAT YOU ARE TAKING MY PICTURE AND NOT FEEDING ME AND I YAM STARVING!”
I just love those bottle babies so much.
“::URRP!:: Oh! ‘Scuse me!”
Look at that BELLY.
I thought this picture was funny – it looks like the mug says “Cats who annoy Me”, but it’s actually my “I (heart) cats it’s humans who annoy me” mug. I fill it with warm water to keep the bottle warm; I thought that was an appropriate use.
Brandon checks out Mr. Bear. For the record, I’m pretty sure that’s the same bear as in this picture with Terry from 2009:
It’s held up pretty well considering it’s gone through the washer and dryer a LOT, hasn’t it?
I put a couple of toys in the tub, and Jon Snow lost no time in examining them with his teeth.
They are just so freakin’ adorable. The little round bellies are killing me.
The older they get, the taller they want to be while they have their bottle. They all started out on their tummies, and now they want to stand on their tippy toes while holding my hand in a death grip.
Arya’s always the first one to eat because if she isn’t, she gets pretty hysterical. So she eats, then she goes off to explore, and then she comes back for some more bottle. Imagine her dismay when she saw that THIS was going on. She was all “HEY! Get away from that, that’s MY bottle!”
Brandon’s the best eater, but he eats slowwwwly. I tend to feed him last, so the other kittens don’t starve while they’re waiting for him to finish his leisurely turn at the bottle.
Yesterday I not only moved the Starks to the cage in the small foster room upstairs, I also tried getting them interested in canned food again. None of the boys were interested in the canned food (which was mixed with baby food and a little formula), but Arya dove into it and ate and ate and ate. Then she came to me for a turn at the bottle, explored the room, walked past three litter boxes, and then peed on the floor. Whatcha gonna do? She’s still a baby, after all.
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On those long, hot summer days, Newt has determined that the best place in the house is in the corner of the kitchen, on the counter by the bowl of egg shells. He’s so quiet that very often I don’t realize he’s there. His other favorite place to sleep – usually at night – is in the sink.
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Previously
2012: “I put on my Stranger Danger floof, and I arched up and I gave the STRANGER a look so he’d know not to mess with me.”
2011: That’s quite the little pile of kittens, no?
2010: No entry.
2009: No entry.
2008: I adore this picture, because it looks like Zoe is airborne, that the purple thing is the rug and she’s in a mid-air Matrix move.
2007: Break my heart, why dontcha?
2006: No entry.
2005: I swear, Oy bounces around so bright-eyed and full of energy that it’s hard to get him to stand still.
All the pictures made me smile today. Thank you.
Awwww…little Terry! It was back with the True Bloods that I started following this blog.
Puff and Ruth….you both just need to come live with me. Just say’n….
Death grip, indeed–we can see all the tiny scratches on the hand holding the bottle! I especially love the photo of Brandon, ears back and focused!
I thought the same thing! Lol
Robyn, have you considered wearing a glove of some type (leather or gardening)?
I’ve tried gloves in the past, but the annoyance of wearing them was worse than the pain caused by little claws. 🙂
With out a mother I trim claws when they enter my house.. with a mom I trim when they start to wean. makes things a lot easier on me, and it helps them get used to nail trims faster..
Puff needs more kisses for that paws in the air picture! He’s just too cute!
And those bottle babies! what adorable little round bellies! Almost looks like you need gloves to protect from all those puncture holes in your hands! Seriously makes you feel for all the momma cats out there..
Hm, so will my little boys begin to purr and cuddle if they are separated from their mom? I hate to try to send Honey off, she’s so comfortable – but the boys are way too busy playing to bother purring for a human… which might affect their ability to charm an adopter…and they are all neutered now and approaching 3 pounds.
It certainly sounds like they’re old enough to be separated from her!
Could you just move Honey to another room to isolate the kittens?
I HAZ A COMPLAINT – I got the Stompers banner today and my head exploded! So very adorable!!!
As are all these pictures today. The Starks’ growth amazes me. Great work with these bottle babies, Robyn!
(And I love that the comments are now automatically at the end of the post! You haz saved my scrolling finger!)
I keep meaning to ask, but keep forgetting – how is Arthur (was that the little black peep’s name?) doing? We haven’t seen the chickens or George & Gracie in a while. I miss your Crooked Acres days.
I miss Arnold, too!!!
I’m planning a Crooked Acres post for next week, hopefully. And you won’t recognize Arnold! 🙂
“And you won’t recognize Arnold!” – Did you roast him, or did you go for deep-fried? (lol sorry)
I saw Khaleesi’s back last night. She twitched her ears back at me, but refused to acknowledge my presence on the other side of the glass. She was curled up on top of her litter box.
She’s too good for the likes of you. 😛
What do you do with those egg shells?
Also, we need a Starks nursing video. I love looking at the ears moving while they nurse. That Brandon pic is adorable. Look at how far back he puts his huge ears!
I’ll see if I can swing a video – it might be beyond my abilities. Hmmm. Maybe I’ll drag Fred into the room during feeding time so he can run the camera!
Yup, Brandon, I just knew it from the start..
Those kittens, they know a suspicious lady when they see one..
love the Newt!! hope he hasn’t had the water turned on when he sleeps in the sink in the dark 🙂
Love arya….walked around, past 3 litter boxes and peed on the floor. Have you ever tried the Cat Attract additive? I have used it with the very tinies before and it does seem to work.
I hadn’t even thought of that, and I do have a container of it. I’m going to add it to the litter boxes tonight!
OMG !!!!!!!!! So much cuteness !!!! You really do make my day Robyn !!
What is it with orange boys ? I’ve had 3 orange boys over the years and they all LOVED to sleep in sinks and tubs. Cats can make anything a comfortable spot to nap !
Love and hugs and snuggles to all the kitties !!!!!!
Got the ‘Maters banner today. The picture of (I think it’s Caspian) looking like a Halloween cat makes me laugh my butt off every. single. time.
I have “The Sons” today and just now noticed it’s the Spice Girls. Had to go back and look at previous fosters. I kept thinking the Sons were collectively known as something male, but couldn’t remember what.
And Caspian’s story “What Happens,” in which he explains his dire need for that Stranger Danger suit, is today’s 2012 link. Definitely one of my all-time-favorite Robyn concoctions. Meanwhile, back in 2013, is Brandon turning longhaired? And here’s hoping those remaining Royals and the MoD (Mother of Dragons) turn some heads at tonight’s adoption fest.
I don’t think he’s turning longhaired, but it’s always possible! I sure do wonder what their mother looked like.
Newt!!!!! I have one who searches for the coolest places too!
Is Jon snow going to be a flame point meezer??? I so love me a flame point meezer.
I think he is!
Awww, what a good mom you have been to the Stark’s! They look wonderfully healthy and delightfully plump!
Robyn, as I enter the world of fostering rescued adult cats, I have a new appreciation for all you do to socialize these little ones into becoming confident, fun-loving adult cats. Thank you (again) for all that you do!
I got such great advice from many of you recently, regarding getting my very nervous foster cat Penny to come out from under the bed as she adjusted to her new home. I’m now dealing with a problem that is really upsetting both her and me. She had dental surgery to take out some very badly rotted teeth (which is what led the high kill shelter to mistake her for a senior cat and put her on death row in the first place). She came through the surgery fine, but the antibiotics caused her to develop a bad case of diarrhea, and even after we changed the meds, her stools were still quite runny.
She’s now on meds to firm them up, but she’s defecating every day on soft surfaces – the sofa twice, the living room rug once, her own cat bed once, and the middle of my bed twice. Each time she does it, I’m out, and I come home to a pile right in the middle of wherever she’s chosen – no corners or tucked-away spots. I don’t get upset with her because I know there has to be a good reason (in her mind) for doing it, but I’m at my wit’s end. I don’t have a washing machine and dryer in my unit, and sometimes can’t do the laundry until the next day. I had to go out yesterday afternoon for several hours, and dreaded what I’d find when I got in. Sure enough, it was the middle of my bed again.
I suspect it may have something to do with the fact that she’s been declawed. I’m thinking of getting her some very soft litter – she does use the litter tray for urinating, and was using it for defecating until the surgery – which may help.
I don’t know how much more of this I can put up with, but I also know that if I take her back to the rescue people, they will not be able to find her a permanent home, as she will be very difficult to adopt. I feel as though I’m letting her down, and would love any advice anyone here can share.
She probably associates the box with discomfort so she is pooping elsewhere. Was she recently declawed so that her feet might be tender? If so, you could try some Yesterday’s News litter. It’s made from recycled newspaper so it’s easier on the feet. Unfortunately it doesn’t hold odor very well, but for a while it will work.
Since she is pooping in different places, I would recommend caging her if you have a big cage, or confining her to a single room (even a bathroom) for a while. She is going to need to be retrained to use her box, so maybe give her a couple of options (covered versus open, different kinds of litter) until you find one that works for her. The reason for the small room or cage is that cats won’t pee/poop where they eat so the small space helps to encourage using the box again.
Thank you, Teughcats, for your wonderful suggestions. I’m feeling much more hopeful, and I spoke to one of the rescue people who is bringing me a big crate tomorrow.
I think Penny was declawed quite a while ago – the vet says it’s not recent. I went and got some Feline Fresh (pine shavings) on the advice of the rescue lady, and have just put a thin layer in the box, so she doesn’t feel wobbly and unstable. I also bought some sheets to lay over my bed and sofa when I’m out, and some shower curtains to put underneath the sheets for protection.
I just think of what she’s been through to bring her to this stage and my heart breaks for her. I want to do right by her and solve this. Your help is so appreciated! xx
I have very recent experience like this with one of my cats. Sammy (who is unfortunately also declawed and is now 12 years old) started first just normal poop here and there in the house. Then it started to quickly escalate. She started to pee and then the poop started turning into pudding consistency and worse. She ruined rugs, almost ruined a couch, peed and pooped (mostly pee) on my bed, in cat beds, the bottoms of cat trees and even did it once while she was sitting on me!
I borrowed a crate and finally broke down and put her in “potty jail”. I kept her in there for 4 weeks and while she was there I started switching her to a different food (Nutro Natural Choice Senior – Fish version). All the cats (I have 5) are now on this same food. The poop has returned to normal (and a heck of a lot less smelly… P U!!!!) and after 4 weeks she was parolled. *Knock on wood* she has not had a single accident in the 2-3 weeks she has been crate free.
I still have the crate up and open with the litter box and food/water inside, but I’m going to take it away this weekend and just leave that box in the same vicinity for a while. While she was in the crate, I did let her out while I was home, but I watched her like a hawk and I learned to make sure I put her in the crate when it had been a while since she’d used the box or to let her out immediately after she had. She slept in the crate at night and was crated when I was out of the house. If she used the box during the night and woke me up, I would scoop and let her stay out until I got up in the morning.
She got so spoiled having her own food and water in there that last night when I removed those 2 bowls she went in and pressed her nose through the bars imploring me to feed and water her because she was just wasting away. LOL
I put her crate next to a window and the person I borrowed it from had built a shelf that was wide enough for her to curl up on or stretch out and she spent the majority of her time up there with a better view out the window.
Thank you, Lisa, this is really helpful. I’ve never used a crate before, and your explanation is giving me hope that it just might work for Penny. I’m so glad it worked out for Sammy – you clearly love her very much. The crazy things we do for them!
Also I’d note that you might want to try canned pumpkin (plain mushed up, no spices) mixed in her food (the fiber can help to solidify runny poop), and/or some probiotics to help settle the digestion. Some antibiotics meds from surgery can mess with their digestive tracts. (had this experience with one of mine recently)
And I found that putting out more litterboxes helped, too, until things were back to normal. I think sometimes they will poop anywhere if they can’t get there in time.
Thank you, alyslinn – the extra litterbox is an excellent suggestion! I did try a probiotic when she had the extreme reaction to the first antibiotic but haven’t continued with it – thank you for reminding me! And I will try the canned pumpkin too. I used to give it to my darling Zoey (RIP) when she was eating poorly due to her CRF.
I would have said exactly what Teughcats and Lisa did – I hope the litter box retraining goes well, Catherine!
Thank you, Robyn. I KNEW I would get great advice if I posted little Penny’s problem here! xx
My dad passed away suddenly Tuesday evening. He had a heart attack while out picking corn. My dad loved kids, and animals, and people, and everything. I always appreciate L&H, but I just wanted to let you know how valuable it is for me to take a break and see something sweet and cute.
I’m so sorry for your loss. {{hugs}}
I am sorry about your father Noelegy. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
I’m so sorry Noelegy. Sending you hugs and healing thoughts. xxx
I’m so glad the site is helping in a small way, Noelegy. ::hugs::
I am so sorry
Very sad for you, Noelegy. Telling you that your father was clearly a special man won’t be of consolation now, but perhaps someday soon. Best wishes to you.
I’m so sorry Noelegy… **gives you a sympathy kitten to hold and a hug**
Oh my….I am soooo sorry. Huge hugs coming your way!
Hi Robyn – I wanted to be sure you knew about this.
Would you mind going over to Catonsville Cats and reading the review I posted today of the new kitten care ebook by the dailykitten people? I was horrified when I read the contents of the Amazon preview, and I wrote a review there and also put it on my blog. The rescue community needs to be sure to put the word out about this book. It’s shocking. Did you know kittens from breeders are more likely to be healthy and friendly? Sigh. I hope to see more people expressing unhappiness about this book. Thanks…
You have got to be kidding me. I use Amazon all the time. Will go look at your blog and then go look at the book on Amazon.
There needs to be a campaign against this title. I’ll be visiting that page tomorrow and pointing out the book’s vicious falsehoods. Many thanks for the alert, Catonsville Cats.
That is just unbelievable, isn’t it? Wow!
The book is no longer available on Amazon and The Daily Kitten took down their link for it! 🙂
Curious..
Just wanted to say that plump, happy, healthy kitten bellehs = killing me dead with the cute!
I’m so sorry about your Dad, Noelogy. Sending good thoughts and prayers your way.
Thanks for posting about Suzin’s kitten’s, Robyn – I really appreciate it. She’s got a few people coming this weekend to see if any of the kittens capture their hearts. (One of the people said that he’ll need to spend a few hours there and see which, if any, of the kittens chooses him, instead of him choosing a kitten. Sounds like a good potential owner to me!)
Your Starks are adorable – I think Hodor’s my favorite. (c:
I popped over to the Amazon page for the Daily Kitten book, too, and I have to say – if the lady’s bio blurb is any indication of her writing abilities, that makes the whole thing just that much more unbearable. I usually frown on the idea of reviewing books without having read them, but in this case, the content of the sample is enough cause for outrage without having to read any further. What a shame that someone with such a strong platform is using it in such a negative and misleading way.