Bubble Wrap?? General Chat

Today, Cat-dog had her annual exam. Aunt C agreed to sit Tornado-dog at the house, since it is usually too hot for him to wait in the car.

In prep for their time together I bought a cheap indoor agility set - tunnel, weave poles and jump. It was a team building exercise.

While at the vet's, I got the following update:



Apparently, he wasn't having it and decided to sulk under the couch.

I don't think the team building exercise was successful.

Poor guy

Don't feel too sorry for him. He goes into sulk mode extremely easily.

Aunt C said she did get him to do the tunnel. And when Cat-dog and I got home, after Tornado-dog calmed down, he did go through the tunnel several times for both of us.

I was hoping this would encourage Aunt C to talk to him more, but she just doesn't get how important that is for a dog. Which is weird because she's really good about talking to the parrots.

Tornado-dog has now decided that if I sneeze, I need excessive hugs. He doesn't do it if I cough or if I do a fake sneeze, but as soon as I sneeze, he is climbing on top of me to hug and will not settle down until I let him. I don't know why he's doing this. He is a weird dog...

So tonight, I got up to feed the dogs. Tornado-dog ran straight to the bathroom. I went to the kitchen and picked up the bowls. Then I realized he was right - I DID need to pee.

After my bath last night I thought what a shame to waste all that warm water - why not give Tally a bath too? I have mentioned that I can't lift weights these days, so how to get Tal into the bath?
I started with her paws on the side of the bath, and then hoisted her ample rump with both hands to allow a gentle slither into the cast iron bath. Alas, either I'm stronger than I thought, or Tally decided to add some thrust, but the poor hound flipped 180° and landed with a heavy thump and a giant splash - upside down in the water.
The bath was uneventful, and judging by the enthusiastic repeated gallop up and down the stairs, she doesn't seem to bear a grudge. However, I don't know how willing she will be to enter into the spirit of having a bathroom-bath next time! I might have to use the baby bath until she has had enough time to forget about her traumatic 1 metre dive!

Oh the poor thing! I did that to Tornado-dog with the pool last summer. He was not amused.

For his "baths", I just give him a good long play with the hose. He's got a coat that dirt just slides right off of, and 5-15 minutes of jumping in the water spray is enough to give him a nice fresh scent.

However, he DOES get into the bathtub on his own. He saw the cats doing it when he was a puppy. Looney2 likes to carry his worms (hair rubber bands) into the tub and play with them in it. Tornado-dog decided he should play too.

If your dog likes peanut butter. Smear some on one of the tiles going around the bath. Your dog will be that busy wanting to lick the PB. It makes the job of washing them,somewhat easier for you....and not so stressful for your dog

My dog is not the problem @Buzzyboy
The reason I struggle to get her into the bath is because I am 80 and have restricted mobility, and the bath is a deep, cast-iron one. I struggle to get into it myself!
Thanks for your suggestion anyway - it might help someone else.

Today, we all had some excitement.

I came across a post on a local social media site about a bunch of kittens. The folks were trying to take care of them and the adults but have no money and a neighbor is trying to hurt them and the landlord said "too many of them, they need to go today". There were five in the photos.

So after an hour or so of waiting and watching, I finally said fine.

So I took my two carriers and headed to the apartment.

Tornado-dog was NOT happy that I left him behind.

Got there and the woman started catching kittens and plopping them in the carriers. On the way home I called the vet and detoured past hoping they could see us. Receptionist said they couldn't fit us in so get them home and call back once I know what I've got.

So we got home and I got them past Tornado-dog and into the bathroom. Got them counted. 11 kittens total.

Called the vet's to schedule for Monday. Oh wait, we can see you in 15 minutes (right before they closed). So I grabbed three of them as a sampling and off we went.

Yep. Tornado-dog is again very upset at being left at home. The Twooney saw me with the carrier and got wind of little beings in it. Not thrilled.

They got checked out and we came home with Revolution for kittens for the fleas and worms, and clavamox for their eye infections.

Back in past Tornado-dog and into the bathroom.

They have now been treated with the Revolution, dosed with the clavamox, and fed a total of 10 cans of fancy feast so far. They are now sleeping.

The youngest are only about 4-5 weeks - but are eating the canned!!!! The oldest is about 4 months. There are some around 8-10 weeks and one or two that are probably about 3 months. There's been so much to do, I haven't even been able to check out their genders. Except the oldest - he's a boy most definitely.

For the foreseeable future, they are confined to the bathroom. I have a special robe to wear when with them that stays in the bathroom, and I have to wash carefully before exiting so that I don't bring anything out that can hurt Loonie2 (he's the leukemia positive).

But the funniest thing through this all is Cat-dog. She KNOWS there are babies in there and she is determined to mother them. She is wandering around whining (more than usual). She keeps going to the door.

I keep explaining to her that they are afraid still and we have to make sure they won't make Loonie2 (or Loonie1) sick before she can raise them. But she's not really liking that answer.

The oldest kitten is watching under the door at the Beasts with interest, so I expect they will accept Cat-dog when it's time.

We are all exhausted.

I hope the owners have had the parent cars neutered!
Will you be able to find homes for most of the kittens? I'm guessing you will end up getting attached to a couple of them. It sounds like havoc - I picture you removing your robe and trying to exit the bathroom as half the kittens try to dodge through at foot level! I hope your loo isn't in there as nipping in for a quick wee would be impossible. Haha.
I remember adopting a cat that turned out to be in kitten - we called her Eartha Kitt. As there were so many unwanted cats in those days we only let her raise two from the litter - Kit Carson and Cat Stevens - but they were horrors. Their chase games were up and down the curtains - and even up and down ourselves. Great fun though!

Getting the cats back at the place fixed is the next job. Have to call a group that offers free spay vouchers for the females today.

Have a couple people willing to help with transporting the cats to and from the spay sites so that helps.

Fortunately, I have two bathrooms. The kittens are in the downstairs one. Loos in both.

So far the kittens have been too busy eating and sleeping to attempt escapes but I'm sure that will change.

Ordered a small low sided litter box. The ones I have are big for my boys with tall sides. Those little bits can't get in them, so they need something they can work with.

Right before bed I went in to give them another two cans of food and say goodnight. The little grey and white one was the first to the food and the last to walk away - and she's only 4-5 weeks old. Two of the youngest were out completely - just exhausted. Even the shy black one didn't hide in fear. That one was in the tub and did look up to watch me.

No attaching to these guys. Been there done that. They all need their own homes where they can be properly worshipped as Cat Gods. I'm hoping the rescue will help with that when the time comes.

Today, I will remove Tornado-dog's toys and wash them along with the towels (don't want any flea eggs surviving). Have a pack of toys coming today along with flea combs so I can start cleaning these guys up.

I love the names!! I had a litter of "white trash" babies once - named the girls after royalty (Anastasia, Alexandra, Sophia, Caterina) and the boys Horatio and Archibald. I was hoping the high class names would help them become ladies and gentlemen. When I'd go into the bathroom, they'd literally climb my legs. It did seem to work. A couple of the girls were always a bit too free with their claws, but most of them calmed down.

I took their photos as I treated them for fleas, so not the best shots.

This is the black one - desperately wanting to go hide. About 8-10 weeks I'd guess.


This grey one is about the same age.


This is one of the tabby points. Again about the same age.

And here is the second biggest. I'm guessing 3 months. Only one of the tabby points has the blue coloring, but you can only tell from the ears, so I'm not sure which one it is.


And this is the biggest with the ragdoll markings. Guessing 4 months. He's very calm and relaxed.

And these are the babies. 4-5 weeks. All less than a pound in weight.

And my big eater

What interesting markings they have. They look quite exotic! I presume the two? litters are related - possibly the same father.
My friend who moved to Bolivia seems to be proving a magnet for rescues too. Two litters of kittens and three dogs to date and she's been only there for ten months! I think some of the kittens have found homes. She had some quite pretty dilute colours in one of the litters.

Oh the dilutes are always so sweet. I've been lucky at this house, I've only ever had the Twooney take up residence with me and I've never had a litter of kittens in my yard, etc. At a prior place, I was constantly having strays show up.

My favorite stray tale: I had a gorgeous grey and white female with these big fat cheeks. I used to stop and pinch her cheekies and she hated it. One Saturday, she glared at me for doing it and I said "if you don't want me to pinch your cheeks, bring me a kitten".

Honest to the cat gods, that very night right before Dr Who came on PBS, I opened the back door to let the cats in for the night and on the top step dead center was this gorgeous little long haired brown tabby 8 week old kitten. Sitting on the railing watching me was Bernice. I asked the kitten "who are you?" and "Little Dr Who" was the answer. I turned to Bernice and said "I will never pinch your cheeks again". I kept my word.

I think there are three litters here. The biggest two (currently Rabbit the ragdoll and Calvin the tabby point - both boys) are from a different litter than the middle three. And the 6 babies are way smaller and only just starting to turn into kittens (they are at the toddler stage - just starting to learn to play).

Definitely inbreeding with parents and siblings going on. Fortunately, it doesn't appear to have hurt these guys for it.

I am worried for Panther, the black one. Panther is so timid with people that I'm afraid folks will pass over Panther for the others. The personality may not be enough to outweigh the coloring.

What a wonderful thing you have done to step up and take these kittens out of where they were. Thank you for doing so. My words don’t really express my appreciation

@CaroleC. Love the names you chose for those kittens