Spotty's babies (kind of long)

Hey, remember back in mid-March when I wrote about one of the
neighborhood cats who had apparently had her babies. I had kind of
hoped she would use one of my carriers which I fixed up with towels
and had on the patio, but she had them somewhere across the street,
and I've never found anyone who claims her or where the babies where.

Well, today was my day off and I spent the day working on my neglected
flowerbed. Planted three rose bushes, a bunch of petunias, rose moss,
and a couple tomato plants, then outfitted the girls for some OUT
time. After a hour or so, I'm relaxing in the lawn chair, watching
Sammy hunt through the monkey grass for any early grasshopped, while
LB inspects the wheel barrow which I parked around behind the
building. Suddenly, I hear a kitty war cry, and LB darts across the
patio into the open door with Spot in hot pursuit. I head off Spot and
watched to make sure see Sammy wouldn't join in the commotion. Sam and
Spot still hiss and window slap at each other, so I didn't want them
going at it. Much to Sammy's disgust, I went and got her and put her
inside.

Spot went back around the corner of the building, and when I follwed I
spotted a little b/w fluffball. Yep, Spot was being a protective
momma, and bringing her baby for a visit. I brought out some food and
called Spotty to come and eat. She escorted her nervous kit to the
food bowl, and between them they polished off the half can which was
left over from this morning. The baby is one of those almost tuxedo
kitties, looks kind of like he/she was wearing a tuxedo and rubbed up
against some white paint.

When they finished off the food, Spot went back around the corner and
left the baby licking the plate. I was kind of worried that the baby
was being left behind, especially when she/he noticed mom was gone and
started crying, and Spot kept walking away. I called to Spot that I
had more food, and got up to get another can. Baby ran and hid behind
the carrier (still on the patio from six weeks ago when I was trying
to entice Spot to have her babies here).

When I came back out with the new can of food, baby was still hiding
and crying (but shut up and was quiet when he reliased I was there),
and Spot was gone. Baby was too scared to come out while I was
outside, so I went in and watched, hoping he'd start calling again and
she'd come back for him.

She came back, alright, after about half an hour. But she wasn't
alone. This time she brought a mostly white baby, white with a black
tail and orange colored ears. If the first baby was nervous, this one
was really scared, so I just watched from inside. Pretty much a repeat
of the first time. Spotty laid down until the new baby got relaxed
enough to start trying to nurse. Spot is trying to wean them as she
would only let the baby nurse a little, then she got up and went to
the plate. The baby followed and started to lick at the food, but
didn't really eat like the almost tuxie kit had.

Once the new baby was distracted, Spot disappeared back around the
corner. Again, after about half an hour, she was back with another
mostly white baby. This one is REALLY nervous, and I haven't gotten a
good look at it yet. Looks a lot like the other mostly white one, but
maybe has a gray/black spot on her side. Since Spot brought back this
last kit, she's stayed on the patio, so guess there must be just three
babies.

I went out and sat in the lawn chair, which is maybe 15-20 feet from
where they were on the patio. Like I said, all three kits are very
nervous and unsocialized. Looks like one of the mostly white ones has
goopy eyes, so I guess I'll make another attempt to find Spot's home.
If I can't find it I'll have to think about borrowing a trap and
getting them all vetted and speutered. For now, all three babies have
discovered the carrier and are sacked out there. Spot is laying by the
carrier keeping watch. And, I've put out extra food bowls further out
from the patio so other regular patrons come get something to eat
without disturbing the little family.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy and Little Bit

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html

On 2005-05-11, Steve Touchstone penned:

Looks like one of the mostly white ones has goopy eyes, so I guess
I'll make another attempt to find Spot's home.

I don't get it ... seems like she's figured out where her home should
be, and brought her kittens with her, too.


If I can't find it I'll have to think about borrowing a trap
and getting them all vetted and speutered.

Ah, good, you've figured it out too =)

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

On Tue, 10 May 2005 23:16:44 -0600, "Monique Y. Mudama"
wrote:

On 2005-05-11, Steve Touchstone penned:

Looks like one of the mostly white ones has goopy eyes, so I guess
I'll make another attempt to find Spot's home.

I don't get it ... seems like she's figured out where her home should
be, and brought her kittens with her, too.

Yeah, Spotty would definitely like to move in. If only she and Sammy
had got along she would have been inside back when I first noticed she
was pregnant (after being given a TED check).
If I can't find it I'll have to think about borrowing a trap
and getting them all vetted and speutered.

Ah, good, you've figured it out too =)

Unfortunately, a small two room apartment just isn't the best place
for trying to introduce a new cat. For some reason, Spotty and Sam
have been hostile to each other from first sight.

Sammy is due to go back for her re-check Wednesday (actually it was
supposed to be today, but my truck is in the shop getting a new
clutch). I'll be talking to the vet about this new little family while
there. One of the nice things we have here locally is a non-profit
clinic which does low cost speutering. Unfortunately, they don't do
checkups there (though it's a real bargain for the speuter as well as
a great place to pick up Revolution).
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy and Little Bit

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html

Steve Touchstone wrote:
I went out and sat in the lawn chair, which is maybe 15-20 feet from
where they were on the patio. Like I said, all three kits are very
nervous and unsocialized. Looks like one of the mostly white ones has
goopy eyes, so I guess I'll make another attempt to find Spot's home.
If I can't find it I'll have to think about borrowing a trap and
getting them all vetted and speutered. For now, all three babies have
discovered the carrier and are sacked out there. Spot is laying by the
carrier keeping watch. And, I've put out extra food bowls further out
from the patio so other regular patrons come get something to eat
without disturbing the little family.

Awwww! How sweet! Maybe since they are being introduced to you at such
young ages they will become socialized and allow you to approach. Purrs you
can find them good homes.

Jill

Wow! You have earned big trust bonus points!
Keep us posted.

"Steve Touchstone" wrote in message
...
Hey, remember back in mid-March when I wrote about one of the
neighborhood cats who had apparently had her babies. I had kind of
hoped she would use one of my carriers which I fixed up with towels
and had on the patio, but she had them somewhere across the street,
and I've never found anyone who claims her or where the babies where.

Well, today was my day off and I spent the day working on my neglected
flowerbed. Planted three rose bushes, a bunch of petunias, rose moss,
and a couple tomato plants, then outfitted the girls for some OUT
time. After a hour or so, I'm relaxing in the lawn chair, watching
Sammy hunt through the monkey grass for any early grasshopped, while
LB inspects the wheel barrow which I parked around behind the
building. Suddenly, I hear a kitty war cry, and LB darts across the
patio into the open door with Spot in hot pursuit. I head off Spot and
watched to make sure see Sammy wouldn't join in the commotion. Sam and
Spot still hiss and window slap at each other, so I didn't want them
going at it. Much to Sammy's disgust, I went and got her and put her
inside.

Spot went back around the corner of the building, and when I follwed I
spotted a little b/w fluffball. Yep, Spot was being a protective
momma, and bringing her baby for a visit. I brought out some food and
called Spotty to come and eat. She escorted her nervous kit to the
food bowl, and between them they polished off the half can which was
left over from this morning. The baby is one of those almost tuxedo
kitties, looks kind of like he/she was wearing a tuxedo and rubbed up
against some white paint.

When they finished off the food, Spot went back around the corner and
left the baby licking the plate. I was kind of worried that the baby
was being left behind, especially when she/he noticed mom was gone and
started crying, and Spot kept walking away. I called to Spot that I
had more food, and got up to get another can. Baby ran and hid behind
the carrier (still on the patio from six weeks ago when I was trying
to entice Spot to have her babies here).

When I came back out with the new can of food, baby was still hiding
and crying (but shut up and was quiet when he reliased I was there),
and Spot was gone. Baby was too scared to come out while I was
outside, so I went in and watched, hoping he'd start calling again and
she'd come back for him.

She came back, alright, after about half an hour. But she wasn't
alone. This time she brought a mostly white baby, white with a black
tail and orange colored ears. If the first baby was nervous, this one
was really scared, so I just watched from inside. Pretty much a repeat
of the first time. Spotty laid down until the new baby got relaxed
enough to start trying to nurse. Spot is trying to wean them as she
would only let the baby nurse a little, then she got up and went to
the plate. The baby followed and started to lick at the food, but
didn't really eat like the almost tuxie kit had.

Once the new baby was distracted, Spot disappeared back around the
corner. Again, after about half an hour, she was back with another
mostly white baby. This one is REALLY nervous, and I haven't gotten a
good look at it yet. Looks a lot like the other mostly white one, but
maybe has a gray/black spot on her side. Since Spot brought back this
last kit, she's stayed on the patio, so guess there must be just three
babies.

I went out and sat in the lawn chair, which is maybe 15-20 feet from
where they were on the patio. Like I said, all three kits are very
nervous and unsocialized. Looks like one of the mostly white ones has
goopy eyes, so I guess I'll make another attempt to find Spot's home.
If I can't find it I'll have to think about borrowing a trap and
getting them all vetted and speutered. For now, all three babies have
discovered the carrier and are sacked out there. Spot is laying by the
carrier keeping watch. And, I've put out extra food bowls further out
from the patio so other regular patrons come get something to eat
without disturbing the little family.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy and Little Bit

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html

Very kind of you, Steve, to do this -- purrs from us to help you catching
and fixing this family. If it gets to where you are going to need help with
the vet bills please speak up.

Christine
"Steve Touchstone" wrote in message
...
Hey, remember back in mid-March when I wrote about one of the
neighborhood cats who had apparently had her babies. I had kind of
hoped she would use one of my carriers which I fixed up with towels
and had on the patio, but she had them somewhere across the street,
and I've never found anyone who claims her or where the babies where.

Well, today was my day off and I spent the day working on my neglected
flowerbed. Planted three rose bushes, a bunch of petunias, rose moss,
and a couple tomato plants, then outfitted the girls for some OUT
time. After a hour or so, I'm relaxing in the lawn chair, watching
Sammy hunt through the monkey grass for any early grasshopped, while
LB inspects the wheel barrow which I parked around behind the
building. Suddenly, I hear a kitty war cry, and LB darts across the
patio into the open door with Spot in hot pursuit. I head off Spot and
watched to make sure see Sammy wouldn't join in the commotion. Sam and
Spot still hiss and window slap at each other, so I didn't want them
going at it. Much to Sammy's disgust, I went and got her and put her
inside.

Spot went back around the corner of the building, and when I follwed I
spotted a little b/w fluffball. Yep, Spot was being a protective
momma, and bringing her baby for a visit. I brought out some food and
called Spotty to come and eat. She escorted her nervous kit to the
food bowl, and between them they polished off the half can which was
left over from this morning. The baby is one of those almost tuxedo
kitties, looks kind of like he/she was wearing a tuxedo and rubbed up
against some white paint.

When they finished off the food, Spot went back around the corner and
left the baby licking the plate. I was kind of worried that the baby
was being left behind, especially when she/he noticed mom was gone and
started crying, and Spot kept walking away. I called to Spot that I
had more food, and got up to get another can. Baby ran and hid behind
the carrier (still on the patio from six weeks ago when I was trying
to entice Spot to have her babies here).

When I came back out with the new can of food, baby was still hiding
and crying (but shut up and was quiet when he reliased I was there),
and Spot was gone. Baby was too scared to come out while I was
outside, so I went in and watched, hoping he'd start calling again and
she'd come back for him.

She came back, alright, after about half an hour. But she wasn't
alone. This time she brought a mostly white baby, white with a black
tail and orange colored ears. If the first baby was nervous, this one
was really scared, so I just watched from inside. Pretty much a repeat
of the first time. Spotty laid down until the new baby got relaxed
enough to start trying to nurse. Spot is trying to wean them as she
would only let the baby nurse a little, then she got up and went to
the plate. The baby followed and started to lick at the food, but
didn't really eat like the almost tuxie kit had.

Once the new baby was distracted, Spot disappeared back around the
corner. Again, after about half an hour, she was back with another
mostly white baby. This one is REALLY nervous, and I haven't gotten a
good look at it yet. Looks a lot like the other mostly white one, but
maybe has a gray/black spot on her side. Since Spot brought back this
last kit, she's stayed on the patio, so guess there must be just three
babies.

I went out and sat in the lawn chair, which is maybe 15-20 feet from
where they were on the patio. Like I said, all three kits are very
nervous and unsocialized. Looks like one of the mostly white ones has
goopy eyes, so I guess I'll make another attempt to find Spot's home.
If I can't find it I'll have to think about borrowing a trap and
getting them all vetted and speutered. For now, all three babies have
discovered the carrier and are sacked out there. Spot is laying by the
carrier keeping watch. And, I've put out extra food bowls further out
from the patio so other regular patrons come get something to eat
without disturbing the little family.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy and Little Bit

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html

On 2005-05-11, Steve Touchstone penned:

Unfortunately, a small two room apartment just isn't the best place
for trying to introduce a new cat. For some reason, Spotty and Sam
have been hostile to each other from first sight.

I get that. Boy, do I get that. But it sucks.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

On Wed, 11 May 2005 10:27:28 -0600, "Monique Y. Mudama"
wrote:

On 2005-05-11, Steve Touchstone penned:

Unfortunately, a small two room apartment just isn't the best place
for trying to introduce a new cat. For some reason, Spotty and Sam
have been hostile to each other from first sight.

I get that. Boy, do I get that. But it sucks.

I'm already making plans on how I could let the little ones inside,
while still keeping Spot out. I'm thinking I could open the sliding
door, just a crack small enough for them to squeeze through but still
keep Spot out. If I do that, though, I'll have to make sure Sammy
can't open the door (in the past she's opened the door when I've left
a crack for air). It might freak Spot out at first to have the babies
inside with my girls, but should help in socialising the kits. I'll
have to watch Sammy, since the last kitten she interacted with was her
reflection in the mirror.

Just this morning Sammy darted out to inspect the interlopers on HER
patio. She and Spot got into a screaming match. Sam seemed surprised
when Spot didn't run off like she has in the past. Spot parked herself
between Sam and the patio, screaming to keep Sam away from the kits.
Sammy didn't know what to make of this chance in behaivor, just sat
and looked at the babies. I corraled Sam and brought her back inside.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy and Little Bit

[remove Junk for email]
Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html
Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html

Steve Touchstone wrote:
I went out and sat in the lawn chair, which is maybe 15-20 feet from
where they were on the patio. Like I said, all three kits are very
nervous and unsocialized. Looks like one of the mostly white ones has
goopy eyes, so I guess I'll make another attempt to find Spot's home.
If I can't find it I'll have to think about borrowing a trap and
getting them all vetted and speutered. For now, all three babies have
discovered the carrier and are sacked out there. Spot is laying by the
carrier keeping watch. And, I've put out extra food bowls further out
from the patio so other regular patrons come get something to eat
without disturbing the little family.

You're a very good Paw, Steve. Those cats are lucky to have you looking
after them. We're purring that they can be homed eventually.

--
Marina, Frank, Nikki, and Mere
marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Steve Touchstone wrote:

If I can't find it I'll have to think about borrowing a trap and
getting them all vetted and speutered. For now, all three babies have
discovered the carrier and are sacked out there. Spot is laying by the
carrier keeping watch. And, I've put out extra food bowls further out
from the patio so other regular patrons come get something to eat
without disturbing the little family.

They must be so cute. When I've heard of sociable stray momcats
having feral kittens, it always seems as though none of the
sociability rubs off on the bitties, unless they were caught when
really young. Some memorable examples were JEM's Pestiferous, and
Krista's Hubert. You've got to catch them quick.