New Kitten!!
We have ANOTHER new kitten. It was probably inevitable. The family across the street... does not have much money, but the boy there is an animal lover. Two of his cats had litters this year. I was busy planting some strawberries when V motioned me to come over, and I discovered the boy with a metal crate full of kittens (and the strong scent of urine). The boy said they were 6 weeks old. We suggested he bring the kittens to our yard, and we let the kittens get a little exercise while we met them. I asked some gentle questions about the conditions they'd been kept in... NOT GOOD. There was one kitten that immediately climbed on me, and then went over to V. He went back to the boy, but kept coming to us and climbing all over us. Very friendly and sweet. We offered to 'borrow' the kitten for the night, see how he got along with our cats.
We got him inside, and realized some things that we hadn't seen in the dark of the night - the lower parts of his legs and paws were covered in feces and he had a terrible flea infestation. We started to put together more of the details the boy had mentioned. Cramped conditions, too many animals, the boy had complained of all the shitting from the animals, and the boy said he could barely stand to be in the basement the fleas were so bad... the animals were in the basement in the metal crate, only let out to feed from Mom when Mom bothered to come home. The boy couldn't tell us if the kitten was litter box trained... because there was no litter box! So, if anyone is interested in a kitten or two please let me know b/c the sooner the kittens out of there the better they'll be.
So we washed the kitten, V ran out and bought a new kind of cat litter that worked better for tiny paws, and juicy wet cat food appropriate for kittens. Spartacus ran around wildly, Bigness came in and looked at us again with the 'what have you done to my life?' look, a furious search for flea shampoo flea comb small towels no the towels are now covered in fleas toss them outside... it's been a wild night.
Rumi has successfully used the litterbox, devoured lots of food, and passed out for a nap. Much to my surprise, after his bath (which was an intense and traumatic affair for all involved, the fleas fled to his face when we plunged all of his body but the head into the water. So V used the spray attachment on the sink to get them off his face as I tore the house up looking for the comb. There's something about seeing tons of fleas crawling right around the eyes of an animal that sets me the fuck off. The poor thing is likely anemic, those were some fat fat fleas. V just searched online for info and said Rumi is either 5 weeks or a stunted 6 weeks.) ..... anyway after the bath he cuddled up to V, and then to me, and purred purred purred. He devoured more food and then passed out for some real sleep. He initially wasn't thrilled to be pulled away from his family at the last minute when we were saying goodbye to the boy, but he seems so serenely happy sleeping on our bed. I assume it's the softest least-itchiest least-noisy conditions he's been in.
Rumi is startled by, but not actually scared of Spartacus. Sparts has grown tremendously in the short time we've had him, and he's often in some state of battle. He'll mew piteously at me every morning until I play lots of string-is-a-terrible-snake, one of his favorite games.
This all happened so fast. Picture is on FB. If we aren't friends there msg me and we'll make it happen.
Oh and when Mosa died, I told V that the hole in my heart was so large that it would take two kittens to fill it. Funny how things come about, when we least expect it. We just went out and finished up planting the strawberries.
We got him inside, and realized some things that we hadn't seen in the dark of the night - the lower parts of his legs and paws were covered in feces and he had a terrible flea infestation. We started to put together more of the details the boy had mentioned. Cramped conditions, too many animals, the boy had complained of all the shitting from the animals, and the boy said he could barely stand to be in the basement the fleas were so bad... the animals were in the basement in the metal crate, only let out to feed from Mom when Mom bothered to come home. The boy couldn't tell us if the kitten was litter box trained... because there was no litter box! So, if anyone is interested in a kitten or two please let me know b/c the sooner the kittens out of there the better they'll be.
So we washed the kitten, V ran out and bought a new kind of cat litter that worked better for tiny paws, and juicy wet cat food appropriate for kittens. Spartacus ran around wildly, Bigness came in and looked at us again with the 'what have you done to my life?' look, a furious search for flea shampoo flea comb small towels no the towels are now covered in fleas toss them outside... it's been a wild night.
Rumi has successfully used the litterbox, devoured lots of food, and passed out for a nap. Much to my surprise, after his bath (which was an intense and traumatic affair for all involved, the fleas fled to his face when we plunged all of his body but the head into the water. So V used the spray attachment on the sink to get them off his face as I tore the house up looking for the comb. There's something about seeing tons of fleas crawling right around the eyes of an animal that sets me the fuck off. The poor thing is likely anemic, those were some fat fat fleas. V just searched online for info and said Rumi is either 5 weeks or a stunted 6 weeks.) ..... anyway after the bath he cuddled up to V, and then to me, and purred purred purred. He devoured more food and then passed out for some real sleep. He initially wasn't thrilled to be pulled away from his family at the last minute when we were saying goodbye to the boy, but he seems so serenely happy sleeping on our bed. I assume it's the softest least-itchiest least-noisy conditions he's been in.
Rumi is startled by, but not actually scared of Spartacus. Sparts has grown tremendously in the short time we've had him, and he's often in some state of battle. He'll mew piteously at me every morning until I play lots of string-is-a-terrible-snake, one of his favorite games.
This all happened so fast. Picture is on FB. If we aren't friends there msg me and we'll make it happen.
Oh and when Mosa died, I told V that the hole in my heart was so large that it would take two kittens to fill it. Funny how things come about, when we least expect it. We just went out and finished up planting the strawberries.