What is that on the Driveway....It's alive!!!!!!
A week ago today a strange adventure took place at the Big Wooden Tipi.
Red let Wiki and Annie out for their afternoon pee. As soon as the door opened Wiki was on the porch and then took off like a Indian spotting fry bread up the driveway. Annie did her usual and went off to pee.
Red called out Wiki, ''go pee Wiki'' to no avail. She was up the driveway and sniffing something and barking at it. Meanwhile down the hill Annie was being very lady like in her modest pee stance.
I started walking up the driveway to get Wiki to go pee, I thought it was a leaf she was going in circles over. As I got closer, OMG it was a kitten. A very very tiny kitten had to be close to a new born.
I rushed over and picked the tiny thing up, she was smaller than my hand. Wiki was going completely nuts, running in circles, barking and trying to jump up to my hand..a sight to behold.
The kitty eyes were open but her ears were closed and I guessed her to be a week to ten days old. Wiki was now in full rescue and mother mode.
Annie finished her duty and came over to see what was going on. Took one look and a sniff and went back in the house to nap.
The little kitty would not have lasted long on hot concrete in 90 degree weather. If the heat didn't get her, many of the predators would have in a minute. What I think happened was that the mom cat was moving her litter and was scared by something and dropped her. Or that the mom cat was culling the litter. This is done by many in the animal kingdom when they take the smallest and weakest and move them to another spot to die. It sounds cruel but in doing this the bigger, stronger kittens have a better change of survival...
I took a cool wet cloth and wiped her down to try to cool her off. I put drop of water on my finger to see if she could like it off..No dice, it was in bad shape.
Red called our neighbor who has cats and she came rushing over. We decided we need kitty formula, cotton balls, eye dropper etc. Our neighbor was out the door on her way to the store in a minute.
Red and I tried to keep her cool and get some water into her.
Our neighbor got back with the necessary items in a hour. Meantime another neighbor came over to help out. She has a cat as well.
We now had a full MASH unit going with Wiki directing traffic.
Red fixed the formula put her on a towel and tried to get a few drops of formula into her...Finally after both neighbors and Red gave it go the little thing got some down. We waited a bit and than tried again, success we got more into her.
Now I explained to the ladies, you have to rub her tummy and bottom to get her to peehour and tried the pee thing again. Kittens can't do this on their own and if you don't do it they will die. First tires were failures....We waiting an hour and tried again...Success.
Kitty had now taken over the guest bathroom and Wiki sat guard outside the door. Annie went out on the porch and started sunning her self.
We had to put her on a schedule of feeding every two to three hours 24/7...Red,his Wiki and our two neighbors all were in full mother mode. Me I was in protective mode...Don't be messing with kitty.
After four feeding Red held her in her hand and Wiki started licking and cleaning her. It was then that we discovered the kitten had fleas and lots of them. We had weighted her and she was 6 oz. probably half that weight was fleas...We had to get them off her and now.
Out came the Dawn soap a quick bath and a gazillion fleas fell off her. That sure helped, but we needed to get the remaining fleas off her. We used some flea spray for cats, but added water and rubbed in on her fur. That did it, she was flea free now.
Our two neighbors really helped out and are taking turns with the feeding.
Fast forward, she is around two to three weeks old and we don't know what sex it is. Way to early to tell
Wiki is now HMIC..( head mother in charge) assisted by Red and our neighbors. Wiki gives her a good cleaning after every meal. Annie is now taking an interest and will lay in front of the guest room bathroom door for hours waiting and protecting KItty.
We have her adopted as soon as she is weened. The lady adopting her had just lost her cat after 14 years. So it going to be a perfect fit. Meanwhile it's the around the clock feeding. Kitty is now a booming 8.5 oz. and started to crawl out of her basket.
So that is the adventure of the week.
Wiki giving kitty a bath.
Looks like Wiki has a new pet.
Oh no, we don't need another pet. Neither does Wiki.
AAWWWWW, come on dadddy!!!!!!! Wiki needs a wittle friend!!!
She has Annie and Rocky the groundhog...Enough is enough...LOL
As my wife would say whenever the dog food dish is empty: "Mean Daddy!" LOL!
We had a similar experience five years ago--right down to feeding with the eye dropper and "stimulating" gently (externally) with a cotton swab. She weighed six ounces. The vet didn't hold out much hope. Little Miss Kitty now weighs 14 pounds and is quite the happy camper. Bless you all for your efforts. Best Wishes.
Thanks zapper..Kitty is now a robust 17 oz...and having a great time.
Kitty in all it's glory.
OMG!! That little kitty is so fortunate that she was found and cared for all of you. Wiki told me that she would Very depressed if you let kitty live elsewhere. ..Now, we certainly don't want our Wiki to be depressed...do we? LOL
Wiki told me she really wants another little sister.....She said "PLEASE, try to talk Daddy into letting me stay her with then and Wiki and Annie !!! PLEASE ??? I could see tear drops on the letter she sent me. She would be traumatized if she had to leave sweet Wiki and Annie.. oh yeah, and their people.
Nice try Nona, but it isn't working...LOL
What a sweet baby picture! I have baby pictures of all my animals I got as babies--- but mostly I adopt, now, so they're all grown up by the time I get them...
I love the little milk face and that very full little belly. Just so adorable.
This should be posted on Raven Wing's Cat Adorer's group, AND, to prove that dogs can be compassionate and protective (usually they are that anyway) posted on the Dog group as well, as a tribute to Wiki.
Good idea Buzz...
Will do.
Such a wonderful and touching story, Kavika. I am looking forward to seeing it on the Cat-Adorer group for others there to see as well. That little baby is just sooo adorable.
I am sure the Creator is smiling happily that you, Red, the girls and your very kind neighbors have taken this little life into your hands to give them a second chance at life.
Thank you all from the bottom of my heart as well. (smile)
It's posted in the Cat group and Dog Days as well RW.
I just couldn't leave the little thing out there, she would have survived a half an hour at best.
Thanks, Kavika. I am sure that Members of the Cat-Adorer group will love to see your story and the pictures of that adorable little fur baby.
She has very good luck the little bottle of jam that she is. LOL, she is damn cute
She is not a she, it's a he! He is a red tabby and most red tabbies boys since the coloring is a sex linked gene (unless they are more white than red).
This little guy is quite the cutie. I love his little fat belly. Good job taking care of baby!
Thanks Perrie, I bow to your expertise in cats....After all you have Wally...
What a darling boy! He's finally found his tall cotton, now! Dedicated nursemaids and all such sweethearts!
My little Neve is thriving, too. A year and 1/2 old, and at her top weight of about 6 pounds... They are so worth it! I'm glad you already have a home for him, and I know you're going to give him up for adoption-- but until then, enjoy every moment of kittenhood! What fun!
Have you, or his adoptive mother named him? You know you're going to have to allow Wiki and Annie visiting privileges... Wiki will love that kitty all of her life, I bet. Tommy adores little Neve, but is leery of her claws, which isn't a bad thing. He has never even hinted that he wants to be ugly to her, he just hunkers down when she wants to play. Neve has some sharp claws!
Please give the gang my love!
I'm sure that Kitty will be imprinted on humans and dogs...LOL...
We don't know what sex kitty is, no early to tell.
We'll be taking good care of her...
I based my "him" on Perrie's post-- I know nothing about it... But I've had 'red' cats that were boys, and I've had white and 'red' cats that were girls... When they're little like that, it's really hard to tell by looking!
I hope you enjoy her/him and that when she goes to her new home, she can come to see you on occasion. The kitty will remember you for a long time. Little kitties are so sweet! There is something so delicate about their claws and teeth. They are just like little babies, everything is so small and detailed. I hope the baby was not culled because of a medical problem! Neve has a bad heart murmur, but her mother was/is dedicated to her well-being. As is her people-mama...
We'll know soon if Perrie is right about the sex....She better me or she'll never hear the end of it. LOL
When Wiki cleans he/she up, the little kitty closes her eyes and loves it...It fun to watch.
Wiki knows what to do!
She is ''walkin' in tall cotton'' well, actually kind of wobbling in tall cotton, Dower.
She will be walking soon! Expect a few mishaps...
LOL, I'm sure there will be Dowser.
The mother may have culled him, but maybe a little soft hearted and knew that if she left him in front of the Big Wooden Tipi, that he would be cared for by 'other' family? Nicely done, BTW. All things under the sun are deserving of love.
Ha, your probably right Spike...I'm just an old softy..
Update on kitty.
She is doing well and walking (sort of) and giving it her best to get into things.
Thank you for your compassion, Kavika. I have the utmost respect and admiration for you and others who assist innocent animals in need.
She is doing great. Weight now 17 oz...and getting into everything.