Heidi Chronicles - A Tribute To Kitty

Oh, I sang on the way home today, too. It really did seem to calm her and decrease the quantity of 'noise'. As soon as I would start singing, the whaling would cease. When I would pause for any quantity of time, it would resume. Hmm. Maybe she just didn't want to be rude by talking while I was talking.

I sang hymns from my days in youth choir only because those were the only 'soft' songs to which I knew 1/2 the words. Even then, for some I had to sing the same 1 or 2 verses over and over being unable to recall the others. I went with In the Garden, Amazing Grace, and How Great Thou Art - because, on the spot, I couldn't think of anything else to sing. It really is true that in a 'crisis' you recall the things you have practiced. These were among the songs I had practiced throughout my teen years, so... given the need to sing, I belted them out.

;-D

Came back home. Nothing much going on. Figure I can work here just as well. Stopped on the way home at hollistic pet store. Picked up variety of small cans cat food, mostly seafood varieties and small bag of EVO Salmon & Herring dry cat food. First 7 ingredients: Herring, Salmon meal, salmon, herring meal, peas, eggs, herring oil. Cottage cheese also included. I think it said something like 80 something % protein and no grain. I also got some Evo canned cat food: 95% venison & 95% duck.

Also got a toy just in case she may want to play later and a toy for Widget so he won't feel forgotten - even though the last thing he needs is another toy.

Oh, yeah, oh, yeah. She definitely owns me!

Went upstairs to check on her when I got back home. She was still lying in her bed and looking happy to have a nice soft, warm place to sleep instead of a cold, hard tree limb.

She doesn't look quite as 'happy' now though. I think she is having some discomfort. I'm supposed to give her the metacam this evening but may give it sooner, like late afternoon if she continues to look uncomfortable. Still, she got up and came over to rub on me and say hello. Then she went over to eat some of the remaining Fancy Feast. It looked like she hadn't eaten any since I left.

Don't know for sure if she will let me give her the medicine. Hoping.

I'm supposed to check her tummy for signs of swelling, excessive drainage, etc but am not sure how to get to it w/o violating any rules of good human cat relations. I'm not sure if she would appreciate it if I tried to roll her over on her back to look. I tried to stand her up by her front feet, gently. She let me do that, but I really couldn't get such a good look that way. Any ideas from you cat people? How would you do this with your feline friend(s)? I already tried asking to see her tummy, and, no, that didn't work.

This is wonderful, I am just thrilled to pieces for both you and Kitty, and hoping for Widget to eventually have a playmate so he won't be alone anymore while you're gone!
And for Gladys to keep out of your business...at least regarding kitties...

Oh, KyWoods,

You dreamer, you! As long as we live in the same community, Gladys will never stay out of my business. Even when I don't see her, Gladys is always monitoring my business - along with the business of everyone else in the area. It's what she does. Every day, several times a day, when she walks that dog by here, she scrutinizes everything. In fact, I have often figured Gladys was the one reporting me for various minor infractions, grass 7 days high, a few pieces of hedge having grown out of place, etc. She's not being vindictive though, just being Gladys. I try to ignore her. But, yes, it would be nice if she could drop the kitty thing.

It really would be nice if Kitty could keep Widget company in my absence. Maybe someday they could even learn to play together. And since Widget can't even get on sofas, chairs, and beds by himself, Kitty would have no problem eluding him when she's tired of playing or whatever. She could hop right up on the bed and look down at him like, "Sorry, Buddy". (not your Buddy, Terese)

***************** ALERT - this just in ******************

More good news!

As you probably know by now, I'm not a morning person. In recent years I've developed difficulties getting to sleep at a decent hour reliably, so it's very hard for me to get up early. This morning I had to get up at 5:45AM to get to the SPCA on time to pick up Kitty. (Actually, I was 20min early.)

So, late this afternoon, I took a nap, and, oops, just woke up about an hour ago. One of the 1st things I realized was that I still hadn't put out food for the kittens (all day). I rushed to take Widget out. He stopped along the walk to smell spots leading over to the flower bed, a good sign that kittens had been traipsing about at some point.

As soon as I got him back inside, I hurried out with the Iams bag to fill the dish and got there just in time to see not one but 2 little kittens scurrying for cover. Having learned this with their mom, they had apparently come out to look for food as soon as I went back inside with Widget. They recall that when I come out at night, (there mom would come to me and ask for food and) I would leave food in the dish.

Anyhow, I spoke to them as they scurried away. Amazingly, the little tabby girl actually stopped at the curve in the walkway to look back at me. She sat there as I filled the dish, still talking to her. A little later when I checked, the bowl was down about 1/2, so the kittens had eaten that much. Later still when I checked again, the black tom was out there getting his share.

It's a good thing I didn't rely on that TNR program to get Kitty. Whether because they haven't started yet or because they aren't doing a very effective job, after 3 days they still haven't gotten any of the cats, not even that Tom who is surely patrolling all over the neighborhood. Shoot, at this rate, Kitty would be on her 3rd litter before they caught her.

So, anyhow BOTH KITTENS ARE OUTSIDE and fine.

I went up to check on Kitty. Boy, having her upstairs is giving me a workout. I didn't mention this earlier, but getting her and that huge, long trap up the stairs and doing so without jostling her around too much gave me a fit. Kitty and trap together are a bit heavy and the trap is so long as to be unwieldy at best, a good 3ft+ in my estimation.

She is still doing fine. This time she didn't seem to be in pain. She seemed like, "What surgery? I'm ready to roll." She seems to be eating well. She had finished the 3oz can of Fancy Feast I'd given her this morning and had eaten most of the Iams dry food. I took a 3oz can of Wellness (something and herring) up there, and she started trying to eat it as soon as I got the top off the can. There I was trying to use the bent top like a scoop to get the stuff out of the can and her in the middle of things trying to get a bite. She pretty much ate all of that right away. I refilled her dish with the EVO (which,unlike most dry food, had a strong smell of fish as soon as I opened the bag, but not a bad fishy smell, not like 'oh, I don't want this in my house') and dropped in a few cat greenies.

After a minor struggle mostly due to my ineptitude in dealing with cats, and with no sign of aggression on Kitty's part, I managed to get the syringe of metacam in her mouth and discharge it. Kitty was all over me the whole time I was up there, going around and around me, rubbing on me, rubbing on hands if they weren't actively petting her.

I stayed for a while. At one point she flopped down beside me and rolled over on her back giving me ample opportunity both to view her sutures and to gently rub her upper chest area. For a moment, it looked like she might launch into play with my hand, but then she got back up again.

I took her the toy in case she needs something for entertainment up there. I showed it to her, but the rattle took her aback for a moment, a moment when it looked like she might revert to fear. I put the toy down and all was forgotten. She resumed the circling and rubbing.

Having also picked up a litter scoop, I cleaned the litter box. No solids yet and only one batch of liquid very recently deposited and placed at the very edge of the box not the center as expected. So she did remember of figure out the use of the litter box to a degree. Hoping to see solids soon.

I left Widget's main/favorite bed up there in the spot next to her current bed of clothing and towels. This will serve 2 purposes. 1st I can see how she likes that type of bed and 2nd when I bring it back downstairs for Widget, it will hopefully be Kitty scented. Perhaps sleeping on Kitty scented 'linens' will help him get used to her (as previously suggested).

That's it for cat news for now. I think I am well on my way to spoiling her. What do you think?

I need to start trapping kittens soon. No need to try tonight or tomorrow night as I have other early morning appointments both days and thus will not have time before work to take them to the SPCA which, BTW, is actually in the adjacent city of N Charleston, so not right down the street.

Weekends are better for me, but probably not so good either since the SPCA is closed then leaving me with the potential problem of having to keep them in the trap for days. That doesn't seem right though. Seems like they would be open then for adoptions. I need to dbl check. That may have been just or the spay/neuter clinic. Also, this morning I noticed that they do have outside/perimeter cages (with a large dog sized crate and water and food in each) where people can leave animals (1 to a cage) when they are closed. I would rather take them in when they are open though. Knowing me, I would probably let them get away in the attempt to transfer them to the cage. The good news is that since I now have 2 cages, actually 3 large enough for kittens, even if I trap one, I can still continue trying to trap the other. I won't have to take the one to the SPCA 1st.

Did anyone notice, amid all the verbage, that I caught a raccoon in the trap the other night? He was SO cute. It made me realize how much I miss the little fellas. Looking forward to spring.

What about fleas?

I haven't seen her scratching or otherwise showing signs of fleas, but I know they are pretty prevalent outside. I still need to put down flea stuff outside, on the lawn. That should help a lot with her and Widget. Widget uses several prescription products: Confortis, Sentinel, and, in summer, Frontline Plus.

So, anyhow, what do you guys use for fleas on cats? Recommendations? I think pills are out for the foreseeable future. I see Advantix for cats (similar to Frontline) and also a flea growth inhibitor similar to the one in Sentinel, the latter in a formula to add to the cat's food. Both of these are available online. (I get Widget's meds from the vet, but since Kitty doesn't officially have a vet yet...)

I have actually managed to work out a solution by which Widget LOVES to take pills. No kidding. When I get out the Sentinel box or the Comfortis or his pill bottles when he gets pills from the vet for some reason, he comes running TO me. He can't wait to get his pill. He doesn't actually like to take the pill that much, but he's eager to do it, because afterward he always gets an extra large piece of dehydrated liver, his favorite treat. Years ago when I 1st started doing this, giving him the liver after the pills, I really never dreamed it would work anywhere near so well as it has. It has worked better than I could ever have dreamed. I think I may have the only dog that comes running for pills and eagerly swallows them, plain pills of any kind w/o anything wrapped around them. Ok, it's a bribe, I know, but it makes both of our lives so much easier.

So, what do I use for flea proofing the cat?

Do NOT use the cheap knock-off brands seen at some retailers, including pet stores. The pet store I used to work at sold "BioSpot", which I later found out had killed numerous pets across the country. Stick to the expensive but safe Frontline.

Thanks, KyWoods,

I didn't know about that; however, I once tried a product (looked like Frontline) from Walmart on Sassy years ago and quickly learned that it was useless. I only used the one vial and then went right back to the stuff from the vet.

When Sassy died, I took all of her meds (antibiotics, unopened prescription antibiotic eye gel, Sentinel, Frontline, etc), food, treats, and other supplies to the SPCA to see if they could use any of the items. They took almost everything except I noticed that while they eagerly took the remaining Frontline, they refused the leftover packets of the WalMart product I had tried. That alone spoke volumes.

I donated Sassy's things because while I knew I would have another pet eventually, I didn't know how long it might be or even if the next pet would be the same size, type, etc. I was determined to grieve for Sassy 1st and then consider another pet only when the time was right. I didn't want to try to replace her. As a result, I thought it best to let the SPCA use her supplies rather than keep them and risk letting them expire and/or find that they were not right for the next pet.

We use Advantix on our cats. I echo the "stay away from the cheap stuff" advice, although you obviously don't need it. :-)

Thanks, Marylyn,

I'm not considering any of the cheap stuff. Just trying to find out which of the 'real' products you guys use and recommend. Thanks for the info.

Oh, NO!

Do cats get heartworms, too? I thought that was only a dog thing, but I see a cat product called Heartguard. Do I need to give her a heartworm preventative? If so, what do you guys use for this? The SPCA didn't mention this. As far as I know they didn't test for it either. Recommendations?

As for fleas, there is also a product called Program. Looks like it has the same type medicine as Sentinel, the one that makes fleas sterile and inhibits their growth. Anyone use this for their cats or a similar product?

I do have a dewormer called Drontal to give her tomorrow. They gave me a liquid to give via mouth with syringe.

*************************Alert - More Good News ********************

I took Widget out for his last walk of the night. We were barely back inside when I heard the distinct sound of something rattling the dish outside. Since Kitty always brought the kittens for food when I came home and again when I took Widget out late, I figured this was the kittens coming back for their late night snack.

I knew the Tom hadn't left more than a handful of bits out there, so I grabbed the bag and headed back out. The dish was empty and there was no sign of life out there - except that earlier I had noticed the fluffy bath rug, the one I'd used to cover Kitty and left on the porch for now (int he spot where she used to sleep) had been moved around suggesting it might now be a kitten bed.

I put some food in the dish, sat down on the bench, and called, "Kitty, Kitty" not really expecting results. A minute or so later 2 little 'lost' kittens came up the walkway. I couldn't believe my eyes. I spoke to them and the little guys came up to about 3ft from me. I tossed a handful of dry cat food on the walkway as I used to do and they came forward to eat it. They looked pretty happy to see me. I sat with them for a little while and then came back inside and turned off the light. When I got up to leave, they didn't run away.

I wonder if the kittens can tell (smell) that their mother is in the upstairs room on the front of the house almost over the area where they hang out near the door. And if Kitty can tell that her kittens are outside. Also, when I 1st got Kitty home, I put her cage and all on the porch (covered) for a few minutes until I got things ready for her upstairs. I wonder if they can or could smell her scent in that area and thus know that she is still around and ok.

Great news all around! So glad to hear that Kitty has settled in so easily, and that first purr is momentous: congrats. Seems like you're going to have a pretty easy transition to the indoor life; she certainly seems to welcome it.

The pain meds can slow digestion, and therefore waste excretion; don't worry if it takes some time for the first "solids" to appear. We use Advantage or Advantix on the cats; I find it a bit easier on the skin than Frontline, but both are very effective. Echoing everyone else's experiences as well as yours, the cheap brands are a disaster.

I well remember lugging those raccoon traps around, and man they are heavy and awkward when occupied. At some point you should consider investing in a cat carrier you can use for vet trips; once she's well settled in and at home, leave it open around the house to show her it's nothing to fear. Maybe even put an occasional treat or catnip in it to encourage her to explore it and feel comfortable.

I did notice the mention of catching a raccoon, without even having food in the trap. Would be very interesting if that was Husky, who you'd not reported on in some time. If he becomes the man of the hour in the 'hood, there will be some gorgeous babies next year (and much less inbred than with Trouble). And while the curiosity of cats is legendary, I've always thought raccoons have them beat; don't know many cats who'd go in a trap without food, but I've seen raccoons do it countless times. Think they just can't resist checking this new thing out.

Was also thrilled to hear the kittens are still around. Not surprised, really, that animal control has had no success so far; it really is difficult for officers to properly monitor traps when they have a wide territory to cover. Not that the cop wannabes would probably balk, as my agency did, at leaving wild animals unattended in traps for hours; in that length of time, a panicked animal can really hurt himself in a trap, and our agency would refuse to set traps unless a citizen took responsibility for monitoring and calling when an animal was captured. But rules like that require a real dedication to animal welfare, and willingness to take the heat from citizens telling you their taxes pay your salary and it's your job not theirs.

Who needs a Stairmaster? You have an upstairs kitty, at least for now.

I use Frontline on both my dog and cats. I buy the largest size dog tubes and then measure it out with a syringe. My vet said the same formula was fine for both dogs and cats. The kits come with a syringe and a dark vial to store the left overs. Here is an example if you are comfortable with this method. Saves a lot of money. http://cgi.ebay.com/FRONTLINE-PLUS-SMALL-DOG-1-22LB-6-DOSE-KIT-FLEA-TICK_W0QQitemZ160399595687QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item25588f98a7

Hi Ruth,

I just pray that animal control doesn't have traps on the forest side and doesn't catch any raccoons. I hate to think of any of our sweeties (or any raccoons) trapped in there for a long time.

Husky stopped showing up when Heidi got serious about running the males and even most of the females off when her kits came on the scene. I figure it would make sense for him to be back in the area now since Heidi wouldn't be concerned about keeping him out now that she has no small kits to feed and worry about. Also, it shouldn't be long before the males will be 'needed' on the scene anyhow. Yes, Husky would make some gorgeous babies.

Did you see that the kittens are not only still around but a little while ago they came out of hiding and came to w/in about 3ft of me. That was incredible. I was afraid they would stay in hiding w/out their mom around. I guess she taught them to trust me, and now they really do need someone to trust, so...

One more question. Lights on or off? Today, I left the lights on in one of the two rooms Kitty is using. I figured that would give her the choice between light and semi-darkness depending on where she went in the 2 rooms. Since it is night now, I turned the lights off up there when I was last up there with her.

BTW, any time I go in there with her, she is just all over me, purring and rubbing and circling. She never just goes back to her bed to lie down while I'm with her. It's odd, but inside she is a totally different cat. Outside she was all about the kits and getting herself and them fed. Inside she is all huggy/kissy.

Thanks, Susan,

I'll check that out. I love the idea of saving $$$.

Cross-posting again. Great news on the kittens, and yes I'm sure they caught mom's scent from when the trap was sitting outside, however briefly. Scenting each other while she's upstairs is much less likely, though probably not impossible. The fact that they approached you is huge, and means you probably will be able to catch them next week when time and spay clinic schedule permits. Very few spay/neuter clinics are open on weekends, though the shelters affiliated with them usually are open for adoptions and surrenders.

Drontal is a one-time wormer for the tapeworms carried by fleas. Sentinel and Program are very effective, but much pricier than Advantix/Frontline. Frankly I've never felt them to be necessary once tapeworms are eliminated and monthly flea control in use.

Here's a very brief tutorial on heartworm in cats. Both cats and dogs are vulnerable to heartworm; infection is via mosquito bite that transmits heartworm larvae into the bloodstream. Unlike dogs, however, the small size of a cat's heart means that they cannot carry the massive load of heartworms found in some dogs; and the very toxic drugs used for heartworm infection in dogs are not safe for use with cats. An infected cat almost never has more than one large adult or semi-adult heartworm; any larger parasite load would have incapacitated the heart, and the cat would be dead. Cats are not routinely tested for heartworm infection, and it is not necessary to test them before starting them on preventative. I found this very paradoxical when I was learning my vet stuff in the shelter years, and finally asked a vet with whom we worked closely why this was the norm. In a nutshell, this was her explanation. "Cats with heartworm infection are given the preventative, which will dissolve the worm slowly and safely over the course of several months. If we test a cat for heartworm and get a negative result, we say to the owner: 'your cat is free of heartworm at this time. Give her this pill once a month and she will stay that way.' If the test is positive, we say: 'your cat's test shows that she is infected with heartworm. Give her this pill once a month, and the worms will dissolve slowly and safely in her bloodstream over the next few months. If you continue her on the pills, she will not become infected again.' So why put the cat through the stress of a blood test, and pad the owner's bill with a pointless test, when the recommendation is the same regardless of test result?" What a wonderfully ethical vet; wish there were many more like her. Bottom line: the heartworm preventive is a great idea if you want to protect Kitty, but testing isn't necessary. For indoor-only cats, a six-month course of preventive may be all you need unless your area is so mosquito-prone that they are a significant problem indoors; if she turns out to be an indoor-outdoor cat, keeping her on preventive year-round in your mild climate would be the recommendation.

Lights off should work fine; she seems perfectly content indoors and is certainly used to navigating in darkness. Not surprising that you're seeing a different side of Kitty; survival for herself and the babies is no longer an overriding concern, and she can be who she is; and it seems she's quite a delightful cat.

Susan's idea re the Frontline is excellent; we used to do something similar at the shelter. In fact, you can buy the tubes for the largest dogs (usually the most economical), and combine the contents in a dark container as she suggested. Just be sure to check the dosage rate for cats; if memory serves, it is different/higher per pound for cats than for dogs. BTW, you can save money on Widget's Frontline the same way.

spartacusaby is right. However, if you want some more detailed info re heartworm in cats, here it is:
http://www.heartwormsociety.org/pet-owner-resources/feline-heartworm.html

I, too, purchase the largest size Frontline Plus for dogs and dose it out to all my furkids according to size. Saves me a bundle! I purchase it from Australia so it's even cheaper, plus I don't need a prescription: http://www.petsuppliesnet.com/shop.htm I've done some research and to date this is the cheapest place by far to buy Frontline Plus.

BTW: The dosage for cats is .50ml; the dosage for the smallest dogs is .67ml.

This message was edited Feb 4, 2010 12:27 AM

Great link, faeden: thanks!

Which one? LOL!! You're very welcome!

Well, both - but especially the great prices on the preventatives.

You did a GREAT job in explaining about the heartworm. I was in the middle of researching it and getting the Frontline info when you posted. I decided to edit my post and go ahead and send the heartworm info anyway. There's no such thing as too much info!

Thanks for the compliment, faeden; it's much appreciated. As I'm sure everyone has noticed, I've never gotten over the withdrawal symptoms from a lifetime of working with animals, lol.

OMG! I can't believe it is time to change the thread AGAIN. If I don't do that by tomorrow - hoping to get it tonight, please remind me. You know how my memory is these days.

This morning I dropped Widget off at the vet for his annual visit, shots, etc. Then he'll go to grooming and finally he'll be in daycare until I can pick him up after work. They run a full service operation. Whew! I've had to get up early for something before work every day this week. I'm starting to feel like I'm running a pet taxi, you know, the pet equivalent of how parents feel when they spend all day chauffeuring tweens to after school activities.

Anyhow, I discussed kitty and heartworm prevention with the vet tech. She says they have one product which works for heartworms, fleas, and prevents ear mites. I'm trying to talk the vet into prescribing it for Kitty w/o seeing her given that (1) she's already had the full annual workup at the SPCA and (2) I can't get her in the crate. I'll get the verdict on this when I go back to pickup Widget and his meds. I'm hoping in view of the situation and the need to protect Kitty that they will bend the rules a little this time.

I didn't think to bring the SPCA paperwork showing all they had done and her stats, but promised to fax it to them tonight. Oh, and we have a weight for Kitty now courtesy of the SPCA. 8.5lbs. I'm very surprised. When the vet's were asking me to guess a weight, I had a hard time imagining as meeting the 5lb min for adult cats. This means she is actually bigger than Widget, which I also didn't realize.

Widget has a ton of hair. You don't realize how much hair he has until you start brushing it or if you wash him and see how tiny he is when wet. His hair makes him look 3x his actual size. In fact, when I put him on the scale at the vet's office this morning, I was down there with him trying to convince him to stay on the scale w/o touching him. He was standing still but I didn't know how long that would last. I kept wondering what was taking so long. The girl who was recording the weight didn't believe the number she was seeing so she was waiting and waiting and waiting as though the number might change. Finally, she said, "I guess that's all hair." So she was confused, too.

If the vet won't prescribe the med for Kitty, I will buy the products you guys suggested. I might do so anyhow, but I like the idea of a single product. Less to keep up with and less to try to get into her. Although my cats in the past were not treated for heartworm, if that is a potential threat to cats, it's something for which she needs to be treated. It is very wet here, 52in rain annually and tons of humidity. Perfect for mosquitoes which are a constant problem here - outside, not inside.

I have a river on one side, it's tributaries on the other side(s), and the ocean a stone throw away. The area behind me is marsh. There are numerous ponds throughout the neighborhood. The very back strip of my land is in a drainage setback, so that area floods in heavy rain. The birdbaths and raccoon pool/water containers don't help either. You can't go out in the late afternoon to early evening hours here in summer w/o repellent or the mosquitoes will carry you away. I have to bath in the stuff every night when I sit out there with the raccoons. I even keep a bottle in my tote bag for touch ups while out there.

It's a feeding frenzy back there on summer nights. Mosquitoes swarm in a ring around me - even with repellent, and dragon flies swarm in a larger circle around us both constantly darting in to snatch a mosquito such that they look like they are going to dive bomb me and remind me of tiny bats. With all those mosquitoes, the dragon flies are gargantuan, BTW.

What can I say, it's almost the tropics here. Bugs of all kinds proliferate. As a result, I think it prudent to give Kitty heartworm protection even if she eventually becomes and indoor only cat. Technically, Widget is indoor only, but even going out for a brief walk puts him at risk.

The kittens left about 1/2 bowl of food when the finished eating late last night. This morning when I left for work, that same 1/2 bowl of food was sitting on the porch, and it was still there when I returned tonight.

I ran inside, grabbed the camera, tried to get a decent pic of Widget before he had a chance to wiggle and squirt and scratch and ruin the rest of his new hairdo. That took all of 10 minutes. Then I ran back outside to get my purse and computer out of the car. On the way out I noticed that NOW, 10 min after I got home, the food in the dish was over 1/2 gone. I took my things inside, ran upstairs to check on Kitty, and went back outside to get the mail. Now the bowl was empty, and I saw 2 little kittens scurrying for cover.

You may have noticed by now, but I am positively fascinated by animal behavior. I'm just very interested in how they think and how that compares with our own behavior and thoughts. I find amazing parallels, BTW. I think we are a lot more similar than we think.

Last night when the kittens showed up looking for food only minutes after I pulled in the drive and got in the house only to return again for food when I came back in from walking Widget for the last time of the night, after midnight. I found this fascinating because it seemed the kittens were following the exact same routine their mother had mapped out for them, coming for food when I got home from work and again when I walked the dog after midnight. She had brought them here night after night on that exact schedule doing exactly the same things each time.

Thus I was all the more amazed today to see that (1) the kittens did not eat any of the food all day even though it was sitting out all that time and (2) the ate all of the food immediately after I arrived home from work. Now this to me was an incredible thing. They had not touched the food this morning for breakfast, not even early this morning while it was still dark and no one was around, nor had they touched it all day when it was free for the asking. Most unbelievably, although they were clearly hungry and it was dark out, they didn't even touch the food during the period before I arrived home tonight. Then, within minutes after my return, they had eaten over 1/2 of the food, and minutes later they had finished it all.

Now if the kittens had been reasoning logically about what to do, the best time for them to eat the food tonight, would have been after it turned dark (for cover) and before I got home (because no one was here to threaten them). Yet despite being hungry, they chose to wait for me to arrive home, park the car, and go inside. Last night and tonight, that was their cue to come out of the darkness to look for food on the porch.

Clearly, the kittens are following the exact routine their mother taught them. She had brought them at those times, after I got home from work and when I walked Widget late at night, because those were the times she knew she could find me. She was thinking logically about how to get food. The kittens, being too young to understand her reasoning were merely following a routine - as human children do with many things, routines we often don't reassess until long after we are grown and on our own.

For the kittens, their lives depend on making the right choices. Surely, they could smell the food on the porch before I got home, but they followed the routine. They don't know why the rule is 'wait until the human gets home'. Maybe for some reason that is the only safe time to eat. All they know is that's what Mom taught them, and that's what they do. Or, at least, that's my take on the situation.

Upon noticing that they had eaten the last bit of kibble, I grabbed the bag and went out to give them more. I called them, and they came out just like last night to eat the handful of kibble I tossed on the walkway in front of them. When I came back inside, they came up on the porch to eat more of the food I had left for them.

I'm betting those same kittens will remain hidden the rest of the night only to come out of hiding once again when I return to the house after taking Widget for his after midnight walk. At that time, the minute I close the door behind me, they will run up on the porch to look for food.

My kitties all come running when they hear me call, "Din-din, kitties! Din-din!" lol

Lately, Widget shreds his coat daily. Despite all of the flea medicine I use on him, when he goes outside, he is sure to get a flea on him somewhere. With all that hair, the flea has lots of hiding places, and it seems to take it a little longer to die from the meds. During that brief time, Widget uses his feet to tease his hair like Phylis Diller (anybody remember her). Then I have to further damage the hair trying to remove all of the mats and tangles he just put in it. Consequently, he has more split ends than I do.

That said, and taking the split ends into account, Widget looked simply gorgeous when I picked him up from grooming. The black bow they used in his hair was a perfect match for his black nose and eyes. That plus his snow white hair gave him that tuxedo look.

Recently, someone asked to see a pic of him (if I could get him to stay still that long), so when we got home, after he had wallowed around in the car for 6-8 miles in city traffic and come inside to drink water and get his face soaked. Now, I understand that none of this is his fault. He's a dog and should be able to be a dog. I knew he wouldn't stay like he was when i picked him up. I just wanted to try to capture the look on 'film' before it was completely gone. But that turned out to be far more difficult than you can imagine.

It was dark when we got home, and I'm not good at taking pics after dark, esp under incandescent lights. I couldn't remember the settings, and I was in a hurry to get that pic before he 'melted'. But that was only the 1st hurdle. Years ago Widget learned to look away from the flash, because it isn't comfortable. So I click the button when he is in the perfect position and he quickly turns away so that I get a pick of the back of his head. Add to that the fact that he had been couped up all day at boarding and now had lots of energy and wanted to play.

Needless to say my photo shoot was a disaster. When I found a fix for one problem, he developed another one and so on and so on and so on. Now I remember why I have so few pics of Widget and no pics of him taken immediately following grooming when he looks his most adorable. For the answer to this, see below.

Hi KyWoods,

Of course. Their mom is still with them and they have learned that sound you described is the cue to come to dinner, but isn't it incredible that mine don't come based on when the food is in the dish or when I call them but rather based on when I pull up in the driveway and go inside? I mean clearly they are repeating the routine they learned from their mom and are just playing it back now like a tape recorder with no idea why they are doing what they are doing.

I think I may have to enter that pic in the 2010 photo contest. Should I put it in 'pets' or 'humor'? LOL

What an adorable baby Widget is! I love the candid nose-licking shot. My sister used to put her maltese's hair up, but she has this habit of rubbing her head all over the carpet when she's excited to see someone. This would result in the hair tie pulling too hard and leaving a bald spot!

KyWoods,

Oh, no! A bald spot. That's terrible.

I don't just put his hair up that way to be cute, I have to do that because otherwise the hair covers his face and he can't see anything. The only other option is to cut it off - like a crew cut - and he looks pretty dopey that way, not to mention that his hair grows amazingly fast and will be covering his eyes again in no time.

We have to be very careful to put Widget's hair up with ties that don't pull and to put it up in such a manner as to not have any hairs pulled tighter than the others. If it pinches or pulls or feels weird or uncomfortable, he will rub it on everything and dig at it with his feet and make a big mess trying to get the tie out. He doesn't pull his hair out, thankfully, so no bare spots, but he tangles it into a big matted mess so that it takes hours to undo his handy work. Occasionally, he manages to pull the tie all the way out, but then the hair flops down in his face and he can't see where he is going at all. He'll walk into furniture and such until I find time to calm the tangles out and put the ponytail back up. He is not a low maintenance dog.

Widget says thanks for the compliment!

In a few days, a week at most, his pony tail will be in knots and/or 1/2 down and his hair will be a mess.