Hyia is learning

[smkie]

I walked Ressie with Victor this morning. WE started out with my carrying her until she got squirmy so she would think walking was her idea. She did better than she ever has..toddling right beside him. He walked slow and patient. For a dog that has nothing but grumpiness most of the time, he adopted a whole different attitude. He was showing her the ropes! We sat on the green bench for 10 minutes and watched the world go by, and then we walked all the way home, with only a short lift for tiny short kitten legs. Day 5 I think. So far so good.
Tomorrow Ninja goes back up for adoption. When I went up to get the ear meds I saw they had several really young kittens so I hope he puts on the charm. He has competition.

 

[gapeach]

Yay Ressie and Victor!
Good luck Ninja, it's your day, we're rooting for you!

 

[Zoom]

Good luck Ninja! Your brother has been reading these posts apparently and has decided he wants to be JUST like you. His new favorite thing is to try and climb the screens and go spelunking up my dress pants that are hanging in the closet.

 

[smkie]

Happy to announce that not only was Ninja adopted today, he was adopted with another kitten. THe other kitten was a couple weeks younger, but Ninja was the runt and much smaller than the others so he gets to be with someone where he can be the big kid for once. Glad that Sancho taught him to play gentle. So that is that. 4 have been adopted by people, and Ressie stays as our new family member. I splurged and got her a better harness this morning. She rode to the stores with us, she just loves the truck, and even sat in the car seat with my grandson who was spell bound. He was so pleased to have her on his lap that he talked quiet and pet her very carefully because he didnt' want her to leave.So that is the end of their story, but not the end of hers. WE have some major work to get done around here, but as soon as it is, maybe we can step up to the plate again. They are critically full in the shelter, there will always be need.

THank you Zoom and Austin for giving our babies your hearts and home.

 

[gapeach]

YAY!!!!!
I KNEW it was his day.

 

[smkie]

I felt it was when I dropped him off too. I think maybe his little collar with it's tiny bow didnt' hurt either He looked terribly dapper.
Second best news, the pawn shop where I got my last casio xislim, didn't let me down. For 20 dollars I am back in business. Even GG said I can't be without my camera.
Who would ever want to miss a shot like this.

 

[gapeach]

Awwww, noone would want to miss that shot
So glad all your babies found good homes, hope the same for our two.
Ressie looks so grown up! She also looks very comfortable on grandbaby's lap.
I love her new harness!

 

[Barb04]

Happy Day! I'm so glad Ninja got a home and a kitten to play with too; this is just wonderful!

I LOVE the pic of Aiden with Ressie!

 

[smkie]

No cooperation out of either for getting a pic together.

So this was the best one I was going to get. We were at the end of our 10 minutes. Victor was very patient. Ressie has to stop and look at lots of things she is seeing for the first time. She stepped in mud and left the sweetest little paw prints. The pavement was wet in a few places for the first time. Webs on your whiskers from the edge of the wall...all need checking out. So Yay for my old pointer. He was a good boy and dint' get antzy pants at all.

Her vest is too big, her kitten one almost too small, but not quite, this one may not work. It may go back. The shelter had it, so I gave ti a go.

and just when you about to get everyone on the same page, in walks distractions. This lady just doesn't know. I guess it all fits into the big puzzle.

She was good with the dogs that barked, and the motorcycle that went right past us while I carried her so I think that is a good step in the right direction. The beer trucks and bread truck are no big deal either.

Wouldn't this have been a kodak shot if Victor hadn't just stuck his nose on my lens

vid

YOU can see it is very slow going, but she is just a baby and needs lot of time to think and see. I don't think you could or should force a creature to do anything so .... with that said.

 

[smkie]

I really do do other things besides follow this kitten around. I do. It's not just me she has under her spell.

If the kittens hadn't come in, if Ressie hadn't been REssie, I would never have known this side of Sancho. I have tried in vain to find the woman that sent us Sancho. THat took care of him when he showed up in the woods, that took care of his uti infection, and then trusted us to give him a good forever home. I know when she and her son came to our hobbit house, that looked just about like a shack, she must have had a hundred reservations, but she never let it show. I know her little boy was in love with Sancho and wanted him badly but their cat wouldn't' accept him. I wish with all my heart she could see him all these years later. I tried in my bio for Ninja to explain what unfolded in our little family when the kittens came. How they had an affect that was pure positive on every single member but I had to not write a book in a letter, so I hope the few sentences I tried to explain said enough. I did write that I hope that Ninja will continue bringing the kind of happiness we experienced into his new owner's home. I am really glad he was adopted with another. Ressie and SAncho were subdued for a day and a night, but life goes on, and they seem to accept all change with grace.

I was thinking Mary helped me train Victor. MAry and Victor helped me train Pepper. Now Victor and I thought I would take Pepper tomorrow, will help me show Ressie the way. IT's funny how things just work out if you follow the path, even if you don't understand why your following it. At least that is the way this feels.

Hyia is super happy. SHe wrote a paper on all of this for school and got an A. All of her grades are high. SHe has lost over 10 lbs. SHe worked out at the y and was in the gym playing basketball (something she has never done before which is why I Couldn't find her when I went in to pick her up) with other kids. SHe came home and said "I think excerise has made me cheerful". That is what we have all been trying to tell her. I told her I was glad she figured that out today. She turned to me and smiled. So I will close this day knowing that we are all good, for now, and surely that is enough.

JUst Pepper and REssie, not Victor and Pepper and Ressie. That would be too hard for now. Too many leashes at one time with someone so little. The hard part is keeping that leash from bumping Victor's back or tail, he doesnt' like it and it makes him antzy.
Good night.

 

[gapeach]

Fantastic job. Glad Hyia had such a good day.

 

[Zoom]

Everyone found good homes!

I took Huck out on leash today and we definitely have a long way to go, lol! He liked to be held so he could check everything out, or sitting right up against a wall. Otherwise he was rolling around to play with his leash, or rolling from one spot to another. He forgets he has legs when he has his harness on. Met my friend's Husky through the screen and hissed at her a bit. Then we came home and he did this:

 

[smkie]

Aww Huck. Learning all about new stuff wears out bitty kittens. Even not so bitty ones, aren't they growing fast?

Yesterday it rained so we didn't walk, we rode in the truck instead. I can say that at first it was like 2 steps back, but things got better. The important thin is that Ressie learn not to be frightened of sudden noises and movement. I don't know any other way to teach her that, then to do what I did with Victor. I don't know how they test cats, but I do know how they tested him. He had to be bomb proof and it took failing it once, going back home, working harder and trying again. I still say it is the best thing I ever did for his over the top high strung super sensitive self. I have been taking him on very short walks in the dark from the sdiewalk to the end of the drive. He had a moment where he forgot where the door was and needed reassurance to follow and trust me. Baby bites I hope will help when the whole thing is in front of us. Secretly wishing Ressie would be his seeing eye cat but that is wishing for the impossible. Would be so good for when I am not home tho. I can wish.

 

[Zoom]

Huck does NOT want baths anymore. No siree-bob!

 

[Barb04]

Smkie, I found this on therapy cats:

http://www.loveonaleash.org/pdfforms/cats as therapy pets.pdf

http://www.catscenterstage.com/therapy-cat4.shtml

http://www.petpartners.org/

 

[smkie]

Thank you Barb. THat was pretty much what I figured, the first one, which is why I have been taking her on rides, she will go on one with me today, and trying to get use to sounds and people. I saw a couple cats go through the test when Bronki passed his test, but I didn't get to watch what it was they had to do because I was focused on what he was needing himself. THe Pets for LIfe test was way harder than that one.

Why did Huck need a bath?

 

[Zoom]

We had been outside working on the harness and since he's decided that if his harness is on, that means his legs have come off and he can only roll like an alligator from one spot to the next. So he was super dusty and had picked up a cobweb or two from a corner.

 

[smkie]

ahh I understand. I am trying to figure out how I am going to use my fireplace and keep my white kitten out of it. I guess I named my donation kitty CInders for more reasons than just the way it looked after I fired it.

Today was good. Nice weather. Did find something that flapped my unflappable kitten, a jerk on a skateboard barreling down teh sidewalk in front of the shops where he is not suppose to be. She got her composure back quickly but still. Sirens, smoke in the air (there was an incident on the next street over) made her curious, but nto afraid. She could write a paper on cobwebs on my whiskers. She insists on walking along the wall. Since she is walking willingly with us, ok against the wall it is. Victor likes to do the same. She brushed up her tail at her reflection in a newly washed one.
So that is over with for today.

Victor's old man forehead wrinkle.

really really hoping for even a week more of good weather to bring this into normal everyday routine for her. She did agree to venture around a corner, and a part of a parking lot that she had not seen before. She does prefer what she saw the day before.

 

[smkie]

I will say one thing, tired kitty is a good kitty. SHe was clutter busting for me when I decided it was past time to go. No playmates for the Castle makes it boring. So she has switched to the piano keys, the mirror, and sighs..my shelves. Two bowls hit the floor this morning, but fortunately only one broke.

clutter buster. Nothing makes me clean up my act more than babies.

 

[smkie]

They were hosing down the sidewalk and washing the windows by our green bench so we stopped here instead and watched. Not scary, at all. Thank you Pepper for being such a good teacher and support force. Ressie really liked going with Pepper. Pepper liked the slower pace so she could stop and sniff all those places I haven't let her stop and sniff the other one billion times we have walked this path.