Monday, April 28, 2014

Duke and Doon (Dune) to Petsmart tomorrow!

Duke and Dune, pictured in my last post are going to Petsmart tomorrow for 2 weeks and hopefully will find a permanent home.  I got to thinking they would be the perfect cats for a person who works long shifts as I did when I was working.  They sleep most of the day coming out about  7 or 8 pm .  Dune heads for his wet food snack and Duke heads for a lap.  They are both very loving and after his snack, Dune comes looking for lap time too.  They will help the stress of a hard day just melt away for the person who is fortunate enough to give them a "purrmanent" home.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Current foster boys and officially adopted foster failures, Winnie and Tinker

Pictured here are Dune and Duke also called Herby and Valentino by their former foster mom.  They  are Dory's aka Tinker Belle's brothers.  the only way to tell them apart for me is that Dune is slim and Duke not so much.  Duke likes lap time in the evening and Dune in the morning.  Good thing, because when they sometimes do pig pile on together, I have to wrap my arms around them to keep them from oozing off!.

Dune

Duke



Duke
Dune
They both like to sleep under the pillow sham on the card table chair like their sister did.

Dory, now Tinker Belle sleeps anywhere she gets a nap attack.. She feels perfectly safe until the doorbell rings and then she heads under the couch.    Here she is with Winnie the Poo.  They are grooming one another on one of their sleeping perches.
Winnie grooms Tinker


Tinker grooms Winnie

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Passion: Marge Adoption

Marge was adopted Saturday!  I was so happy for her.  I never did get a good picture of her with her darling little round face and big round eyes.  Still, the little motion machine captured the heart of a young woman, shortly after we arrived at Petco.  I'm sure they  will be very happy together and I am freed of feeling sorry for her not having her very own cuddle person for when she does nap.
Now it is just Valantino and Herby (Duke and Dune) in the cat house. Poor Valentino hates being transported and messes in his crate even on the short trip from my house to  Petco, I dread this week when I have to take him for a rabies shot preliminary to his going out to Petsmart for 2 weeks, and an adoption hopefully.These 2 very loving boys are Tinkerbell's brothers.  They do not resemble her.  They are both tabby cats, and she is a tuxedo.  However, they are as large as she is:  not small and dainty like their little sister Daisy.

Time flies by when you foster cats.

A month plus has passed and spring has moved in to stay.  Romeo and Honey Bee were just adopted after being a Petco for the past two weeks. Here are photos of those two.  Golden eyed Romeo and his sis Honey Bee.  They went to the same home with a very nice couple who will be able to revel in their loud and comforting purring.


Dory has been renamed Tinkerbell, because she responds to that name.  I am fostering her two brothers Herby and Valentino aka Dune and Duke, so they do not have to commute from Sacramento to Stockton for showing at Petco.
My perpetual  motion machine, Marge,   Homer's sister, was all by herself in the Cat House  when Romeo and Honey Bee went to  Petco, and I worried about that.   She still is in constant motion, but sometimes maintains a single activity for a whole 30 seconds at a time.  She is definitely an ADHD kitty.  I never find her napping when I go over to visit.  She is always up and about.  I remember when I worried about her because she stayed in the carrier until she heard me enter. Silly me. Once she was oriented to the new placement, she never sleeps, it seems. And it turns out the constant motion was not due to loneliness.  She continues to be in constant motion  even when Valentino and Herby are napping! She has the biggest roundest eyes which I have not been able to capture in a photo because of the auto flash on my camera. She is a very pretty girl, and will make someone a wonderful companion. Here are the pics I did get


.Marge during rare moments of quiet
I am also fostering a little black 10 year old kitty named Sweet Pea.  She pretty much stays in the lanai at my house,  because she and Winnie have not hit it off.  She is OK with Tinkerbell now, as long as tinker isn't romping around.  Sweet Pea does not take well to romping around. She has a safe place under the antique desk and she heads there when scared, but otherwise hangs out on the storage cabinet,on the memory foam pillow.  
 Since I started this post, Sweet Pea has even been brave enough to wander into the den.  She still runs away the moment she sees Mika, even if Mika is not on the run.  I got a great shot of her:


Sweet Pea
She resembles Dinah, but has a pointier face.  She is  a light weight, too.  She weighs only 6 pounds, just 1/2 of the weight of Tinkerbell and Winnie the Poo.

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Catch up

It is time to  catch up  with  all the changes at the Cat House and beyond. As noted, on the 11th, Dory  moved to the big house, and in short order has become very comfortable, laid back and confident in her new surroundings. Her is a series of pictures that tell the story.




Dory  before the move, shown in the first photo.  She hung out in the lanai for a couple of days, and then began her relentless take over of the house, and her conquering of Winnie the Pooh.  Tentative at first, ...opposite end of the couch from Mika, she has now become the ultimate couch  potato...(see below). The first photo  shows her playing with her fave toy, and then her current preferred site for vegging.  Whe I am there she is on me and Mika has finally begun to clean Dory's ears just as she did Winnie's. 


  I have been so busy observing Dory's acclamation  to  the house and medicating and  watching the quarantined two, Honey Bee and Romeo, at the Cat House that I have not blogged or downloaded photos or taken any new photos of the quarantined pair. 
In between cat things, I have paid bills, supported Ron through his burglary aftermath, attended the Furr Ball and even gotten in a few yoga asana practices.  
Romeo and Honey Bee seem to be fine apart from the diarrhea which has shifted from  Romeo to Honey Bee and has not improved even after antibiotic, yogurt, and Albon.  They are very loving.  Just as I was thinking that Romeo did not have a purr box, and that Honey Bee had gotten his as well as her own, he has begun  to  be just as loud as she is.  They are not the players that Chuck and Homer were, but they are wrestling and tearing up the room with romping around now, which suggests to me that they are feeling OK.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Passion:Happy adopotions

This was such a good week  in adoptions for Animal Friends Connection.  Bugsy, a long time foster found his own permanent home where he won't have a family cat harassing him as the cat did  in his foster home.  Daisy, whom I took in went  back to her previous foster parents who adopted her.  And, last but not least,  Homer and Chuck went together to a very nice family.  That left Dory all alone in the Cat House so I moved her in to the main house where she is trying to adapt while avoiding grumpy Winnie, who hisses and growls at docile little Dory.She has explored the den, kitchen and has her folding chair with sham that she uses as a sleep hide out.They are  both napping now  and I think will make their peace in a couple days. Dory has been very loving and affectionate since she has been alone, and vocalized this morning for the first time that I have heard.

I will  be getting Honey Bee and Romeo, two kittens needing gastrointestinal assessment..  They are currently at Petco, but are having extreme diarrhea.  I tried my hardest to   get a stool sample today but  was unsuccessful. It will be easier at the Cat House where there will be less traffic.It was very busy at Petco this morning.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Gentle Peeve

After complaining to Marian abut Daisy really disliking Homer, I went to crate Homer to take to Petsmart for adoption display this morning and there he was under the chair sham sleeping with her!! He was so good at just ignoring her hissing and swatting that he won her over in the end and made a complete liar of me.  That's why I love cats. When you   think you have them figured, they surprise you.  Needless to say it was difficult to take Homer and Chuck to Petsmart after this discovery. However, they are there and I hope they find a purrfect home.  They are both so cute, charming and loveable that they  will make the right person  purrfectly happy.  Chuck likes to suckle on the palm of my hand and Homer loves messing with my hair. Though they complained about going once there they  were at home and when   I left, Homer was trying to turn the donut bed over so  he could crawl under it and resume his nap which I  so rudely interrupted. Chuck just plunked down and seemed right at home.  No tugging at my heart strings by reaching out of  the cage to touch my leg, as he did last Saturday at Petco.

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Passion: A vegetative rainy day.

Today was my idea  of a perfect super bowl  Sunday.  I caught up  on all episodes of Downton Abby and snacked on  an  artichoke, cheese and crackers and olives and  V8.   I enjoyed my Winnie cat and Mika dog snuggled up next to me on the couch. I also visited the Cat House of course.  Daisy still growls  and hisses at the others if they approach her, but she did not grumble at me when I   approached and petted her.  She is now totally out and about in  the room and not huddled in the condo.  She now likes to perch on  top of the condo.  The boys go to Petsmmart on Wednesday, so Dory and Daisy will have the Cat House  to themselves and I can  focus on  interacting with   them.  In  between  episodes of  Downton  Abby   I  listened to classical music and totally  avoided news and analysis.  Very  good for the soul  and spirit.  It was just a  perfect day.  And we certainly needed the rain.

Friday, January 31, 2014

Pictures as Promised

Here are the most recent pictures from  the Cat House.  First are a series of shots of Dory and the boys, Homer and Chuck playing with the CatsMeow toy donated to AFCHs and offered to  them.  They do love it!



 
 
And here is a picture of Dory, the curious , fully laid back "part feral" rescue. What's a " part feral?" I hear you ask.  It is a cat who was rescued as a part of a feral's litter, and then was tamed by a human, me, who  took on the task because I was working on my patience, and thought this would be a good mutually beneficial project.  It was! 
 
 
Now her sister, Daisy, is with me, because she has not advanced as quickly to "laid back."  She is a new "patience project" for me.  She still prefers the condo and her hidey hole.  However she did come out a little yesterday and ate some wet food in the regular food area.

 
Here are some picks of her.  Notice she still lays her ears back  which is her way of saying, "I'm afraid and will hiss and growl if you approach". However, she is as passive  and docile as her sister when you hold her. It has only been 6 days since she arrived and she has these two boys to adapt  to, whereas her sister just had a couple cute kittens to   cope with. Here are the boys invading Daisy's space in the condo when it is opened up. I would hiss and growl too!  Give me my space you boisterous boys!   

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

New Girl at the Cat House

Dory's sister has come to the Cat House.  She had an excellent foster home but was still terrified at the adoption events and just hid out.  Marian thinks perhaps a change in venue will help her come out.  However, she has been with me since last Saturday and so far has just lain low in the condo in the little black hideout pillow that none of the other cats cared much for.  She hisses and grumbles at me and all the other kitties but especially Homer. She does let me hold her.  She is eating and was very hungry this morning.  She ate both wet and dry.  It willl be difficult  to get a photo, but I am going to try and then post the boys playing with the Cat's Meow and Daisy hiding out.

There were so many wonderful adoptions last week.  Petunia was adopted, June and Bonnie too.  They were all older kitties, not juveniles or kittens. Below is a picture of Petunia.  She is one big girl!

Petunia



Petunia  is also the poster girl for the up and coming Furr Ball, our fundraiser dinner dance and silent auction in March.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Cat Passions and Peeves

The Cat House got a new toy!  "As seen on TV", the CatsMeow. They all love it!  Of course Homer was the first to pounce on it, but even Dori got in the act, swatting at the little red tail that sticks out from under the yellow cloth.  Winnie played with the toy this morning while I sipped coffee and blessed Marian for gifting us so that I did not have to   play with Winnie with the laser light first thing in the morning.  This TV thing  really is a good deal.
Instead of  getting pictures of the fosters with the toy today, though, I made it a priority to clip nails which were getting way too long.  I did Winnie yesterday and figured if I could get that 12 pound squirming mass  of fur's  nails clipped I could certainly do  the fosters.  I did it.  Homer needed the most work.  I had to  wrap him to prevent wriggling and fainting in coils, but got him done.  Chuck was next and since he is still little he was easy enough.  I got down on the floor with  Dory and, as usual, she was not happy with the process but was absolutely docile throughout.  Afterwards of course, she ran from me when I reached out to  pet her.  That's how she expresses her disapproval: she darts away when you reach to pet her.  She did forgive and forget before I left, however.  Tomorrow I  will get photos of the kitties at play with the new wonder toy. So that's it.  The passion is the new toy and the peeve was nail clipping.  Homer was the character as usual.  He squirmed and cried  while he was being done, but was in my face and on my head while I was trying to work on Dory.  I had to  shoo him away in order to see her little toes and get the clipper positioned to clip without getting the quick.
For me, the "To Do" list was either vacuum the carpets or clip cat nails and I chose the latter. Priorities, priorities.  I've got mine right.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Star Wars Pincess and Chewbacca adopted

Princess Leah and Chewy were delivered  to their new purrmanent home tonight!  Here they are  on January 7.
 
Chewbacca getting to be a big boy

 
Leah, always the Pincess, becoming a gentler   monarch as she matures
 
 
Still, I am told they exited the carrier in their usual confident and curious way.  Adopted by a well organized and responsible young  man.
 
Three more  are still available, Chuck and and Homer the characters, and Dory  who  has become a  very beautiful young cat. She is still a little twitchy when  things change, but she is observant, curious and pensive as I have mentioned and no longer terrified by change.       

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Love and Caring

This is a photo of my very own two kids.  Winnie would love Mika to play, but Mika is more the "mom" type.  She vigorously washes Winnie's ear every evening when they are both across my lap on the couch.   Winnie loves it!!
Mika also has her other "babies" and at Christmas she got three new ones.  She chews on them:  Winnie would not like ear nibbling! Here is Mika with her new babies.  Mika also visits the Cat House with me and all the fosters become adapted to this gentle little rescue dog. They are fascinated by her wagging tail and big brown eyes. 

 
Here is Mika with her new baby bone, crocodile, Lamb Chop (behind the puppy)  and puppy. As I write I count ten of these beloved soft toys strewn over the den carpet.   

My Hope got a Change!

Hope got adopted ! Hurray!  She went to a family with an 18 year old young man and a 16 year old young woman and their parents.  She will never be without a purrson   to love her or as far as I know have to compete with another kitty for attention. Here she is is in November:

 
She is just a wee bit bigger now,  but  her face and gorgeous eyes are even more beautiful now.  She loved to chase her tail which was 1/3 again as long as her body which meant it got her attention easily, and kept her entertained until dizziness set in.
 
In a week in which I had a terrible cold followed closely on by the flu,  she was the "Happy New Year, Lynn"   news.  Dory came home alone and  misses her buddy, Hope.  Dory  is in the Cat House  with Homer and Chuck and is having to learn relaxation all over again.  She is beautiful, sleek and black and gives me that wise Tuxedo cat look that signifies incredulity  at  the behavior of those rowdy boys.  She is deigning to  allow  me to pet her but is not yet seeking lap time.  Too long at Petco, (two weeks). I think she will  do well in the kind of home that Hope found, or with  an  older  person and   and  a cat who is less rambunctious. 
 
Here is wonderful Miss Dory with Hope's siter Faith who was adopted a month ago.
This is Dory's pensive look.   Tuxedo cats all have that look I have noticed.  I always wonder what has them so deep in thought.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Passion: Animal Friends Connection Humane Society

I think it is time to post this link to the main cat sanctuary where a number of our more mature kitties are housed and some  younger kids under observation  for health issues..  There are also vignettes of at least a couple of the kitties  in other foster care homes.  Here is the link: www.animalfriendsconnect.org/pets.htm 
The dogs rescued and adoptable are also listed there.
Animal Friends also has a Facebook page with happy tails and rescue alerts and networking for found pets.

Meanwhile, at the Cat House, my annex to the sanctuary the group were into  brief wet food snacking, on the run petting and purring for the staff(me) as a "Thank You" for snack  and litter cleaning, and then  were off to toys!  Princess Leah was the  observer this morning.  Chucky trotted around with  his mini foil toy in his mouth, Chewy was into the swirly rubber ball toy, and Homer batted around the pink plastic jingle bell toy. 

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

WANTED: Purrfect Purrmanent Homes for Four

Three of my fosters went to Petsmart for adoptions  for 10 days and just got home Sunday evening.  I also brought home Homer's buddy, Chucky who integrated without incident.  Homer as you will see is very photogenic and cute as a button.  He is in his hidey sham that drapes over a folding chair.  When Dory is home they often curl up together in this sham, 

 
 
Homer is playful, loving and affectionate with cats, persons, and gentle dogs.  He still plays with Chuck but then he also plays with Leah and Chewy and Dory when she will. He is gentle with Hope, somehow realizing she is not as rough and tumble as the others.
 And now we have Princess Leah who was huffy and hissy at the drop of a hat when she first came to the Cat House but is now brave, rough and tumble at play and loving and sweet with persons of the human kind, settling in for petting when her play time winds down.  She is a gorgeous torti(?), although as one can see not apt  to sit still for photo ops and very sensitive to the flash on the camera.

 In these photos she is trying to get Homer to come out and play.  However when he naps, he naps.  He returned to serious napping immediately after I got my shots of him.

Chewy and Chuck came out to play and the photos of them today mostly reflect the serious wrestling that went on and other occupations typical of cats like chowing down after serious exercise.

Chewy is undercat here  even though he is a bit bigger but his mouth is ready for nipping the neck of the pinner.
After a little break shown here they went off  to share a bite.


Nice face on shot of Chuck.  Here is one more of chuck that shows how well he integrated.
 
 
And finally the Princess, in Princess pose.  

 
Although Chewy and Leah are sibs and companionable, and Homer and Chuck have been long time buddies starting during their sanctuary days, they can be mixed and matched because they all love one another and play well together.