Happy New Year 2014

Colleen's doing better.  For that, I'm grateful.

• There's less hissing (not much, but less).
• There's been no striking or spitting for a few days now (yay!)
• Her skin is SO much better, now that I can touch, pet, & scratch her multiple times a day.
• Her eyes are less dilated (less scared).
• Still some drooling in response to the meds, but that's OK.  Lorenza bears the brunt of that!
• I've taken away the hiding tent, with no apparent ill effects.
• Lorenza has started purring again every time I reach in to pet them.  Hopefully, that will rub off on Colleen soon.

The future's looking brighter for my girl.  For that, I'm grateful.



Lorenza (rear) and Colleen (front)
The flash still makes her blink ;)

We wish you a Merry Christmas ...

So, Colleen is starting to calm down a little bit.  Not that you'd notice if you didn't interact with her everyday.  The first week or so on fluoxetine was a little rocky.  She got more aggressive in the beginning.  Now, she's down to hissing with occasional spitting (sounds like a weather forecast).

In case you are interested in what I face each time I enter their den, here's a little video.  Sorry it's so dark, but they are black kitties in a dark shower stall.

Fun, huh?

 

One Week - Time to Upset Her Apple Cart

It's been a week on fluoxetine (kitty-Prozac) for Colleen.  As the time passes, she seems to be getting more and more annoyed with her situation.  Lots of hissing.  Lots of spitting.  Half-hearted attempts to strike.  One the good side, she's eating & drinking well.  Lorenza hasn't left her side (Solidarity, Sister!)  Colleen, however, is still a pretty unhappy kitty.

I've decided to push her limits each week to see where her reactions stand.  I'd left her and Lorenza alone, curled up in their cat cave together, pretty much most of the time.  I'd make visits in several times a day, but those just elicit more hissing.  Today, I took away the cat cave.  Dumped 'em out on their respective asses.  I'm slightly ambivalent about removing the cave ... I think it's literally the only thing that is saving my skin during medication times.  We'll see how tomorrow's dose goes.

Lest you think I'm subjecting them to sleeping on the bare floor, nay, I've replaced the cave with a favorite box in which the girls used to love to cuddle up together.  It's got their old blankies and I've covered it with a tent that used to be Colleen's eating station.  It still gives them some seclusion, but it's more open than the cave, so it's baby steps.  Surprisingly, when I dumped Colleen out of the cave, she landed at my feet and just stayed there (hissing).  Made no move when I reached down to scratch behind her ears (she likes that).  Still hissing, though.

I've invited Lorenza to leave the quarantine area several times, but she just sits by Colleen's side.  Like I said ... solidarity!  I think that's the next test - remove the buddy.


Lorenza won't leave her sister

Colleen hides behind the new bed



Can't get her eyes open with a flash, but she's mad

Colleen - Day 3 - Is it getting worse?

Today brought Colleen's third dose of fluoxetine (Prozac).  I know this will take some time to start showing the hoped-for effects, but today I must say, she seems worse.

Before we started on the meds, I had Colleen quarantined in a quiet bathroom that will be her new home whilst we work on this version of the 'reboot'.  She went in the day the vet was here.  The next day, I was having the carpets cleaned in the house, so needed the cats to be penned up while the cleaners had the doors open to the outside.  One indoor cat escape is enough for my lifetime, thanks.  Anyway, I put Lorenza in with Colleen on Day 2 of the capture.  Colleen loves Lorenza and vice versa.  That was 4 day ago.  Lorenza hasn't come out since.  I've had to reach in to medicate her (she's got Giardia - again).  But won't come out, no sir-ee.

I mention her because Lorenza generally has a calming effect on Colleen.  Before the meds, I spent time with them, trying to coax them out of the cat cave that has become their sanctuary.  Colleen has the front blockaded pretty effectively.  When I would step into their space, she would typically hiss, but surprisingly, she would let me reach down and scratch her head & neck.  Not always, but often enough.  Pretty exciting to get to pet the elusive cat.

Day 1 of the meds was pretty uneventful.  Since Colleen's go-to vocalization is a hiss, as she opens her mouth, I just squirt in the compounded meds.

Day 2 then brought this response:

Drool from being medicated - Day 2

Drool, plenty of drool.  Not sure how much of the meds went down the throat.

Day 3 now and Colleen is meaner than ever.  Couldn't even get close to touching either cat today.  Hiss.  Paw strike.  Blood was drawn.  Maybe this is where it's darkest before the dawn.

Colleen - One Year Later - Prozac Day 1

December 13, 2013

It took a whole year to get back around to this point.  Perhaps it's fitting that my crazy, scared black cat is finally getting help on a Friday the Thirteenth.

Colleen left her quarantine period last year no better off than when she started.  We were interrupted by travels and work and other assorted not-good-enough excuses.  And I let another year slip by.

She showed some encouraging signs during the year.  She started playing a bit.  She'd chase the red laser dot around ... as long as I didn't move it too close to me.  She and Cotton would play a lively game of chase.  She's pretty fast for a three-legged cat.  She even hopped up on the bed a couple of times and actually let me TOUCH her!  I kept hoping she would move forward at her own pace.  But while I was waiting, I let another year slip by.

This week was the time for annual checkups by our mobile vet.  Thank goodness for the invention of mobile veterinary services that come out to your house.  With my crazy crew, there is no way I could wrangle 4 hyped-up cats into carriers, into a car, and down to an office - even if I did it 4 separate times.  Two of them can't be easily crated (or caught).  If I ever have an emergency where I have to get them out fast, I'm sunk.  But I digress.

Last weekend, our local shelter had its annual Home for the Holidays adoption event.  It was a great day for the animals (over 200 pets adopted from various local rescues & shelters) and came right on the heels of our shelter's own Black Friday adoption week where more than 40 pets found homes.  It was at this event in 2009 when I adopted Colleen.  Her story has been recounted in earlier entries in this blog.  This year, on the eve of her 4th anniversary here in my home, I promised that she would not have to live in fear anymore.

Since she had to be captured for the vet's visit, once again I took the opportunity to quarantine Colleen.  Take her back to basics.  See if we can break the cycle of fear and anxiety that she lives with constantly.  I've got just about every homeopathic 'calming' remedy - liquids, sprays, diffusers, etc.  Bach's Rescue Remedy, Feliway, Spirit Essences, Black Wing Farms.  I've tried many, but I admit, without complete consistency.  My fault entirely.  I let my cat live like this because it wasn't too inconvenient for me.  She wants to live under the dining room table - fine, whatever.

Since I'd let another year slip by, I asked the vet for a compounded formula of anti-anxiety meds to start for Colleen.  After a bit of internet searching for a reasonably priced pharmacy that could compound RX for pets, I found a great local place just about 4 miles from home.  As of tonight, Colleen is now on Fluoxetine (that's generic Prozac).  A pretty serious step, but at least I won't let another year go by without helping my cat.

Stay tuned.  We'll see how it goes.

Month and a half - still Jekyll & Hyde

It's been 44 days in quarantine for Colleen.  She's still playing Jekyll & Hyde with me.  If I enter her room by myself, I get Mr (Ms) Hyde - all hiss & strike. 

If I bring another cat in with me, she's totally Dr Jekyll - purring, head bonks, almost got her doing the elevator-butt, except with only one back leg, she's not very good at it yet.

She really loves a back massage (who doesn't?).  Lots of purrs there.

This week, we're practicing getting picked up.  She's not crazy about it, but no scaredy-cat peeing, so I count that a success.

Lucky for me, Davey has figured out that it's his job to be Colleen's therapy cat.  When I get up in the morning, he runs straight for her door so we can check in & clean up, pick up the food bowls & such.  It's just part of his morning routine now.  We get a few minutes of 'cuddling' done first thing, then head down for breakfast.  I still think he's in it for the kitten chow (or to see if Colleen left any dinner behind).

Since I don't have a new Christmas pic this year, here's last year's ...

 

Happy New Year to all!

December 13, 2012 - One Month In - Head Butts

Head-butts.  Purrs.

Now, before you get excited, I know it's an anomoly.  Davey has started following me into Colleen's room in the morning to collect the food dishes.  Davey & Colleen have never been buddies, but Colleen does respond well to the presence of other cats.  Davey is just in it for the kitten chow in Colleen's dish and the chance to check out a new litter box.

This morning, she greeted me with the usual hisses (although, I think some of the 'steam' has gone out of her).  Hissing seems to be her go-to vocalization.  She no longer has the saucer eyes and hunched up body position.  She just looks up at me and hisses.  Today I put Davey down next to her and after some nose-to-nose hellos, I reached over & started scratching her neck.  Instant purrs.  WOW.  She let me pet her for several minutes and when I would stop - head butts.  That's never happened before.

Her overall demeanor was much more relaxed today (maybe due to the catnip mist I've been spraying around the room?).  If I had the same amount of time that I had for Cotton, she might even come around like he did.  Took him every bit of three months in solitary confinement, but he did come out of his 'angry' shell.  Unfortunately for Colleen (but fortunate in many other ways), she's about to lose her room with a view.  Circumstances have come together that will allow my sister Patti to move to California from North Carolina.  She's be staying here for a couple of weeks until we find her a new place to live, but that means Colleen gets displaced.  We'll find some way to work it out.



Happier than I've seen her in a while



My handsome boy - and a big helper

Day 20 - Colleen's Joy Juice

Lest anyone think that I'm just sitting here with my fingers crossed, hoping that Colleen will turn a corner and calm down ... nay, nay, I've come in to this armed with many options.

And no, I'm not trying them all at one time, but serially, hoping one of them might just do the trick.

Since my company sells Bach's Rescue Remedy, and because it is a go-to favorite of mine, I tried that first.  Maybe because she was still under such stress from the initial capture-and-confinement or due to the giardia treatment, I saw no instant effects.

Moving on, we're trying several Black Wing Farms homeopathic remedies.  Love Meg & love her stuff, but again, not really noticing a vast improvement in Colleen's demenour so far.  Although, I wonder what she'd be like without using any of these remedies?  I spray the environment, her food, her water.  Am I using enough?

Feliway might help, but it makes me cough to be in the same room with it and Colleen is currently housed in a very small room, so I don't know how well that one will go over.

 

 

My company is also an outlet for Thundershirts, and while we don't carry the cat version yet, I picked one up at SuperZoo with the intent of trying it out on Colleen.  If I can ever wrestle her into it without losing too much blood, I'll let you know if it works.  It may be a little small for her, but I've got all of the dog sizes to choose from as well.

 

So far, the only thing to which Colleen responds favorably is a visit from her favorite friend - Lorenza.  I wish I could adequately describe the instantaneous change that comes over Colleen when she sees or hears Lorenza.  I was flabbergasted when I first saw her.  She practically melted.  The hissing stopped, her saucer-eyes became normal slits, her ears perked forward instead of laid back.  She ROLLED OVER and showed her BELLY!  She'll let me do practically ANYTHING as long as Lorenza is by her side.  I get to pet her, even pick her up.  It's amazing!  But I know it's only happening because she has no escape.

 

Unfortunately, it kind of freaks Lorenza out to be in this room.  So, I recorded Lorenza purring to see if it was just the sound that Colleen responded to or if it was the whole cat.  While the recording isn't the best, Colleen did seem curious (another unique response for her).  Then she hissed.  "What is this technological monster you've brought to me?  Where's my friend?"

 

So, Colleen's joy juice is Lorenza.  How do you bottle that?

Colleen - Day 8 - November 20, 2012

Day 3 = Hiss
Day 4 = Hiss
Day 5 = Hiss & spit
Day 6 = Hiss
Day 7 = Hiss & strike

It's been pretty much the same around here.  I sit with Colleen & she hisses.  Make that I sit 'by' Colleen. She's not real happy being touched.  But that's kind of the point of this exercise.

Since the vet told me about Colleen's giardia, I've had the happy job of trying to medicate this hellcat twice a day.  On the fotunate side, since Colleen has her butt planted in one spot now, she's pretty easy to find and while there is a lot of hissing & spitting going on, she's pretty much a coward, so as long as I reach in over the teeth & claws, I can scruff her with relative ease.  Since she's serving up nothing but hisses, the open mouth is an easy target for the medicine.  I'm just happy it's not in pill form.

I guess the medicine is doing its job.  As Colleen seems to feel better, she's feeling her oats more and trying to strike out at me on occasion.  What an unhappy cat.

Reboot Colleen - Day Two - November 14, 2012

Today, I gave Colleen a day of 'quiet reflection'.  I tiptoed in to visit a couple of times, but just got hissed at for my troubles.  Found her hiding in the litter box this morning (never a good sign).  She did eat some last night, though, so I was happy about that.

Day Two

Oh, and the vet called about Colleen's test results ... turns out the poor girl has Giardia.  Crap.  Now I get to try to medicate her tomorrow.  That'll be fun.

Reboot Colleen - Day One - November 13, 2012

It's been almost 3 years.  Way too long.

Colleen came to me in 2009.  You can read her the tale of her early days here.  She's been nearly feral for most of the time she's lived here.  Loves other cats.  Hates humans.  I made a promise to her when I adopted her that she could have a safe and happy home as long as she lives.  Well, it's pretty safe here, but she's not happy.  Just plain terrified of life.  Today's the day we start trying to change that.

Today was 'vet' day.  Because I have four cats now (not sure how that happened), each with their own 'issues', a mobile veterinarian that makes house calls is a must.  No way could I wrestle some of my cats into kennels, drive across town, wait in a cold room (with dog smells) with any three of the four of them.  Davey wouldn't care, but they others would each have a heart attack.

So the fabulous Dr Sylvia came today with her mobile clinic van.  She met Davey, new since her last visit here; donned her elbow length feral gloves to tackle the ever-fractious Cotton; soothed the scared Lorenza; and dealt with the poopy Colleen.  Since we had her trapped, I took advantage of the day to take Collen back to basics.  Just like Cotton did when he first came here (see various entries titled Cotton's Tale in this blog), she will spend the next few weeks in a separate bathroom relearning that not all people are bad.

She's not happy about it.  She's been in the bathtub, in the same postion for about 11 hours now.



Colleen glares at me - Day One

 

 

I promise, over then next days and weeks to let you know how it goes.

Where does the time go?

So, I missed the entire summer and most of the fall.  Here's some pictures of the fosters that go no air time.



 

 

 

 

 

 

Most have been adopted into their forever homes, some are still waiting.  And there are 3 more that I haven't photographed yet.  What's that saying about good intentions?

 

Pitter Pat of Kitten Feet - June 4, 2012

Time to dust off the keyboard ... there's new kittens in the house!  Shh-h-h, they're sleeping right now, but stay tuned.

I know I kind of fell of the planet for a couple of months, but travels are over and fosters are back.  I'll dig through the photos on the litters I missed posting about.  Tiny kittens are too cute!

It's our Birthday! - March 14, 2012

Just a really quick update ... we've been waiting so long and they're finally here!  Well, most of them anyway.  My most recent foster mom-in-waiting had (or is having) her kittens this morning.  Boy, is she exhausted!  We've got seven little souls so far and maybe one more on the way.  No other details yet, but there are several calicos, so looks like lots of girls!

Stay tuned!

Blind-cat Davey - It's official, he's mine

January 24, 2012
It's official, I now have 4 cats.  I never wanted to have more than 2 at a time, but now it's double that.  People ask all the time how I can raise foster kittens and not want to keep them all.  It's easy - vet bills.  I love raising kittens, just really don't want to have a hundred cats. 

Today's addition is Davey, the little blind kitten that I've written about here in the past.  When I first started fostering him, it became quickly apparent that he could not see.  His eyes are permanently dialated, he doesn't 'track' movements, and he bumps into stuff everywhere.  Some of that is just kitten-clumbsy, but mostly he just can't see anything.

When he was checked out by the specialty vet, she determined that he has detached retinas - one fully detached and the other mostly detached.  If he has any vision at all, it is very little.  That's OK though, because he doesn't know the difference.  He gets along great, loves playing with toys that make noise (especially mylar crinkle balls!), and can find his way around the house just fine.  Never misses the litter box either - which is more than I can say for one of my other cats!

It's tough to get a picture of him that doesn't look weirdly freaky because his pupils are so wide open that the camera flash shows off the back of his eyes in nearly every shot.  His eyes don't really glow blue & red in real life.

He's growing fast.  Went from 3lb to 5lb in short order.  Loves terrorizing the older cats.  Lorenza is sweet & tolerates his kitten antics the best.  Cotton REALLY still wants to be an only cat.  Colleen isn't taking the new addition well and has started sleeping in the litter box (yuck).  More on her problems later.

Since there haven't been any fosters for a while, I'm sure you'll be seeing more about Davey soon.  If I can ever get the video edited, I've got the first day he walked 'down' stairs by himself - a very big milestone.

Happy, happy, joy, joy! - January 26, 2012

Colleen

I know, the blog has been quiet for a few weeks.  I haven't had any new fosters (just Davey, but he's got his own story).  This post is about one of my former fosters, Colleen.  She's a 'failed foster' - one of those kittens you just can't give up on.

Colleen is actually the cat who inspired this blog.  Although I didn't write about her while I fostered her, I started immediately after she went back to the shelter for adoption.  So a big THANK YOU Colleen for inspiring me to keep track of all the kittenhoods I've been privileged to watch over (even though I really hate to write).

Colleen came to me June 22, 2009 as a foster from my local shelter.  She was already about 6-7 weeks old and terrified.  She came in as a 'singleton' - a lone kitten without siblings or a mom cat.  I'm pretty good with the scaredy cats and I had a few young foster kittens at the time, so we tried to bring her into the bunch to give her a few friends to play with and learn more about being a happy kitten. 

Well, that didn't really work.  As soon as I got her to start walking around a little, it was clear that she was limping on one of her hind legs.  A trip back to the clinic for evaluation and across town to the specialty vet for x-rays determined that she had a severe break that couldn't be cast.  It had probably been broken quite a while.  The vets decided the best treatment was removal of the leg.  Poor girl. 

So, it was off to surgery. She came through well and was back to recover at my house.

Of course, she wasn't happy about it.

But after several weeks, she was running & playing with the other fosters. She reached the magic 2lb mark (tough to do missing a rear leg) and it was time to get spayed and go up for adoption.

So August 21, 2009, Colleen 'graduated' and was officially up for adoption.  Since she was already about 3 1/2 months old and had spent time around other cats, she was moved pretty quickly into the shelter's big cat community room.  She should have done well in there.  She even had a 3-legged buddy named Stewie (who lost his rear leg because the umbilical cord strangled his foot in utero).  They were a cute pair - one missing the right rear, the other missing the left rear.

Despite the attention of some super volunteers, Colleen took to hiding in the cubby holes.  Black cat + hiding = no adoption.  At the annual Home for the Holidays super adoption event, Stewie found his furever home.  Colleen did not.  Having a soft spot for black cats and also having lost my 23-year-old cat earlier in the year, I thought it was time to bring home a new permanent member to my household.

Colleen joined Lorenza - another black cat that I had adopted the previous January.  I'm sure they remembered each other from Colleen's foster time.  They were soon cuddled up every day.

My girls

Colleen was not cuddly with me.  She wanted nothing to do with me.  I decided to let her have her space as long as she was happy with Lorenza and eating well, it was OK with me.

Unfortunately for all of us, just a few weeks later one of my cousins passed away and I took in her cat, Cotton.  You can read all about his story here in the blog, just search 'Cotton's Tale'. 

Needless to say, Colleen's entry to the household kind of took a back seat because she wasn't the 'squeaky wheel' at the time.  She started fleeing from me whenever I walked into a room.  She became terrified of being touched.  She was always fine with cats, even all of the fosters, just not me.

Now for the 'happy, happy, joy, joy' part ... the cat who has been living as a feral in my house for the last 2 years and 3 weeks is FINALLY coming around!  Last fall she started approaching me - not close enough to touch, but just close enough to watch me.  AND she started PLAYING!  Loves a laser light.  Occasionally I'll hear her in the next room with the circle toy (a ball trapped in a plastic circle that most cats love).  In the last couple of weeks, she's been peeking up from the foot of the bed.  Just to keep an eye on me.

This week, she's decided to take over my bed as her new favorite sleeping spot.  Not when I'm in the room, but any other hour of the day.  EXCEPT ...  da da da dah! ... she is now sleeping on the bed at night!  So big!  And this morning  - hurray, hurray - SHE LET ME PET HER (happy dance).  Leaned into it, loved the chin scratch, a little shoulder rub. 

It's a good day.

Merry Christmas Eve

A little merry Christmas Eve activity from the fosters ... sorry if the videos get yanked, there was background music playing that I obviously don't have rights to broadcast.

Star of the show is Davey (long hair grey) ... can you tell he is blind?

Happy Holidays !

Leftover Kitten Joy - November 28, 2011

Here's some leftover kitten joy from last week.  Enjoy!

The Return of Roscoe - Part II

We pick up where we left off ...

Monday, November 13th

Big day for the kittens.  Everyone was due for something so we packed up all 13 in their various carriers and went off to the clinic for shots, deworming, etc.  Since SOMEBODY brought in fleas (thank you very much), I took this opportunity to deep clean everything the cats had ever touched.  Nine loads of laundry later, the house vacuumed, the kitten room scrubbed & polished and a new kitten space set up.

I made a valiant effort to dose my cats with Vectra.  Lorenza wasn't too difficult about it.  Cotton always acts like I'm pouring acid on him.  Colleen, well, let's just say after chasing her around for most of an hour, she got her way and has yet to be touched.  She'll just have to pretend to scratch for a while longer.  It's a little sad to watch her try to scratch with her absent leg.  (update:  a couple of days later, she did hold still long enough to get her dose, too, so Yea! no more fleas)

But enough about everyone else, this is Roscoe's story.

Since Roscoe is 4 or 5 months old, he didn't have any shots today, just flea treatment.  He and the kittens were given a whole room of their own at the shelter to play in all day.  When I picked them up, Roscoe was hiding under a bench and the little blind cat, Davey, was on the very top of a 5 foot tall cat tree.  (he's great at climbing UP, not so good at DOWN)

Turns out two of the Five Pack kittens have reached the magic 2lb mark so they got to stay and will hopefully be adopted very soon.  Bye bye Knox & Clint!

Mimmi & her kittens also stayed behind for a few days of extra clinic TLC.  Mimmi may not have enough milk for all 6 of her hungry kittens.

So Roscoe, Davey, and 3 kittens came home.  I thought I had constructed a pretty good kitten fence in the new area.   Well, my kitten fence is not very escape-proof.  They were over the wall before I was even back downstairs.  In the end, I gave up and let them be 'free-range' kittens.  They'll spend the nights tucked away in the shower so they don't get into anything they shouldn't overnight.

Roscoe was in rare form tonight.  He had a great time playing with the kittens, but he forgets that he is twice their size.  He's a little rough on them.  His favorite target is poor Davey.  Who beats up on the blind kitty?

Tuesday, November 15th

Davey

Went to the clinic today to draw blood again.  Poor baby is a hard stick.  He's like a pin cushion.  Didn't get enough today, so he goes back again on Thursday.  Still trying to find out (or rule out) what might be causing the detached retinas.

Wednesday, November 16th

Roscoe - 'fraidy cat or secret bully?

Roscoe plays pretty rough with Davey.  Not so much with the other kittens. 
Is he a bully because he picks on the blind kid? 

I also caught him chasing Colleen around today. 
Is he a bully because he chases the cat with 3 legs?

He is becoming more bold with Cotton.  Although Cotton acts all big & tough, inside he's a marshmallow.  Has Roscoe called his bully-bluff?

Friday, November 18th

Roscoe is one smitten kitten.  He follows Lorenza around like a shadow. 
She's sweet to him, too.

Tonight, after lots of kitten play & some amazing flying kitten stunts, Roscoe is curled up by my side, purring.  He is now voluntarily approaching for pets & attention.  He loves a snuggle.  Just a couple more days before he returns.

Tuesday, November 22nd

Today's the day.  The kittens all return to the shelter.  Davey tested negative for everything in the blood work (good news), but the clinic will start him on some medications to see if his eyesight can be improved a little.  They'll watch him while I'm busy over the holiday.  Only little Leticia isn't at the 2lb mark yet, so she may find another foster home to gain the last few ounces.  Haskell & Robin are ready for their furever homes.

This has been Roscoe's tale.  He has really turned the corner from 'fraidy cat to fantastic feline.  He'll make a great cat for someone.  Hopefully, he'll also have some playmates.  He may take a little while to settle into a new home, but once he does, he'll be your friend for life.  Good luck Roscoe!

The Story of Roscoe

OK, so tomorrow came and went.  I didn't get around to posting, but I did make lots of notes and here is Roscoe's story (to date):

Sunday, October 23rd

Returned today from Best Friends' No More Homeless Pets convention in Las Vegas and picked up one really scared kitten from the shelter.  Roscoe is about 4 months old, a neutered male brown tabby.  All legs & tail, he is skinny (not underweight, just a very slender cat) and frightened of life.  He'll spend tonight chillin' in the 'kitten room' and start tomorrow re-learning to be a kitten.

Monday, October 24th

As you may have read in the other post, today brought Mimmi and her 6 tiny day-old kittens into foster care here.  She's set up downstairs in a separate room that's quiet and apart from all the rest of the cats in the house.  Moms with kittens are so easy to foster - they do all the work!  But this isn't Mimmi's story, back to Roscoe.

Today, he's still petrified and hiding.  He's not hissy, spitty, angry, bitey, or scratchy.  I pick him up and cuddle a lot.  He sort of cringes and tenses up, but doesn't fight it.  We tried a little cat harness to see if he'd walk on a leash.  Yea, not so much walk as huddle.

Tonight, he's hiding under the covers.

Tuesday, October 25th

Some purring & making biscuits, but only under the covers.  Not sure if it's still just a scared response or really happy-kitty.

Wednesday, October 26th

Here's what I wrote to the clinic today about Roscoe:
Hi,

I know it’s only been a couple of days, but thought I’d give you a quick update on Roscoe. He’s a sweet little kitten, but terrified of life. He’s fine when held or as long as he feels protected (like under the covers), then he purrs up a storm (not nervous purr, but happy purr) and makes biscuits. That said, he’s going to be a tough nut to crack. He seems to lack curiosity and any play instinct.

When I deal with typical ferals, they are scared & aggressive – hissing, spitting, etc, and isolation will usually break them down. With a scared, passive kitten who is otherwise sweet, I find that ‘kitty see, kitty do’ is more effective (or has quicker results) in teaching them to play & learning to trust.

So do we have some other foster kittens (preferably older) that are happy & outgoing where we can maybe take him back to the ‘litter-pack’ level & give him a re-boot on life? I hate to take any away from other foster families, but what about the 3 kittens I had a couple of weeks ago (Clyde, Manolo, Damita?) – they should be almost 2lbs now & almost ready to return. I’d love to give Roscoe a few days with some playful kittens so that he can see that life can be fun instead of scary. I need some of those kittens that are crazy happy to see people – always rushing the door to get to you faster (or maybe just to get the food faster, whatever).

I can hold him & love him forever, but I’m not sure it will produce quick results. My cats aren’t the playful types, so not such good role models. Any kittens over about 1 lb would do but older is better (I think), as long as everyone is healthy.



Thursday, October 27th

Like I told the clinic yesterday, seems like Roscoe needs a pal.  Today, I picked up young Davey - the cutest little gray & white fluff ball with big wide eyes.  He's a little young (maybe 6-7 weeks or so) but hopefully he'll be a little pal to Roscoe.

Friday, October 28th

Little walkabouts upstairs.  Some peek-a-boo from under covers.  Doesn't approach yet.  Roscoe is pretty much ignoring Davey.  Davey just wants to be picked up & held.

Saturday, October 29th

Roscoe voluntarily came out of his hidey-hole today.  He is showing a little interest in the kitten - so begins curiousity!  He took his first walkabout downstairs.  He is still crying & cringing a bit, but is more outgoing and seems to be settling down.

Sunday, October 30th

The kittens were left alone in the kitten room most of the day.  Roscoe was perched on top of a pile of blankets on top of the counter when I got home.  Maybe trying to get away from Davey?  Davey is acting a little like the tag-along little brother (just a little bit of a pest).  Turns out he has good cause.

Monday, October 31st

Took Davey to the clinic today for an eye exam.  I suspect he is blind (or nearly so).  His pupils don't dilate and he bumps into things occasionally.  But that's Davey's tale.  Roscoe spent the day out of the kitten room, roaming the house.  By evening, noise of the trick-or-treaters outside made him fearful again and I found him crying behind a door.

Tuesday, November 1st

Still trying to find some pals for Roscoe to play with, I brought 5 more foster kittens home today.  Everyone settled in well.

Wednesday, November 2nd

The new kittens (about the same age as Davey, 6-7 weeks or so) are happy & lively.  Roscoe is watching intently all the huslte & bustle of the new brood, but can't say he's joining in the fun. 

Thursday, November 3rd

Let Roscoe have the run of the house today to give him a little break from the kitten crowd.  He's scared at first.  Ran around zoomy-kitty for a couple of hours from one room to another.  By evening, he was bouncing up on to the bed and attacking my feet under the covers.  He's still crying out a lot, but spent the night out & about. 

In the midst of all this, Roscoe discovered toys today.  Turns out he LOVES the fuzzy catnip toy.    It's so great to see him playing like a kitten!

Friday, November 4th

Found Roscoe hiding behind the bathroom door again this morning.  Maybe letting him spend the night roaming the house was too much for him.  Tried to move him back to the kitten room, but he'd have none of it.  He spent the day hiding somewhere.  Finally appeared at dinnertime.  Showed off his stalking prowess by catching a fly in midair!  Super-kitty behavior!  Spent the evening stretched out under the bureau and taking small forays out to see if he can make friends with my cats.  Cotton says no.

Saturday, November 5th

Another case of the zoomies.  Scaring the wits out of me by jumping up on the upstairs bannister over the stairwell.  Yikes!

Sunday, November 6th

Breakthrough!  Following Lorenza's lead, Roscoe tentatively approaches for some morning cuddles.  He's still crying out (maybe we'll just call that 'talkative'), still bouncy, but less hidey.

Monday, November 7th

I am the kitten whisperer.  At this writing, Roscoe is camped out on my lap - purring up a storm.  Today he is attention-seeking, playing with toys, talking to me (he's quite chatty), enjoying kisses, and trying to make friends with Cotton, Colleen, and Lorenza.  Oh, and helping me write.

This evening, he is all about the cuddling and lap time.  After two weeks, a little play-time with some string toys and all I see is a happy 4-month old kitten.

Tuesday, November 8th

Roscoe spent the night cuddled up on the bed with me & the other cats (except Colleen, of course).  Cotton isn't pleased, but Lorenza was licking Roscoe's head this morning (sweet girl!).  Still not sure where Roscoe spends his days, but I'm sure he's turned the corner from 'fraidy-cat to sweet kitty.  Still more tests ahead for him, but for now, I get happy purrs and baby biscuits.  It's all worth it.