Rudy

Rudy stands out in the crowd!

20 Days Old...

The kittens are starting to PLAY! It is so cute to see these little bitty creatures that cannot walk very far, pounch on their litter mates.

I am getting the feeling that Mama is not going to put up with being pounched on. Already she has learned that the kittens will only try to walk on the blankets....not on the concrete. So when she is tired of them poking at her, she moves just far enough away....so smart.

16 Days...

Alright, I have decided that I will need to give up my dream of a little VW Convertible and use that money for the kittens.

Rudy woke up this morning and one of his eyes is shut. Crap! I am sure its from the cat fights to get to the best spot at the bar but I have to make sure there is no infection that can spread to the other kittens or to Rosa.

Update...Kittens 2 weeks old

Rosa, Mama Cat

First of all, let me remind you that Rosa was a stray cat. In two weeks, she has forgotten what it is like to live on her own:

• she has turned her nose up at some can food she decided she didn't like
• she started out lounging on the concrete floor like she did in her former life, now I find her lounging on the foam seat/quilt I put down for my butt - so she has a new bed outside the kennel/babies room
• she purrs when she sees me, rolls little donuts with her paws and rubs up on everything to be petted

The Babies

• At two weeks old, they now have their eyes open.
• They are trying to walk and they wobble and topple over like turtles.
• Rudy, the little orange one, squeals like a pig when picked up.

And the best thing:

• They seem to getting a little curious about who/what I am...this morning 4 of them started to wobble towards me.

Humane Society of Pinellas

Rosa and her kitties are officially enrolled in the SNIP program at the Human Society of Pinellas. They will stay with me until April 23rd....they'll be 8 weeks old. On the 23rd, they will all go to the HSofP to be spayed, micro chipped and given rabies shots.

Rosa will come home with me...I am afraid if I leave her there, she will not be adopted because everyone wants a kitten. I will figure out what to do with Rosa later...

The kittens will be put up for adoption. Their adoption fee will be $50. BUT for $50, you adopt a cat that is spayed/neutered, vet checked, micro chipped and had their shots! It would cost a lot more if you took your cat to the vet yourself!

PLEASE NOTE: my agreement with the HSofP is that I will bring all the kittens in on the 23rd. They said to let you know that if you meet the kittens and decide you want to adopt one....I can take your information to the shelter with the kittens and it will be posted as YOURS!

March 2 Pics

Life is good for Rosa today....

The babies are cozy and warm...

Look at this little bitty paw....

One Eye Open

Yeah! One baby has one eye open!!!
I am working hard to fatten Rosa up and even harder trying NOT to cuddle the babies...I guess we have germs!!!

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.