Got new pictures of Buttercup and Blossom in their new home...It sure looks like they are happy kitties, and that makes me happy, too! David is getting ready to take the next bunch out to new homes this Sunday, which is fortunate, since we seem to be filling up again. 3 more young kittens from the new TNR site, and 2 older kittens that will probably have to go back. The older ones just don't do well in a cage and are so very hard to socialize. Even the little bitty ones that are born outside hiss, spit and try to act scary at first, but they quickly adjust. The older ones refuse food and remain in a terrified ball in the very back of their cage, which is no good for their health. I try to explain how important it is to get to this kind of kitten before they're 6 weeks old, but it's not always possible, and it's a problem we face continuously. This new TNR project at the construction company site has 6 or more kittens of this type, all set for a difficult life outside. At least they'll be spayed/neutered which will give them their best chance, but it breaks my heart that they'll miss out by just a couple of months, on a life of love and comfort with a family inside a home.

The young ones we've rescued from that TNR site now amount to 9, the most recent arriving via kitten trap this morning, so not from just one litter, as we originally thought. All have had bad eyes, which we're treating with interferon drops. The most concerning are Hansel and Gretel...Hansel's eyes remain cloudy, and Gretel has one pupil that is always dilated. Hoping that they haven't lost sight in one or both eyes. They have both become the friendliest of the bunch, and come running to the cage door to greet us when we open it! But they've been here the longest, so we have high hopes that the others will do the same, given a little more time. Salem came to the shelter after Hansel and Gretel, but before the most recent three, and he's already made improvements. We put everyone outside today in the kitten playpen, and they all played with toys, ate well, and used their litter box, so I'm satisfied that they don't feel bad about being here. Looking forward to new pictures of the other 3 now in foster care.

Poppy has improved to some degree, in that she can move around well, but her movements can still be jerky. She went out to the kitten enclosure yesterday and was able to climb to her favorite perch, for the first time since she became ill. Not sure if it's the medicine that's caused the improvement, or what it means for the long term, but I'm just glad to see her doing better for the time being! Sumi has recently hit a hard patch with her mouth ulcers, but was eating better today. I can always gage her comfort level by whether or not she comes out of her bed in the kitchen, for a hug first thing in the morning. She was out and about first thing today, and we found lots of her favorite special soft food on sale, so things are definitely looking up. Sumi also has a brand new sponsor contributing to her care, which will really be a help in keeping her as comfortable as possible. Chobi is in a holding pattern...still has diarrhea, but on her reduced diet, she has a little more control. I check her weight and overall shape everyday to be sure that she isn't in danger. Tried a spoonful of yogurt on top of her spoonful of AD today, which she liked. I've been supplementing her Hills AD (recommended by the vet) with a small amount of dry Eukanuba and Royal Canin special digestion formulas. I hate to keep her locked up in her cage all of the time. I'm thinking that since she has nothing contagious, I can let her out in the kitten enclosure to play for a while, if I remove all of the kitten food.

Have a bad cold just in time for David's Tokyo trip tomorrow. Home Alone! No classes tomorrow, so maybe I can get some rest between cleaning and feeding around the shelter. And now I really am Laughing Out Loud. Ah well, at least we've got all of the health problems stable, and Fantasia has become a pro at using the litter box. We've moved her inside recently, since she just can't stand the cool weather, and we were worried about her haphazard ability to find the litter box last year. But she's really a whole new cat now, fluffier, happier, and more relaxed. No more sneaking around or huddling in front of the heater for her...she's a snuggle into a blanket at the foot of the bed cat now! It is impossible not to feel the warm glow of success, when I see that.