Spirit Cat

So, I have somehow started to call Milky Way "Milk."  This is kind of ironic since I don't particularly care for milk, but I love him. It has been nearly a year since we've adopted him and about 3 months since we brought August home. They are buddies, but August prefers to not be locked in the one room all day long. When Jabez is outside and Milky is allowed access to the rest of the house, he prefers to sleep on our bed or couch. If he's not doing that, he's probably rough housing with August. Here's a picture of them napping together. Milky likes to be picked up and snuggled, but if he feels confined or trapped, he will tense up and almost curl into a ball. If that happens, I gently put him down. I have petted him a little bit more roughly lately and he hasn't completely freaked out. We seriously owe August for helping Milky Way to become a more active part of our family. Unfortunately, Milky and Jabez still don't get along. At this po...

I cannot believe how much Milky has relaxed since we brought home August. He used to be nervous of being in or near windows when we were around. He was scared to be touched anywhere else in the house other than his room. He'd mostly hide under the couch. Now, he asks to be picked up when I'm in the kitchen! He sleeps ON the couch or our bed. He likes to be petted and he'll rub against our legs now. We've allowed August to be with Jabez. At first Jabez was terrified - which, honestly, is hilarious since August is about 2 lbs and Jabez is approximately 16. We left them together (giving August the option of going back into Milky's room) while we went to rehearsal yesterday. By the time we got home, Jabez was much better around August... not running away in fear for his life. haha  So our remaining issue is Milky and Jabez. Even this morning through the gate was a fight that was enough to elicit shrieking from Jabez. I'm not sure what happened, but it is disappoi...

I was a bit nervous about it, but I decided to let August stay in Milky Way's room NOT in the kitten pen. Milky Way has really stepped up and is becoming a good cat uncle to August. He is fairly tolerant, likes to play with him, and the kitten loves him. :) August even tried to nuzzle Milky Way for milk - that's obviously not happening. Milky gently bit him on the head to say he didn't like it and then started grooming him. My co-worker says that Milky is getting August on his side so they can gang up on Jabez, but I know that Milky was super lonely all day. This is quite a change for him, but I'm so happy that things are going well and non-violently. I consider this a BIG WIN for Milky. The two of them were tearing around the house after each other this morning, so I think this is going to be good.

After all this business with Milky Way, you think that I'd be content to let sleeping cats lie. Unfortunately, my sister told me that a family moved out of the house across the street from her and they left behind their six month old kitten!! What the heck? No one was stepping forward to rescue it, so I decided that I would. I purchased what I call the kitten pen and some kitten food and made an appointment at my veterinary clinic for the new guy. Steven and I even chose a name! By the time I had a chance to get there (a week later), someone else has swooped in and taken the kitten plus another stray cat. I was so bummed. Like, depressed and lamenting. Why?? I went to craigslist and found a posting for free kittens about an hour away from where I live. I texted Steven (I was still at my sister's in NY state) and asked him what he thought and he said that we should get one if we could. I called and there was one kitten left. The orange one (just the very one I wanted)! We arra...

It has been almost three weeks since Milky's surgery and things are similar to the way they were before. He still attacks Jabez when he walks by the gate, but I feel like something has shifted. I'm really hoping. Every day, for only a few moments I pick up Milky and bring him out on the other side of his gate when Jabez is nearby. I let them smell each other and so far no attacks or hissing has happened. I pet them both and then Milky is too nervous and he goes back into his room. Yesterday, I opened the bottom gate so they could eat next to each other. Milky Way became nervous and hid under the bed and Jabez marched right into his room and started to eat his crunchies. Jabez is seriously food motivated. Milky dared to poke his head out from under the bed to sniff Jabez's tail, but Jabez hissed at him. I went in and escorted Jabez out. So, at least there have been no direct cat-on-cat attacks since the surgery. My sister said her neighbor across the street moved away on Sat...

I heard back from the MSPCA! The Shelter Operations Coordinator said she did some digging around and found that there was a group of cats that they sent to Dakin in November 2017. She said they were all shy cats from a group of about 60 cats the MSPCA took from a hoarder's house! Crazy!! She said they all got dewormed, got the FVRCP vaccine and were tested for leukemia. Then about 3 or 4 days later were sent to Dakin. I am so grateful that she wrote back - even with such little detail. At least I know a little bit about why he's shy and where he came from. It makes you wonder how much he got beat up or how much he beat up others. Poor kitty. I'm really hoping that the neutering will calm him down with Jabez and that they can co-habitate. Speaking of Jabez, he was insane this morning for playing. I don't think I've ever seen him so wound up. I had to stop playing with him because I thought he might have a heart attack. He was huffing and puffing after his exertio...

Milky Way had his surgery yesterday for his neutering and tooth extraction. He seems to be doing well. He ate when he got home and also this morning, so things are looking good at least there. He is spending a lot of time under the bed right now. He sat on my lap a little bit, but I gave him his pain medicine and he hates that. He is starting to associate me with that probably. I'm hoping he'll forgive me. I will go in and sit with him tonight after work. Maybe all evening and read a book or watch a movie. That works for me since I have a sore throat. The odd thing was that he was dragging his butt along the bed this morning - like cats do sometimes if they have poop stuck in their butts or fur. The vet called this morning and I told the technician that, but she said it is fine - that it probably just feels weird in the area. He had four teeth extracted. The doctor also noted that several of his other teeth had previously fallen out!! Based on the severity of his issues, ...