Despite it being a hot day I gave the room an entire clean. I even decided to introduce kittens to vacuum cleaner on floor level as it was something they may encounter in their new home. The noise and the vacuum were tolerated with wide eyes and bushy tails...and much scampering for the smallest nook or cranny in the room.
Once the room was much cleaner I placed all items back on the floor that needed to be there and then began picking up each kitten to weigh and worm it with syrup. I got up to the 7th one and for the life of me I could not find the 8th one.
First I checked in the usual places underneath things, on top of the cages in behind parts we've barricaded off to prevent them getting in cupboards or behind the study desk...no kitten.
I began wondering if in the chaos of the big noisy vacuum if maybe the kitten missing - Rebel - had scaled the big board across the study door and made for a hidey hole somewhere else in the house. I figured Terra or Leo would have alerted me if any kitten had escaped but then again it was hot they were flopped on the floor with legs in the air and belly showing to try and cool down...they wouldn't alert me to a kitten escaping today...
Madness ensued trying to figure out where on earth a kitten would get to or hide. All the time returning to the study, doing a head count. I admit, I panicked. I feared the worst that she'd escaped the study and if someone had gone outside and she'd slipped past them. I was believing I'd foster failed on epic proportions by misplacing or losing a kitten and not by death by simply not knowing where on earth it had gone.
In my hundredth attempt to pull the study apart. All kittens had been put in their designated cage just so I could see if another kitten appeared on the floor. I was in the process of pulling drawers out of some bedside tables that Flash, Sparky and Smokey's cage sits on and I saw movement out of the corner of my eye.
Oh the relief.
Then the incredulity on how on earth Rebel had found such a place to recline while not making any noise at all when we were calling her. I wanted to wring her scrawny neck for worrying me - I showered her in kisses before stuffing worming syrup down her throat instead (Heh Heh).
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| Can you spot the kitten? |
The Duo's cage sits atop two bedside tables with a gap between them. There is an old picnic blanket over the top of those bedside tables to save the tables being scratched. The cage of course sits on top of said blanket.
In the course of the weeks the kittens have been tearing around the room and climbing said blanket there is a bunch of slack over one side (of which they love to fight with) and apparently Rebel had climbed up this slack, then wedged herself between the bottom of the cage and the blanket effectively creating her own hammock.
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| I wasn't lost ~ Rebel |
Clever Clever kitten....
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Departures.
Brat Short-Stay was of course only a short term foster. She made the 800 grams today and will have quite the full next few days with the near future landing her in the loving arms of her new parents and whatever fur siblings she may have (I did hear that her owner may have another kitty). Thankfully Brat learned to get along with the Quads and all the other kittens but is quick to announce her displeasure....also very quick to climb up people for pats and cuddles often leaving nasty red welts from sharp claws. Good luck future family :)
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| I'm too cute to go back? ~ Brat |
I was expecting Flash, Pip, Jet and Rebel to be leaving today also. However the weigh before I left for the shelter turned Flash being about 10 grams shy of 800 and Rebel who was 800 last night decided to drop down to 780 just to hang out here for the next few days. Typical.
Pip and Jet made the return journey both being over 800 and ready for their new homes. Unfortunately they didn't head directly to the sale rooms as they already have quite a few kittens out but hopefully they will be moved up in the near future. Fingers crossed.
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| You mean there's a family out there waiting for me? ~ Pip |
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| I have no fear, I will purr at their feet until they take me home ~ Jet |
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Update - Ferals
All Ferals have left the building. Itchy left ages ago, Prissy, Scratchy and Hidey have all been sold although details on their new owners I have no idea on. They're no longer in sales and therefore they have a new home. Marley (Sadie) is still wandering around the rooms but as a larger cat they are often overlooked so its not unusual for her to still be there, sad but true.
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Farewells
Since groups are now not quite so complete I figured I would post group photos of each of the four groups I had this morning
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| Madness of 4 groups of kittens |
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| Darn you Pip! Why'd you have to blink! |
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| Rebel |
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| Pip |
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| Jet |
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| And Posing Squeak |
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| Finally kittens that sit still.... |
Consisting of....
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| Flash (Aka Blimp) |
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| Sparky |
Smokey Howler
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| It's High up here ~ Smokey |
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| Just Me ~ Smokey |
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| I'm a singleton too! ~ Brat |
Hope you enjoy the pictures and will be back with updates of departures. Pretty sure Rebel, Flash and Sparky will be leaving on Friday and I'm positive Squeak will be soaking up all the attention with only Smokey as a buddy until she too, leaves the nest.
:) not sure I would have found her there either :)
ReplyDeletesuch beautiful kitties.. you did a great job seeing them through a difficult time.