2012 in Review - Part 1

So we decided to look back over 2012.....we thought maybe do the highs and lows in separate posts but decided no one would want to read an entire post about the lows of the year. MOL  So we decided to run 6 months at a time.....here is the first half!!!

We started off 2012 with Caramel and Mocha......  Mocha was our tiny baby that mom discovered had an old rib injury that reminded us once again why we rescue....she is in a MUCH better place with her new family now. :)

We gotted our first new cat tree too!!

And this past spring was when things got heated in Florida as TNR came to the forefront with a hotel chain. We have said before that we are ALL for TNR and Junior is the best example.

Before the coffee kittens were adopted, Martin came to stay with us for a while. After he went back, the shelter decided he was going to have to go back to the woman who rescued him since his behavior was unpredictable. Mom ran into Miss Jen this fall and got to see a picture of Martin after Miss Jen found him a new forever home. YEAH for Martin!!

While we were trying to solve the mystery of Caramel's enduring snot, Cheerio came to spend some time with us. Mom has seen his mom at Petco a few times and while he is still shy, he has come around and routinely loves on his new dad. :)

In March we got a call about one of the cats that had been trapped and adopted by a neighbor. It seems that the lady was moving and rather than being responsible, she just left Madam outside. Fortunately, mom was able to catch her and after some minor drama, placed her at Petco and she was adopted by a very nice older couple.....

 The end of March brought a new adventure.  Marble and Silver came to the house. Marble had been spayed and Silver came in as a tiny orphaned kitten. The rescue got lucky and Marble decided that Silver was a nice baby and took her as her own.  You can read mom's favorite Silver memory here

 Oh yeah - and mom got new ink.....

April brought some serious sadness as we were joined by Louisa and her kittens who ran for the Bridge so very soon.....

May brought some serious craziness as we had Wendy and the fast food kittens and then Wild Bill, Annie, Sally Mae and Doc Holiday join us in a short period of time....Ultimately Wild Bill and Annie Oakley ran for the Bridge, but we are glad they got a chance to be loved and safe. And their mom got spayed and the neighborhood where they were found made an effort to do some serious TNR - so they did make an impact in several lives.

 OMG - can you believe that it was JUNE when the alcohol kittens joined us?????  Holy cats....

after staring at the picture, mom thinks the one up front might be Bourb

Stay tuned tomorrow for Part 2

National Feral Cat Day.....

Alley Cat Allies is celebrating National Feral Cat Day....  TODAY!!!

Most of you know that we are BIG fans of TNR. And we are lucky enough to live in a city that has a very good local low cost clinic (SOS) that will take feral cats - the same day you trap them (ok, provided the clinic is open, but still.....)

TNR is how this guy came to live with us:

(who knew this would grow into the 16 pound orange menace)

And there are the cats we have trapped in the neighborhood over the last two years - and the kittens that we caught and have been adopted. Bug's mom was TNR'd, so was Doc and Sally's mom and the memorial day kittens.

Most recently there was Allie and the alcohol kittens......

 

Not only have the kittens found home (or are looking), the adults are no longer able to reproduce and are being cared for the best we can (shelter and food).

There are lots of ways you can help:
   1. see if there are events in your area
   2. TNR in your neighborhood - or contact a local group that is doing TNR in your area
       we have two around here that mom supports: Colony Cats and Black and Orange Cat Foundation
   3. Like Alley Cat Allies on Facebook

And there are so many other ways to help. And every little step takes us one more step closer to a day when ferals are not killed for being feral.

The babies got some names.....

Well, there is a winner in the auction to help Annie. Andrea, Leo and Star from celestial kitties won the right to name the kittens. She and mom emailed back and forth and it ended up being a joint effort since we have more boys than girls.

The boys: Bourbon (the lame kitten), Whiskey (the other complete brown tabby), Cognac and Moonshine (the gray boy)

The girls: Amaretto and Gin

Bourbon (left) and Whiskey

left to right: Cognac, Moonshine, Amaretto (back) & Gin *maybe*

Oh - and we guess you want the v-e-t report.....

When mom picked Bourbon up, the tech said the radiographs were being sent out. But, the rescue lady sent mom a text and said "bourbon good to go. no patellas. recheck in a month. can usually do ok as they grow." Mom paused....no patellas at all?? Yep - they can't see his kneecaps at all....of course he is tiny and that is what they are going to recheck. But, sounds like for the moment it is let him get bigger and see what happens. We may have to ask for help later, but we are good for now. We need to bulk everyone up a little so Tim gets locked in the back bedroom while they eat from now on.

triple threat...

After some bad werds....the flashy box seems to sorta be taking pictures but the movie part is dead. Lucky for her she has a separate flip video camera. She needs to call Sony, but isn't sure if it is worth trying to fix.....  we shall see.

Also, Mom dropped the tiny lame boy off at the vet this morning - more on that tomorrow.
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Well, mom spent some time with those scardey guys in the bathroom over the weekend.

Aren't they cuties?? The one in the back with the red toy is the friendliest. He comes right up and wants attention and love. The other two are still a work in progress, but they came out and sat looking at mom so she will take that as a good first step. Their names are Smokey, Speedy and Curious George, but mom didn't get enough info to be able to tell which one is which. :)

who would have thunk???

Allie's kittens are getting bigger. Mom dewormed them on Sunday. One of the girls is a little skinny and mom is trying to make sure she eats. She is eating on her own, but her tiny baby brain has to be reminded - which we find very strange. Reminded to eat?? What's up with that???

Anyhow, they are back in baby jail in the living room. Mom got an email from the shelter if she could take a group of 3 slightly older kittens for about 10 days until they can be neutered and there is space on the adoption floor. Mom thought this would be fine - they are big enough to be out all the time and Junior would have someone to play with. (the shelter says they are 5 months, mom thinks maybe closer to 7 months, but whatever) However, what they neglected to mention is that the new guys are afraid - of EVERYTHING!! Mom can't get a picture cause they pile up on top of each other in the corner of the bathroom (though we think that might make a good picture). She has convinced one to sorta like her and she can touch the other 2, but they won't come out for scritches. So rather than lose them somewhere in the house, they are in the bathroom and Allie's kittens are back in baby jail. Mom is gonna be on a mission this weekend to work with them. :)

let us out!!!! we was framed!!

We know you love funny baby jail stories, so we have to share this. Mom has been letting Sally and Doc in to eat the gushy food with the little ones. Sally proved a long time ago that she can get out on her own. Doc has never figured it out. Fortunately he is also completely content to stay in baby jail with the kittens until mom takes pity and hauls him out to play with Sally.  But... one of the little ones has figured out how to get out. If she decides there isn't enough food, she climbs out, finds mom and runs back and forth and underfoot until they get fed. (mom is shutting us in the 2nd bedroom or has to stand guard to keep Tim from scarfing all the baby foods) Once they are fed, she stays in baby jail just fine. Weird....

 this is the boy with the leg issues - notice how he sleeps...

(note: he sees the vet on Monday)

how many kittens do YOU see??

still lovin' the cable cord

what???

And don't forget that you can still big to name this crew (mom is now pretty sure it is 4 boys and 2 girls) at the auction for Annie.

This and that.....

Let's see - we got lots of odds and ends.....

1. Mom has seen Allie a few times now. So we told her to get it together and get some food and water out for the girl. Allie was hanging out under a parked car when mom got home one night and was on the sidewalk yesterday morning. We weren't sure she was going to come back around, but it looks like we inherited kittens and our very own feral cat. :) Mom is starting to think about shelter for the winter.

2. Fast food kitten update: the shelter called and the boys had a weird variation of calici (no mouth ulcers, which is a major sign). So, everything got thrown in the washer and was washed in HOT (again - just to be sure - mom cleans after each group leaves)!!! Mom is being pretty vigilant with the outlaws since they had been hanging with the boys. We does have a question for you all though.....does anyone know if the FVRCP is a live virus vaccine? The outlaws haven't been vaccinated yet and mom isn't sure if she should do it now or wait a little bit longer.

3. Silver was.....ADOPTED!!! She went home last night with another gray kitten from another litter who is about 2 weeks younger. They will have an older sister in their new home who is about a year old.

4. Head count: mom thinks she finally has it on the new bunch - 4 boys and 2 girls. We think she keeps changing her mind and doesn't really know what she is talking about....  MOL

don't know what I had to go to the v-e-t...nothing wrong with ME!!

5. But, we suppose you really want the v-e-t report from last night. :)  Well.....the v-e-t wasn't very sure and was glad mom brought a brother for comparison (mom brought him for company, but whatever works). They ended up taking x-rays. Seems our tiny boy's knee caps are not where they are supposed to be (completely luxated on both sides). Stranger still is that his humerous bone (thigh bone) doesn't complete into the knee joint - it didn't form right. Of course, the v-e-t wondered what caused it - malnutrition, birth defect, whatever. Mom is more concerned about how we FIX it. The tiny boy weighs about 14 ounces (eep - the cute). It would be a surgical fix and mom is concerned cause he is tiny. So, mom is gonna talk to the head rescue lady tonight about the next step. It won't be cheap whatever it is, but for now it certainly doesn't bother him....he gets around great, just looks a little funny doing it.

The kid went with mom so that grandma could run some errands and go to the gym. :)

One Word Wednesday....

NAP-ATTACK!!!

(yes, they are sleeping on the cable cord that comes out of the floor)

Allie kittens

Well, mom brought the kids up this weekend. They were put in baby jail and were a little....baffled. :)

Tim and Sally ended up invading baby jail....there was kitten food to be had. Mom would still like to get another week of them with Allie, but when she went to feed them on Sunday, Allie was kind of jumpy and acting more and more like she wanted out. So mom let Allie go Sunday night. The kittens are now in the bathroom. Doc & Sally are in there at night but out during the day.

We wish her well and hope she stays safe.

Mom did discovered something that makes us even more glad mom caught this family.

He seems to get around ok and is very playful and active. But there is something weird about his back legs. Mom got them admitted to the rescue (with Doc & Sally) and will have a vet check him on Wednesday.
Be sure to check out the auction for Karasota Castle and get to name the kitts: we have 4 girls and 2 boys. (or maybe 5 girls and 1 boy....mom isn't sure - again  MOL)

Finally Friday.....

Well, we are short the fast food kittens. sigh......

Mom notice Sonic and BK limping like Arby had been. Both were hot to the touch to on Wednesday. She suspected calici, but they had been vaccinated and had no mouth ulcers. They were still eating though, so she didn't panic. Plus, they were scheduled to go in to the shelter on Thursday morning to be neutered (yeah, that wasn't going to happen, but the vet could see them). Both were given fluids and were feeling better according to a voicemail mom got. However, they wanted them to get fluids twice per week....so they sent all 3 boys home with the vet tech. Mom isn't really happy as she can give fluids but not much she can do about it.

The outlaws are doing well. Doc is out and about and playing. Sally is a....screamer. That girl has some lungs. Her main complaint is that she is always hungry - doesn't matter if she just ate or not. If mom gets up, Sally screams for a snack. Plus she can get over the baby jail gate so she has taken to following mom downstairs when mom goes to feed Allie's kittens. That causes mom to curse....now she has kittens trying to get out and Sally trying to get in and Allie hissing from the crate.

Speaking of Allie's kittens, mom is hoping to bring them up for a play date in baby jail on Saturday. This will give Allie a break, give mom a chance to catalog the kittens, and also give her a chance to see how well they are eating on their own. It amazing to see how quickly they went from "don't be touching us" to "hey are we happy to see you".

Hope everyone has a great weekend. We have the serious hots here so we are planning to stay inside in the a/c.....Spud is claiming the floor vent in the kitchen (a/c plus tile equals cooler long haired cat).

Hey: if you think about it, think good adoption thoughts for this weekend for Silver and the girls at Petco.

Poor Arby.....

Hey, guess what?? We is famous!! We have been written about in The Blogville Chronicle.

     ummm....about that - the article is about Allie and the kittens.

WHAT???? geez....those kittens get all the press.......

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Mom noticed he was limping Sunday night. Part of her said he was playing too hard with his siblings and the outlaws. But...Silver has calici early this spring (though she was never near these kitts) and that was how is started for her.

We kept a close eye on the boy, but by last night he was pretty lethargic and warm. Mom force fed him some fluids, but he found her unamusing. Mom sent a text to the shelter director and dropped the baby off at the shelter this morning.

We just heard back from them - his temp this am was 106 but is now down to 101. Another foster that works from home is going to take him and make sure he gets syringe fed every 3 hours. They are thinking it is just a high parasite count.... (which we had last fall with Troy - same high fever without the limping). Silver never ran a fever like this though.

Please send our foster boy some purrs......we know he could use them (and for his new foster mom Jen - our mom shudders at the every 3 hour thing - though she would do it to help him).

Variety.....

It may be the spice of life, but right now, it just makes mom's eyes roll in her head.  MOL

Us: we is all doing good. Maestro has his bad moments when his mind wanders off...somewhere. But mostly he is doing good. Junior and Spud insist on occasionally trying to kill each other and Mom is trying to diffuse it all. She was hoping the trees would help, but they still cross paths in a couple of tight corners and then the name calling starts....sometimes she can diffuse it and sometimes she doesn't see them.

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Wendy and the fast food kittens:

Wendy is a bit.....angry. Mom tried to put the outlaws in the bathroom to make it easy. Nope - she whapped Doc. And while she had been staying in the bathroom behind the baby gate, the other night she decided to sit OUTSIDE the gate. Which puts her right in front of the door to the room with our stuff. And she growls and hisses and calls us names. Oh, and she was singing the "let me out" song several times last night. Which is weird since she doesn't even LIKE being out.....

The kitts are doing well. They are scheduled to be neutered on the 21st, but mom isn't sure they are all going to make weight. Something about running off as many calories as they take in. MOL

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The outlaws:

Doc Holiday & Mustang Sally are doing well. Still kinda tiny, but outgoing. And Sally is ALWAYS hungry!! If mom gets up for something, Sally is sure it is to feed her NOW!!!! She follows mom around screaming. Mom feeds them canned 3-4 times per day - but she has to supervise since we kinda...well...may not leave them alone. :)
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Allie and her kittens:

With a negative test, it is now just about giving the kittens time to grow. They are in what mom calls the "ewok" stage. MOL Allie is eating and caring for the kids - though not a fan of mom. Or us for that matter - Tommy snuck down there and the cursing was pretty bad (from Allie and from mom). Mom wishes she had some tech skills cause it would be nice to put a web cam on the cage to see what they are doing down there (and when the kittens start eating on their own). But, Allie seems ok for now...
[ps from this morning - mom went down to clean up and feed everyone. most of the kittens came forward to greet her. AND...she saw the little gray (male) baby eating the dry food - hehehe]

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And a picture of the kid. Mom spent Wednesday at the zoo with her....

The polar bears were AWESOME!!!