ups and downs and trips to the vet

You can never rest with 7 kittens in the house. Not because of the antics, although I can spend many hours just watching them. No, you have to be vigilant watching for signs of sickness. Both the patch tabby girls, Reno and Vegas, have been sick. Both have been getting sub Q fluids, and appetite stimulants. Finally they seem to be back on track. I have heard sneezing from some of the others, but so far, they are all eating, some better than others.


Reno has been ill, but had a big breakfast today.


Vegas has been sick too. She also had a big breakfast today.

The sin city girls (Reno and Vegas) are feeling a bit better I think, but we had some rough days. They both stopped eating, and were getting dehydrated. I had some appetite stimulant pills left over from the Cougars and Little un's, so I gave the girls a couple of doses. Well, I have explained before how it makes them drool, and the taste must be terrible. The girls hated it. The drool was unreal. We did eventually take a trip to the vet, where they both got a shot of antibiotics, and I refilled my coffers with lactated ringers (Fluid Bag) and butterfly needles. The vet gave them both a pill for their appetites that should last a couple of days. I know they are happy about that.

This morning I toyed with the idea of giving them both a squirt of Nutrical. It's a supplement that is full of calories, and helps them mantain weight while they are fighting this upper respitory infection. I got the syringe out (That I was using to give them the appetite stimulent) and when I got near them with it, much like Pavlov's dog, they both started drooling! I decided to forgo it for now, since they both ate a good deal this morning. Hopefully, they will eat again this afternoon, and again this evening.

The rest of the circus seems to be holding their own. Let's hope that trend keeps up!


Colonel looking defiant.



Dallas has a very similar look. If he was white, they would look like twins!



Major is much bigger than his sisters, much like Johnny Cougar was bigger than his.


The "phantom" Colonel scares Major.


Albany strikes a pose.


Sergeant looks like he wants to attack...

the circus is in town!

Not really, but it seems like a circus at itty bitty central! The cougars went back to the shelter Wednesday, and I actually came home empty handed. It worked out well, as I really needed to scrub down snot city before we got any more kittens. Last night I picked up 7 more itty bitties! They have been dubbed, the Circus! They are full of energy, and seem to love their new diggs. There is a lot more room in there than in the small cages at the shelter.

This crew came with names...some I like, most not so much. They gave the patch tabbies "P" names, and that is just not going to stick. Panda, Polar and Pandora. The other 4 are names Colonel, Sanders, Popeye and Wendy. Took me a minute to see the connection...all fast food related names. Nope, that's not going to happen either.


From left to right, Major, Vegas and Reno.


Major stretches out.

So, Panda becomes Major, Polar becomes Vegas, Pandora becomes Reno.
Colonal is going to keep his name, and Popeye is going to become Sergent, Sanders is going to become Dallas, and Wendy will be Albany. A mix of military ranking, and cities.


Dallas does his impression of Marty McFly in Back to the Future.


Dallas looking tough as he takes on the shiny string.


Sergeant plays with the jingle ball.


Albany gives Colonel a bite, while he grabs a bite.


Sergeant prepares for the big Catzilla Dallas is getting ready to deliver from the right.


Albany looking quite innocent.


Colonel looking the part...Bossy.

In the mean time, Diego is still up on the shelter's website, but I walked all through there yesterday, and I didn't see him, so I think he has been adopted. As of this morning, John Cougar (Still listed under his former name, Jesse) and Jessica were on the site (With old photos) but Justine was not. I hope that means she got adopted!

Here's a blast from the past. Joy went to visit her sister and took the camera and snapped this picture of Spats. She is really a beautiful girl.

snot city

Yes indeed, we have a lot of snot here at itty bitty central. It's OK though, everyone is eating, and they are all 3 getting better socialized. As you can see from the little video, they are active and happy. They are WAY more subdued than the Little 'Uns, but I can't decide if they miss 'em or not. Justine used to like to mix it up with Mowgli, and Diego liked to hang with Johnny Cougar, but they seem pretty content to just lay low.



I did hear that Sport has been adopted, as has Dora, and Diego has an application on him. Yippe! Poor Mowgli is applicationless, and I just saw that Dwight was back. I was informed he never left, that he just didn't make it up on the website. I find that hard to believe since I have been back a few times since the workers were sent back. Well, he is sweet, so I know he will get a good home soon. If you need a couple of nice, sweet guys, Dwight and Mowgli are waiting!


Mowgli is waiting for his forever home.


Remember Dwight? He is still waiting...

Little Un's launch...cougars still countdown

The Little 'Uns went back to the shelter today. Everyone was up to weight, and the sneezy goopy eyes all cleared up. The Cougars made the trip too, but they were still sneezy,and John Cougar was pretty messy with runny eyes and nose, so I brought them home instead of them going straight to isolation. They seems fine now, which figures, but they still need a bit more socialization, so it's just as well.

Mowgli looks sleek and not too much like the skinny little guy he was when he got here. He is a spaz, but loves to be snuggled. Sport was cute, but held back his personality for a week or so, but now is quite the personable guy, and loves to shoulder sit. Dora is a sweet girl, who will leap across the floor from the kitty condo to your shoulder to get some attention. And then there's Diego. I spent a lot of time with him, since he was sick. He is a spoiled little guy, who will crawl over all the others to get attention. He is the bravest of this bunch, was the first to charge the door to run out of the kitty room, and ventured downstairs multiple times. The funniest thing he does is when he drinks, he puts his paw in the water bowl. It is pretty cute to see. When I took him to the shelter, I was telling the volunteer coordinator about it, and sure enough, as soon as she put water in their cage, he stepped in it to get a drink.











I am sure the cougars will be ready to go next week. They should be done with the goopy eyes, and sneezing, and I will have had some good one on three time to get them more socialized.

back with the crew

Got back Sunday afternoon to some pretty goopy eyes at itty bitty central. I was a little freaked out at first, because it must have been nap time when I got here, and everyone was pretty chill. I looked at both Justine and Jessica, and they each had one goopy eye, but both John Cougar and Mowgli had 2 each! I cleaned them all up, and gave them all a squirt of eye medicine, and everyone with a snotty nose got a squirt of saline nose spray. Needless to say, I was not extremely popular. By Sunday evening, everyone was playing as hard as ever.

Everyone is much better today, and only Jessica got a little eye medication, just in one eye. She was a tad blinky, but I think tomorrow even that will be resolved. Everyone is gaining weight, and eating, drinking and doing their kitty things, which means playing, kitty smackdown and catzilla!


Sport gets a big smackdown on Diego.


Jessica Catzillas Justine...


Justine pays her back!

Johnny Cougar is over 3lbs as of today, and Mowgli, Justine and Jessica are all over 2 1/2lbs. I think Sport is too. Just leaves Dora and Diego to get to weight. I do think that these guys are actually 3 different litters. Sport and Mowgli are much bigger than Dora and Diego. Not that it matters. I will keep them all until the little 'uns make weight. That will give me more time with Jessica and Johnny, to get them a bit more socialized.


Johnny Cougar on the "bucket."


Mowgli takes one of his seldom seen breaks. He is a bit of a spaz.


Sport takes a flying leap over Dora for the string toy.


Jessica gets her turn with the string.


Justine checks things out from up high.

back on track...I think

For the most part, the cougars and the little 'uns seem to be back on track. They are all still sneezing, and we have a lot of runny eyes and snotty noses, but everyone seems to be eating and gaining for the most part.

I am a little worried, because I am going out of town for the weekend, and a friend is baby sitting my cats, and the itty bitties while I am away. She is a cat lover and owner, and I am sure she won't have any problems, but I always worry when I leave them, since I know them best, and can tell pretty quickly when something starts to go south, before it gets bad. They are all Ok I think and will be fine for a couple of days. (I am sure I will annoy my friend to death texting to make sure all is well. ;)

Diego is doing well, and seems to be getting his old energy back finally. He shoots out the door, along with Sport and Dora whenever I open it. Today, Justine was also at the door, trying to get out. I suppose I will have to let them have the run of the upstairs soon. Maybe when I get back.


Diego was still a bit run down yesterday...


But obviously, he is feeling better today.

Sport has really begun to show a lot of personality, climbing up my back, wanting to get attention. Mowgli is a major spaz, and is constantly running wild. The funny thing is, you can hypnotize him by holding him on his back, and rubbing his head. He immediately goes limp. It's about the only time he is still!


Sport shows off his much cleaner nose.


Justine & Sport play with the paperball.


Mowgli pauses for a split second....


At what time I snag him, and hypnotize him.

The cougars are all snotty. Justine lost a bit of weight from last night, as did John Cougar. Nothing serious, but you can tell they don't feel well. None of them were happy when I put a couple of squirts of saline up their noses, and put eye medicine goop in their runny eyes. I also decided to give both John Cougar and Justine a pill. It has an antihistamine and an appetite stimulant in it, and it must taste horrible. I dissolve it (1/4 pill) in a syringe, and squirt it in their mouth. I didn't get it far enough to the back of Johnny's tongue, and he was drooling for about 5 minutes. I am hoping 1 does will do the trick. I think it only took one dose for Diego.


Johnny is feeling a bit rundown.


Jessica feels well enough to give the paper ball a workout.


And play with the magic wand.


Justine has her way with the paperball.


When I left them this evening, they were all winding down from play. I will check on them before bed, and maybe feed them once more. Hoping they will all feel better in the morning.

growing!

Looks like after 3 vet visits, Diego is better. He was down to 1lb, 1oz on Thursday. Happy to report he is back up to 1lb, 5oz tonight! Yay! He still has a lot of catching up to do, but he is eating now, without me forcing it. I am still keeping a close eye on him, and will go back to the nasty pills if he stops gaining weight, but for now, (knock on wood) he seems to be improving.













On another note, the once skinny scrawny Mowgli has now almost caught up with Johnny Cougar! It's all belly though. He has some skinny little bird legs! He loves to play smackdown with everyone, but he is so much bigger than the rest of his crew, they hide from him.



The Cougars are doing well, but we need to get some other people in there to socialize them. They are fine with me, but Johnny Cougar hissed at Joy today. We still have some work to do on that end.







Everyone else seems to be doing fine. They are all sneezing, but everyone is eating and gaining, and I am adding lysine to their food, so we will just keep chugging along.