Meet Muffin

Alright Alright I'm SORRY that I've been absent for way too long once again. When I share this new kitten you'll soon understand.

I think I tentatively mentioned that when I dropped Kimba and Simba off on Friday that I *might* have a new foster kitten...

So, no people stepped forwards for a meet and greet with the two white kittens while they were with me. They went out and caused all sorts of trouble to get a photo for their Friday 'Pet of the week' picture. You would think with me pointing the camera at them all the time they'd be super models by now but alas they were nervous, look-everywhere-but-at-the-camera typical kittens.

On Friday I went out set up a cage that was less than half the size of the big cage (hopefully they keep it tidy but I highly doubt it) and plopped Simba and Kimba in there. As much as it killed me to leave them having known them for so long now, I also understood that these kittens were over eight weeks old and quickly becoming small cat looking rather than kitten looking.

They were also beginning to test the boundaries of their room, scaling the playpen gate and also attempting to scale the half door. I didn't want to risk them coming into contact with Leo or Terra as we're still not 100% certain if that's where Josie caught her little illness or not. Truthfully I'm over sick kittens and I am doing everything in my power to not have to put on aprons, booties or gloves.

Off track again. Any who I dropped the white kittens off and went for full contrast with Little Miss Muffin. Muffin is supposed to be 6 weeks old and from my brief run down on her history she's already got a prospective buyer lined up.

Muffin first meeting

Should be straight forward right? Uh No

But I'm cute! Pat me! ~ Muffin

The shelter manager mentioned she needed specialized care, not so she could gain another few hundred grams to reach 800, more to gain another 400 grams as she barely weighed 550 grams when I got her. None of the pictures truly show how little she is under all that fur.

Straight from picking her up I went out to help a family friend clear their porch. Muffin came with and we set her up in a cage on the kitchen table (with a blanket over the table and such). Said friend has a gorgeous kelpie dog Meg. Meg is near human for a dog and has the sweetest nature.

Not too long ago KitKat, Megs buddy, a gorgeous long haired black cat, met some unfortunate circumstance that took her life and cut it short.

Upon seeing Muffin, Meg began whining and would not let her eyes drop from the kitten. During breaks from cleaning I put Muffin on the ground, they would touch noses and Muffin would skitter around through the kitchen and dining room with Meg half herding half following her every move like an overly concerned mother. Hovering is the best word.

If Muffin wasn't already sold she would have been snapped up in that instant.

Now despite Muffin being dreadfully underweight she does not show it at all like Ebony did.

The semi resigned Ebony

Muffin is full of personality. She has a highly unusual unique meow that half sounds like its telling you off. Indignant is first word that comes to mind when I hear it.

Pretty little face

She is quick to dive out of any confinement into the arms of the nearest person purring loudly all the time.

Recent picture from yesterday

Muffin is also quick to tell you she doesn't want to just 'hang out' in your arms, she wants to play and run and bounce around like an idiot.

Muffin sideways bouncing at camera

The first night home Muffin got a bath because she stank (No pictures, darn).

 For about half an hour I had a short haired kitten (all long hair stuck down to her body made her look like a drowned rat) I had to do some rough clipping around her rear area as it was obvious she had some digestive upset and was matted and smelly.

I tried feeding her a mix of kitten wet and AD (weight booster) for some reason it only caused her to have diarrhea. I went straight to the AD because its easy to get into a syringe and it was what she needed, weight, nutrients etc.

Muffin has never really refused to eat I think its more circumstance she was found in that got her in the condition she was in. My thoughts are solely based on the fact that she will do anything for food. She eats well on her own but gets distracted easily so a few times a day I sit with her and make sure she gets food into her.

Muffin literally sucks on the end of the syringe and while I'm trying to refill it she's sticking her head into the food container. Since I've had her she's gone from around 550 grams to last weigh in around 670 grams. She is still considerably ribby but I can already feel the difference as they're not as pronounced.

In the first few days I had her there was little to no visibility or feel to where her belly was. I heard somewhere that if you gently squeezed a kittens belly there should be resistance and your fingers shouldn't be able to meet...well fingers could pretty much meet in the beginning. Now she's constantly wandering around with a small tennis ball sized bulge - especially after meal time.

I cant begin to tell you how much I've enjoyed having Muffin all to myself, it's probably noticed from the lack of updates but seeing the way she's going I doubt this fur ball will be here long and after this one I'm guessing there may not be anymore needing specialized care until next year...well I can hope as there still seems to be kittens coming in but I'm kind of doubtful.

Until next time....

Downsizing

Well good news all round.

Camera is happily charged for now, will need to make sure it stays that way so I can update more often.

So the important news.

Mother Fran left our home on Monday. She had by far overstayed her welcome and was over her eight plus week old kittens. She was over the four walls she had been confined in so every time someone opened the door she'd attempt to scoot out.
Leo was less than impressed with the intruder but both Leo and Terra simply followed her around like 'how did she get here? where'd she come from?' and Mother Fran wandered around like she owned the place only once did I hear her hiss at Leo when he got too close.

So since Fran didn't want to stay in the room she was confined to the big cage. I felt horrible keeping her cooped up and since her home had in fact fallen through it was decided Fran would move back to the shelter, spend a few days settling in to her new surroundings before being let out in the open sales rooms. I am sure she will get sick of the four walls pretty soon but there's lots to see and numerous people coming and going...hopefully one she'll work her charm on.

Now I failed to update one from being busy, two from my concern of Josie's illness and what the end result might end up as. I shouldn't have worried. She first started sneezing Wednesday a fortnight-ish ago. The time from the last update she was well on her way to getting better already. The whole 'is it serious flu' or 'is it just a passing bug' had pretty much been banished but one couldn't be sure.

Serious flu that the shelter has been dealing with is a cat that is appearing healthy suddenly begins sneezing, gets stuffy in the nose to the point of breathing through their mouth, refuse to eat and if they aren't humanely euthanized it progresses to discharge and failing body condition due to their inability to smell and therefore eat.
In a single home under proper care with medication, from my understanding, this flu can be treated however the cat then remains a carrier for life and needs to be watched for symptoms and will pass it on to other cats.

In the shelter environment with one ill cat among 20 or so healthy (the ill cat could even just be a carrier and not displaying symptoms) it doesn't take long before all 20 are in various stages of the flu. To treat them all one could be on the way to recovery only to relapse and then its around and around in a vicious cycle with every potential healthy cat then developing it....

Alas this is thankfully not what Josie had. Josie sneezed more than she should have for possibly a week before it began to clear up. Her nose got less stuffy and by this weekend just past she was itching to get out and play. While I thought her personality stayed the same and she never showed she was sick, playing, eating and being her usual full on self I soon found that she had another level of 'I'm feeling better'. I really wanted to spring her from quarantine early but didn't want to risk her siblings.

Health check for all wanderers passed with flying colors. The four kittens returned home and mother Fran stayed behind. None of the kittens missed their mother and were too busy checking out Josie who'd been reunited with her siblings and allowed freedom of a whole floor to run around in. Let me tell you she burnt off some pent up energy.

There IS four kittens in this bed, I'm pretty sure Kimba is squished in the top left corner.

Today, I said goodbye to Hank and Josie as they were dropped at the vet early this morning. They had reached weight, were good in health and I'm positive their new owner has waited long enough. By now they are probably tearing around their new house or being cuddled. I can also see them trying desperately to keep Josie quiet so she doesn't pop her stitches and failing miserably. That kitten isn't one to sit still.

Charming little Hank

Personality plus little Josie (such a beauty)

So now it's just the two white kittens Simba and Kimba. Unfortunately there's been no word of interest at them. Its possible tomorrow I'll be called out to the shelter where the weekly photos for the local paper will be taken and on Friday they'll be shown for all to see. Fingers crossed someone adopts them soon after the Friday advertisement.

Kimba and Simba, I mean who wouldn't want them?

If you get in touch with the Portland RSPCA and inquire about these kittens before the Friday paper I'd be happy to bring them in for a cuddle...

From what I understand at the present, on Friday the kittens will be taken out to the RSPCA and will possibly get the same isolation then put in sales treatment. I have given them all they need except for a home, they no longer need weight gain or anything specialized and they are better off finding what they need out there where the public can walk into a sale room and fall in love.

Kimba, its getting harder to tell them apart by eye color

Simba he looks deceivingly small in this picture.

There may also be a little puff ball that does need a bit of specialized care I shall find out for sure on Friday and will let you know of any new foster kittens....

Brief Absence

Well my camera has been uncharged for awhile thus the lack of pictures here but also we've had some less than good news in the previous few days.

Mother Fran's home so far has fallen through. There is a chance someone, somewhere that was interested has just not found the time to come out and finalize it, but they could also have decided not to proceed. If you are interested in a lovable orange and white female cat with gorgeous eyes and a need to be where ever you are she's your girl. Pop out to the Portland RSPCA and inquire about Fran from Kim's foster group and I'm sure we can set up a meet and greet.

(Recycled pic) You still haven't let me out of here ~ Fran

Hank is more than ready to leave for his new home. Pretty sure his new home would love to have him with them as well. The troublesome but lovable little Josie is taking her time. More on her later. He has passed his 800 gram requirement and is a solid little guy.

:.Chomp.: ~ Hank

Simba and Kimba. Amazingly these two little fur balls haven't had any requests for a meet and greet. If someone, somewhere wanted two kittens these guys are right to be booked in to get spayed and neutered and head off to their new home as soon as someone picks them. If anyone is interested please drop by the Portland RSPCA or give them a call and mention Simba and Kimba and Kim's Foster Kittens I'll be happy to set up a meet and greet for the two cotton balls.

Kimba ~ Please take me with you

Simba ~ New home sounds good

Josie. Oh little Josie. She's picked up a tiny bug. I am no vet but both myself and the vet don't think its the same virus going through the shelter. All she has done is sneeze and have a bit of a stuffy nose. She is active, alert, playing, eating, gaining weight (which is a definite bonus) and beyond sneezing more than a cat should she's got no discharge or ulcers. She's had this illness since around Wednesday and since there's been no temperature and it hasn't developed into anything more she's recuperating in her own little cage in her own room with all the TLC she can handle.

(recycled pic) Josie loves her cuddles

So a week from today I'm hoping that the sniffles and her stuffy nose ease.
She's roughly 20 grams away from making weight and once she does she'll be heading off with her brother to get spayed/neutered and into her new family. She's a little fighter our Josie and she isn't going to let no little bug get her down.

If you don't hear from me within the next week its because my hands are full with ever troublesome kittens. Since Simba, Hank and Kimba have reached 800 grams plus and are at full mobility they are getting into everything and causing mischief.
Fran has decided she wants away from all three of said mischievous kittens and makes a break to get out of the foster room every time I try and get in.
And sweet little Josie screams for attention all the time, of which she gets 99.9% of the time.

If there is any further developments of homes etc I will let you all know. Fingers crossed.

Its That Time Again

Mother Fran is entirely too ready to leave at the moment. It's a struggle to get into the room without letting her out. She could have been returned roughly two weeks ago now but due to illness at the shelter it was safer for her to hang out with me.

On a good note hopefully all things run smoothly and her forever home will be finalized this Friday so she'll head into the vets the following Monday to get spayed. No more little monsters sucking on her...I secretly think she'll be glad about that.

A lap of my own? Yes please

I have two kittens that are spoken for. Hank and Josie. As soon as they hit the 800 grams they will be booked in and getting the 'mini snip' before continuing to their own forever family together. We might have them a few more weeks as Josie is only just getting up to the 700 grams (being the runt) and she needs to be 800 to go in for her little operation.

Sweet Josie Sleeping
(Hank Missing in Action, being a Mr Ratty Pants...)

Its seems they might possibly be keeping their current names and as they're getting bigger they are becoming more troublesome. Josie is full on into everything but you can pick her up any which way and she trusts you not to drop her. Hank on the other hand is all happy coming over on his own terms but unless he's held against your chest and wants to be there he can be a bit sooky and nervous.

Now...Simba is ready for his new home and is getting very close to breaking the 1 kilo mark. The little sumo is massive compared to little Josie. Kimba is getting very close to being 800 and passing her sales check. In the perfect world we're hoping to home these two kittens together to an indoor cat home.

Simba soaking up some Lap time with my brother

With white cats there is a risk of cancer so limiting their time out in the sunlight is a concern. I mean anyone who knows cats knows that no matter what if they're not supposed to do something they'll do it anyway (including sun baking in windows) but still.

Kimba doesn't appear to be deaf. Her eyes however seem to have turned a blue-grey instead of yellow like her brother. She is however less certain in new situations and if she cant find her siblings tends to send out pitiful meows until she locates them. Don't be fooled though this little one purrs up a storm and can battle with the best of them when caught in a ratty mood. Her favorite sparring partner seems to be Simba or sometimes Josie.

Kimba's Grey eyes...

Simba is a lovable little cotton ball. Neither of the two white kittens are fond of being held out from your body (I don't blame them but they aren't as go with the flow as Josie) but they do calm down if they feel supported. Mostly they'll turn up on their own terms and try and play with your hands or feet.

So if you are in the Portland Victoria area please drop by the local RSPCA shelter and inquire about 'Kim's Foster Kittens Simba & Kimba' if you want to add two white fluff balls to your family. There might be a tiny wait for Kimba to hit the 800 grams but I'm happy to pop out for a meet and greet if interest is shown.

Group shot Number 2. Quite fitting the kittens in their pairings.

So I shall leave you until next time with a few pictures from the kittens lounge room romp.

Josie snoozing
(Excuse brother's plate, Josie didn't give him a chance to get up)

Josie ~ Don't even think of stealing this colored thing...Is MINE!

Kittens enjoying a colored rattle, Josie going nuts

Kimba trying the cute look

Hank totally not cooperating with pictures

Kittens semi playing

After being given more than twice their usual room
to play the kittens went under the chair and
snoozed there for most of their time out....typical

Photo Shoot

Alas it is nearing that time again. The time that these little ones move on to their forever families.

If it weren't for a flu outbreak Mother Fran and Simba might have already been returned. Since the flu is there then we all figured the best plan was to keep them with me but to begin showing the public the kittens.

Thus, I needed pictures...better pictures that captured who they are but also held an element of the cute factor.

Anyone who photographs cats know it takes 100 photos to get one useful one.

Mother Fran is difficult to photograph, more so than her kittens. Every picture she has this 'bored' look and I can never quite capture how pretty her amber eyes are. Truthfully Fran is a beautifully natured cat. She loves cuddles and hops up on our laps. She is full on when something she really likes is offered and can sit up in a near 'beg' pose. I do hope she finds herself a perfect home where she will be loved and smothered with attention.

Lovely Miss Fran

Best picture of her lovely eyes so far

Simba the little Sumo. He's reached 800 grams so if the right family came along he'd be able to go in and get the 'snip' and then bounce around with his new loving family. Due to being pure white he is sensitive to the sun and therefore it is advised he be an indoor cat. Enforcing this however is difficult and even indoors cats will always find the sunniest window sill to sit in.

Simba lounging

Simba working the 'you want to cuddle me' look

Final product Ta-Da  

Kimba the quiet one. Its hard to tell if her eyes are actually changing. She is more reserved than the others but she does have her ratty moments. Little Kimba is over the 700 gram mark, not quite available but very close. It would be absolutely awesome if the two white cotton balls go to a home together. (Fingers crossed)

Kimba asking for cuddles

Kimba being a bit ratty

Final Product. (Bit disappointed her eyes are in shadow)

Hank the love bug. Its no secret this little ginger and white fur ball has wiggled his way into my heart. With that near death moment where we nearly lost him its only solidified the bond. He has a quick purr, a quirky personality and is just so cute you just cant resist picking him up and snuggling him all the time. He became a big boy at the latest vet check and received his latest vaccination. Being a bit over 600 grams I got a bit more time with my little man before its time to say goodbye.

Hank not quite being cooperative

Hank trying to perfect the cute head tilt

Hank perfecting the cute face. Really who wouldn't want to take that home?

Josie the personality plus. From the get go this little one has been go, go, go. She's never let being the tiniest stop her from being the first to do things or to scare her from fighting her much bigger brothers and sisters. Her delicate face and frame hide away this little puff ball of personality and she's a fierce but loving little monster. She readily accepts cuddles and will purr loudly for anyone patting or snuggling her but she's also independent and easily distracted. Josie also became a big girl today, she's just scraping the 600 grams but since the kittens are around 7 weeks old they figured she was right to have it.

Josie a bit uncertain

Josie being a bit ratty but still looking innocent

Josie focusing on my finger she wasn't being the best little poser today.

So until the flu is gone I have the little fur balls. I may or may not get called in to arrange some meet and greets with people curious about the kittens and I can look after them and drop them off at the vet in town before they're picked up and carried off to their new homes. This way any chance of them picking up the flu is reduced dramatically.

I really don't want to have known these kittens only to lose them when they return to the adoption floors so spread the word some gorgeous kittens are going to be needing a home and so is Mother Fran.

What's New Kittens?

I apologize profusely for my lack of updates.

I have never been very good with deadlines or doing things consistently. I have hopefully wrangled in the help of a bud RubyRein (you know who you are) to kick me in the butt if I leave it too long between sharing pictures of the little darlings.

So what's happened since last time?

Do you know how HARD it was getting this picture?
(pulls hair out)

Well they're still growing like weeds. Still, yes we all know weeds just don't stop growing...

Simba is trying to win a body builder competition that only he's entered and he's tipping the scales at well over 700. Our time with this little cotton ball is nearing the end just over 150 grams or a tiny less and he's off to find his fur-ever home.

Simba wandering over to tackle my foot

Kimba has overtaken Hank and earned a vaccination at the last vet check. Her eyes are still pretty blue and its easier to tell her apart from Simba. Easier but not all the time. Prime example below.

Which one is it?

Truthfully I don't know for certain if that is Kimba or Simba. I'm leaning towards Kimba since there seems to be a bit more blue in the eyes and Simba's are clearly yellow now. Her ears are also longer but she's lost some of that pixie look to her face. The other pictures in sequence seem to be Kimba so that's who I think it is but there's always that tiny grain of doubt and I wish there was some definitive way to tell in each picture who is who...

Comparison. Simba left, Kimba Right.

We cant check yet but there's a possibility that she may be deaf or at least partially deaf. Apparently there is some genetic thing that means white cats with blue eyes are deaf. There have been some instances where she's responded on the actions of other kittens rather than hearing or seeing the danger herself.

Kimba looking pretty...gee she's grown

There was also the car ride where she burrowed under the blanket in the crate. The vibrations of the car may have caused that since the other kittens seemed fine.

Hank

My fuzzy little love bug

Oh boy. Another of the reasons why its been such a long time between updating is the fact that there were nearly three Wanderers instead of four.

This week we very nearly could have lost little Hank. We still do not know what caused the sudden and dramatic change. He had vomited early on the Wednesday morning before work. I thought little of it as he often gorges on his food and then gets hiccups.

Love the fuzz halo

When I got home my mother came out of the room with Hank wrapped in a towel looking less than healthy. He was lethargic, dehydrated and not at all his perky little self. I went on mad mothering duties seeing if I could have made it to Wednesday check with him or not. The vet was in a rush and pretty much done so I called the shelter manager to get the okay for a emergency vet visit.

Hank~ I sleep on your foot

She advised me to try keep him warm and get some food into him. I would have been fine doing so and had already organised the hot water bottle but when trying to get anything into him and he wasn't swallowing. I just felt helpless and wondered if it was anything more severe.

That whole guessing game drives me nuts. When his pupils dilated and he wasn't swallowing the milk, knowing he'd vomited at least four times I needed to get him in to see someone and got the okay from the shelter manager to take him in...or rather took the whole family in...

Hank was checked over, his temperature was fine (that was a relief) and we had originally worried that mum treating him to licking pasta sauce off her finger had contributed to this random illness. The vet assured us that there was nothing in the sauce that could have done this and that he'd just gotten into something or something had disagreed with him. The main factor in his behaving so sick was dehydration. He had nothing in his belly anymore and had used up any liquids.

The vet said he'd give him some fluids under the skin and some glucose syrup for energy. All other kittens checked out fine and we were advised to keep Hank separate overnight to monitor his bowel and food intake.

huh? a night alone? ~ Hank

Between offering milk, force feeding tiny amounts of weight builder and reheating a hot water bottle Hank and I spent quality time together for the rest of the day. To the point when my 6 am start for work caught up with me and the stress of a sick kitten that I fell asleep with my hand in his little dome bed and him snuggled up against said hand because when I removed it he peeped at me until I touched him.

I woke to Hank staring at me in the face peeping and looking brighter. He never ate what I'd consider the right amount but he wasn't struggling to lift his head. He did drop in weight but not by the dramatic amount I thought he would have. In the following days he got stronger and stronger and his appetite returned.

Crisis averted...thank Gosh.

*chomp* I wasn't sick ~ Hank
(There is 3 kittens here)

Josie and her cuteness overload shall be here for quite awhile longer after the two cotton balls return. She is the runt and she has a petite frame.To lift the over 700 gram Simba and then pick up little 500 gram Josie...the difference considering they're from the same litter is amazing.

Josie~ I can't help if I'm cute

On the other side Josie isn't lacking in personality. She is the tiny kitten with torti-tude. I always saw right in the first days when she was the first one to do wandering that she'd always strive to be bigger and better than her siblings despite being the tiniest in size and weight.

Planning her next battle

Getting 'the look' from the kittens

Being 'attacked' by said kittens

Kittens success, zonked out after taking down their prize...me

That strength has got her this far and will likely win over a family within seconds.

She's not one to be pushed around by her siblings and their now frequent wrestling matches she's usually in the thick of it.

Josie is still one of the first to greet me when I step into the room. She is so gosh darn cute. This little mite is the only one that doesn't freak out if held away from a persons body. All others tend to scream bloody murder even when you have a safe grip on them.

Fran

Escaping kittens (one of said kittens has found her)

Mother duties are gone pretty much. The last vet check Miss Fran Wanderer could have returned to gain weight and then find her own home. On the unfortunate side there has been an outbreak of flu again at the shelter so sending her back at the present would pretty much be putting her life in danger of contracting it. Therefore sweet mother Fran has to deal with her kittens during the day now and gets the entire night free of the tiny little blood thirsty monsters. I think she particularly loves this me time that she now gets.

I have put her back on adult wet food...for some annoying reason the kittens go nuts for her food but pretty much go meh at their own food. Their weights are still increasing so its not all bad I guess but I will be mentioning it to the vet to see if I should remove all temptation as the adult food mother gets lacks the nutrients growing tiny tots need...

Fran soaking up some lap time

They all had a spoil-you-moment last night when we got some fish and chips. I am glad I escaped said room with all fingers intact. Mother was pretty much 'get out of the way kittens the fish is mine!' and little Josie was legs splayed over her portions on the ground and I swear if a sibling stepped too close a tiny growl emitted from her. I was swarmed to say the least and long after it was all gone they were begging for more...

Fran~ Get me out of here and bring more food!

Unfortunately no video.(I wouldn't want to be in it anyway)

Now on a side note I love comments on the blog...or even on the face book post that sends people to here.
To comment on here this is what you do.
1. Scroll to bottom of post (or read as you go...whatever you prefer)
2. Click on the little blue words that say comment
3. A large white box should be visible. Write in your best wishes for the kittens or awe over the pictures
4. Below the large white box should be a comment as....If you click on the drop down menu select anonymous if you do not have a Google account or any of the other types of accounts. Feel free to write who you are in said comment example (Thanks for updating - RubyRein ...or more to the point Get your butt updating more often - RubyRein).
5. Re-read what you've written (I'm horrible for spelling mistakes, I nearly wrote dead instead of deaf)
6. Click Publish.

If the above step by step does not work please bear with me and I'll go interrogate other blog members to find out how they get people to post in their comment sections.

*big kitten eyes* Please comment.