Five Day Old Babies

Update on Rosa

Look at these faces!!!!

Rosa is THE best little cat! She is so happy just being with her babies. She comes out of the kennel when I go in and open up a fresh can of food (she has dry food at all times), purrs while I give her a back rub, eats and goes back in with the babies.

And I'll have you know, the girl is already spoiled! She turned her nose up at the dry food. She tells me that she deserves the canned food and not the dry stuff. LOL. What a hoot! A spoiled stray cat!

I'll get more photos on Thursday!

Rosa & Her Kittens in Protective Custody

I picked up Rosa and kittens today. They were born in the wee hours of Sunday morning...2/22/09.

There are 5 black/grey kittens and one little orange kitten.

Rosa is very happy. She only meowed in the car when I asked her how she was doing, otherwise she was very content to curl up with her babies. Tonight they are resting in the garage with a cozy nest and lots of food and water. They are safe, away from other creatures that could eat them.

I'll need to find out if the shelter can provide me with help in taking them to the vet if needed. I've never had babies before, I am not sure what to do!!!

Stray Cats

Well, its a known fact that I am, deep down inside, a cat lady...cats like me, I like them. I would have two cats if my dogs didn't like to kill them!

I now have two stray cat friends. One, I call Rosa, she is about to pop out at least 33 kittens (based upon her size). The other cat, called Hudson, was thought to be a male but yesterday, when he came for food, I noticed his mid-section is starting to bulge. UGH!

So, I called the Humane Society on 590. They told me if I brought them there as strays, that stray cats are turned over to Animal Services and will most likely be "put down"...I said, "no, you mean they kill them, right?"... Well, I just can not do that.

The Humane Society does have a program:

"S.N.I.P. (Spay-Neuter Incentive Program)
If you have a dog or cat that has recently given birth, we can help! Give the entire litter to the Humane Society of Pinellas and we will SPAY the mother for you at NO CHARGE. We will even allow you FOSTER the litter in order to get them off to a healthy start. Our kittens and puppies are adopted into new homes fully vaccinated and spayed or neutered."

So I am in the process of creating a SAFE shelter in my garage to house the Mama's and their babies (if I can get them). Once they are 4 to 5 weeks old, I can take them all to the shelter. The kittens will go to good homes (everyone wants a baby) and the shelter will Spay the Mama's, give them back to me and I will have stray, spayed cats that I feed.

That's better than letting them be killed, isn't it?

If you want to take in a Mama and her babies to help, let me know...I have a feeling this is how "Save Our Strays" got started!

Cheese Please for Kitties

1/2 c. grated cheese

2 Tbsp. plain yogurt or sour cream

a little oatmeal

2 Tbsp. margarine or low-fat spread

Mix all the ingredients together, adding them in the order indicated above.

Serve cold to your special cat!

Vitamin Rich Meal for Felines

1/3 c Cottage Cheese

2 tb Bisquick

1 tb Chopped Liver

1 tb Corn oil

1 Dash iodized salt

Mix all together for 1 to 2 delicious cat servings.

Make Your Canine 1st Aid Kit

As a dog owner, you should have these items in your home in case of an emergency:

1. Gauze, sterile pads, and vet wrap (a self clinging elastic wrap).


2. Scissors.


3. Styptic pencil or powder to stop a cut nail from bleeding.


4. Tweezers or forceps to remove splinters, ticks, etc....


5. Triple antibiotic ointment to inhibit bacterial growth and infection -- apply to wounds as directed by your vet.


6. Antiseptic to help prevent infection & disinfect wounds.


7. Hydrocortisone cream to reduce itching caused by bug bites and allergies.


8. Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine for allergic reactions.


9. Cold pack to reduce swelling.


10. Eyewash to rinse foreign objects or dust from the eyes.


11. Hydrogen peroxide (10% strength) to induce vomiting in case of poisoning,


12. Antiseptic wipes.


13. Alcohol prep pads to clean tools before use.


14. Latex gloves.


15. A list of emergency providers.

Adapted from "Your Dog Newsletter" by Tufts University.