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Wednesday, July 21, 2010

New Foster Kittens!

When I took Barbie, Kenny, Krissy and Jellybean back to the shelter last Monday I told them that we needed a little break. Just enough time to get my bathroom scrubbed clean and the carpet cleaned before we took in more foster kittens. Fortunately I got the bathroom cleaned last Tuesday and we got the carpets mostly clean. I got a call from the shelter this past Sunday; they had two little feral kittens that had been caught at the children's ARK in nearby Green Mountain Falls and they needed a foster home for them. We dropped everything and ran to the shelter to get there before they closed and picked these little babes up. One is black and white and the other is solid black except for a little bit of white on the chest and the tummy. I decided to call them Raven and Magpie (I'm sure you can figure out which one is which!) I think Raven is a boy and Magpie is a girl but I'm not good at sexing young kittens so we'll have to wait a bit to see if I'm right.


When we picked them up Raven was hissing, spitting and swatting at everyone. I put on my leather gardening gloves (but only after he nailed me - literally - and got me good on one of my fingers) and picked him up. He was scared but finally relaxed. Magpie was curious and outgoing from the very beginning. I tried to feed them some gruel made of organic rice baby cereal, powdered milk replacer and meat baby food mixed with warm water. They had absolutely no clue how to eat out of a dish. Crap...two bottle fed kittens! I fixed a bottle for them and they drank eagerly. Okay, more work but at least they were eating.

Monday morning Magpie came to greet me and Raven dove for cover. Once Raven figured out that I was the chow wagon, he decided I perhaps wasn't nearly as bad as he first thought I was and he came to get his share of the bottle. I continued to try the gruel only I started offering it to them on the end of my fingers, which Magpie immediately started to eat. Raven would eat out of a spoon! Hooray!


Yesterday morning they came out of the cube much faster and eagerly ate the gruel - off the spoon and then out of the dish. Yippee! Progress!! After eating they both climbed into my lap and played then snuggled with me.

This morning they both came running when I went to feed them and they eagerly lapped up their breakfast out of the bowl. Whew...no more bottle feeding!! They are curious and playful and I am amazed at how quickly they came around. Of course, they are probably no more than 4 to 5 weeks old so they are at the perfect age for weaning and socializing.


When I was looking at Magpie Sunday night I thought she might be a polydactyl cat with an extra toe on her right front foot. After I inspected it closely on Monday I discovered that she only has 3 toes on that foot - two of them are melded together with only one toenail growing out of it. It makes her look like she is giving a Vulcan greeting - "Live long and prosper!" Because of this malformed foot (and perhaps due to their young age) Magpie is kind of tipsy and clumsy but when I read about polydactyl cats it said that it is common for them to have some difficulties learning to walk when they are kittens. I figured it would be the same for her. Look at her foot (the one on your left) and see what I'm talking about.


But they're healthy, happy, playful and curious little kittens and I am sure somebody will love little Magpie even with that unique little foot! She has amazing energy and such a loving personality who couldn't fall in love with her?!

17 comments:

Daisy said...

Oh goodness, they are adorable! I especially love Magpie and her special little foot.

Ann said...

oh they're the cutest little things. How quickly they came around, that's wonderful. I think Magpie's foot is quite unique and like you said looks like the vulcan greeting. Maybe a sign that Magpie has a wonderful life ahead of her :)

BeadedTail said...

I fell in love with them already! Magpie is so cute with her white ears and black mask. I think her foot makes her all that much more special!

Split Rock Ranch said...

Daisy: Thank you! Magpie is my favorite (ssshhhh, please don't tell Raven)
Ann: I'm so please with their progress. I hope they both have a wonderful life ahead of them!
BeadedTail: Aren't they just too special?! I hope her foot doesn't affect her being adopted quickly.

Split Rock Ranch said...

Translation from above post:
Really sorry to bother you, your blog looks good it !!!!..................

Normally I delete these because I have no idea what they say but I discovered Google Translate and I copied and pasted it to figure out what it says. Thank you for your nice comment! This one gets to stay. ;o)

Sharkbytes said...

She looks a lot like our little V8 who died last summer. http://myqualityday.blogspot.com/2009/07/v-8-kitty-1990-2009.html

Split Rock Ranch said...

Sharkbytes: You're right - little Magpie does look a lot like V8. V8 sounds like she was a very special girl who made your lives very special. RIP V8.

Cheryl said...

awww., too cute!

The Silver Age Sara said...

You are such a good person to be fostering the babies. They are so adorable. I'd have a hard time tearing myself away from them.

Lidian said...

Oh, they are SO adorable! They look just like the cats we had before our two Russian Blue sister kitties...they look very much at home with you!

Split Rock Ranch said...

Cheryl: Aren't they?!
Mtn Woman: Thank you. Some are harder than others to let go when the time comes but we get so much joy from fostering!
Lidian: They are settling in nicely.

Michelle said...

These kittens are adorable! I'm so glad they have you :)

Unknown said...

I tried to comment yesterday but had computer problems and my comment disappeared. I agree with all of the above commenters, especially Michelle. These kits are lucky to get to be with you!
So sweet! Magpie is adorable. But even Raven is cute too.
Best wishes,
Anna

Erika said...

Magpie is so cute! You are very sweet for taking care of them:)

Lin said...

Oh, her little foot reminds me of Nemo and his lucky fin. :) I love that you take these little ones in. You have a giant heart, my friend.

Rebecca said...

oh they are soooo cute. Kittens are really a handful too, good luck with them!

choink said...

So great to find another kitten fosterer! Hello from the UK. I totally relate to the getting your kitten space cleaned and as soon as you're done having kittens straight into it again! Raven and Magpie look lovely, all the best with them