Foster Kitten Friday

I think our weekly episode of Yellowstone, the Foster Kitty Edition, has now turned into a daily soap opera. Oh. My. Gosh.

Monday: Beth decided to escape and make her Foster Mama go around in circles. It was bedtime and all the kitties were eating their evening snack before bedtime in their two-room tent, but Beth didn't want to go back. She leapt off the couch and decided to instead make a run for it. First she hid under my chair. Then the other chair. Under the dining room table. The couch. Behind the refrigerator. Back under the chair. Other chair. And so on and so on and so on. Round and round we went. By the time she was finally tucked away for the night I'm not sure who was more tired. 

Don't let Beth's sweet little face deceive you. 
She can be a lively one.

Tuesday: The crew had to head back to Simply Cats for some bloodwork. Knowing how hard it was getting them out of the cat carrier when they first came here, I expected going back into the carrier would be just as hard. So I set the carrier on the counter, gingerly opened the door, placed a kitty in, and quickly closed the door. Next kitty. Next kitty. Next kitty. Then, as quick as a flash I saw this:

Now I didn't exactly see this squirrel scene from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation but it was pretty darn close. See that big blob in the middle of the picture? In my case, it was Dutton who flew - yes, FLEW, across the room. From the counter to who-knows-where. Remember, Dutton was the one who was the hisser and lunger and had to be wrapped like a burrito when she first came here. But now she's so sweet and loving. Except when it comes to the carrier, I guess. 

Dutton in my lap on a day without a cat carrier nearby.

Tuesday was also Tutorial Tuesday when I shared how to make a no-sew fleece pet blanket. (You can find the tutorial here.) Kaycee was kind enough to model it for the viewers.

Her nose was a perfect color match for the blanket.

Wednesday: Mr. Ed (as in the husband, not the horse) decided he was going to play cards with the Yellowstone crew.

Beth was all in.

Dutton must have listened to Kenny Rogers ahead of time
because she knew when to fold them and when to walk away.

I think Rip was too busy watching the 
showgirls out on the casino floor.

Kaycee probably shouldn't have stayed up so late playing Roulette.

Monica thinks she can read the dealer's mind (and cards).

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

Thursday: While Rip wasn't exactly excited he would be heading to be neutered, he was very excited to be placed on the adoption floor. Next stop, a forever home! But it wasn't meant to be. As they were getting ready to do his surgery, the vet thought he might be getting sick and didn't think it was safe to put him under. I headed back to pick him up and saw this poor sight.

Poor baby.

I got him back in the car and cleaned up his eyes. Gave him a bunch of loving right then and there. I let him explore a bit and he was soon a very happy camper.

Look at his gorgeous coat.

So while he doesn't get to share his looks (and love) with a new family quite yet, he's content to stay right where he is. As are we.

Friday: Up until today, the kitties have had access to the two room tent, the couch, the climbing tree, the bridge (if you haven't seen the clown car video on the bridge you have to watch it here), and a section of the living room floor. But today was the big day. They are now old enough - and well behaved enough - to have run of a big space. Living room. Dining Room. Kitchen. Hallway. And boy, did they use the space.

One little missy tore down the bridge.
See the perpetrator under there?

Some little pink nose got in the way of pictures.

Chairs were discovered. And stolen.

Beth claimed the couch as her own while she cleaned.

Dang, too big to fit under the couch.

What? Foster Mama trying to use the laptop? Guess I should be sorry?

They learned about tunnels made from boxes.

And probably the thing making Mr. Ed most happy.
They became Boise State Bronco fans. Go Big Blue!

Let's hope next Friday we've moved back to a weekly episode. This daily soap opera life is exhausting.

Foster Kitten Friday

This week's episode of Yellowstone the Kitty Edition is called Follow the Leader because they pretty much stuck to each other like glue. 

Work together to ask foster mama to open up the two room tent so we can have our supervised play on the couch? Yep.

But how will we get to the couch? We have a new bridge! You just have to watch this video of them to find out how they make it work.

Whew, made it! So now we can play together on the couch? Yep.

Can we learn to use the cat tree? Yep.

How about pose for pictures? As actors we all need head shots, ya know? You betcha.

Rip

Beth

Dutton

Kaycee

Monica

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

They also tried out all the new fleece blankets I made. If you'd like to make some of your own, I have the no-sew tutorial coming up on Tuesday.

Yep, it was another week of cute kittens all around.

Come back next Friday when one of the cast members has some exciting news to share with us. And come back for more cute kitten pictures, of course.

Foster Kitten Friday

I'm calling this week's episode of the foster kitten spin-off of Yellowstone, "Happy Campers".

If you were here with me for last week's episode, you know the cast arrived spunky and feisty. They all required eye ointment twice a day, and Dutton wound up having to be wrapped like a burrito to get hers in. She was a hisser and scratcher and the one in charge. We also had two tabby girl visitors who were with me temporarily before heading to another foster home this week.

On this week's episode, our visiting girls became not-so-temporary. They've now joined the rest of the cast and will be with me for the duration of their foster season. Say hello to Kaycee...

Hubby thinks kittens from the Yellowstone series should be playing cards.

and Monica...

They now join Beth,

No surprise that Beth doesn't like being contained.

Rip,

Rip and Beth look like twins.

and the head of the ranch, Dutton.

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

Dutton has turned over a new leaf this week. We no longer have the hissing and scratching. No more burrito wrapping needed, either. Just look at the sweet girl sitting in my lap.

Look at those soft eyes.

This week Dutton, like the other four kitties, learned all about playing with toys.

They enjoyed their supervised play time on the couch.

A big ball of kitty explorers.

There is where they practiced running and jumping and climbing.

Yep, happy campers.

They are still on the eye meds, but things are looking better there. They also have now started on antibiotics and the sneezing is decreasing. They definitely don't like when I use the syringe to put the pink medicine in their mouths, but thankfully they don't hold it against me for long.

More happy camper-ness came when I used the money I made from selling off some of my fabrics to folks who needed to make face masks. I bought two new popup playpens for the kitties and connected them together. It's like they have a two room room tent now.

I also took some of the money and bought a stack of fleece and flannel so I can make kitty blankets and burrito-wrapping swaddling blankets.

I love the kitty cat fleece.

Happy kitties, happy life!

Join me on next week's episode of the kitten spin-off of Yellowstone when.... Well, who knows? Guess we'll know when we get there! 

Foster Kitten Friday

Foster Friday is baacckk! 

After a month of no foster kitties in the house, we are finally back with some new babies from Simply Cats. And boy, what a wild ride this bunch is going to be taking me you and me on.

Let's get right to the introductions...

Tabby girl #1 will be heading into a different foster household next week. She hasn't been named yet because we'll let the new foster parents pick out the perfect one for her. In the meantime lucky me gets to love on her - name or no name.

Tabby Girl #2 AKA Cutie Patootie #2 is also heading out next week. Check out the sweet little white marking on her nose.

If you've been watching the Yellowstone TV series with Kevin Costner you'll recognize the names of the rest of the kittens who will be staying with me these next few weeks. 

Let me introduce you to the Yellowstone kitties...

First up, we have Beth. Beth is a quick little gal. When I brought her home and was moving her from the cat carrier to the pop up pen (it's like a playpen but for animals, like this one here on Amazon), she ran straight up the side, over the top, sped across the floor, and darted behind the couch. It required some creative furniture moving to finally retrieve her. She's now settling in nicely and hasn't even attempted any prison escapes in the last couple days. And just like Beth on the TV show, she's got some spunk.

If we have a Beth, we need to have a Rip. He's a tough guy on the show and a tough guy in this little kitty body. What a great pair the two would make, don't ya think? 

And finally we have one representing the Yellowstone family ranch. A fierce little gal named Dutton. Tough-as-nails, fiery and feisty, and one who defends all territory belonging to her. Or even any territory around her. Just look at that stare. It's about all you'll get from this little Dutton kitty right now. You'll also get big hisses and scratches and lunges. 

To get her more comfortable I've pulled out some of my Jackson Galaxy tricks. The long spoon of food is coming in handy and I can now get a bit closer before the hissing starts.

It's a strange little hiss. You know when you go to the eye doctor and they do the test where they blow a puff of air in your eye so they can test your eye's pressure? The one making the PFFFT sound that makes you jump, no matter how prepared you are for it? Dutton's hiss sounds just like it. A few more days of this hissing and I'll be acing that eye test.

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

Speaking of eyes, these little babies require eye medicine twice a day. I've perfected my eye-ointment application procedure with four of the five. No squirms or flinches or cries (from any of us!). I do have to wrap poor little Dutton like a burrito to get hers in. But look at those eyes - I just know there is a sweet soul in that fierce little body. And I know I'm going to be able to find it.

I'm excited to have new babies around, and excited for the new challenge.

Even more excitement? I found out Parsley and Rosemary, a couple of my last Simon & Garfunkel fosters, were in at Simply Cats this week to get their shots. And they were even kind enough to send me pictures. (Thanks, Tara!)

Remember when Parsley came to me at a mere nine ounces?

Not anymore. Look at the five pound girl now. It's amazing how their looks change over time.

Little camera-hog Rosemary? 

I think getting a shot made her a bit more camera shy.

Now that's what I call a full Foster Friday. Come on back next week to see what happens on the next episode of Yellowstone, the foster kitten edition!