Blessing of the Pets

Sunday was Earth Day and that signals my congregation's annual Blessing of the Pets.  We hold the service outside in the courtyard or in our social hall, if it looks like rain (for easy clean up - just in case).  And guess who went?  Trudy and Lawrence!

From their perch on the stage, they got a bird's eye view of communion distribution and, of course, all the other pets at the service.  That's their new mom, Sarah, serving as communion assistant, behind Pastor Margaret. (It cracks me up - no one ever sits in the first row in church, whether service is in the sanctuary or in the social hall!! Even me - I was in the second row.)

I wasn't really thinking about pics during service and only got a few.  Here are some of the four-legged friends who came:

                                    

 

This is Buddy and Deacon Lynn, after the service.  Buddy has spent time with us at the Casa when Lynn has had to be away from home. (While the residents of the Casa tend to be feline, we love us some googies, too!)

Music ministers Uriah, Luke, Paul and Josef can really get the joint jumping and I was kind of surprised that all the critters seemed quite cool with it!

In the past, Grey, Bitty, Annie and Peggy Sue have come to the Blessing of the Pets.  I knew Trudy and Lawrence would be there, so I figured the Casa was well represented!  :-D  The blessing is a lovely way to celebrate Earth Day, I think!

A Bit'O'Fun & a Visit

Well, the taxes were done and then I saw the bear - missing a 1099. Crud! Extension filed. And I am getting a refund, too.  :-(  And then the monitor died. At least it died after I got 'em done. My old eyes would have shriveled in their sockets if I'd had to do the dang 1040 using only the laptop monitor!!

So then it was monitor shopping, yesterday was visiting with Sarah, Trudy and Lawrie and, finally, today I installed the new monitor.  Only enough time tonight for a quickie and I'll get back to visiting tomorrow!

Bilo (formerly Bitty's baby, Victor) has his inbred cat moment, no doubt courtesy of niece, Shelly!

Sarah served up an amazing supper and I got to visit with Trudy and Lawrence yesterday! That's our church (Sarah's and mine) in the background.  Yep, Sarah lives next door and she gets comments about the pretty kittehs in her windows!  :-D

Trudy wondering why no one is paying attention to her.

Mom, Sarah, assuring her she's the most regal kitteh in the kitchen!

Trudy and Lawrence have an announcement

Remember us?  Want to guess where we are?  Yep!!  Our new furever home!!!!

We like being here with Sarah.  It's just her and us.  Nice and quiet, no kittehs coming and going, and she gives us all of her attention, not just part of it!  And we still get to see the Space Paws lady 'cause we live three blocks away!

Better yet, there are kitteh lovers downstairs, too.  A whole family of them.  And sometimes Sarah will open her door and the folks downstairs will open their door and we have the run of the whole place.  There are more folks to pet us than there are us. Well, you know what we mean.  Pretty cool.

Sarah and the Space Paws lady are friends (the downstairs folks, too... they all go to the same church).  Well, Sarah came to visit and fell in love with us.  Naturally.  And, after a few visits, she asked if we could come visit her.  We all settled in so well, Sarah asked us if we'd stay and we said sure!

The Space Paws lady asks us if we miss her when she comes to visit.  Maybe a little but it is so nice being with Sarah it's hard to imagine ourselves anywhere else.  We love our new mom!  She says she'll send pictures sometimes so you won't miss us, too.

See you later!
Trudy and Lawrence

Lisa here.  Yes folks, I'm ever so happy for my sweet duo and for Sarah.  I'll admit, I cried buckets the day Sarah told me it would be forever.  I still don't get it.  You'd think it would get easier to let fosters go the longer I do this, but it doesn't, especially with the adults.  This time, happy as I am for them, I thought my heart would break.

You might remember, Trudy and Lawrence had been with me as kittens and found a very nice dad who, unfortunately, was forced to return them due to economic difficulties.  I kept them for almost a year, hoping things would turn around for him but, sadly, they didn't.  When Sarah expressed an interest, I had a selfish moment.  I didn't want to give them up.  (Even now, weeks later, I'm in puddles as I type.)  But sense prevailed.  I couldn't find a better home for them than Sarah's and letting go is part of my job. I remind myself there wouldn't be room for other kittehs needing a home if I kept everyone.  I love you, my babies.  Be good and make your new mom as happy as you've made me, OK?

Sarah and Trudy

Playin' with the red dot in our new digs.

Trudy, Buddy and a Bag

A little something to brighten your weekend. The title says it all... just wait for it.

Forgive the thick voice. Allergies. *sigh*

Big Boy and Little Girl Weigh In & Meet Rancho J2's Tootsie

Enough of this weigh in stuff already! We're growing! We're growing!

The babies are getting soooo big! Topping the charts is Big Girl at 11.1 oz!! Big Boy follows up at 10.9, Little Boy at 10.3 and, bringing up the rear is Little Girl at 9.1 oz. All very good weights.

Here's a clip of tonight's weigh in. Again, sorry about the camera work. You've got some blurry footage toward the end. If you look, shortly after I bring Big Boy out to the carpet, you can see the almost two ounce difference between him and his sister.

Those piteous cries break my heart! I feel guilty for the daily weigh in, each and every day!

Yesterday was very hurried and I didn't get a post up, so here are some extra pics. Trudy and Lawrie are still with us since Lawrie has a little bit of tummy upset. Since Doc Ed started treating him, his dad, Ricky, and I decided they should stay here until we're sure he's past it. They'll probably head home this weekend.

Lawrie and his lingering looks...

The beauteous Ms. Trudy...

Sophie just sayin', "Hi!!!!"


And, from Rancho J2, that surprise I promised. A new kitteh turned up at the Ranch - a young man who Joy and Jim have dubbed "Tootsie." If you look closely at the photo you can see he has absolutely tiny paws. We suspect this may be a birth defect. As with the other ferals, J2 are trying to get him comfy enough to trap.

Still no Wally sighting, and Joy felt they were so close to snagging him a few weeks ago. *sigh* So many strays it just breaks your heart. But J2 keeps trying - the starfish principle - even if you can only make a difference for one...

And last, but not least, there's still time to get in on the fun of "Name Those Babies!"

We Have Visitors! And A Short Baby Video!

Does this look familiar? Recognize this dynamic duo?

Yes, Trudy and Lawrie have come for a visit. They arrived the same day Mama and her kittens did and, unfortunately, until today, have been incarcerated in my room! I'd planned to let them out to mingle with the General Population Wednesday night, but you know what happened... *sigh*

But they're out and about today and getting on with everyone but Peggy Sue... who still hisses every time she gets too close to them. Sophie looks like she wants to play and we may see that soon, I hope. Bitty just sniffs at them and ignores them. And Annie is still guarding the back basement. *sigh*

Trudy in huntress mode.

Lawrie gracing us with bedroom eyes.

While they are here, I'm handling some vet stuff for dad Ricky. The folks at Carney Animal Hospital were thrilled to see the guys again. I don't know if you've met Doc Ed on the blog. He's Doc Andrew's dad and was my very first vet for my very first cat of my own (you know, back in the dark ages). I went to live in the DC area for 20 years and when I came back to B'more, I called CAH for an appointment. They said, "Your appointment with Dr. Jendrek is at..." and I was thrilled -someone I knew! Imagine my surprise when the door opened and his son walked in!! Wasn't long before I loved him just as much as his dad, and Doc Andrew is our "usual" vet now.

Tech Chris and Dr. Ed oversee the indignities for Lawrie.

Unfortunately, I got busy with the tongue wagging, since it had been a while since I'd seen Doc Ed, and completely missed getting any shots of Trudy with him!

Lawrie doesn't hold a grudge and was soon helping me with my paperwork! Have I mentioned that this boy has bedroom eyes? Yes? Well, I just can't get over them!

And Trudy? What can I say? When she was a little tyke, she would crawl up on my chest and go to sleep while I worked, cradling her with one hand. As soon as I sat down, she was up and climbing onto my chest. She's too big to hold with one hand any more, but right off to sleep she went! Needless to say, I was practically in puddles.

The duo will be with us through Monday, so you may get to see a bit more of them, too!

On the kitten front

We've got some eye openings!!! Woohoo!! Big Package boy has both eyes fully open and Little Package boy has one eye fully open and one getting there. The girls are still closed, though

They're growing like weeds! Gains of .3-.6 oz! Very respectable. Mama is clearly doing her job well. As much as it is killing me, I'm trying to leave them alone since she is still very skittish. I checked once mid day and once for the weigh in. The box linens have only been changed once since they arrived (with other moms I did it daily). Again, I'm trying not to spook Mama. So laundry is on the agenda for tomorrow.

Mama must have really put the evil eye on me. Once again, the kitten pics did not turn out. Grrrrrr. They looked OK on the itty bitty camera screen but are blurry full size. I'll post the one that's least blurry with three of the babies. And I did a short video. It's dark, but at least you can see one of them! Tomorrow I'll try to film the weigh in!

Dark Tortie girl peers over the edge. Or at least she would if her eyes were open!! DTG's face is actually lighter than her sister's. But her back is darker, which is how I identify her when I grab in the kitten box!

So, hopefully tomorrow we'll have better kitten pics for you and maybe a weigh in video! And tomorrow and Monday I hope to catch up with visiting... gad, I am sooooo behind and miss you all!

It's Trudy AND Lawrie AND Sophie's Gottcha Day!!

Woohoo!!! Our little trio found homes today! Squeeeeeee!!!!

So the back story first! I got to know Doc Linda through our wonderful Doc Andrew. Linda does rescue work, too. She's how I came to meet Carol and get Tony and Sophie. Anyway, the good Doc has a friend, a responsible young man named Ricky, who was ready to be a dad... in fact he wanted two cats so they'd be company for each other.

You may remember that I was going to have the younguns snipped a couple of weeks ago but then Grey's illness put a kibosh on the original plan (they were to have been done the week Grey got sick, but Doc A suggested I put it off since I'd have my hands full). Linda and I stayed in touch and Ricky waited patiently!

Just about noon, Doc Linda and Ricky arrived to meet the kittens. It was so nice to finally meet Linda! We had only worked over the phone prior to today!

Oh, my gosh! the boys bonded immediately! Lawrie flopped right over in Ricky's lap and started purrin' and playin'! Ok, that one was easy. Next we introduced the girls... no contest. Trudy was relaxed and blissed out right on his lap. Not that Sophie wasn't polite, but you know how it is - the cat chooses the person.

Ricky just had the biggest grin on his face the whole time and it was clear our little duo liked him a lot. Oh, and did I mention Winnie came over to give Ricky her seal of approval, too?

Let me introduce the new family. (Sorry, with the place so squished up from construction, we didn't have a lot of photo possibilities!! All in the same place - almost the same pose! LOL!)

Lawrie batting around with Ricky.

The boys hit it off in a New York minute.

Trudy simply blissed out in Ricky's lap. Here's the good Doc feeding the bliss. :-) (This is one of the few times I caught Ricky without a grin on his face but couldn't pass up the pic 'cause it captured Trudy so well!)

Trudy moving for better pet position with her new Dad!

You would have been really proud of me folks, only one teeny choked up minute (well come on, you know how attached I am to Trudy). It wasn't hard to let go 'cause Ricky is a natural cat person.

So off they went, and I waved good bye, knowing my perky pair was in great hands.

A couple of hours later, I got a call. It was Ricky. He had tucked T&L into their new room and given them some TLC. After they got settled, he needed to run out for a minute to stop by his best friend's house. And, of course, when he got there, he shared his good news. Lo and behold, his best friend's mom, Valerie, had been thinking about adopting! He had told her how sweet Sophie was and called to ask if they could come by to see her (they all live just minutes away).

Little Sophie is a bit shy, but after just a few minutes, she cuddled up to Valerie and started purring. And I do mean purring. And cuddling. We visited for a while and Sophie showed no signs of wanting to move from her comfy position with her new friend. Valerie said she'd like to fill out an application and Ricky took Sophie who... well, just look...

Who is totally relaxed? And see that tail???? No, not Sophie's, the other one...

While the shot isn't too good, you can see Bitty came over and proceeded to love up on Ricky, too! Do you think we may have the next cat whisperer here?

Ricky told Valerie that if she wanted to adopt today, he'd do a run with her to the pet store to pick up all the necessaries. I swear folks, I didn't have a minute's hesitation. Just like with Ricky, the kittehs know who is going to be good with them! And Valerie and Ricky both have invited me to come by any time to visit since we live so close.

Sophie knows a lovin' mom when she meets one, don't you think?

You know, sometimes life just works out so well. If I had to get sick, being able to spend so much time with the kittens before they departed sure was the silver lining. And friends who have friends... how much better does it get?

Ricky and Valerie, thank you sooooo much for coming into our babies lives!! I just know they're going to be loved and I can guarantee, they're going to love you!!

They're Baaaack! And Beverly and Sonia Rescue Big Justice!

Sophie, Trudy and Lawrie are now all responsible man and lady cats! I picked up the younguns this morning and they've been chilling out ever since. As soon as I laid down for my nap this am, the kittens glommed up on me (a very nice feeling but guilt inducing, too, as that level of clinging probably means they were scared by their adventure yesterday). By the time the afternoon nap rolled around, they were back to their normal, feet-attacking selves.

So everyone is doing well. Late this afternoon, they came downstairs for the first time. As soon as my back was turned, Trudy was up in the cat tree! (They're supposed to stay calm and not jump... ha!) Here's a little video of the gang and a couple of stills as well. It's good to have them home!!

Buds Sophie and Lawrie chill together. These two have become fast friends.

Naughty Trudy headed right for the high ground. (Yes, that's a track thingy sitting on top of the cat tree. Hey! We're crowded around here right now! LOL!)

Grandma Winnie keeps a watchful eye on the recovery ward from the desk.

Welcome Justice to Space Paws and keep your paws crossed for his recovery!

Space Paws has another foster - Sonia took in Justice, a 12 year old, who had been scheduled for euthanasia this morning because he had begun growling, swiping at people and eliminating outside of his pan. Co-worker Beverly found out about his impending fate yesterday and went to Sonia (Bev wrote to me yesterday morning, but when I didn't get the email right away, she wisely sought out Sonia).

Sonia readily agreed to try to help Justice. Beverly picked him up this morning and took him to a vet near her... and, sure enough, he had a UTI. If the condition has been chronic, that would explain all the behaviors. So, he's had his first shot of antibiotic and Sonia has tucked him in her intensive care unit for critters (her big crate). The big guy is decidedly not a happy camper right now... understandably so - he's been uncomfortable for who knows how long, got snatched away from his home of 12 years, been poked, prodded, forced to urinate, shot and schlepped to an unfamiliar place. And, to add insult to injury, he now has to get used to new food, too!

I'll post pictures and more info as soon as I've got it. Sonia is pretty busy so it may be a few days! Beverly and Sonia, you rock!

Back on the air just in time for snip, snip!!

Yes, tomorrow the youngsters become responsible man and lady cats. Since you haven't seen them in a while (sorry guys, and thank you for your patience!), here are shots of the little dweebs in their new habitat... the completed kitchen/dining room!

Unfortunately, the living room is now under construction so everything is smushed up into the dining room... desk, table, chair, dresser, etc., etc.!!! We're a tad crowded but they love it, once again able to traverse the room without ever touching ground!! I'll show all once we're in photo worthy shape.

Why do boys seem to like to be everywhere they are not supposed to be!??

Trudy has not changed her sleeping preferences. Nothing will do but to be on my chest. Not the lap, not next to me... only on my chest.

Do I have the most amazing tail in the world? Why yes, yes I do!

Sleeping Babies

Of course the babies never choose a camera handy time to nap, so these are all cell pics (I have got to upgrade!! LOL!).

Trudy's favorite napping position has this foster mom in seventh heaven!! I am going to miss this trusting cuddling (and yeah, that's construction stuff still in the background!).

Yesterday, Miss Sophie decided to take a luxurious black'n'white on black'n'white snooze.

And today, after our visit to Doc A, Lawrie and Sophie crashed together on my lap. Did I mention the video that won't load is of them playing together? Yes, indeed, this makes me very happy! Trudy isn't hissing her off anymore, either!

And best yet, we've solved the mystery of the continuing sloppy poop. Seems the first deworming didn't do the job. The first time Sophie was in for this Doc took a sample, assuming immediately parasites were the problem, but didn't find anything. This time, voila! So he carefully calculated another dose and we hope this will do the trick. Yay!!

I was worried that the others might get it but he thinks it's relatively unlikely. We'll keep a close eye for a few weeks, though, for any signs the little buggers may have migrated hosts.

Still up to my eyeballs and not visiting the way I'd like. I do miss you all and will be back as soon as I can!! Hugs, Lisa

No video today :-(

Well, after 43 minutes of a 45 minute upload, Mr. Lawrence decided to spring from the floor in a single bound and landed... you guessed it... right in the middle of the keyboard, aborting the upload. So here's a rather grainy still of Miss Sophie exploring the first floor.

As I guessed, young Lawrie was all for meeting the stranger, but Miss Trudy went into full defense mode, chasing the usurper and generally being unfriendly. *sigh* I've got to say, Sophie was pretty fearless, and tried like heck to ignore Trudy. I tried to distract little miss jealous, but got soundly hissed at for my trouble. If I wasn't so disappointed that she was aggressively defensive about her territory, it would have been cute.

So Sophie stayed up for about an hour tonight and, despite the mixed welcome seemed to enjoy exploring and meeting new felines. Have I mentioned she is just the sweetest little thing? Very, very good tempered and friendly!

I'm working from home tomorrow so, hopefully, we can have a couple more upstairs sessions and get the babies used to one another.

Wake up Sleepyheads & The Casa is Full Up

Lawrie and Trudy love to snuggle and, as you can see, took over my chair so I couldn't blog this weekend. ;-)



Actually, we've been busy. Today we got a brother and sister to foster - one 14 weeks old and one 7 months old. Yep, two different litters from the same mom. Folks our Doc Andrew knows are trying to pick up her up and get her spayed. No go there, but at least we have these two to turn into responsible man and lady cats. More tomorrow on the new arrivals.

PSA Updates & Zimmer vs. Trudy Smackdown, Part II

PSA Updates - Happy, Happy News!!

What can I say, guys? You rock! The kitteh intertubes came through again! First I heard that the little midnight momma found a foster family and, when I checked in on Robin's blog, where we first read about this, discovered she soon found a furever home!! Go on over and read all about it!!

And, over at IBKC, they're 1/3 of the way to goal and yesterday's Drewey Memorial "Embrace Your Inner Crank" challenge netted over $3K (which goes toward the goal) to be directed to help senior kittehs!! I am just dying over the imaginative daily challenges for the fundraiser - whoever came up with this idea was brilliant!

Zimmer vs. Trudy Smackdown, Part II

Here are the rest of the pics from the wrestling match yesterday (again, sorry for the lousy cell pics, but they woke me up doing this and I grabbed what was handy)...

An early pin and Zimmer contemplates his next move.

It's a classic ear gnaw!

Trudy squirms for better position, initially looking like she's gotten herself into deeper trouble.

But no! Now she's perfectly positioned to punish Zimmer with bunny kicks!

Exhausted, the opponents consider their options.

Wisely, they choose lovin' rather than fightin'. Mutual grooming ensues! What's this???? Zimmer!!!! You rogue! You don't know her well enough for that!!