About this time last year, we had a litter of bottle babies known as the Squash Bugs. One of them was Calabash, who looked like this:
And this:
When she was skeptical, she looked like this:
You might remember that she had an upside-down heart on her little bitty kitten butt.
When I was on vacation (and yes, I’ve been back almost two weeks now, and I am STILL scattered and disorganized!), I got an email from Cierra, who said:
Long time since I’ve emailed you. But I thought I’d give you an update on one of your squash babies! Calliope (as u know her Calabash) and I have had some adventures. Yesterday was her birthday and we cooked a little bit of salmon and gave it to her. She’s such a demanding diva.
She still has her green teddy, and she viciously attacks the dogs if one of them tries to play with it.
She has an obsession with the outdoors…we have to move her out of the way whenever one of the dogs go out. Because she thinks she should go out with them.
One night when my nephew stayed over he didn’t realize she goes out behind the dogs. So that night we looked all over the house for her and couldn’t find her. We made jokes about her being outside,but everyone agreed she’s probably hiding like she does often. So I went to sleep but ended up having a bad dream about something happening to her. I opened the back door and she was there on the porch stretching and super dirty. I didn’t let my nephew open the back door any more lol.
She hates to see me read so she jumps in my lap only then, and loves to sleep at the end of the bed. And is addicted to cat nip to a dangerous degree…she needs an intervention.
But she really is a lovable kitty for the most part, and I love her rambunctious spirit. I’ve attached some photos so you can see how big she’s gotten!
Thank you so much for the update and pictures, Cierra! You know we love seeing that sweet girl!
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Teresa took this great picture a couple of weeks ago, and I got permission to share it. That’s Winnie – who I have mentioned many, many times – holding Willow, mother to Spruce, Juniper and Cypress. It’s nice to put a face to the name, isn’t it?
Willow, by the way, is still at Petsmart, available for adoption. By all reports, she’s a goofy, kittenish girl, and she’s currently having a great time playing with Glenn and Daniel, two little brown tabby kittens who have been there for almost a week.
Adoptions are super slow right now, I hope they start picking up!
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For the next couple of weeks, RileysStar Jewelry is giving Challenger’s House 20% of their sales – go check out their shop (they’ve got some really cute stuff!) and when you place an order, be sure to note “Challenger’s House” in the “note to seller” section. Go check it out!
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Spruce has his eye on the feather teaser – and Cypress has his eye on the person running the feather teaser!
Hemlock went over to rub up against Privet, who had eyes only for the feather teaser.
Those little faces just kill me dead. DEAD, I SAY.
Juniper sniffing Hemlock’s ear while keeping her eye on the feather teaser cracks me up.
“Watchin’ you, lady.” (Juniper)
From this angle, Spruce’s white locket looks nothing like a heart.
Oh, that innocent little face with the wide eyes. “Who, me? Nothin’. Why you ask, lady?”
“I sees you, lady,” says Cypress while Juniper watches him from the little cat tree.
Over the weekend, I opened the closet door to see if the kittens would spend all their time hiding in there. They didn’t, and in fact they thought that having that extra space was AWESOME, and they spent all day and night racing-racing-racing in and out of the closet, running through the litter boxes and scattering litter everywhere. Yesterday morning, Fred and I put them all in the bathroom and I scrubbed the room and moved the litter boxes into the closet.
Sometimes I swear it sounds like there’s a herd of elephants up there. It’s amazing how loud they can be when they get going!
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Alice Mo, the calico
Says “you don’t need those stinkin’ kittens, yo.”
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Previously
2015: No entry.
2014: All these boys have such pretty eyes.
2013: βI love the smell of sisal in the morning.β
2012: He wants to be HELD, he wants to be PETTED, he wants to make biscuits in the AIR, and he wants it NOW.
2011: She’s a lovah, not a biter.
2010: No entry.
2009: No entry.
2008: I love this goofy little cat.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: Luckily his Zapping Collar oβ Doom is water resistant.
I always love updates. Calabash sure grew up to be a pretty girl! π
Robyn, have you ever had a kitten that has a red eye (the skin around) like conjunctivitis? However, even after 3 courses of antibiotics and Terramycin applied to eye religiously….still has it? Do they grow out of this? I am at my wits end.
Is it just red, or is it also leaky? Kittens with white fur around their eyes always seem like their eyes are pink, at least to me. If there’s leakage, it could possibly be a herpes issue. In any case, I’d recommend a trip to the vet (although I suspect you’ve tried that!)
Not leaking. The vet said conjunctivitis. But it doesn’t seem to be going away. π It also seems to get worse when I put the Terramycin in it.
Your vet might have to change to a different antibiotic. Terramycin doesn’t always take care of it. Erythromycin is what our vet sometimes uses.
I have pretty good luck with colloidal silver and conjunctivitis.. I’ve also used a tea of goldenseal which helps tighten up the membranes.. *headdesk* I so should make some for Twee who’s been having eye issues.. why didn’t I think of this sooner??
Jotting this down…. Thanks!
Awww Calliope/Calabash is so pretty! And she still has her butt heart!
Butt heart! π
Sounds like Calliope has it good. Love seeing full grown fosters,all grown up and happy!
Does willow have a white locket too?
She does – and it looks like a heart from certain angles, just like Spruce’s! No question who that boy’s mama is. π
In that picture of Calliope/Calabash and the dog, it looks like the dog totally knows his place! LOL Love the updates.
awww – love those updates!
am I the only on that thinks it looks like Hemlock has a monocle on his one eye with that darker eyeliner and then the stripe heading off on to his face?? π
You are definitely not the only one!
Clearly I need to dig out the little top hat for him. π
I keep thinking he looks very “Clockwork Orange” with his one eye of eyeliner.
I can see the monocle. Wow, when she is next to the others you can really see the floof on Hemlock. Wowza, she is going to be quite the big puff ball when she grows up. And so very pretty.
Love the updates on Calliope. Such a happy girl and in such a good situation. Yeah Cierra. Is that the Winnie who got the kitten out from under the car? Our heroine!!!
That IS that Winnie! I joke that I imagine Winnie walking down the street and kittens just flying out of nowhere and sticking to her! π
Like she is wearing a Velcro kitten capturing suit!
Now that’s a superpower I want!! π
Um, the floof is on Privet. Oops.
My Hemlock, what big eyes you have!!
and I so love updates!! they make me all warm and fuzzy inside