Squeaky and Fluffy Adopted

I am happy to report that Squeaky and Fluffy have been adopted. They were adopted together, so looks like they'll get to be best pals for life. I saw them about a week before they were adopted, and they looked great. They seemed to remember me, and Fluffy especially was very sociable. It's nice to know they have a permanent home.

Squeaky and Fluffy Available for Adoption Soon

Squeaky and Fluffy returned to the Nevada SPCA for the final time this morning. They are scheduled for their spay and neuter today, and I'm told they will be available for adoption as early as tomorrow. After having run of the house the past couple of weeks, they're going to hate being cooped up in a single room (albeit a rather larger room) while they're awaiting their permanent homes, but they'll have lots of friends their age to play with. Somehow, I don't think it's going to take these two long to find that special family. They're very sociable and playful.

Squeaky and Fluffy made good use of their final week at Mommy's house. As is obvious from the picture at the top of this post, they discovered the cat tree. Squeaky also discovered the Starchaser--a toy that consists of a big plastic circle with a ball that rolls around the outside and lights up when moved. I have a funny (and very brief) video clip of him playing with it. He accidentally moved it across the tile floor and it made a noise that startled him. He jumped off and ended up jettisoning the Starchaser across the room.



Squeaky is without a doubt the most adventurous kitten I've fostered to date, and he was at it to the end. Yesterday, I was making homemade brownies, and saw Squeaky climb onto the nearest object he could find to get a good view (which happened to be the TV stand). He stood on his hind legs contemplating whether he could make the leap from the TV stand to the counter. At first I wasn't worried because I thought "no way he tries that". But next thing I know, there's a kitten on the counter quickly making his way over to see what I was stirring in the big bowl. I put him back on the floor and resumed brownie-making, but he immediately repeated his jump, and after a couple more iterations of this, I gave up and just moved to a different counter that he wasn't able to jump onto (yet). He definitely has a very outgoing personality, and isn't afraid of anything or anybody. He's also got a snuggly side. When he finally got sleepy, he'd settle into my lap for some snoozing.

Fluffy got very sociable there at the end. She never could sit still long enough to fall asleep in my lap, but she would "visit" me on the couch over and over again throughout the day, and would usually purr the second I touched her. She does still have a shy streak, though, especially around people she doesn't know well, and she was a lot more timid than Squeaky about trying new things (like the cat tree). The up side of her timidness is that I never had to rescue my cooking from her! She still doesn't like to be picked up, even by people she knows well, but if you sit there and be patient she'll eventually make her way over for some attention--or just dangle a toy and she'll come running. She loves to play.

Squeaky and Fluffy were in my home for 12 weeks. They were probably about two weeks old when I got them, making them about 14 weeks old now. It's amazing how much they've grown and how different they look, especially Fluffy. She's now a gorgeous silver beauty with golden eyes and faint tabby markings that give her a rather exotic appearance. Quite the change from the porky, carpet-fuzz little thing she was when she first arrived. Looking back at a photo I took of them on July 21, she's not even recognizable as the same kitten!

Squeaky's physical appearance hasn't changed as dramatically, but his personality sure has. When I first got him, he was timid with the bottle, and I ended up using a syringe to feed him to make sure he got enough to eat. Now, he goes after everything in life--including food--with reckless abandon and joy.

As I mentioned in my previous post, Squeaky and Fluffy have lived in my "new" Las Vegas home almost as long as I have. When I mentioned how sad it was for them to be leaving after being here so long, someone at the shelter asked me if I'd ever considered adopting any of my fosters. The answer is: Yes, every single one. But I remind myself that if I were to adopt every kitten that stayed in my home, I would eventually no longer be able to foster. Because Squeaky and Fluffy are moving on, my home is now available to three five-week-old youngsters who have been waiting around in a cage at the shelter for the kind of one-on-one care and socializing that only a stint in someone's home can provide. Their story will begin in a subsequent post, but for now, here's wishing Squeaky and Fluffy a quick recovery, and a safe and happy journey to their next destination on life's train.

Stretch Run

Squeaky and Fluffy got their second set of vaccinations on 9/24, and are now in their last week at my home. This Thursday it will be time to schedule their spay/neuter, and they will return to the shelter to begin the next phase in their lives--finding a permanent home.

It didn't take Squeaky long after my last post to finally get the confidence to attempt the leap over the gate in front of their door. Now, he jumps it the minute the door is open, so the game of peek-a-boo around the door has ceased. Their new favorite game is "jump over the gate before Mommy catches me".

Since it was becoming clear the kittens needed more space to roam around, I have started letting them have free run of the house during the day once my resident cat, Pablo, has eaten and gone into his favorite cabinet to nap. They usually start out with a lot of energy, chasing each other up and down the hall as fast as they can run. Then, they make their way over to Pablo's dish to finish up whatever canned food he left behind. Eventually, they settle down a little and spend most of the rest of the day hanging out in whatever room I'm in.

Fluffy is still far from being a lap cat, but her social skills have improved immensely in the last couple of weeks. She purrs instantly when you pet her, and she has begun to sit in my lap for short periods. She's still not a big fan of being picked up, and will usually leap down immediately if I do. But as long as it's her idea, she will sit in my lap and purr until something else gets her attention (which takes about 15 seconds max--she has the attention span of a 2-year-old human child!).

Squeaky continues to show his adventurous side. If there's a way to climb it, crawl into it, bat it around, or knock it over, he'll figure it out. He's a typical, rambunctious boy. He's also a real sweetheart. He really enjoys being held and petted, and for some reason, he likes to follow me around the kitchen when I'm cooking. Maybe he thinks I'm making food for kittens!

Assuming my initial estimate of two-weeks-old when I got them is correct, Squeaky and Fluffy will be about 14 weeks old when they return to the shelter for adoption. They have been in my home almost as long as I have--I moved in on July 11, and the kittens arrived on July 18. The house is going to seem strangely empty when they're gone.

Fun and Games

No excuses this time for my slowness in updating this site. Just plain, old-fashioned laziness!

Well, that and the kittens have gotten a lot harder to photograph. They've figured out that when Mommy starts looking through that big black thing, it's time to look away to avoid the flash.

But mainly, it's pure laziness.

Squeaky and Fluffy continue to do well. They have converted to a dry food diet now, in preparation for their return to the shelter in a couple of weeks. They have also fully mastered the use of the litterbox. No messes to clean up in quite some time.

To my surprise, they have never figured out how to climb over the little make-shift gate I put up in front of the door to their room to keep them from running out when I go in there. So, I've been leaving the door open when I'm there so they can enjoy their latest favorite game: Playing hide and seek on either side of the door. It's usually Fluffy on the side next to the wall, and Squeaky on the side facing the door frame (which pretty much fits their personalities, with Fluffy a little on the shy side still, and Squeaky always looking for adventure). They play footsies under the door, chase each other around it, and generally have a grand old time. I'm thinking of how I could maybe rig up a "door" for them to play with when I'm not around.

Rite of Passage

Squeaky and Fluffy got their first vaccinations today. I must say, they did very well, both in the car on the way and back, and when getting their shots. Not a peep out of either of them, and while they weren't exactly overly active and playful when we got back, they were at least still up for purring and cuddling. Not bad for a first time.

I now have more details on how long they'll be staying with me. They'll have another set of shots on September 24, and will get an appointment scheduled for their spay (Fluffy) and neuter (Squeaky) at that time. They'll then be allowed to return home with me for a few more days to recover as long as I'm up for it. The shelter leaves that decision up to me, and of course, they'll be welcome to do that unless there are other kittens who are in desperate need of emergency fostering (e.g., bottle feeding) and I feel I can't do both.

In the meantime, Squeaky and Fluffy continue to grow and are doing well. They got their first full-size litterbox yesterday, filled with crystal litter to make it easy on my neighbors who will be looking after the kittens over Labor Day weekend. It took them about five minutes to figure out what to do with it.

The kittens will be hitting another milestone soon. Because the shelter only feeds soft food once a week, I will begin transitioning them over to dry kibble as their primary food source. That way, they'll already be used to that once it's time for them to return to the shelter for adoption. They've already been eating the kibble between feedings, so hopefully it won't be too big of an adjustment for them.

The (Almost) No Photo Update

My laptop is in serious need of a complete wipe and re-do. That was never more obvious than this update that's been nearly three hours in the making thanks to Windows Explorer crashing every time I tried to copy my latest set of photos from the camera. Regardless, I was determined not to let yet another day go by without posting an update, so I finally manage to grab two of the pictures off my camera (probably not the best two), and here goes...

As much as Fluffy hates having to take medicine before her meals (I have the scratches to prove it), it has worked wonders for her. Her eyes are cleared up, and she obviously feels better. She's finally started to come out of her shell a little, and is becoming very playful, and yes, even loving. In fact, she's been out-doing Squeaky on the purr-ball meter the past couple of days.

She's also found a new favorite toy. After weeks of waiting for the kittens to take an interest in the little feather teaser I bought just for them, they've both finally started playing with it, especially Fluffy. She'll even play with it when it's just lying on the floor without human assistance to make it "go".

The kittens now have a new challenge to overcome. Their little game of "beat Mommy out the door" was probably a lot of fun for them, but after it resulted in a few instances of "let's get lost behind the washer and dryer", not to mention a near ugly encounter with my resident cat, I decided to put an end to this game for now, and rigged up a gate in front of the door. Now when I open the door, the kittens can't dart out into the hall. Of course, it's only a matter of time before they figure out how to get over my little gate, but in the meantime, it's nice not having to go track them down every time I open the door to feed them.

Quest for the Perfect Fluffy Photo

There's a reason why Squeaky seems to get more than his fair share of top billing around here - the camera loves him, and he seems to love it right back. Or at least, he's capable of doing cute things in conjunction with having his picture taken. Fluffy? Not so much. Part of it is because she's had some trouble with her eyes matting, for which she now has to have medicine three times a day. As a result, she's usually not presentable for a photo to begin with, with the goop around her eyes. Which is unfortunate, because she's really turning into quite a gorgeous young lady. Her eyes have turned from baby blue to a blueish gray in the last 48 hours, which matches her light gray fur perfectly. At first glance, she appears to be a solid, smokey color, but if you look closely, you'll see a few faint tabby markings on her sides. All in all, she's looking like she's going to be a beautiful cat.

Squeaky is still a typical boy. His favorite game right now is to run out the door to their room when I come in for feedings or to play with them. He usually comes back, though, once he figures out all the fun is going to happen in the room!

Both kittens appear to have crossed several milestones in the past couple of days. I've seen both drinking water from their dish, and they have finally figured out that the little brown kibble is for eating, not playing in. However, the biggest milestone appears to have happened today -- all poops were covered up. Apparently they're finally learning to bury it, not step in it. It's about time!

Six Weeks and Growing

Apologies for the long delay in posting. The day after Squeaky's great adventure, I woke up feeling sick to my stomach, and in general like something was "not right". It felt like I was both hot and cold at the same time, and I had a bad pain under my right rib cage. As the day progressed, it got worse, not better. I finally decided to go to the doctor. Turns out, I had a gall bladder infection, caused by gall stones I didn't even know I had! To make a long story short, my gall bladder had to be removed. After the surgery, I spent several very painful days in the hospital (I thought this was supposed to be an "easy" surgery!) until finally, I was able to keep food down so they could send me home. The recovery is going well now, after a slow start, but today is the first day I've been up for spending an hour on the floor trying to get a good picture of the kittens. Many thanks to my good friends and neighbors, Becky and Jay, for looking after the little ones while I was away.

Squeaky and Fluffy are now six weeks old. They grew a lot while I was in the hospital. They're fully weaned, and are starting to be more active, playing with toys and each other. Fluffy has a bit of a shy streak, while Squeaky is still the adventurous one. Both could use a bit more training with the litterbox. They still struggle with the concept of not stepping in the poo after they go! Hopefully they'll start associating those baths they hate so much with this unfortunate behavior soon, because despite what they may think, I actually don't enjoy "torturing" them with water every day! It's maybe my least favorite part of raising kittens. (OK, it's a close second to those middle of the night feedings).

Squeaky's Great Adventure

Oh my.

I knew letting the kittens have run of the bathroom before they fully mastered their litterbox skills was a bad idea. I just knew it. I didn't know how bad an idea or why, though. Yes, they did make a big mess of the floor, but that was the least of the problem. While I was cleaning up said mess, I suddenly noticed that Squeaky had vanished into thin air. He was nowhere to be found. At first I thought he'd managed to get into the garbage bag, despite me having it faced away from where they were playing and on the other end of the room. But after going through the garbage piece by piece, and no Squeaky, I was stumped. The door was closed. No way he squeezed under it. Fluffy was acting really weird too, crying and walking around in circles. Something was very wrong.

I noticed Fluffy was hanging out next to the right end of the cabinet, kind of cowering in the corner, maybe from the shock of being without her brother in sight for the first time ever, or maybe because she sensed there was a serious problem. Then I realized that the cries I was hearing weren't just hers. So I got down on the floor and looked to see if maybe there was a hole under the cabinet or something. Sure enough, there was an opening just the size for a small kitten to fit through, and for extra fun, with a drop-off too far down on the other side for him to get back out again. And that's where he was. Ugh.

Mind you, this wasn't a hole that you would notice if you, say, looked around the room from a standing position to verify it was safe before letting two young kittens have run of it like I did yesterday. That would be too simple. Nope, this hole was straight up and completely obscured from view to anyone taller than three inches. The only way you'd notice it is if you got down on your hands and knees and reached way up under the cabinet, which of course, I didn't do. Apparently, Squeaky had somehow (maybe with a boost from Fluffy's back?) gotten up through that hole and ended up wedged into a small space on the other side between the cabinet and the wall. Problem was, he couldn't get back out again, and the area was far too small for human hands to reach in and get him.

I waited for a bit to see if maybe he would come out on his own after all, but once feeding time came and he was clearly hungry and struggling to get out, it became obvious he wasn't going to be able to do it by himself. He was stuck. Plain and simple. And so, it was time to take more drastic measures. I tried calling the handyman that had done work on my house recently to see if he could make an emergency visit to get Squeaky out, but wasn't able to reach him. Since I'm new in town, I wasn't sure who else to call, and Squeaky was really starting to worry me with his behavior. At one point, he seemed to go completely limp and wasn't moving--at least the tiny part of him I could actually touch wasn't moving. I had no visibility into that hole, so I wasn't sure what was back there. Sharp nails? Another hole in the wall that he could follow and get himself thoroughly lost? With the view I had, I couldn't even check to see if he was injured, let alone feed him. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands.

With the help from my neighbor's niece and nephew, we were able to open up a gap big enough to get my hand in to pull him out. He was OK physically, but really shook up by the experience. He clung tightly to my shirt with all four paws for a full ten minutes until I finally pried him loose so I could feed him. His ordeal didn't hurt his appetite, though--he downed almost an entire bottle!

Needless to say, the kittens have temporarily lost their floor privileges, and are back in the tub until I am satisfied I have that hole (and the one just like it on the other end of the cabinet--ugh) completely inaccessible. This fine mess was brought to you by a new homeowner's unfamiliarity with her new surroundings, and a young kitten's insatiable curiosity. Wow. Just wow.

Moving Up

Against my better judgment, the kittens got some bigger digs today. I couldn't stand watching them futilely trying to climb out of the bathtub one more second. So, I moved them and all their stuff to the bathroom floor, knowing full well that I'll probably have one ginormous mess to clean up tomorrow, since they still haven't mastered the complex art of pooping in the litterbox without stepping in it and tracking it everywhere. So far, they've used their new-found freedom well, but I'm not naive. They'd already had their daily poops by the time I moved them. I fully expect to be mopping up little brown footprints by morning. Ew!

The kittens are eating so well off the plate now that I could probably discontinue the bottle altogether if I wanted to. I'm giving them a couple of bottle feedings a day, anyway, though because if they had a real momma cat, they'd still be nursing occasionally at their age. Besides, they've been such good little kitties they deserve to have a nice warm "dessert" of KMR as a reward for cleaning their plates!

Playing and Eating

So much for the icky part being over with! I have been greeted by two hungry, poop-covered kittens the past two mornings. They have the hang of going to the litterbox now, except for one thing--they haven't figured out you're not supposed to step in the poop after you put it in the box! The good news is, adding the soft food to their diet has pretty much cleared up their constipation problem altogether looks like. They've been regular like clockwork since I started giving it to them. As expected, Fluffy is the more vigorous eater of the soft food much like she's the enthusiastic one with the bottle. She posed for a nice "food mustache picture" after eating this afternoon.

Both kittens have started playing more in the past 48 hours. They're getting more steady on their feet, especially Squeaky. Their favorite game at the moment is Climb Mount Mommy (me), but they've also begun to play with each other and wrestle around a little. By this time next week, I expect I'd better have my new "kitten room" cleaned out of boxes that need unpacking, because Squeaky and Fluffy will be wanting more space to run around very soon.

Meet Squeaky and Fluffy

Before I introduce my latest two pint-size house guests, a brief announcement is in order. As of July 11, I am now living in Las Vegas, Nevada. That means, of course, that I can no longer foster kittens for Texas-based Operation Kindness. I would like to take a moment to thank them for allowing me to volunteer, and for teaching me the ropes on how to care for young kittens. It was a blast taking care of their wee ones in my home, and socializing with the not-so-wee ones at the shelter.

I am now fostering for the Nevada SPCA. Much like Operation Kindness when I first signed on to volunteer, the SPCA wasted no time putting me to work! They sent me home with two bottle babies right away. Squeaky and Fluffy were probably around two to two and a half weeks old when I took them home on July 18th. The pictures above were taken two days ago. My tardiness in updating this blog is a combination of (a) unpacking, (b) having company, and (c) somehow catching a cold despite the 110+ degree temperatures that define Las Vegas summers.

Bottle feeding kittens while simultaneously trying to settle in to a new home is obviously hectic, but I had lots of help that first week. My sister, niece, and nephews made the trip with me to help with unpacking and prepping the house--and of course, they pitched in with the kittens too. They also gave them their names--Squeaky because he makes squeaking noises and Fluffy because she's a big ball of fluff. A big shout-out to Melissa, Duncan, Bekah, and Dave. It was really nice having some extra hands to help out. The kittens were mostly past the middle of the night feedings by the time all my helpers went back home to Texas.

Squeaky and Fluffy are now nearing their fourth week. Their personalities are really starting to show. Squeaky is by far the more sociable of the two. He's definitely a "mama's boy". Every time I'm in the room, he starts carrying on at the top of his lungs and trying to crawl out of the tub. He's not a particularly voracious eater, although he's the one who puts up the biggest fuss when it's meal time. Maybe he's named after the proverbial squeaky wheel that gets the grease!

Fluffy is a bit stand-offish, but she's a total pig when it comes to food. I seriously considered overriding my nephew and naming her Double Stuff for her attempts to down a whole bottle in under 10 seconds.

The kittens are now sampling soft food, although they still rely on the bottle for most of their feeding. They've also learned what that big box of sand on the far end of the tub is for. A couple of days ago, while I was trying to make Fluffy poop after their feeding, I noticed Squeaky going to the litterbox. He did it again the next time too. It's like a light came on for him, and he figured out if he goes on his own, he doesn't have to endure the wet paper towel over the bottom routine (which these two seem to hate even more than the other bottle babies I've worked with). By the next day, both kittens were making regular trips to the litterbox. So, the icky part of this process appears to be over.