In case you hadn’t guessed, I have recently been SUPER anxious about my ability to get Kristi and Katia into carriers so I could take them for their spay surgeries. I slept poorly Sunday night, and in fact woke up around 4:30 so I could lay there and fret about it. (Which was superseded shortly after by the fact that my site was down for reasons Fred couldn’t figure out, and Dreamhost support runs on Pacific Time, which meant that we couldn’t contact them for another couple of hours. That problem resolved itself, thankfully, and hopefully we won’t have any more issues.) I get a little stressed even when I have to take a litter of easy-to-handle kittens for their surgery, not because I expect issues but because I hate when they get scared, and just having to put them through it (while also glad that it’s getting done!)
Finally, when it was nearly time to leave, I walked into the foster room. I was very happy to see that Katia was already in the carrier she’d been hanging out in (I was SO sure that when the time came, she’d be nowhere near the carrier), and all I had to do was cut the zip tie holding the door to the carrier shut, and then shut the door. It took her a minute to figure out she couldn’t get out, and then she freaked out. I put a towel over the top of her carrier, and she settled down. I took her carrier down to the car (checking the latches on the top and front of the carrier about 30 times to make sure they were latched properly), and then Fred went into the room with me to see about Kristi.
Kristi was a little spooked so she ran to her safe space, the spot in front of the window. I put the carrier down next to that cabinet and backed off. Fred petted her for a minute, then scruffed her and set her in the carrier. She let out a few loud meows of protest, but also settled down once I had her carrier covered with a towel.
(I had such a rush of adrenaline/dread before walking into the room to get Katia that I had jelly legs afterward and had to sit down for a moment. I mean, how silly is that?)
Torvill and Oksana were easy – set down the carrier, wait ’til they come over to see what’s going on, pop them into the carrier – and we were on our way soon enough.
I got to see Dean and Katarina, who were a little freaked out, but SO NOSY about what was going on. (Katarina weighed just 2.4 pounds, while Dean tipped the scales at 3.7!)
Oksana and Torvill went next, followed by Katia, and then Kristi went last. I don’t think this shows in her pictures, but even after having her kittens, Kristi’s belly stayed pretty round. When the vet first saw her, she thought she was pregnant. After surgery, she reported that Kristi’s uterus was pretty large. I imagine that those years of having kittens took a toll, and I’m glad her kitten-bearing years are over. (As an aside: the vet said that in her opinion Kristi isn’t 7 or 8, she’s more like 5 years old, and Katia is probably about 2.)
We got home mid-afternoon, and Kristi and Katia spent the rest of the afternoon curled up together, casting terrified looks at me when I walked into the room (SIGH), and ignoring the kittens. Oksana was pretty quiet, but Torvill took a short nap and then played with the other kittens. I suspect by the end of today neither kitten will even remember that something happened to them.
The six little kittens poofed up a little when they first sniffed Kristi and Katia, but they got over it quickly.
So all in all, it went as well as I hoped it would. I don’t know that we’ll ever convince Katia to hang out in that carrier again, but at least she’s spayed, tested, and vaccinated, and I won’t have to worry about her going into heat!
Kristi, before surgery. (I don’t have any post-surgery pictures of any of them yet – I was trying to give them a little space to recover.)
Katia, before surgery.
Judging by that look on Picabo’s face, Brian Boitano’s talkin’ ’bout those toes again.
Scott and Ohno are all “Oh, good. Another toe dissertation.”
“Pardon me ma’am, have you heard about the toes?”
Sleepy kitten pie. (Picabo and Scott)
Oh, that girl. She has the MOST serious little face, but she’s SUCH a lovebug.
“Forget about the toes,” says Debi. “Have you seen my fabulous STRIPES?”
Torvill joins his little AuntieSisterCousinFriend.
Debi’s learned how fun it is to knock that tree over.
Ohno yelling at Picabo not to bite her tail, and Tessa’s all “HERE I COME!”
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“Lady, put that camera away. You’re distracting me from keeping an eye on these ornj idiots.”
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Previously
2017: “Hey, you guys, wake up and play!”
2016: “Mama, Mama, Mama! Gimme a piggyback ride!”
2015: Da baby.
2014: Livia’s just tired of me and that stupid camera.
2013: Talk about covered in kittens!
2012: They decided I might be okay.
2011: No entry.
2010: No entry.
2009: Scheming.
2008: BRATS.
2007: I think the shirt is broken, though. No one ever offers me chocolate!
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.