A Time for Paws: Trunk Kittens Part II

I haven't really thought about it until now, but I suppose the trunk kittens and their momma must have had a little deja vu when we carried their cage and put it in the back of the SUV. Little did they know that this trip was going to be a good trip, much different than the several miles in stifling heat in the trunk of the monster people's Camry a couple of days earlier. When the vet finished her examination, Geri and I learned that the kittens and momma had everything possible wrong: worms, ear infections, URI, eye infections, and anemia from the flea bites. The good news was that they had neither FIV nor feline leukemia. Armed with a dozen bottles and some eyedroppers, we took them home and we began to nurse them. The momma and the two girls responded well. Depression gripped the little boy and he was the hardest to medicate and food had to be forced down his throat. By then I had constructed a three cage kitty condo - three separate cages connected for plenty of room. A bathroom, a bedroom, and a den/kitchen combo.

The little boy would situate himself in the middle cage, the den, and often refuse to nurse his mother. I worried about him but I knew that if he could shake his depression - and maybe the memory of being slung in a ditch like a bag of garbage - he would be okay.

One of the little females was a girly-girl and the other was a blatant tomboy. In the mornings we would go into the basement and check on them, and, for the longest time, I anticipated the little boy would be a goner.

Rocky needing Prozac

But time, medicine, and tender loving care all paid off and in a few weeks they turned into healthy happy critters. It was time to name them and thus Momma Kitty, Gracie (the girly girl), Tiger (the aggressive tomboy), and Rocky (the little fellow who wanted to quit but never did) joined the Gray family. Today, Momma Kitty lives on the farm with the farm cats (a future blog), and the three kittens live the good life downstairs (away from their doggie brother and sister and in their own imminent domain). Being the protective father, it was a year before I wanted to let them out (what did I know about cats? - I never had one). Plus, face it, I rather enjoyed their company as they helped me prepare for a Sunday School lesson or generally just hung out.

Helping Dad with his research

Chilling in the good life

But Geri finally convinced me to install a cat door. The pics below represent their first moments outdoors (they had viewed it through the window and figured it looked pretty neat). I love the cat door as much as they do, but I have to admit that I'm not always pleased with what they capture and bring in as presents from time to time. You won't believe some of the things they manage to maneuver through that little cat door.

Also, you'll meet Momma Kitty, a hero in my books and as happy as a pig...er a cat in slop out on the farm.