The last two weeks have been… very difficult for me, but instead of dwelling on grief I’d like to talk about upcoming joys. So here is the story of the Bathroom Kittens:
My friend J runs an animal rescue organization. About three months ago, she neutered/spayed a litter of feral kittens, and put them in the bathroom to recover. Because there weren’t any other free rooms. Nope, can’t take in any other cats, we’re at our limit. Don’t even think about it. After they heal up we are putting them back. That’s what the R in TNR is for. What are you looking at me like that for? (Mr. J and I: :rolleyes: suuure you are)
Okay, kittens are fully healed. But there’s a nasty cold snap coming up this week. I just can’t think of taking them from a warm bathroom directly to the freezing cold like that. But they’ve got to go in time to develop their winter coats. Maybe next week. Or the one after that.
As you may have gathered, the kittens stayed, mostly hiding behind the toilet. Two were taken to be barn cats or something, and we’ve been working on socializing the remaining four. Two gray-and-whites and two black-and-whites. I dubbed the tiny female black-and-white “Piebald”, and for some reason felt the need to keep calling her that, even though I didn’t have any right to name her (she was posted on J’s website as “Maisy”). J and Mr. J named the boys Malcolm, Greyson, and Little Arthur.
Taming them has been a mixed success. The boys (currently in a foster home) range from “has potential” to “absolutely determined to remain feral”. But the girl- Piebald- she’s made it.
She still sometimes runs away, but once you pet her she decides you’re her best friend. She loves head scritches. She runs around like a maniac after her toys. She’s started making adorable squeaking sounds. She plays with her new clay litter. She’s started exploring outside of the bathroom. She’s teeny- the runt of the litter by far- but she’s not afraid to hiss at a cat three times her size. She’s bold and determined and wonderful, and soon- hopefully tomorrow- she’ll be mine.
In the mean time, here’s some pictures:
Pie from the front
holding her in my arms
Pie showing her racing stripes (she has them on both hind legs)
