That picture of Rufous reminds me so much of little Stompers (who continues to be tiny, but mighty in my mind).
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Rufous is adorable. Looks like he might be a contender for “Stompers II.” Hang in there, the kittehs are so luck to have you and Fred.
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I definitely caught that Stompers resemblance! Stompers sends his love and wants to tell Rufous to hang in there!!
The Stompers in question, for those who weren’t following back then:
Stompers – back in 2012 (!) was brought to us by a neighbor whose teenage daughter had rescued him from a dog. Our neighbors knew that we fostered, so we took him and added him to the litter we were fostering at the time, the Taters litter (they were all named after varieties of potatoes.) His official name was Cicero, but one day Fred said “He just stomps across the floor!” and he became (and still is) Stompers.
We’ve been calling Rufous “Stompers II” since about two days after I brought him home, so yeah – I’d say there’s a resemblance there! Not only does he look like Stompers, he has that same super-sweet chill attitude. Also, he stomps across the floor pretty well!
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Are Wren’s shockingly long toes unusual? Or did you just catch her at a weird angle?
I think it’s normal for that age – I remember thinking that Jay and Myrtle had weirdly long toes just a few weeks ago. I think that as her paws get bigger, her toes will look more in proportion.
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It appears Wren has little rounded ears, she looks like a little cheetah bear! Do you think they will stay that way?
I would love it if they stayed that way, but I expect they’ll get bigger and pointier in the next few weeks.
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I’d like to know where you get all the products in the foster room.
I’m going to need you to be more specific: which products in particular? I get stuff from all over the place: Target, Amazon, TJ Maxx, Home Goods – and other random places along the way. If you let me know what products you’d like to know about, I can probably track down where I got them from.
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Zelda and Jay wonder what I want.
Myrtle, still trying to figure me out.
Jay in the Toastycat bed, keeping an eye on the feather teaser.
Myrtle and Jay are annoyed that I’ve interrupted their cuddle.
Zelda and Jay have figured out how to get up on the window seat. (I keep hoping someone will fall asleep in the crown bed, but it hasn’t happened yet. They seem to view it as a toy; I often find it on the floor, upside-down.)
Zelda really likes that track toy (all the kittens do.)
Nick’s all “You talkin’ to me?”
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Wren checks out the refrigerator (that tail just kills me.)
Rufous and Wren are little posers.
Rufous loves to roll around in my lap and have his belly rubbed. Then he falls asleep.
Starling (left) and Plover, with their bellies full, are out cold.
The GOOD news is that last evening, Rufous started taking the bottle! He only drank a little (probably because I had tube fed him before I offered him the bottle), but he latched on and swigged for a decent amount of time. I’ll continue to tube feed him about half of what he should be eating (and then will offer him the bottle) for another day, just to be sure he’s serious about it, but I am optimistic. He also sounds much less congested to me (and didn’t sneeze at all yesterday), so hopefully whatever he had is on its way out. Yay, Rufous! (I canceled his vet appointment and will give him the weekend to see how he does. I’d rather not have to cart him to the vet if I don’t need to.)
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There are bugs in Khal’s water, and he’s not pleased.
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Posted on social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Tumblr) yesterday.
It’s Thlurrrpsday and as such, please admire Jay’s form.
Wren’s young, but she’s got excellent Thlurrrpsday form.
YouTube link
A video proving that Rufous did, at one point, drink from the bottle. And then some footage of him stomping his little way across my (dirty, dusty) kitchen floor (I will accept no comments telling me I need to clean the floor. I KNOW. Feeding kittens is my priority. My filthy kitchen floor is not.) Also, some bonus Wren at the end.
Line ’em up! (And yes, there was a feather teaser waving wildly over my head so they’d look at me.) From left: Myrtle, Jay, Zelda and Nick.
YouTube link
Another video that goes on longer than it really needs to, but these goofy kittens were cracking me UP. Apparently my hand needed some good hard smacks (note: none of the kittens had their claws out, so it was like being slapped really hard with a soft cotton ball.)
I am still having to tube feed Rufous, and before I insert the tube I have to wrap him up so that his little flailing paws don’t get in the way. He hates being wrapped up and hates being tubed, but won’t drink from the bottle, so YOU HAVE ONLY YOURSELF TO BLAME, RUFOUS.
YouTube link
Myrtle and Nick have a wrassle.
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Previously
2022: We’ve replaced our regularly scheduled Mimosa with this sack of potatoes. Let’s see if anyone notices!
2021: It’s a 4-kitten pie, featuring Pinochle, Whist, Rummy and Uno.
2020: No entry.
2019: “Don’t look, Ethel!”
2018: No entry.
2017: (Picture taken by Fred before The Great Betrayal)
2016: Regina Phalange gets a moment to herself.
2015: Rickles is all “RAWRR! STOP BITING MY HEAD, LOUIS.”
2014: He had his last vaccination and has been loved and snuggled to top off his love tank, so off he goes!
2013: “‘Get ready, Mama!’ they said. ‘We’re going to SPOIL YOU for Mother’s Day!’ they said. Now I’m all spiffed up and THEY’re over there napping. SIGH. This mothering thing is SO FRUSTRATING.”
2012: No entry.
2011: “HI MAMA! HI!”
2010: It’s a Jakeapalooza!
2009: How… how did this happen?
2008: CLEARLY A GENIUS.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Stompers was eleven years ago?????? Lord.
Wren’s tail! Omg. So precise. Lol. And I am so glad to hear Rufous is starting to take the bottle, yay for feedings getting a heck of a lot easier for the both of you if that keeps up!
I can’t believe Stompers was eleven years ago! I thought maybe five. Time passes so quickly. I agree, Rufous would make a great Stompers II, he has the “look.”
How can Stompers be 11 years ago???? (I see all of us feel the same way!)
I didn’t realize Rufous was congested — I’m sure that makes taking a bottle more difficult. So yay that his congestion is better and that he’s taking a bottle!
Happy to hear Rufous is starting to latch on again! And Wren’s stick-straight, perfect 45 degree angle tail is pretty fucking funny, not gonna lie.
I’ve always referred to those stick-straight kitten tails (usually sticking straight up) as their little “exclamation points” 🙂
I always hear an electric “Bzzzt!” when I see them!