In the comments to Friday’s post, Brigitte said:
Today, I have to let Grandpa Atticus leave for his final mission – at 19, and after diabetes, hyperthyroidism and a stroke. I just know being the awesome, chill dude he is, he’ll have baby Kepler on his lap, telling him stories and playing with him. That’s just the way he always was – loving and patient – when his baby brothers and sister came home.
Y’all were so lovely and supportive that she asked me to thank you.
When I mentioned Atticus and his final mission, I never anticipated that so many people would comment their good thoughts and wishes.
He was a good cat, always so welcoming and loving, and although he had a crabby streak, he was always patient; more of a grumpy old man in the end. It was heartwarming to read the comments, heartwarming to know that I wasn’t. He went peacefully, and I know that he’s having a great old time, bossing around his younger brother (Gandalf) and sister (Mae), and being a cool Grandpa to the others on the other side of the bridge.
Thanks again Robyn, and if you can mention a few words of thanks to all of your wonderful readers, I would appreciate it.
Brigitte and Malcolm the Marmie (snoring away next to me!)
Thank you, you guys, not only for being so kind and wonderful to me, but also to each other. I love that we can count on each other for support in difficult times. You are the BEST!
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In case you missed it over the weekend, Gaston and Chip have been adopted. And since their new family is on vacation for a little while, the boys came back here to hang out with us until their family is ready to bring them home next week.
Teresa was kind enough to deliver them (and got to visit with Mercury and the babies.) I had asked Fred if he thought I should put the boys in my room for a day while they re-acclimated, and he said since they’d only been gone a week, they’d be fine having the run of the house. And when I let them out of the carrier, they raced around like they’d never been away. The funny thing is that Gaston was the super vocal one while they were racing around, and then he quieted down after a while. Chip would like y’all to know that he is, indeed, still da BAYbee, and we will be getting video to prove that.
Chip. Oh, that boy. Don’t you just want to kiss him?
Gaston in the sun.
That TAIL.
“I’ll take that toy.”
Tossing the toy and catching it in mid-air.
Chip snoopervises.
They were both a bit confused about not being able to go into the foster room, but after a little sniffing around and a few mournful howls, they both shrugged it off. I’m not sure they’ve stopped racing around since the moment they came out of the carrier yesterday!
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Breaking news: Fred took another peek at the kittens’ back ends over the weekend, and it turns out that the kitten we’d named Aurora is actually a BOY. So we swapped some names around, and please say hello to the kittens again, with their proper names!
Formerly Aurora, now Hubble. (Boy)
Still Phoenix. (Girl)
Still Stardust. (Girl)
Formerly Hubble, now Telstar. (Boy)
Formerly Telstar, now Aurora. (Girl)
Hopefully we won’t have to switch any more names around – but I’m not promising anything!
Sleeping Aurora and the pink spotted belly.
“Hello, lady. You back to terrorize my babies and make them cry?”
“Well, too bad. They’re eating!”
Hubble and Telstar.
Mama makes a comfy bed as well as a nutritious milk bar. She’s multi-functional!
Pile o’ babies.
Wittle pink toeses!
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Dewey, smug. Very, very smug.
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Previously
2016: #Spruce, greeting #UncleStefan. If you’re looking for a kitten who loves other cats, Spruce is your mancat!
2015: “HELLO HI INNERNETS, I HAS A BANDAGE ON MY LEG AND YOU MUST FEEL SORRY FOR ME. I’M DA BAYBEE!”
2014: Orlando and those expressive ears.
2013: The Floofening.
2012: I would give my kingdom for a solid poop from any of those kittens!
2011: Do you remember Starsky and Hutch?
2010: No entry.
2009: So, that’s what’s going on with these kittens and their eyes.
2008: Kara lets her Southern roots shine through.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
I have two questions for the assembled experts. We just got our first foster in a long time, a longhaired girl approximately 7 years old who was wandering the neighborhood full of fleas.
She was shut in her own room and within 24 hours she had Revolution put on her and also a dose of Capstar and she’s stopped that spasmodic biting that fleabitten cats do. My cats are not acting fleabitten – can I tentatively assume the fleas did not get out into the house?
Also, it turns out she poops NEXT to the litterbox. I rolled out a piece of vinyl to minimize the pooping on my hardwood, but this is not a way to get yourself adopted. Any tips on getting her to put the poop where it belongs? She pees in the litter just fine so it’s not entirely that she hates my choice of litter. Thanks!
I would say that it’s (tentatively) safe to assume the fleas didn’t get out into the house, but keep an eye on them! (Also, “spasmodic biting” is the perfect description!)
Aside from recommending adding a second litter box to her room and maybe trying either Cat Attract litter or the Dr. Elsey’s attractant, I can’t think of anything to suggest. I’ll post something in tomorrow’s post directing people here in case they have any additional suggestions!
we suggest vacuuming her room REALLY well and then tossing the vacuum bag or emptying it out as soon as you are done. I’ve been lucky in that using the capstar and then a topical seems to do the job.
as for litter, try adding a second box next to the first one. there is something called Cat Attract you can add to litter as well
We have a 17 year old cat that does the same thing, I just thought it was an attitude, but I would love to hear suggestions, too. At least my litterboxes are on tile, but it still is a frustrating and messy habit. It happens even when the litterboxes are clean (I clean them 2x a day, with 4 cats, 4 litterboxes.
I thought it was just Sophie (18.5). She’s never peed outside the box (over the box, frequently :))She has two litter boxes and she’s taken to pooping between the litter box closest to the wall and the wall. I can’t move the box closer because of the over-shooting issue. I tried Cat Attract, but it made no difference for me. Fortunately I discovered (through Robyn) washable pee pads. Not a perfect solution, especially in terms of adoptability, But I can scoop the poop and switch out the pee pads as needed. It;s much better than when she poops under the bed:). I’ve heard the way to retrain for this is to keep the cat in a bathroom until the cat poops appropriately, but I haven’t had the heart/fortitude to do that. I figure when I’m 100 years old I may need Depends, and I don’t want to be locked in a bathroom. But I tend to over-anthropomorphize.
Oh yes, I can’t believe I forgot the litter box retraining – you put them in the bathroom with nothing but food and water and a litter box. I tried this with a foster kitten several years ago – eating food other than whatever she’d been eating (Science Diet, if I recall correctly) gave her horrific diarrhea, and so she associated the litter box with pain, and would run and poop at the same time. It was horrific. I switched her back to the Science Diet food, put her in the bathroom with the litter box and food and water, and it took her about a day and a half to get the hang of it again. I actually had to do it a second time because once she was back out in the house, she got into the other kind of food, gave her diarrhea, etc.
So it worked the time I tried it, but that was with a kitten; I’ve never tried it with an adult or, actually, another kitten, just the one. So take that with a grain of salt. 🙂
I recommend adding a second box. My kids don’t “think outside the box”, but I often see them pee in one, get out of the box and go into another to poop. Your kitty may want the same option. Also, keep the box well scooped!
If you find the solution that works for her, please let us all know what it is!
I have two female cats, one pees standing up, and has since she was tiny. So I got large storage boxes, problem solved. I have a second storage/litter box and notice that one box mostly has pee, while the other has mostly poop. I’m not sure what I’m going to do when they get too old to get in the taller boxes, maybe cut down one side, a bit.
Actually I have one of these and love it, it’s as good as storage boxes and I like that it doesn’t have a hood. I need to go buy one while they are still in stores… http://www.petsmart.com/cat/litter-and-waste-disposal/litter-boxes/natures-miracleandtrade-high-sided-cat-litter-box-6635.html?cgid=200153
I have these and they are excellent.
welcome back boys – so glad they have been adopted together.
as for kittens, well, we have a girl named Mallard, so there is that 🙂
Haha – and our Skinny Pete turned out to be a girl! Girls with boy names, boys with girl names – somehow I suspect the kittens don’t care as much as we do. 🙂
“Girls will be boys and boys will be girls, it’s a mixed up, muddled up, shook up world…”. So you need to name the next uncertain kitten Lola! 😀
Thanks again, Robyn and wonderful commentators!
So, duh-question, but did you see the little pink legs up in the air in the picture where Mercury asks you if you’re coming to make her babies cry?!
It’s a nice treat to see Gaston and Chip’s sweet little faces again! And a happy day as well, knowing they have their new home to go to after they spend a week at Crooked Acres Kitty Kamp. 🙂
Brigitte – I am so sorry, I didn’t see your Friday comment about your Atticus. Your words really showed how much he was loved and loved back. I’m sure my old curmudgeon Caesar is showing Atticus where they keep the ‘nip at the bridge. Take care.
You know Fred’s not going to call them those names, anyway!
When I was a little kid, I had a boy cat named Timmy. But my cousin John convinced me to change Timmy’s name to Rosemary, after a girl in his class. Timmy learned his new name and seemed to be just fine with it!
OMG -2013’s post The Floofening…sooo funny. Needs to be on the classics page.
2015’s Pattypan and her wee bandage….. still gets me.
Re: litter box … one of my recent fosters kept pooping over the edge. I gave her a high-sided litter box (it’s one of the big, covered ones but I don’t use the cover) and problem solved. Sometimes she poops on the side of the litter box (ewww) but at least it’s inside. I’ve never seen her go but I suspect she stands up kind of high. (Pee was never a problem.)