Kitten Room Renovations & The Pretties

Events of 12th November 2015

Another reason for returning Violet and Curtis was the fact it had been in discussion about ripping up the carpet and putting down laminate floorboards.

Over the years of fostering there had been many 'oops' moments where tiny kittens didn't quite have the legs to reach a litter tray or decided somewhere else was a better place to go potty.

We'd found the carpet was retaining a lot of the litter they tracked everywhere and after the flu that the Pickles kittens had I was more iffy about how many germs the carpet was retaining.

Underlay going down

Underlay with some boards down

Corner where the small cage usually goes

Looking over half door

Bedding cupboard

From the kitten room door

Needless to say the foster room was out of action but that didn't stop some kittens from coming in. 

There was a group of six and they'd been aged at roughly five to six weeks old. Another foster carer took the bigger six as she was doing her first year of regular fostering and I got the smaller six.

Over time they got the group name of The Pretties.

Little Esmeralda watching me

Since the foster room was closed I set up a cage on a table out in the hallway as a temporary set up. The little pipsqueaks weren't overly active and the tiniest one a little grey had me a bit worried.

The temporary setup for the Pretties

Introductions

AVERY

EDDIE

ESMERALDA

Had Five, Now Two and Then None

Added some bigger text as my mother was having a hard time reading the last few posts. 

Events of 2nd November 2015

Marcie, Dean and Cara returned to the shelter today after their cleared health checks and vaccinations.

In their temporary pen back at the shelter

Violet and Curtis are with me for another week or two until their watery eyes are cleared.

Two is much easier to handle than five.

So far it seems to be a relatively quiet season and nothing else is requiring fostering. 

Violet and Curtis know the routine now and don't need a lot from me so I'm happy to hang onto them for as long as they need.

Before she left however, Marcie passed on her secret of how to defeat the half-door-to-freedom.

Since Violet and Curtis still had a few signs of illness (watery eyes) they are restricted to the foster room only and no interaction allowed with the permanent residents.

Some bright ideas at trying to extend the height of the half door that my brother thought of didn't stop them either and so the full door was closed when they were romping on the floor.

Violet and Curtis were returned on the 9th November (2015). Unfortunately their watery eyes hadn't cleared enough for them to go straight into adoptions and instead they had to spend some more time in isolation. 

(Isolation is no fun so got pics from when they made it to the adoption floor).

I'm down to one ninja, I think you're okay now ~ Violet

I'm pleased Violet has remained relaxed and hasn't reverted to her bad mouthed behavior

I've been adopted! ~ Curtis bragging.

They were too big to remain here and I needed to begin on the cleaning process to have the room clear for when new kittens arrived.

Pickles To Return Soon

Events 31st October 2015

Kittens are now little social bugs, not a hiss from any of them anymore.

Even Violet is a lot nicer with her manners and I haven't heard one swear word out of her in quite some time.

Marcie, the brown tabby, is going to be trouble and I hope whoever adopts her is prepared.

I don't know what you're talking about, I'm not trouble ~ Marcie

She's mastered the half door.

Apparently the four walls and top of the cage aren't interesting enough.

When kittens first came into the room I put a bamboo curtain up in front of the half door because Allie was curious and wanting to make friends jumped the half door a few times. (Looking back I'd have no idea how she jumped that high because she's not the most coordinated cat).

I'm coordinated fine thanks Mum...some help please? ~ Allie

Marcie figured out how to balance on the half door and poke her head through the bamboo curtain.

Usually the saying goes.

The kittens master the half door, its time for them to return.

Picture taken by my brother of the Pickles chasing a fly in the window.

Invasion Of The Pickles

Events of 24th October 2015

Well, the Pickles are off medications except Violet who didn't shake her virus as quickly as her siblings.

All bar Marcie have conjunctivitis but the frequent eye bathing is now as required, not every day.

I've got them until they're due for their next vaccination to make sure any remaining flu symptoms are cleared before they return to the shelter.

Well, I gave them free run of the foster room floor.

Cara?

Curtis? Bah-humbug, black cats with no markings....

Apparently after an hour or so the floor is not fun, instead they climbed onto the shelf in front of their cage.

Well, this isn't as fun as I'd thought ~ Marcie

Then the shelf wasn't high enough so off to the window ledge they went.

There's so much stuff outside the window! ~ Marcie

Curtis in the window

The window ledge wasn't high enough either so up the side of the cage they went so they could settle down for a snooze up there.

Now where to go? ~ Marcie

I didn't think this through ~ Cara

I'm king of the mountain ~ Dean

But Oh No! I can't get down!

It's a long way down.... ~ Dean

MEOW, MEOW, MEOW, MEOW

So it became a constant kitten in need of rescue only for a few minutes later they're back up there again.

I've got my ninja's watching you ~ Violet

Family shot of stranded kittens

I got a plank of wood and wrapped a towel around it creating a ramp up to the top of the cage and they had a ball running up and down it.

Hey! I'm not unfit, I'm just having a breather halfway up alright! ~ Dean

I'll go up when I'm good and ready, stop watching me ~ Violet

I'm still not sure of you lady! Don't make me hiss ~ Violet

Too much of a ball that they balanced on the carry cages I stored up there and they knocked one down. Grr.

I'm sorry, I was trying to be king of the castle ~ Dean

If they'd broken the right corner it would have been fine, the front door of the cage would have worked still but no they broke a left corner meaning the main hinge corner was broken off so the minute you squeezed the latches to open the door to the front of the cage the whole door came off.

As a saving grace it also has a lift opening in the roof so I can technically still use it and I've tied the front door shut to try and prevent people using that opening but I don't trust it anymore. The last thing I want to happen is a shelter kitten escaping a cage. 

Thankfully I have plenty of cages to choose from.

So the kittens are adoption age and they're into everything like normal kittens just have some sore looking eyes still.

Remembering Those No Longer Here

Events of 21st October 2015

Leo would have turned 5 today if he was still here...

One of my favourite pictures of him <3

At odd moments it strikes me that he's no longer with us and that four and a half years is not anywhere near long enough.

In saying that I'm eternally glad that I got those four and a half years and that I could be there with him during his last moments and help him through his pain and suffering in the only way I could.

It was a hard decision and one to this day that I still struggle wondering whether it was the right one but in the end I reach the same conclusion.

His future didn't hold the quality of life he had been enjoying before the two weeks of constant vet visits. 

Now, he's up there playing grumpy supervisor to the shenanigans of the foster kittens that never lived in this world.

Very fitting tribute that I got from here

Rosco (Missy's brother) who we lost at 7 months old to a hoon driving a car allowed the path for me to own Leo, I'm sure he's playing and romping with the kittens as a crazy uncle.

Picture Collage depicting the life of Rosco

Tabby the family cat we had for thirteen years is probably scowling at the kittens remembering once-upon-a-time when this place had been a single cat household.

Tabby the cat we grew up with as kids <3

In my mind anyone who passes under the care of this household moves on to a space or room reserved for this family to be reunited when we all reach our expiry date.

By the time I reach mine I think the room reserved for me to be reunited with all my family, fosters and permanent cats will be full to the brim.

The series of events seem to happen for a reason.

Tabby was called and opened the gates for Missy and Rosco, the first time we ever adopted two kittens.

They were so bonded.

For six months it showed me that I'd never survive not having any pet as not long after Tabby passed I officially began volunteering for the RSPCA.

When Rosco died at a short 7 months old he opened the doors to find and love Leo.

Baby Leo <3 (I see he is VERY similar to Rosco)

For four and a half years I had the pleasure of being responsible for an animal I'd adopted and signed the papers promising to love and provide for until death did us part.

When Leo passed he made room for Allie to walk into my life. (Or maybe strut is more the word?).

Allie (And Terra in the background)

I'll remember them all fondly and cherish whatever time I get.

Got image from here

Let the roses grow season to season in memory of the great souls that passed through our doors.

Leo's Rose

Tabby & Rosco's Rose

Image got from here

Medicating The Pickles

Events of 20th October 2015

Well, I kind of expected that...

Also my recollection of the events on the previous year are a bit sketchy because I didn't write down the days events on the day. 

*sigh*

All of the Pickles kittens are on medication.

Violet and Curtis have the worst little inflamed eyes and Dean is quite stuffy but even a few days after beginning the medications things are improving.

Little Curtis already giving me those big adorable eyes

If anything it is getting the kittens more accustomed to handling although Violet by far has the most swearing to do out of all of them.

Come any closer, I'll send my ninja's to get you ~ Violet

Lets hope they're over these sniffles soon.

I really like this toy ~ Dean

I'm a bit miffed with myself that I don't seem to have as many pictures of this litter as I thought I did.

Mumma Pickles and her Little Pickles

Omg Finally we're getting to kitten season of late 2015. Nearly into the current year! Only taken nearly this whole year to do so though.

Events of 7th October 2015

Always the way..

Go about finally returning things from the previous season that you don't think you'll need anymore and what do you know?

Kittens!!

Ahem.

More a along the lines of a mother and her five hissy, spitty little five week old (approximately) little babies.

Some sniffles going around as well so could be hissy, spitty, sneezy little kits.

Pickles was sneezing more than her kids and generally wanting away from her litter so I sent her out to the shelter with my father for vet check and in the end she got kept out there.

What was I thinking!? Get me out of here! ~ Pickles

Early weaning I guess.

Hopefully the kids don't get sick but knowing they've been exposed to excessive sniffing I'm not going to count my chickens before they've hatched...

Little Cara Pickles, a shy little black female kitten

Curtis Pickles, Slightly less nervous than his sister Cara

Dean Pickles, nervous little ginger is a mumma's boy

Marcie Pickles, this ones got attitude but its all bluff

Violet Pickles, has more front than all the others but it's total bluff.
I don't expect any different from a torie (Torti-tude)