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Foster Cat Journal: The Curious Case of Cupid

Looks like all the kitties are finally starting to get better. I'm told that Rudy and Comet are enjoying their new digs at Jennifer's house. They're playing and having a good time. Comet, apparently, likes to “eat Rudy's brains,” which Jennifer describes as her grabbing his head and chomping playfully on it. They're both drying out and heading towards good health. Then we try to find them homes again, since we lost their last adopters. They just didn't want to wait.

Cupid and the crew are growing and gaining weight. Blitzen still has nasty eyes, but not as bad as this past weekend. Dancer is getting better and Prancer and Donner seem to be past the worst of it. Cupid acts oddly. I can't quite figure her out. She wasn't even trying to nurse her kittens so I let them hang out together. Now that she's feeling better, I caught them nursing on her so I had to separate them again. I HATE doing this because Mama is the one who gets locked up in the dog crate while the kids run around the room like maniacs. Cupid looks depressed. She's slightly friendly at times, but won't sit too close. Other times she purrs and follows me closely around the room. I can't figure out what she wants.

Tonight I gave her a break and took her into my bedroom to keep me company as I folded laundry. I know, exciting. She calmly sniffed around the room with her tail held high-a GREAT sign. She was interested in everything and seemed to perk up without the kittens around. I decided I was going to grab a shower, but first wanted to brush my teeth.

Cupid followed me into the bathroom. The SECOND I turned the faucet on, she had pushed me out of the way and was drinking from the tap!

cupid at the faucet.jpg

She seemed quite delighted and I was quite surprised! Suddenly this laid back, almost emotionless cat was interested in something. She had a good drink, then took a break then went back for more.

cupid at the faucet2.jpg

Of course she could not resist that there is a SECOND sink in the bathroom, too. So I turned it on so I could finish brushing my teeth.

cupid at the faucet3.jpg

Now that she's feeling a bit better, you can see how pouffy her tail is getting. It's REALLY LONG, too. She is a pretty kitty. I'm gonna try to get her away from the kittens more often so I can see her personality shine through. It was nice to see her rolling on the carpet with her paws in the air. Normally she sits on the hard wood floor, never on something soft and the foster room is filled with beds. Weird. Regardless, I think someone will really enjoy giving her a home, from what I can tell.

We didn't hang out too long. Cupid started to cry. I think she was worried about the kittens so I brought her back. She burbled to the kittens when she returned and they all ran over to her to...NURSE! Damn it! I had to lock her up right away. I really feel bad doing this to her. I may see about moving her to a foster home for a week so she can really dry out, but not have to be locked in a cage. Thursday they go back for a re-check. If I get an OK from the Vet, I'll move her for the next week. She really needs time to herself and a vacation from the kids.

Don't we all?

Comments

Recently my cat Sunny has developed a strange obsession for the bath tub faucet.
He gets down right pushy about trying to "talk" you into turning on the water for him
in the tub all times of the day and night. He is a very laid back cat and doesn't really ask for much
of anything but now he will bust in on you when you are on the toilet and do his funny chirping noises
and jump right in the tub and literally nod his head at you and meow to coax you into turning on the
faucet. And he also lays down in the tub and will hang out in there. This is a new thing and totally bizarre!
We shake our heads at him and call him a nut and try to resist his big sad eyes that say..."turn on the faucet
for me Mama!" We only give into him once or twice a day! (-;

Cupid is a lovely kitty and I sure hope someone gives her a great home so her personality shines through.
Who knows, she maybe a secret bathroom dweller as well!

I wonder if Cupid has some Turkish Van in her (the swimming cats)? She has the right sort of length of fur and the right sort of ginger and white colouring. Apparently many of these cats get really miserable and grumpy if they do not have access to water (as in playing and bathing in it, not just a drinking bowl).

You may need to get her adopted by someone with a swimming pool!

Omg...That TAIL!!!

She is gorgeous! I hope the kids leave her alone so she can get out of that cage. S

i don't know much about the mom-kitty dynamic..why do you have to keep them apart?
She looks and sounds like a sweet kitty. She is lucky to have you taking such an interest and helping her come out of her shelL!
T

I am so glad everyone is getting better. Hopefully they are 100% soon so they can find some good homes. It has to be such a relief for you too.

Cupid is unusual but not totally odd - I know a few kitties who love to be on the hard floors when they don't feel well, because they are usually cooler then the carpet. Mine like the floor anyway, but I know when they don't feel well they go for the cool tile or laminate (or bathtub). With all that fur she may get warm pretty easily!

We are having foster withdrawl so when you are ready - let us know!

I thought you had two more kitties to find homes for?

Withdrawal! Well, well, well! I know the feeling...well, not right now, but I DO know it!

Soon. We'll load you up soon!

;-)

Can't find them!!! Have been going over and calling them since we got back from FL. One night the shy one was on the roof crying at me and since then no one! Have left out food and it is untouched. Yesterday we saw the owner going into the house - so I don't know if she is leaving them in the house or finally decided to take them to wherever she is now living..... so we are moving on.... If I see them in the Spring I will contact Animal Control and ask them to contact her and have her make decision and at the very least get them vetted....so we are ready for you to help you & the Animal Center!!! But again - no spewing worms - PLEASE!

When I saw the first pictures of her when she had just arrived, I thought that also. She would probably love our Drinkwell fountain - whoever adopts her should consider getting one. It may be the only way to avoid having to turn the faucets on constantly!

It's a combination of all your hard work and a miracle that these kitties made it through - they were seriously in bad shape!

not sure if there is a specific reason you are trying to 'dry mom out' faster than normal. If not I just wanted to let you know I have never separated out moms from kittens, and they are all just fine when they go to be neutered. I've never been asked to separate them either.

Hi Connie-
From reading Robyn's blog, what one can learn about why Cupid is being separated from
her kittens is that she is very underweight and not in good health. She wasn't eating.
If the kittens keep trying to nurse on her when when she is in this very week state she
can not put on weight and build up her strength. Nursing kittens take TONS and TONS of calories
from the mother. And a sick mother who has not been eating and lost too much weight
will continue to go down hill when it is being "asked" by kittens to nurse. She needs to be
able to have peace to eat and to gain her weight. These kittens are old enough to not be nursing.
Also these cats are under constant Vet supervision. They wouldn't be separating them unless it was
best for the Mom.
Correct me if I am wrong Robin.

Regards,
Michelle

These kittens are between 10-11 weeks old. One is almost 3 pounds. These guys are WAY TOO OLD to still need to nurse-also because their teeth and claws are more developed, they can hurt Cupid and cause her to have mastitis-which happened to Huggy Mama when I had her here a few months ago. She had only two offspring and it just takes a small cut for the mammary gland to be infected. The infection Huggy had spread FAST and she was VERY sick when I got her to the Vet. I don't want that to happen to Cupid. Also, Cupid was MUCH thinner and in worse shape to begin with and had less to give. It was a great stress on her. I would NOT just leave kittens to their mama after about 7-8 weeks and I would certainly carefully monitor the mama. It's asking for trouble to just let them be. Cupid is really packing on the pounds now. Whew! She feels a lot better. No more skin and bones.

a vacation from the kids. Cupid and me both! ;) I'll just take her and snuggle up on a nice warm beach house, nice can o'tuna for Cupid, nice bottle o'Shiraz for me...

Oh, that last shot of Cupid rminds me so much of our alumni ginger Gus with his floofolicious tail. Glad to hear she's perking up and that everyone seems to be on the mend.

When I was a nurse back in 80s, I had a super cute kitty and he was used to tap water. You should teach the cutie to brush teeth as well :) hehehe

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