Visiting Time

July 27, 2019July 27, 2019 / Re-Farmer / Leave a comment

The kittens have finally “discovered” the east side of the house today, the junk pile in the spruce grove and…

… Junk Pile kitten.

Here, we see Keith playing with his brother and visiting his mom, Guildenstern!

Junk Pile kitten wasn’t sure what to make of the sudden invasion of other kittens; he doesn’t come around the other side of the house, and the other kittens tend not to go beyond the area where the lilacs are. The girls had gone out to watch them play, and he was growling at them (the other kittens; not my daughters *L*) at first. By the time I came out, he seemed to be okay with them, crawling all over his home!

It’s really amazing to see how much bigger he is than his brothers. Especially Dave. It shows, I think, how sick Dave and Keith must have been, before we found them. Remarkable, that he didn’t get sick, too. I makes me wonder about the 4th kitten Guildenstern had, when I first found her litter.

I hope that this little guy and the other kittens will play together more often, and that we will get the chance to socialize him at least more successfully than his mom and aunt!

The Re-Farmer

Well, now

July 17, 2019 / Re-Farmer / 2 Comments

This morning was more relaxed for me, thanks to my family taking care of critter feeding. Before heading out to take my mother to her doctor’s appointment, I just had to switch out the memory card on the trail cam, then do some of my usual walk-about.

While walking in the outer yard, past where the grass is overgrown between trees, I noticed a large area of the grass trampled down. Some creature or creatures had surely been tumbling about in there!

As a paused to look, there was an explosion of cats and kittens from under one of the trees!

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Critter(s) of the Day: making up for yesterday

July 14, 2019July 14, 2019 / Re-Farmer / 2 Comments

I missed posting completely yesterday; not even a critter of the day picture – so I will make up for that today!

With kittens.

Because kittens are awesome.

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Box Baby

July 9, 2019July 9, 2019 / Re-Farmer / 2 Comments

We have been enjoying our company lately – as much as possible in this heat! Yesterday was a scorcher. 29C with a “real feel” of 35C! We were supposed to get thunderstorms, and one did quickly pass over us, but for the most part, they all passed us by. Which meant very little rain.

Today, we were supposed to get a series of thunderstorms, but again, they passed us by. We are, however, FINALLY getting a solid rainfall right now, and it’s even cooled down a bit. We need rain so much! At least it’s not as dry as last year, but it’s still way too dry. Yesterday, my friend and I went to get the mail, stopping at a park nearby. When we lived here, years ago, we once released a snapping turtle found on the side of the highway into the pond in the park.

The pond is completely dry right now. Even with the one downpour we had earlier, the only side of it was what maybe-couldbe-kindalookslike some mud, visible between some grasses.

Today, the girls arranged to take Dave to the vet in town. He got a check up and vaccinations, as well as a deworming pill. We got some antibiotic eye drops to take home. His eyes are getting better on their own, but the drops should help his eyes clear up faster. The vet says it’s from cat herpes, and that pretty much all outdoor cats have it (and worms).

He is a bit under sized for his age, which we could see just by comparing him to the other litters. However, aside from his eyes, he seems quite healthy. He’ll be coming back in a month for another round of vaccinations, and likely another deworming pill. Since we now almost exactly when he was born (thanks to date stamps on the photos I took!), we know to come back in November to get him fixed.

He was a very tired kitty when we got him home.

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Cat tales

July 6, 2019July 9, 2019 / Re-Farmer / 1 Comment

The kittens have really been enjoying their newfound freedom.

Yesterday morning, they all discovered the ornamental apple trees in the old kitchen garden. At one point, we have 4 or 5 of them in one, and 3 in the other, all at the same time!

All that running around is very tiring.

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Mamas, kitties and comfort

July 4, 2019 / Re-Farmer / 1 Comment

While the kitties were out and about yesterday, they were not about to turn down the comforts of a mom!

Beep Beep lay down and was immediately accosted. :-D

One of the aunties came by for food and was thoroughly confused by the mass of kittens, everywhere.

She kept going back and forth, moving away from one group of kittens, only to be blocked by another, and another. It was so funny to see!

This morning, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were slightly more relaxed about it. :-D

Now, it’s time to paint gate posts again, before it gets too hot. I decided to give them 24 hours to cure before a second coat, instead of doing it last night, just to be on the safe side!

The Re-Farmer

Escape – and reunited

July 3, 2019 / Re-Farmer / 1 Comment

Well, the day has finally come.

The barrier in the sun room door could no longer keep the kittens in.

Once a couple of kittens discovered they could not get past the box flaps that had been in their way when we used them to increase the height of the barricade, there was no stopping them.

So we took out the box and moved the barricade enough for them to leave without having to jump (and potentially hurt themselves).

Soon, they were all over the place in the area in front of, and around, the sun room.

Butterscotch even started calling some of them to follow her! The ones that started to, soon doubled back to the house.

After a while, I took Dave and Keith over to the little bowls where I have been leaving food for their mom and sibling. She and her baby were in the old barrel planter, half hidden in the bushes. I saw her baby disappear, but she was watching me closely.

It took a little while, but she came to check things out, skirting around the other side of the lilacs from me, and soon she was reunited with her babies.

She eventually lead them to the barrel planter (she loves to lounge in there) and the last I saw, they were still together, and very excited to be reunited. I expect their sibling to join them, too.

I’m not sure how this will work out at night. Dave and Keith love their people attention, have two other moms they’ve gotten used to, and 8 cousins to play with. I’m hoping their comfort around us will help us to socialize their sibling and their mom.

We still plan to bring Dave indoors permanently, and will continue to wash his eyes regularly, but I’m glad they’ll get to spend time with their mom and sibling again. I had hoped she would come into the sun room to see them, but she is just too shy, and had another baby to care for.

Letting the kittens out is a risk for them, but the sun room has been their home for so long, with toys, food, water and soft beds to sleep on, so I do expect them to keep coming back. We will just have to be more careful about counting them when we close things up at night.

The Re-Farmer

Kitten Heaven

July 3, 2019 / Re-Farmer / 1 Comment

I went out earlier than usual to feed the critters, making a point of opening the outside door to the sun room, first. This is what I found!

All 10 kittens, in one big sleepy pile!

That creamsicle one at the top left looks so displeased. :-D

Yesterday evening, I spent some time sitting in the sun room with them.

When they realized I was going to stay on the swing bench for a while, I got attacked by the wild beasts! This is about the only decent picture I was able to get, they were moving so much. They would climb up onto my lap and viciously attack each other, the draw string on my waist band, my thumbs, my knee, race up and over my shoulders… It was insane!

In the middle of it all, Doom Guy decided he wanted cuddles and kept trying to lie across my chest, but kittens kept running over him. Meanwhile, Dave wanted that spot, but ended up stuck in my hand, with a whirlwind of kittens and Doom Guy around him. He finally gave up and joined the fray. His brother, however, made his way up to my shoulder and just stayed there, looking out the window behind my head. :-D

What a wild bunch they are!

Before bed, I had to wash all the bleeding scratches they left on my legs, then slather the wounds with antibiotic ointment.

That is one down side of all these active little buggers! :-D

The Re-Farmer