Actually...

Actually, I am pretty sure it's impossible to be in a bad mood with Tabi around.  Tabi (short for Tabibito) is our 10 week old kitten. 

I admit, when I woke up to hear "scraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaape scraaaaaaaaaaaaaaape" coming from the office, I wasn't impressed.  Until I saw what he was doing.  He had his front feet in the plastic dish we gave him snow in (Derek's idea - Tabi loved it).  He was running as fast as he could with his back feet.  Like skateboarding.  Only different.  More accurately described as food-bowling, perhaps.  He was zooming across the wood floor like this, bouncing off furniture, walls... it was absolutely hilarious.  I brought him to bed with me - it was 5:15 AM and I was not ready to get up yet, especially on a Saturday.  I was almost asleep when I heard a little chirp and felt his rough but gentle little tongue - grooming my eyebrow.  I opened my eyes and he started to wiggle and purr.  So much for sleep... but also, so much for being cranky about the lack of sleep. 

Who could be cranky with this around?

Kitten Update

I could go on and on about the kittens - how they are, how they've grown, how much healthier they are.  I think though, that I'll let pictures speak on my behalf.  The shots aren't great, I know, but... they'll show you the progress.  

"Yoku"
Kiryoku - Inner Strength
Day 3 - Age 16 Days



Yoku
Day 13 - Age 26 Days







"Tabi"
Tabibito - Voyager
Day 3 - Age 16 Days



Tabi
Day 13 - Age 26 Days



"Kohta"
Kohtamashii - Fire Spirit
Day 3 - Age 16 Days





Kohta
Day 13 - Age 26 Days



"Nari"
Kaminari - Thunder
Day 3 - Age 16 Days



Nari

Day 13 - Age 26 Days

Have Kittens.

I know, I know, we're too busy to be fostering.  And yet... there are FOUR two week old kittens in our bedroom right now.  Two tiny bottles in our fridge.  And a container of Clavomox.  And we are remembering how much we love doing this.

First, I want to introduce Chaileh (HIGH-yeh) - the name is derived from the Hebrew word for "alive."  Chaileh did not survive.  Her mom had distemper while pregnant, and of the six kittens, three ended up with cerebral hypoplasia.  One died within the first week.  Chaileh did okay, and then we got called to go get her because she was fading fast.  We brought her home, filled her with fluids, put her on and under heat and she still shivered, and gave her as much antibiotic as her tiny body possibly could have handled... but it wasn't enough.  When it became clear she was dying, I did give her some pain medication so it didn't hurt.  THIS is why I don't hesitate to tell people - SPAY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS.

This is Kiryoku.  His name means "Inner Strength."  Of our four remaining kittens, he was in the worst shape when he arrived.  Very passive, very weak.  Didn't have any interest in eating.  Could barely lift his head.  No hair on his chest or throat.  But he's a whole other kitten after just 48 hours.  Still looks silly with the missing hair, but is doing well over all.  We call him Yoku.

This is Tabibito.  His name means "Voyager" and boy, he sure is.  He's into EVERYTHING.  Has to see, has to touch, has to smell, taste... If we thought we could possibly add a 5th cat to our own permanent menagerie, he would probably never leave our home.  BUT, we can't.

We call him Tabi (TAH-bee).

This is Kaminari.  His name means "Thunder."  In the picture, he looks a little big gray and not all that cute.  In reality, he is stunning.  Jet-black, gorgeous baby boy.  Although he did pee all over the bed tonight.  Not his fault - we didn't make sure his bladder was empty before we let him wander.  He's got spunk, and out of all of them, seems the healthiest.  He jumps - or tries, anyway.  He can barely walk, but he launches his tiny self into the air, and usually either gets hung up on whatever he's trying to jump over or falls on his face.  Doesn't bother him a bit.  He likes to put his front paws on faces and lick noses, and he sucks his thumb while he sleeps.  I have GOT to find a way to photograph that fact.

We call him Nari (NAH-ree).

This sweet little girl is Kohtamashii.  Her name means "Fire Spirit" or, as we in America would say, "spitfire."  She is, too.  She's very intense.  She also is the crankiest of all of them.  Sadly, she also has hypoplasia, but not to the degree the other two did.  She's just got some of the classic signs - the head wobble, a bit of muscle weakness, lack of coordnation, and her feet don't really do what she wants a lot of the time.  But she will be able to walk, maybe even manage a clumsy run.  She can never be an outside cat, so it's a good thing she's already got an inside home lined up.  We call her Kohta.

Springtime.

It's springtime once again. And with it being spring, there are baby animals being born everywhere.

We got our first two fosters in last night. Perfect timing really, as I'll be laid up for a while following emergency surgery on my leg yesterday.

Anyway, we have no names yet - suggestions are definitely welcome! Today is their third day of life, at most. Might only be their second. They are robust and healthy, but they still have spongy umbilical cords attached and eyes sealed shut, so we know they're quite young. We feed them with impossibly tiny bottles. They eat every 90-120 minutes around the clock, which is somewhat exhausting but oh so worth it. In a week, it will be every 120-180, and then every 3-4 hours, and before we know it they will be feeding themselves.

Here are just a couple pictures - name away folks! (Leave your suggestions as comments please). I will endeavor to produce more pictures for you... later. When I am less medicated. :)