Kittens

They're still alive. So I gave the tortis, who were not named prior, the names Jeanne from Baltimore offered up: Tabitha and Skye.

The kittens have existed on nutrical and sub cu fluids. Until today, when Prancer and Tabitha began prancing and playing and eating kitten food, the dry variety. Still Skye, the sickest littlest one, refused to eat. Granted, she was getting plenty of calories through forced nutrical and fluids sub cu. She didn't have to eat to stay alive.

Heartland has been extremely helpful with caring for these sick kittens. Today, they gave me more fluids and more nutrical. I am hoping soon I will need neither for these kittens anyhow.

But, tonight I made a mixture. I got chicken and baked it. Then I cut up some of it in small pieces and pureed it with powdered KMR and some water. Oh my gosh, they went for that. The littlest torti, Skye, sucked down 10 cc of the mix, smacking her lips.

I have discovered kittens have to be cleaned/groomed or they do not thrive. I groom them around the mouth and face, with repetitive motions, like a mother licking, with a warm wet piece of cloth. They just love this. Repeated short cleaning strokes along the mouthline and beneath the chin and this is kitten bliss, even sick kittens respond.

So, they're ok right now. You never know with kittens. One minute they can seem to thrive and the next, they're dead of anything. So I live in the moment when caring for fragile kittens and enjoy it.

We got the cat grant from Albany. Click the post title to go to the article about us getting it, in the paper no less. I had no idea it was even a possibility anymore. Councilman Dick Olsen went to bat for the funds, citing common sense.

I read the paper online. Imagine my shock to see that. I immeditely e-mailed Poppa's board members to tell them. Moments before, Beccy, the treasurer, e-mailed to ask if we had heard anything about the grant and I told her we didn't get it, which is what I'd been told a few weeks ago. Yahooooooooo!