Trick or Treat

Winda the Ewok

Buzzzzzzz

Thumper!

Expecto Patronum!!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Sisterly love

Little foot bathing Cheetah face

The kids are all sleeping right now, so I have a minute to blog about them.

Well, I made the decision to let them have full roam of the apartment, even at night, which has been interesting. Last night I woke up to find four babies in my bed - all in a different place and stretched out to capacity. They took up about 90% of the bed and I was forced to remain in the same position for the remainder of the night.

Little foot insists on sleeping as close to my face as possible, which has been interesting. I'll awake and she'll be on my shoulder. Other times she's on my back or legs - as long as she's touching mommy, she's a happy camper. I'm not going to lie, it's pretty much the greatest thing ever to have four little angels sleeping with you!

Oh man, they're starting to wake up...that means mommy needs to make them a snack!

The results are in...

With 75% of the votes - Holly (googly eyes) is going to be a bumblebee!

With 35.3% of the votes - Heff is going to be Harry Potter!

With 52.9% of the votes - Kendra (smushy face) is going to be an Ewok!

With 29.4% of the votes - Bridget (cheetah face) is going to be a bunny!

Thank you to all who voted!!!

Stay tuned - mommy will be making their costumes this week

Halloween costumes

The babies need halloween costumes!

Please click on the link below to vote on your favorite costume idea for the kittays!

Take the survey!

In other news, the babies are doing great. They are such a joy and I've had so much fun with them this week. They've discovered the plants and love to play in the dirt. Even when they are all dirty and tracking dirt around the apartment, I just can't get mad at them - they are so freakin cute!

It's really great to see how much they care about each other too. If one has climbed too high and lets out a cry, they will all coming running to make sure everything is okay. They all sleep together, knead and clean each other, and just run around like the happiest little things.

Cute story - little foot (Kendra) is very attached to mommy and demands attention 24/7. Well, this morning, I get into the shower and I hear crying, so I pull back the shower curtain to see her sitting on the rug in the bathroom just waiting for me to get out. She continued to cry, and after several attempts to climb onto the ledge of the tub, which was pretty much the cutest thing ever, I placed her there myself, where she sat until mommy was done showering. I know I can't play favorites, but oh man, she is so tiny and cute, eeeeeeek.

I'm the luckiest mommy in the world!

Oh, to be a kitteh

Morning yoga

Mid-morning nap

LUNCH!!!

Afternoon nappy

Just hanging around

Oh, hewo

Me + kittens + biggest loser (the tv show) = heaven on earth

The babies have a pretty consistent routine of play, eat and sleep. They'll chase each other around for a good thirty minutes, then sleep for a solid hour, wake-up, eat a little bit, and then repeat. I must say, watching them nap is the most adorable thing ever.

I was twenty minutes late to work this morning thanks to my furry friends. How am I supposed to leave four little babies at home alone? I put them down for their morning nappy, said goodbye at least ten times, and then made myself leave. Oh, to be a stay at home mom.

Meet the babies!

Nickname: Cheetah

Nickname: Little foot & Smushy face

Nickname: Googly eyes

Nickname: brudher (brother)

Foster kittays #9,10,11 & 12

I might be the happiest mommy alive! Oh, man. I can't even explain how much fun these little babies have been in the past 24 hours.

Googly eyes (Holly) is the leader of the pack and she keeps everyone in check. Behind her in line is Cheetah face (Bridget), who is a stunning resemblance to a baby cheetah. Then comes Brudher (Heff) who definitely gets thrown around by his sister's. And finally is Little foot (Kendra), who is the smallest of the group. She is so tiny (about 10oz.) and prefers to follow mommy around the house instead of getting into mischief with her siblings.

I already have about 100 pictures. They are so cute - I can't help myself from capturing every moment.

UPDATE: Sunday was sad. When I took Lt. Dan back to the ASPCA it was cold and rainy. When we arrived, the nicest nurse was there, who had been on-call the day Lt. Dan originally came to the ASPCA. She was so excited to see his improvement and thought it would be a good idea to put him in a cage with another kitten while awaiting adoption. This made me feel better about leaving him behind, but it was still hard. I will wait a few days before calling to check on him. I know he'll find his forever home very soon. Love him.

Heff & the Girls

They're here! More later...

Spooooky

Booooo

I know many of you think that I have lost my mind with this cat blog (cough, cough...my MOM), and while I do not disagree, I would like to use today's entry to defend myself with the following link that shows just how crazy some cat people are.

Thank you, Chewy, for sending this along to me...even though your email subject was "omg...it's your twin".

Instructions for Taking Care of My Babies (cats) this Weekend

The Lt.'s Final Days...

Well, it's official - the Lt. is ready for adoption! I'll be taking him back to the ASPCA on Sunday.

While I am very sad to see him go, I know that he needs to find his forever home and start his new life. He's come such a long way in the past three weeks...from the little kitten that wouldn't let you hold him (or even find him for that matter) to a cheerful and energetic snug bug! I've had so much fun with him and I cannot wait until he is adopted.

We still have three more days together though, so mommy will be sure to spoil him a little extra!

And I know what you are all wondering - will the creepy cat lady be getting any new kittay's??!!!?? The answer is YES - four wittle kittens who are underweight and need some fattening-up. Oh man, four...that's a lot, but I'd like to accept this challenge.

Da Bird

Boo-boo playing with his fav new toy

This weekend Lt. Dan got a bunch of new toys, thanks to my dear friend, Allegra. His absolute favorite toy is "da bird" which is nothing more than a clump of feathers, attached to a string, on the end of a stick. No joke, the Lt. played with da bird ALL DAY on Sunday. Literally, from the minute it came out of the bag until he was too tired to keep playing. It was so much fun to watch him leap in the air and attack the feathers.

By 7pm, he was so tired that he fell asleep right next to it. Mommy scooped him right up at this point and we took the best nap on the couch while watching football. He fell asleep on my chest with his tongue sticking out - it was the cutest thing in the entire world.

It's started to hit me that my time with the Lt. is winding down, and while that makes me very sad, I know it's time for him to find his forever home. I just hope that someone will open up their heart to this little guy. I realize that I continue to say this, but he is seriously the sweetest, most affectionate cat that I've fostered. So if you know someone who wants the most snuggly baby, let me know!

Play date!

Oliver & Lt. Dan

Oh, what a day it has been!

This morning I took the Lt. to see the doc at the ASPCA and mommy was quite smitten over the vet (he is very cute). After his assessment, the vet told me that Lt. Dan looks great and I have "done a great job with him". His sneezing has stopped and he is healthy as can be. It was such a great compliment to receive and really reaffirmed my hard work over the past two weeks.

Then the Lt. met with the animal behaviorist and she recommended using human baby food as a reward for not hissing. I am now supposed to spend 10-30 minutes a day approaching him from various angles and rooms, and each time I am supposed to give him a dollop of baby food to associate human presence with something positive. Apparently, baby food is the creme de la creme of kitty treats - who would have known? Anyway, I hope this exercise helps with his hissing. While it has gotten a lot better, he still needs a little work before going to adoption.

After we got home and Lt. Dan took a cat nap, my friend Jen brought over her seven month kittay, Oliver, who she adopted from the ASPCA in June. I was a little nervous about how they would get along, but it was great! The Lt. went right up to Ollie and they slowly got to know each other, and before we knew it - they were chasing each other and playing. It was so fun to watch them, and to see that the Lt. was comfortable with another cat.

When Jen & Ollie left, the Lt. endlessly searched the apartment for his new friend. He looked everywhere and was very vocal during the process - it made mommy so sad! I made sure to tell the Lt. that Ollie would come over again soon...maybe even for a sleepover.

This has made me aware that I think the Lt. needs a forever home with another cat. I believe this will assist him with his socialization and adjustment.

He's so tired and sleeping right here next to me. What a great day it has been for the two of us.

Kitty spotlight

Translation: Excuse me, mom? Can you bake me cookies?

Translation: Mom said yes to cookies!

Meet Sidney!

Parents: Meena & Nathan

Adoption date: 2007

Place of origin: Wayne County Humane Society

Nicknames: Chubz, Chubz McTubz

Favorite pastimes: Eating & playing fetch with her toy mice

Sidney's mom wrote to us and shared their story,

"She's a 12 year old orange tabby that is a very sweet, affectionate little lady who loves to snuggle on our laps and sleeps with us every night. She loves to be around people and she loves to eat. When we adopted her, she was a mere 6.5 pounds and suffering from an upper respiratory infection. It was touch and go for a few days, and the vet said she would need lots of TLC. We nursed her back to health, and Mommy overfed her in her zealous efforts to be a good nurse. As a result, she reached an all time high weight of 11.5 pounds within a month and a half--oops! We feed her all organic reduced fat wet food along with some dry food. Innova and Evo are the brands. She's down to a svelte 10.1 pounds now."

HOW SWEET - I hope the three of you live a long and happy life together!

If you'd like your kittai to be highlighted in CCL's weekly kitty spotlight, send me an email at creepycatladynyc@gmail.com, and include a picture, along with anything you'd like to share about your kitteh(s).

Ahhhh chuuuu!

The Lt. is sicky! He keeps having sneezing fits, which are freaking mommy out. I spoke to the foster coordinator at the ASPCA this afternoon (after endlessly calling this morning and shooting off two emails) and they definitely weren't that concerned with his condition. I think I even lied to make it sound more serious (whoops). But this is what mom's are supposed to do - worry! I'm sure it's just a little cold from the changing weather.

If his sneezing gets any worse, then he needs to be seen sooner, but for now he's going for a checkup on Saturday morning.

My poor little man. He'll be needing some extra TLC tonight!

Purrrrr

Last night as Lt. Dan and I were falling asleep, he climbed onto my chest and started rubbing his face against mine. I couldn't stop laughing as his whiskers tickled my face, but he continued to do this until we fell asleep. I wanted to know what his gesture meant, so I did some research and here's what I found:

Q: Why do cats head butt? Or rub their face against yours?
A: Cats have glands in their foreheads that can secrete and subtle scent – referred to as pheromones. Pheromones allow cats to communicate with each other. A head butting cat is generally a happy cat and this behavior is considered a display of deep affection. Some cats will head butt labeling you as "taken". When your kitty rubs against you, he is in effect claiming you as his own.

Welp, then it's official, I'm taken! Sorry, boys, the Lt. has claimed me as his own, haha.

Day #10

Q: Where is Lt. Dan applying for a job?

A. I-HOP

It's been ten days since the ASPCA stork dropped off Lt. Dan and his progress is quite remarkable. Despite the fact that mommy had to go kitten hunting a few times over the weekend, his ability to relax and sleep out in the open has drastically improved.

At night he is the King of Snuggling and insists on being directly next to my body - and yes, I am the big spoon. He is so affectionate, which is definitely his best quality. I love how easily he purrs. You would think that given his past, he'd be reserved, but it's quite the opposite. He is so grateful to have my love and attention, and just soaks up whatever he can get!

We're still working on a few things, like his hissing fits when you leave the room and return, but with time they'll dissolve. He's going to make some family very happy!

Don't worry, he's sticking around for a little bit longer - I'm not done with him yet!

Texts from last night

A text actually sent to me on Saturday morning...

(847): I just saw a couple pushing cats in a stroller and thought of you

BFF

I got home late last night and Lt. Dan was waiting for me (or didn't have time to hide). After we greeted each other, or rather, him hissing over and over while I repeated "Hewooo, my little man. How was your day?" we settled into bed.

Lt. Dan was so snuggly last night. He decided that sleeping next to me was longer acceptable, and instead, he felt the need to go under the blanket and sleep right up against my chest. I am pretty confident that I slept with a huge grin on my face the entire night. And yes, that creepy kind of grin that your old Aunt Mildred has whenever she offers you her "special" cookies.

When I woke up this morning, he was gone, like a ghost in the night. I assume he's probably back under the couch (I've really got to work on stuffing the bottom better). But don't worry folks, I'm a kittaaay hunting expert and I shall find him tonight after work, muahahaha.

Oh, my buddy and me.

Tripod

Last night, Lt. Dan played with his toys in front of me for the very first time. It was really great to watch him so happy and comfortable. However, I couldn't help but notice that he struggled to balance himself with his one front leg, so I started to wonder more about caring for a three legged kitten. I spent some time researching this topic and came away with these three things:

1. The loss of a limb sounds catastrophic but 3 legged cats adapt well and are usually as agile and active as 4 legged cats.

2. Don't expect a recent amputee to be 'back to normal' immediately, but don't be over-protective. He must work out his new limitations and how to compensate for a missing leg. He must build up additional strength in his other limbs. He can't do this if you carry him everywhere.

3. The loss of a fore-leg is actually more serious for a cat than the loss of a hind-leg. This is because the forelegs are used when the cat lands after jumping while the hindlegs are used mostly for propulsion.

Caring for a special needs kitteh has been a terrific experience and I highly recommend adopting an animal that needs some extra TLC, like Lt. Dan.

Please let me know if you'd like to come meet my little man and/or possibly adopt him! He is a great companion and is looking for a quiet home with lots of love.