Shadow Leads the Pack!

Today was weigh-in day for Mama Emily's kittens.

Sweet, small Moondust is the most petite kitten, but still growing well at 13.4 ounces.

Moondust

Little tortie Ember is in the middle: 14.3 ounces.

Ember

And our other tortie, Shadow, is the first kitten to pass the pound mark--she's in the lead at 1 pound, 2 ounces!

Shadow

Ember has a little skin swelling that could be a bite from roughhousing with the other kittens. We're keeping an eye on it and hoping she doesn't need a vet visit like Leo, our fluffy orange kitten from two years back.

Tortie Times Two! 

But other than that, everyone seems healthy--we've only heard a few sneezes, everyone's eyes are clear, and they are all active, alert, and relaxed around people. We think they're going to grow up to be great cats!

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

Update on the Hunger Games Kittens: most of them now have new names and new homes, and they're growing up into beautiful cats.

Here's Dumbledore (Katniss) in his new digs. His new mom reports that his favorite game is Animal Crossing. He's also happily bonded with his kitty brother and sister.

He's racking up the top scores in the cat crossing category.

 And here's Opie (Peeta), adorable as ever, checking out the dollhouse in his new home.

I can play with this, right? 

And then there's Leo (Gale), who just went home this weekend. He's still getting used to his new home, but as you can see, he's looking pretty comfortable already. 

Leo says: Life is good!

Then there's Rue, the tiniest of the kittens (when she and Leo went to be fixed, she weighed in at just 3.2 pounds, compared to her brother's 5)! Rue is finding her voice (the tiniest, cutest little meow) and getting a little bolder about facing the big cats. She's testing her independence, but happy she still has Mama to snuggle up with on an autumn afternoon. 

Rue, "making biscuits" with Runway

Off to See the Vet (Again)!

 So, today I felt like the biggest meanie in the world.

I had to take these two warm, cozy, sleepy, happy kittens away from their chosen sleeping spot in the laundry hamper and put them in the cat carrier, despite the protesting meows of Mama, and carry them outside on a chilly November morning, and then take them on a car ride while they blinked at me reproachfully as if to say: "All this and NO BREAKFAST?"

Yes, today is the day when Leo and little Rue are getting their neuter and spay surgeries.

And even though we humans know all about the benefits of spaying and neutering companion animals, I'm sure all Leo and Rue know is that they got left alone in a scary place with funny smells and strange people and animals.

I'm sorry, kittens. We will make it up to you, I promise.

Right now, I'm waiting for the call back from the vet. Please keep a good thought in mind for Leo and Rue on their surgery day. If you'd like to help, you can make a donation toward the kittens' medical expenses through PayPal. Thanks, and we'll update soon!

And Then There Were Two ...

The Hunger Games Kittens, 3 months on: Rue and Leo with Runway.

Now that Dumbledore (Katniss) and Opie (Peeta) are happily settled in their new homes, the little foster family is down to three: just mama Runway, sweet Rue, and playful Leo (Gale). In one week, Rue and Leo are off to the vet to be spayed and neutered, and then Leo will go to his forever home. That means only Runway and Rue are still waiting for their forever family.

Runway has fully recovered from her spay surgery, and she's now running, jumping, and playing like she's just one of the kitten gang. In fact, at three months old, Runway's kittens are nearly as big as she is. Clearly, she is a very young mother--but also a really good one. All her kittens are healthy, friendly, and absolutely beautiful!

If you're interested in adopting Runway or Rue--or both of them together--please email mirishouse@gmail.com. Because they are such a bonded pair, we are hoping they can find a home together, but we will also consider applications for individual adoption.

Look at those feet! Leo, when you grow into those,
you're going to be a HUGE cat!

Catching Up With Kittens

So, what's been happening with the Hunger Games Kittens?

Funny you should ask.

Runway, the kittens' beautiful young mama, is doing well after her spay surgery. Soon, she'll be ready for her own home, and we hope this sweet calico girl gets the loving home she deserves.

Rue, the smallest kitten, is always by Mama's side. She is playful, but not as rambunctious as her brothers--definitely more of a cuddler than a fighter. With her tufted ears, fluffy coat, and unusual dilute calico coloring, Rue is absolutely stunning, and she, along with her mother, is still available for adoption.

Gale--now named Leo--is a rascally redhead with an appetite for trouble--and for chili, pasta, yogurt, and sweet potatoes with cinnamon! Leo has been told that cats aren't supposed to like sweet or spicy foods, but he doesn't care: Leo knows what he likes. Leo's adoption is pending, and he's scheduled to move into his new home in early November.

Both Leo and Rue are scheduled to be fixed at the end of this month, so they will be all ready for their new homes.

Peeta is now named Opie, after the character Ron Howard played in The Andy Griffith Show (we can see the resemblance). He is the beloved center of attention in his new home, where he has two little girls to adore him. 




And Katniss, renamed Dumbledore, the first-born and first to be adopted, is now fully integrated into his new human and cat family.  

If you're interested in adopting, please send an email to mirishouse@gmail.com with a little background on your home, current or past experience with cats or kittens, and contact information.

If you can't adopt right now, you can always help sponsor a kitten by sending a donation through our PayPal link.

Purrs from all the kitties!

Dos Hermanos

It's hard to believe the kittens are eleven weeks old today. It's funny to see how they alternate between testing their independence and still wanting snuggle time with Mama.

Now that Katniss (AKA Dumbledore) has been adopted, the two remaining boys have gotten closer. We just had to share some adorable shots of their brotherly bonding.

Meanwhile, Gale--whose new name is going to be Leo--had his first meet-and-greet with his soon-to-be adoptive family, both human and cat. Bee, his future cat sibling, did some hissing, but Leo kept his cool. He's definitely an outgoing little guy, and he's already made friends with resident cats  Ian and Duncan (although Molly is still holding out).

As for Peeta, he is not quite as bold, but he's incredibly sweet, the snuggliest of the kittens. If Peeta were in a high school yearbook, he'd be voted "Most likely to be a lap cat."