MEDICATION TIME - DEWORMING PART ONE

The kittens are five weeks old today, which means that they are to receive their first of two de-worming pills.  I will be giving Mommy Aimee and her kittens a half pill each, with the other half to be administered in exactly 15 days.

Mommy Aimee's pill was easy to administer as I only had to hide it in a piece of chicken. The kittens, on the other hand, had to be administered by way of subtle force.  I put each kitten in my lap and slowly pried open their little mouths and put the 1/2 pill in the very back of their throats.  Then, I quickly closed their mouths and touched their little noses so that that they would lick their nose, thus causing them to swallow the pill.  I must say I'm quite the pro at it now, so much so that I don't even require the help of my hubby to hold the kittens while I administer the pills.

No love lost after giving Shelldon his
deworming medication

A few days ago, the kittens started eating canned food and using the kitty litter. Apart from a couple of accidents in their bed and on the floor, they have been doing really well. Penee was the first kitten to join Mommy at the dinner table. Mommy wasn`t too pleased that she now has to share her food with her kittens.

Mommy and Penee sharing a meal

The kittens are also big enough now that they won`t cry constantly if they are separated from Mommy for cuddles with their Foster Mommy.  Lennord and Shelldon make really good cuddle bunnies in the morning.

Lennord in the crook of my arm in bed

Shelldon all spread eagle on the blanket

They are still a bit too young to play with toys, but I`m sure they will be ready in a week or two to chase all those lasers and feathers I have waiting.

Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association

https://www.facebook.com/VOKRA

Adoption application:

http://www.orphankittenrescue.com/adoption_application/

THREE WEEKS AND COUNTING

My beautiful 'Big Bang Theory' litter is growing up fast!  The litter is a little over three weeks old now, but they have made so much progress in those three weeks.

They have fully opened their eyes, their ears do not fold over like a Scottish fold (although I love it when kittens' ears are folded) and they are climbing out of their little box when we come in to visit them.  Shelldon and Lennord are the first ones to come to the edge of the box to be picked up (for cuddles or just to be lifted out of their box).

Shelldon and Lennord

In every litter, I always have the very real danger of foster failing one of the kittens (meaning that I would end up keeping one of the kittens as my own instead of finding them an adoptive family).  Each litter I've always found one (sometimes two!) kittens that I would say to my husband "I wouldn't mind keeping this one ...".  With this litter, it would have to be Lennord, the tabby.  My previous two cats, Runners and Hobbies, were both tabbies and I loved them (and miss them) dearly.  So, I guess I have a soft spot for tabbies.

My friend wrote a poem when my Hobbies went over the rainbow:

Sunday

In those last minutes

you feel like it goes by

Too Fast

Struggling

to find a way to make it

Slow Down

even though

you know it`s

Inevitable

Mementos

scattered throughout the house

Compassion brings more pain

And reminders

Stifle your cry until you realize

There`s no point

You

let

go

The memories are

Everywhere

Even when you close your eyes
to hide from everything else

Runners (left) and Hobbies (right)

Lennord is a very loving, playful kitten and is always seeking out our attention.  He is also very alert and will stare up at us from his box when we come in.

Cuddles on my shoulder

Sitting on my lap and posing pretty

Alert and adorable

Mommy Aimee is also a very affectionate cat, so much so that I wonder if she had a home previously.  She is not shy around people and on her first day with us, she climbed onto my lap for some affection.  I am pretty sure semi-feral or shy cats do not do that on the first day of meeting someone new.

Aimee being funny by sticking her tongue
out at the camera

Beautiful eyes to match her
beautiful coloring

I am hoping that Aimee will be adopted not too much later after her kittens.  With all the pictures and videos I will be taking of her, I do not see that being a problem.

Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association

https://www.facebook.com/VOKRA

Adoption application:

http://www.orphankittenrescue.com/adoption_application/

THE "BIG BANG THEORY" LITTER

It's always a fun time when you get to name your litter of kittens.  With my first batch, I just gave them names that I liked and what I thought the kittens suited.  But, as I slowly found out, the adopters would change their names to what they envisioned was the perfect name for their new furry family addition.  So, I now go with a theme for each littler.

BATCH #1 - No theme

Starsky & Hana

Skooter, Lucy and Malcomb

BATCH #2 - "HAPPY DAYS" theme

Arthurelli, Ralphie and Chachi

Shirley and Ritchie

Laverne

BATCH #3 - "LET'S GO PLAY" theme

Mommy Peak-a-Boo

Hyde and Seak

BATCH #4 - "BLACK" theme

Kole, Ebonie and Slate

And my newest litter:  BATCH #5 - "Big Bang Theory" theme

Mommy Aimee

Rajesh

Lennord

Shelldon

Penee

Yes, I know, what's with the unusual spellings.  As I've mentioned earlier in my blog, there are 1,700+ cats in the *VOKRA database.  So as to not mix up Amy from Amy from Amy, we have to name each kitten with a unique spelling or give them a last name to go with their first name.  

I guess I could have named Mommy and her kittens by their full character names - Amy Farrah Fowler, Rajesh Koothrappali, Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter and Penny ... well Penny would have just been Penny the Waitress (now the pharmaceutical rep, for those who follow The Big Bang Theory sitcom), but I just found it easier to tweak the spellings of their first names.

Mommy, a chocolate-point Siamese, is a very affectionate cat.  She rubs up against my hand when I come down to see her and rubs my leg when I`m standing over her box to watch her kittens sleep and play.

Lennord is very vocal and will meow and meow at us, which of course automatically prompts me to pick him up for cuddles!  I`m not sure that`s his intention, but the outcome is always cuddles from me.  Hubby just answers back to Lennord`s meows.  They have some pretty sweet conversations.

The other three kittens, Shelldon, Penee and Rajesh have not stood out in any way (except for their absolute cuteness), but I`m sure as the weeks go on I`ll see their little spunky personalities shine through.

Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association

https://www.facebook.com/VOKRA

Adoption application:

http://www.orphankittenrescue.com/adoption_application/

BATCH #5 HAS ARRIVED!

We took a beautiful drive out to Aldergrove today to pick up our 5th batch of *VOKRA kitties.  There were four batches of mommies with their kitties, but the batch we took were the only ones available to leave the facility today.

Mommy is a beautiful chocolate-point Siamese, while her four kittens are not Siamese at all.  Two are grey and white, one is a tabby and one has a dark grey, almost dusty-black coloring.  Mommy is shy, but friendly and has let me pet her (and her kittens).

The kittens are only 2 weeks old, so they will be with us for another month and a half.  Stay tuned for all the updates on this batch!

Welcome to your foster home!

Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association

https://www.facebook.com/VOKRA

Adoption application:

http://www.orphankittenrescue.com/adoption_application/