2:36 PM Atticus - the little cuss

This is Atticus.  He's one of my foster babies for now.  Sometimes I look at him and forget he's not Efah, my little black kitten from last year.  He's just as cuddly as Efah was.  Then the "little cuss" will come out and I remember real quick.  Atticus suffers from the eternal fear that he's not going to be fed enough.  So breakfast and dinner times are a bit of a challenge.  Especially since Mariner has now decided that she has to mimic that behavior.  All of that should change, though, if he can score a forever home that will free feed.  And I'm sure he'll end up being a "fat and happy little cuss."

I don't know what it is about my sewing, but all the cats love to interfere with that.  You may recognize that fabric Atticus is on as the fabric I used for my niece's garb.  That's what I was sewing here.  Atticus just decided to plop down on the fabric and try to nap.  Of course, my attempt at removal turned into a game.

So then I decided to try to move the fabric I was working on.

"Oh Noes, it's MINE!"

"You cannot takes mah Fabrics!  I must Hoard dems!"

Yes, Atticus speaks in LOL Cats.

5:44 PM Looking for a new furry family member? How to be prepared. Pt 4 - Is Free really Free?

In previous installments of this series I've discussed purchase vs adoption for acquiring a new pet.  But there is also a 3rd option I'd like to talk about.  The "free" giveaway.

Scenario 1:
You're minding your own business shopping for all those crazy holiday gifts and then you spot a cart full of the cutest puppies on the planet.  Your daughter has been begging for a puppy for the longest time now, but you just weren't sure.  It's Christmas now and you think you're ready to make the plunge, and well, Free puppies means Zero money spent on this particular present!  So you can get a puppy And that Barbie she wanted too.  Win Win!  Right?

Scenario 2:
You want to surprise your significant other with that kitten she's been hinting about.  You've looked at rescues, but their adoption fees are all around $100.  You have been on a tight budget lately and really can't afford that kind of money for a present.  So you look in the paper and on Craigslist and find a few listings giving kittens away.  Wow!  You may be able to get that kitten Plus a gift certificate to DSW!  How is that not a win win situation?

Answer:
While those litters may very well have come from a lovely home who had an "oops" litter and they look beautifully taken care of and may not give you any health problems like a commercial bred pet might, "free" is never "free" in this case.  Pets being given away for free 9 times out of 10 have not been vetted at all.  So remember, you still have to pay for all of that vetting.  Just how much could you be out of pocket?

I've done a small price comparison on various options local to me.  And from what I can see, the cost of fully vetting a new kitten or puppy is going to be just shy of $400 (using the more costly spay surgery scenario) if you use the subsidized SPCA clinic.  Having your vetting performed with a personal vet is going to cost quite a bit more.  When all is said and done, paying for your own vetting can cost you between $495 - $630.  And while you are sure to receive the best possible care that a personal vet can provide, for those who are on a budget and looking for a "free" pet, "free" just got rather expensive.  Even the cheapest method of going through a low cost mobile vet for vaccinations and going to a non-profit group like Kitti Co for the spay or neuter is going to cost you $109.  If the mobile vet does not test for FIV and Leline Leukemia,  you'll need to have that test performed at a vet's office, which will tack on not only a $55 office visit, but another $35 for the test, bringing your total to $199.

So what exactly are you saving if you adopt?  Quite a lot actually.  Average adoption fees for cats in the Dallas area seem to average between $55 and $125.  The same area seems to average between $85 and $285 for dogs.  If you adopt from a rescue that guarantees all the vetting no matter what age you adopt, your out of pocket for vetting will be confined to illness after adoption and the annual boosters.  However, some rescues only pay for the spay/neuter and whatever vaccinations are due at the time of adoption.  In this case, you would be responsible for the rest of the vaccinations due.  Adopting an 8 week old kitten from a rescue may still end up costing you a little in vetting shortly after adoption.  So ask those questions.  Make sure you know what you are getting with your adoption fee.  Even still, with having to cover those last vaccinations on your own, you will come in at well under the cost of a "free" kitten who requires all of its vetting.

9:54 AM Archive Fridays

When I first started fostering pregnant mom's and their kittens, I began a blog over at Live Journal so my fellow fosters and friends could keep up with their progress.  I haven't posted on that particular blog since 1998 because of the confines of the Live Journal commenting rules.  I wanted to expand to a more public space.  Now the time has come to let that old Live Journal account go.  To be honest, I had almost forgotten it existed.

So in honor of my original foster blog, I'll be posting those archived posts over here as I move them over.  I'll post one every Friday until the entire story over there is placed over here.  I hope you'll  join me for my weekly looks down memory lane.

The first installment is here.  Foster Kitty Flo was a great first mama for me.  I adored her babies.  I hope you enjoy the story.

2:32 PM Characters of the Nov 21st Adopt a Pet

Adopt a Pet events are often filled with interesting characters whether they be animal or human.  Some of us fall in love, some of us meet our matches, and there's almost always at least one character who gives us a reason for a good laugh.

Meet Lynx and Lorax.  These two boys are around 4 months old and they are just about the sweetest boys ever.  They've always been together and their foster hopes they can be adopted together.  Every once in a while we have some great kittens who defy logic as to why they are passed over each week for adoption.  Efah was one of those.  These two are our current head scratchers.  We're working on ideas to get them better PR so they can find a home soon.

This funny little face belongs to Nibbles.  Nibbles is quite an interesting story.  First we thought she was a He.  Oops.  Sorry Nibbles.  Then she just decided to stop growing.  She came down with the basic sniffles and worried the bajeezus out of us as she stayed under 2 lbs for quite a long time.  Then all of a sudden she decided she wanted to fight to live after all!  She began fighting the crud.  And she started growing.  She still has sneezy remnants here and there, but otherwise she's bright and happy.  She's also rather inquisitive.  She's quite literally one of our miracle kitties.  When Nibbles gets a home, I think we're going to celebrate.

This is MK, short for Mama Kitty.  She's trouble.  Why is she trouble?  MK is trouble because I adore Torties.  I have two.  If I could possibly have more cats, I'd have another tortie.  Frankly, I'd probably steal MK!  This tortie has a personality to die for.  She is super sweet and calm.  And let's not forget she's beautiful!  She's also a Manx, which means she doesn't have a tail.  She just has a little stub.  MK was very popular at this adopt a pet event.  She charmed three different people to take her home, but none of them were quite ready for a cat.  I hope somebody takes her home very soon because she is far too sweet and dignified to stay in the foster system for long.

Meet Trouble #2.  This is Hurricane.  And from what I'm told, his name fits.  His foster reports that whenever you hear a crash or bang, you can bet Hurricane is standing right next to the problem.  His sister, Cyclone doesn't play with him much, in fact, she often looks on at his hijinx in horror.  But that's not all Hurricane is about.  He is also a purring machine!  And he loves to cuddle.  He needs a family who will play with him a lot and who doesn't mind cleaning up after the storm in between cuddles.

9:14 PM Household pictures

Efah being silly in the grocery bag. I'm telling you, the paper bag has always been the favorite toy in this household.

This is the one picture I got from Nimue where she isn't dodging my camera. I had to be quick. She dislikes the flash. And she's a smart cookie.

Sweet Taquita Banana. She's like a pretzel.

And Roz and Maizy are enjoying some couch lounging time. They are Both in my spot, but they're just so precious there together, I left them alone.

Lord Dunbar relaxing in his kingdom. Not from his Tower of Power, but from his favorite chair with his favorite afgan.

And the pretty pretty princess Nabisco. Mere moments from this photograph Efah hopped in my lap and plopped down right on top of her. She got really mad. He didn't care.

6:06 PM Efah's big day

Today Efah was doted on quite a lot by a lovely couple who have adopted two cats from us before. The moment we walked into the adopt a pet they saw him and just fell in love. They were so in love they contemplated taking him home. But they just lost one of their older cats to an illness the day before and they just weren't sure they should adopt so soon.

I happen to know both of the cats they adopted and so I know that one of those cats is just about as perfect a playmate match as it gets. I am so hopeful about the prospect of this couple adopting Efah I am nearly beside myself. When they left, there were a few positive signs that they might decide to adopt him. But I would love to have all of your prayers, candle lightings, energy work, and Adoption Dances to see if we can seal the deal. This family is Perfect! And y'all know that I only want Perfect for my sweet little Efie Poo.

And now comes the cuteness! I took some fun pictures of both Efah and Nimue at the adopt a pet on November 1st. I'm just now getting around to sharing them.


Nimue checking out the birds at Petsmart.

At this point, she wanted to eat one.

Efah had a moment of interest as well.

But he just was more interested in getting lots of attention from being on a harness. Isn't he handsome?

7:31 PM Efah's first Adopt-a-Pet event

Since Mr. Efah has recovered so quickly from his surgery, I decided to take him to his first Adopt-a-Pet event today. I am proud to report that he did Very well. He was nervous at first, and never did quite feel comfortable in his cage, but all of that is quite understandable. He would calm down when I was near and I would hold him off and on.

Efah also received his first collar. I got him one of those reflective collars so even if he did scratch at it a lot, he couldn't tear it up as quickly. And Petsmart has a new tag engraving system. So his tag is one of those plates that is riveted along the collar, not a hanging tag. It looks Great on him! And he's surprisingly not that bothered by the collar.

I'm so proud of how my little one has grown up!

I also spoke with a couple who is looking for a Russian Blue with some sass. Well, that's Nimue to the T! The guy used to have a sassy Russian Blue years ago and he wants another one. And get this, they have a Catahoula! How funny is that? We had a nice talk about 'houlas. I think they'll be perfect for Nimue. So let's hope they contact me!

Texas Pawprints had a great day overall for adoptions today. We adopted 8 and sent two out to foster. I'm crossing my fingers that we can keep the momentum going for next weekend!

10:59 PM New beginnings - on various levels

Previously I have discussed the various Courtyard Kitties in my apartment complex. Efah is a product of the growing population here. I have often said that I wanted to start trapping cats here, but I've never settled down and done it until now. I've had a trap for several weeks now and my neighbor had offered to help me. We just needed to get a chain for the trap so it couldn't be easily liberated from the premises. Apparently, traps have disappeared from our complex a few times, so better to be safe than sorry.

This week began our quest to trap and sterilize the population of Courtyard Kitties. And who was our first jail bird? Non other than Frankie, the cat belonging to one of my neighbors.


He escaped from her apartment immediately after she moved here and she's not been able to catch him since. Unfortunately, she also hadn't neutered him. Frankie is hanging out in seclusion in my bathroom at the moment while I figure out what to do with him. He's not feral. He's just timid. Outside, I never could get near him. In my bathroom, he lets me pet his head and he talks to me. Although he hasn't moved from that box of fabrics all day. Who can blame him, it's got to be cushy, right?

I've left a note with Frankie's owner and have yet to hear anything from her. Honestly, I don't think I will hear anything from her. She's been rather negligent with him thus far. But we're in Luck! Texas Pawprints is having a Neuter Day tomorrow! So he'll be packed off to the shelter first thing in the morning. They're already booked full, but apparently it's a general occurance that several of the cats can't be neutered for whatever reason, so he just might make the cut this week. Please cross your fingers for us!!! Because I can't trap anymore until he is recovered from the neuter and able to be released with someone.

In addition, I have news about Efah. In the very beginning I thought Efah to be a boy, but then changed my mind. Apparently I need to learn to trust my first instincts because I was right the first time. Efah is indeed a boy. And Very ready to be neutered. While I'm a little sad that I can no longer call Efah "Miss Efahline", this actually explains A Lot! He's scrawny, scrappy, and a down right little punk. A sweet little punk, but a punk nontheless. Efah's being a boy just puts new perspective on his kamikaze play. Efah will also be going to the Neuter Day tomorrow morning in the hopes that he will make the cut to be sterilized as well.


Please keep Efah and Frankie in your thoughts and prayers as even Neuter surgeries which are done many times every day still carry risk. Each time I send one of my kittens to be spayed or neutered, I think of my little Virgo and the accident which caused his passing.

1:31 PM Efah meets the Vet

Today was a milestone in Efah's young life. She met her first Veterinarian. After Efah did not respond to any of the antibiotics we've given her, I decided it was time to throw in the towel and make an appointment. Metro Paws Animal Hospital has a working relationship with Texas Pawprints for more affordable veterinarian care of our foster animals. Thankfully, they were able to see her this morning on such short notice! The regular vets were not in, but the fill in Veterinarian was great with Miss. Efahline. And Efah was Really good about the whole process-except for the fecal sampling. But who can blame her for that!!!

As was suspected, Efah has a chronic upper respiratory issue. It's viral, not bacterial. And she also has ear mites, which was not expected. She hadn't been shaking her head until today. But the really good news is that she does NOT have any worms. The vet said it must be the new food upsetting her stomach.

So her treatment schedule is more Clavamox (from the vet), ivermectin for the ear mites (from the shelter), we're still going to worm her anyways just in case (I have wormer leftover from the shelter), and I'm changing her food back to Halo's Spot's Stew. I'm also to continue steaming her in the shower and syringing saline into her nose.

I really was hoping the Texas made BG food would work out because it is grain free, but she's not the only one who is gassy and having an upset tummy. The litterboxes are generally much stinkier since I changed. Halo's never upset anyone's tummy that I know of. All of my cats are young and healthy, so having a grain free diet isn't as big of a bonus as it is for Maizy. It would be nice, but it is not super important. And boy to they LOVE that Halo's Spot's Stew!!! Thankfully, Pet Supplies Plus has decided to carry Halo's now. So I can just pick it up anytime as opposed to having to order it. That's so much more convenient!

We sure could use some "get well" energy for Efah. And Tiberius too. He's still trying to get over his sniffles as well.

4:25 PM Taking "Mommie Nabisco" to a new level

Little Miss Efah is slowly getting better from her upper respiratory issue due to some antibiotics along with shower steam therapy. She doesn't like the steaming, but she tolerates it. Mostly she tries to hide under my arm. I really hope it is making a difference as I'd hate to put her through ththe stress of the shower for nothing.

Last night after Efah's steam Nimue came into the bathroom to clean and comfort her. Nimue was being very sweet about her bathing opportunity. Usually she is too rough and I have to separate her from whomever is the object of the mothering. I didn't get to that though because about halfway through the bath, Nabisco butted in and decided Efah needed to be removed from the situation altogether.

Efah is around 9 weeks old, so she isn't exactly tiny. But Nabisco actually attempted picking Efah up by her neck. Nabisco never did get Efah off the floor, but she still accomplished what she wanted as Efah walked in the direction she wanted to carry her. When they got to the bathroom door, Nabisco stopped and began a very thorough bath. And in between licks, she would shoot me this rather funny, "How Dare You" look. Apparently, I was overstepping some boundaries with "her kitten." Nabisco has been known to try stealing kittens directly from under mothers' nests, but I think that her protection over Efah has brought her "mommie" status to a whole new level.

10:25 PM Eeny, Meeny & Miney

These little ones will be in my home temporarily. We just got them in a few days ago. We're hoping my Nabisco will mother them a little. They may have a mommie cat who will adopt them, but so far they remain orphans. If they mommie cat doesn't take them in, they'll need a foster home. They're almost eating by themselves. They are eating wet food, but not consistantly. I'm syringe feeding them at times to get them going and supplimenting with a bottle.

9:05 PM New feral in the neighborhood

I have another feral family. This mom is brown tabby and white and she has a brown tabby kitten and a torbie kitten. I have not seen any others, so I assume there's only two.

This video was taken this morning via my macbook built in camera. The quality is terrible, but it does the job. Sort of. Watch under the window and you'll see the kittens emerge. The torbie is just about the cutest thing you've ever seen!




I'm working on getting these guys to eat closer and closer to a crate I've set up outside. I'm going to attempt to trap them with a carrier. It'll be a lot slower that way, but I'm afraid the kittens won't be trapped if I use a traditional trap. So we're going to try this. If it doesn't work, I have some pro trappers to give me pointers.

5:24 PM Product Review - Kitty City Climbing Hill

When I adopted my love, Lord Dunbar, his first Christmas present was one of those carpet covered cat towers. It was the budget version as I couldn't afford one of the $200+ deluxe versions, but nevertheless the tower was instantly named "The Tower of Power." I bought that tower 5 years ago and I still have it. My goodness it sure is ratty, though. I keep wondering when I'm going to have the nerve to throw it out in the garbage. The truth is that it is a favored scratching post for at least one of my cats and it would be truly stupid of me to throw it out without a replacement.

Today I was in Target picking up some home supplies and I strolled past the pet supply area. I usually avoid that area lest I find something I can't leave without. Well, that's precisely what happened today.

For years the only options for bargain scratching posts or cat condos were either very small boring basic posts, or were terribly put together and still $80 or so. So I was quite shocked to see that Target was offering a modular budget kitty condo unit with all kinds of perks! With the unit being modular, you have the liberty of choosing whether to go all out at once with building an expansive condo or "kitty city", or you can invest in building a city in pieces. Today, I settled for one modular piece - the Climbing Hill.

As you can see, this unit pieces together in pvc-like sections and all the connectors allow for easy expansion. Even the cloth bottom has velcro allowing for easy connection to another unit. The curved "hill" is made of a mesh material and the cloth bottom is made of nylon. Both are easily cleaned up with a wet rag if soiled. Both the scratching tube and the floor toy can be moved wherever you prefer to set them up. This presents even more options when you add the other modules. You can go to the Kitty City USA website to view all the different modules available. Click on the combos tab to see examples of the different combos you can make with different modules.

But how to the cats like it?

Based on their initial reactions to it after I put it up, I'd say it was an immediate hit in this household.




Time will tell if the module ends up being a lasting favorite, but for now, I'm happy with my $18 purchase and I can now see a point where I can finally throw out my ratty, carpet tower.

Update 7/22/09:
I purchased another section to the unit. I purchased the tower. The cats still love this, however due to the velcro fastening the fabric to the poles, it's a little light duty for two of my cats. Frankly, they're too fat for the velcro to hold, Haha! Actually, one of them isn't very fat at all. He's just a Big Cat. So I would not recommend this product for a larger sized or heavier cat. You'll need something sturdier.

8:54 AM Pure bred Abysinnian cat in need

Hi there folks. Last night I was introduced to a cat who looks to be 100% pure Abysinian. He is rust colored and has all the ticking and the body shape of a pure Aby. I would be surprised if there was anything else in the mix. He's beautiful!

Unfortunately, he is not doing so well in rescue. He is 10 years old and is missing his family greatly. So much so, in fact, that he stopped eating. Yesterday he had to be taken to the vet to be given IV fluids and tube fed. So at this very moment he is out of immediate danger, but he needs further help.

Texas Pawprints is Desperately looking for someone who can foster him. He needs a place where he can feel comfortable and at home so he will eat and thrive. We, of course, also want adoptors for this guy, but he is not officially up for adoption until we can get him stabilized and eating regularly.

If you know anyone who would like to be a foster parent, Please contact Texas Pawprints as soon as possible and ask about the Abysinnian. We'd love fosters for any of our other cats too. We do have kittens!

12:27 PM Feral cats in the Courtyard

In my apartment complex we have many feral cats. Several of us in the complex put feed out to care for these cats. Some of them are altered, some are not. I was just beginning to get to a point where I was going to look into taking care of altering all that were known to not be altered already.

Today I identified one that needs altering ASAP! The little bob-tailed black cat who has been around for over a year flew by my this afternoon with a kitten in tow. With the help of maintenance, I managed to capture the little kitten, but Mom took off. And I am unsure if there are more kittens. While it upsets me that I may have only captured a partial litter, I have high hopes that there was only one kitten. No one who knows that cat was aware that she was pregnant, so there is a chance that she just birthed one.

My next challenge is to tame this little one, ascertain its sex, and find it a home. I'm getting help with trapping, altering, and releasing the cats in the yard soon. If there's anyone out there who would like to help, I could use a foster for this kitten as well as many other kittens within the rescue. They all need permanent homes too, but I'll certainly take a foster home situation for as long as can be offered!

She's finally tired herself out with being so scared. She's plopped down in the litterbox and nodded off, waking up every few minutes to cry and go back to sleep. Luckily, I'm off work this week. Hopefully, I can get the hardest part, getting her to trust me, taken care of before I have to go back to work next week.

10:12 PM Video of the kittens

Sorry this is a bit dark. They're still pretty skittish around me since we've only just met.

5:15 PM More kitties for adoption!!

Meet Rocky, Maggie & Rockefeller (I think that's his name). Maggie is the Tortishell girl and Rocky is the larger of the two all black boys.

Rocky is neutered and ready for adoption. Maggie and Rockefeller need a foster home until they are ready to be altered. They will be up for adoption once they are altered.

These three will both be on display with Texas Pawprints at the Petsmart on Greenville Avenue Sunday May 31 from 2pm - 5:30 pm. If you are interested in either adopting or even temporarily fostering any of them, please stop by. We have many other kittens who are either just ready for adoption or are almost ready, so if these aren't your style, we should still be able to match you with a kitten that is. We can also use all the fostering help we can get - even if just for one week!

3:05 PM Pet Food Recall Alert!!!

I just received this notice from several different sources regarding a voluntary recall of Nutro Dry Cat Foods. Please see the press release below and if you use any of the products listed please take the recommended action Immediately!


Monica Barrett
Nutro Products, Inc.
(615) 628-5387
mailto:monica.barrett@effem.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- Franklin, Tennessee (May 21, 2009) -- Today, Nutro Products announced a voluntary recall of select varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010. The cat food is being voluntarily recalled in the United States and ten additional countries. This recall is due to incorrect levels of zinc and potassium in our finished product resulting from a production error by a US-based premix supplier.

Two mineral premixes were affected. One premix contained excessive levels of zinc and under-supplemented potassium. The second premix under-supplemented potassium. Both zinc and potassium are essential nutrients for cats and are added as nutritional supplements to NUTRO® dry cat food.

This issue was identified during an audit of our documentation from the supplier. An extensive review confirmed that only these two premixes were affected. This recall does not affect any NUTRO® dog food products, wet dog or cat food, or dog and cat treats.

Affected product was distributed to retail customers in all 50 states, as well as to customers in Canada, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Israel. We are working with all of our distributors and retail customers, in both the US and internationally, to ensure that the recalled products are not on store shelves. These products should not be sold or distributed further.

Consumers who have purchased affected product should immediately discontinue feeding the product to their cats, and switch to another product with a balanced nutritional profile. While we have received no consumer complaints related to this issue, cat owners should monitor their cat for symptoms, including a reduction in appetite or refusal of food, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea. If your cat is experiencing health issues or is pregnant, please contact your veterinarian.

Consumers who have purchased product affected by this voluntary recall should return it to their retailer for a full refund or exchange for another NUTRO® dry cat food product. Cat owners who have questions about the recall should call 1-800-833-5330 between the hours 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM CST, or visit http://www.nutroproducts.com

Recalled Pet Food
The varieties of NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Dry Cat Foods and NUTRO® MAX® Cat Dry Foods listed below with “Best If Used By Dates” between May 12, 2010 and August 22, 2010 are affected by this voluntary recall.

Nutro Products Recall List – Dry Cat Foods
U.S. Product Name
Bag Size
UPC
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food
4 lbs
0 79105 20607 5
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food
8 lbs.
0 79105 20608 2
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food (Bonus Bag)
9.2 lbs.
0 79105 20695 2
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food
20 lbs
0 79105 20609 9
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Kitten Food (Sample Bag)
1.5 oz
none
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult
4 lbs
0 79105 20610 5
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult
8 lbs.
0 79105 20611 2
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult (Bonus Bag)
9.2 lbs
0 79105 20694 5
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult
20 lbs
0 79105 20612 9
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult (Sample Bag)
1.5 oz
none
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor
4 lbs
0 79105 20622 8
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor
8 lbs
0 79105 20623 5
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor (Bonus Bag)
9.2 lbs.
0 79105 20698 3
NUTRO® NATURAL CHOICE® COMPLETE CARE® Adult Oceanfish Flavor
20 lbs
0 79105 20624 2

NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor
3 lbs
0 79105 10228 5
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor
6 lbs
0 79105 10229 2
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor
16 lbs
0 79105 10230 8
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor (Sample Bag)
1.5 oz
none
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor
3 lbs
0 79105 10243 8
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor
6 lbs
0 79105 10244 5
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor
16 lbs
0 79105 10245 2
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor (Sample Bag)
1.5 oz
none
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Salmon Flavor
3 lbs
0 79105 10246 9
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Salmon Flavor
6 lbs
0 79105 10247 6
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Adult Salmon Flavor
16 lbs
0 79105 10248 3
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Weight Control
3 lbs
0 79105 10249 0
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Weight Control
6 lbs
0 79105 10250 6
NUTRO® MAX® Cat Indoor Weight Control
16 lbs
0 79105 10251 3

12:57 PM One had flown the coop

Yesterday Charmin went to live with her new "dad." I was so proud of her. She behaved beautifully at the Adopt a Pet while waiting for her adopter to arrive to take her home.

This morning I received a text message from Charmin's new home saying that she spent all night last night in the lap and purring away. So I believe she is blissfully content. I'm very happy about that. Now we just need to get Lucey Lot squared away with her family.

And now for a picture update. I have a new laptop, so I am able to upload images at home now. Finally!

2:56 PM We welcomed a houseguest

Sunday was a fruitful day for several cats. We had 4 go out at "foster to adopt" meaning they are taken home by a prospective family that adores them but isn't sure how they will fit in with the other furry housemates and thus they're not sure they want to commit to an adoption if things don't work out with the current menagerie. We actually encourage this with a lot of people. It gives them more trust in us and they are less stressed about the cat coming home with them and the "what if it doesn't work out".

But we also had one adoption. Target (pronounced "Targ-jhay" think the fancy schmancy way of pronouncing Target) was adopted by a young man and his mother. But she needed her last round of shots and her final combo test since she was finally old enough. So last night she came home with me so I could drop her off with her vet transport today instead of her having to stay cooped up in a carrier all night at the shelter since all of our cages are occupied at the moment.

What a DOLL! Target had no fear about the new surroundings. She hissed at Maizy Once and then was totally ok with her. She slept on my lap until I went to bed and then she followed me up on the bed. All of the other cats were a bit upset wtih me over bringing her home, so it was just she and I on that bed. And by this morning she and LuceyLot were playing with one another as if they were long lost cousins or something! Watching she and Lucey play made bringing her home well worth upsetting a few other cats for a day. See, Lucey was put on hold Sunday for a family who has other cats. Lucey would be for one of their younger sons who is ready for his own cat. I was afraid she'd be a little anti-social or would play too rough as Nimue does exactly that with both Charmin and LuceyLot. Well, Lucey was very happy to play like a normal kitten with Target! Charmin, not so much. She pretty much hid from Target like the older cats did. But that's ok. Charmin's home will be with a man and no other cats. Now that I've seen this behavior, I am 100% at ease over her being by herself.

So now that both girls are on hold and just waiting to be spayed and delivered to their families, I just have Nimue and Roz to focus on adopting out. They're both tough sells, but we can do it. Eventually.