I want to contribute

I want to adopt a kitten!

If you are interested in one of these kittens or other cats and dogs please go to http://www.homewardtrails.org/ and complete the application process. Once your application is approved and you have met your future buddy you will be required to have a home visit. All adopted pets must be spayed or neutered by the age of 6 months and we have a strict NO DECLAW policy. Kittens must be adopted in pairs.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Ten Days Post Parvo - All is Well! w/ VIDEO


We are ten days post Parvo and our six kittens are doing well. I, on the other hand have been so exhausted that I can barely keep up. So forgive the lack of posts...all is well. Five of the crew are fat as sausages, naughty as...well as kittens and I couldn't be happier! Our little Peege (Prince George, aka PG) seen here is recuperating from the very worst of the parvo infection. We have determined that Peege will be a special needs kitten as the parvo has left him with a neurological deficit called cerebellar hypoplasia. Basically it means he will always be a bit clumsy...his forelegs don't communicate very well with his back legs and his balance and coordination is terrible (what an indignity for a cat...but don't tell Peege.) He looks like a drunken sailor but this kitten has HEART! He can climb the stairs and find his people and he tries his best to play in the little reindeer games with his siblings. Our awesome veterinarian, Dr. Kenneth Ostroff, confirmed the diagnosis and offered a course of laser treatments. He used a cold laser, set to a frequency specific for central nervous system tissue and bathed our baby in the healing red light. So we are on the cutting edge here...the idea is that the laser stimulates the neurons to kick back into gear. We shall see, but in any event my sister, Nancy is committed to adopting Peege...she is a research nurse in neurology and my nephew, Nick, is studying physical therapy. Nick is already designing a PT regimen for our Peege! He will be fine in their household, and I will get to see him all the time.





The others won't sit still long enough for pictures so I have some video clips of the constant game of chase and hide!





Just for giggles, check out the picture of Uncle Gus...don't you hate it when the hot dog never fits the bun?



Saturday, May 1, 2010

The KICU is Closed

Everyone is doing so well that it made sense to close the KICU and move everyone back to the kitten room. Even our little Peege was hungrily sucking up a wet mixture of food. He was such a mess that Talbot licked him clean as a way of getting more food. The kids were all happy to get back to familiar territory and went about exploring every nook and cranny as though their salary depended on it.

Above: Uncle Leo keeping a watchful eye on a sleeping Wicomico.
We buried the kittens today and in a sad twist of fate, my sister Nancy's senior citizen cat, Sarah, at 17 years old breathed her last. So we included Sarah in the burial and all had a good rememberance and a few tears. Sarah was an old friend ans she will be missed.



Sarah had been needing nursing care for the past week and after helping me out with the kittens Nan would go home to treat her old friend. We knew that Sarah wasn't ready, but she would let Nancy know when it was time. That time came on Saturday morning. Nancy said she was going to try to adopt Peege and I think that would be a great idea, She has become a fairy godmother to this litter, so it is fitting that she take one of the kittens.

Above: Uncle Gus sharing the cat tree with Cecil.
Some one asked which kittens survive from which litter. We have four of the older litter, Peege, Talbot, Kent and Cecil. Frederick and Wicomico are from the second litter. The mamas have aways done double duty, nursing which ever kitten is wanting to, regardless of the litter of origin. Miss Maryland has been the more conscientious mama, but her mothering instict extends to both litters.



Left: Uncle Harry staking claim to the kitty playground.
Note that the pictures all show my staff cats interacting with the kittens and plotting to hog all their food. The video below shows a very hungry group of kittens eating, Peege is eating with the others and holding his own.