Opie to the Rescue

Santa's Furry Helper: Opie.

So many presents to wrap ... so little time!

But not to worry. It's Opie to the rescue!

This festive kitty is happy to offer his services as gift wrapper. He'll choose the wrapping paper, help roll it out, and cut when necessary. He's also very well versed in ribbons.

If you find yourself in need of a gift-wrap expert, then maybe it's time to open your home to a kitty.

Opie is five months old and clearly a beloved fixture in his new home.  We hope to find an equally wonderful home for Runway and Rue and Liam and Asa. That would be the best Christmas present of all! 

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!

Opie and the Big Bad Receipt

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."

Cute of the Day

 

Cute Rule #1: Big head + huge eyes + floofy little body = CUTE!

We let the kittens know that they are famous model kittens, featured on Good Morning Kitten. They seemed to take it in stride.  After all, they're used to being worshiped for their cuteness.

The kittens are in their adventurous phase. They're no longer content to stay in "the kitten room," and when the door opens, there they are, ready to march out, single file, either following Mom or leading her. When she wants them to go back, she'll chirp to them and lead the way home.

This is fun to chew on--but not as fun as Gale!

They've also managed to create their own jungle gym by pulling some drawers out of a small storage dresser, then climbing all over it. They still think the broom and the litter-box scoop are toys, and they don't understand why anyone would use them for cleaning up messes when making new messes is so much more fun. They've already managed to bury one toy mouse in the litter box (bye-bye, mousie!), shred another mouse, and lose various toys under the bed or under the dresser.

Since they started eating last week they actually cry when they hear the can open---well, mostly Peeta cries, but they wake up and drop anything they are doing to trot over for the food game. All five of them gather around the two bowls I have emptied the can into and start chowing down. Many times Mama has to push her way in just to get a bite. Today Katniss ate almost a whole dish by himself. Rue is least likely to get a seat at the table, as she is the littlest and her kitten sibs think nothing of shoving her out of way. Today Rue ate most of her dinner spoon by spoon as I encouraged her to nibble bite by bite.

He followed me home. Can I keep him?

Gale continues to recover from his bite wound and exhibits no fear of--well, anything! Today he leaped from my shoulder, bounced off the side of the bed, and then bounded to the floor and ran off, not at all bothered, as I cringed and gasped. He is seemingly unaware of his hair scar and thinks he is the cutest ever--which of course he is!

Stay tuned for more kitten antics in the days and weeks ahead.

Peeta Steps Out!

Sweet little Peeta. Yes, he's a bit of a crybaby. Yes, he's something of a mama's boy. But there's something about his innocent little face, wobbly legs, and wooly coat that makes him impossible to resist.

Peeta and Mom

Peeta is the smallest of the three boys (only little Rue, the one girl of the litter, is smaller), but he's no slouch. Not only has he managed to jump up to the window perch on his own, he was also the first to try eating solid food. After Peeta took the plunge, Gale chowed down, and Katniss had a few bites. Only Rue is still holding back, but she's showing some interest, and we're sure she'll catch up to the boys soon.

Yay, Peeta! We're sure Mom is breathing a huge sigh of relief. Now, off to buy more kitten food!

"What's THAT stuff? I'M not gonna try it! Let's get Peeta..."

"He likes it! Hey, Peeta!"

Hungry, Hungry Kittens!

It's a floofy ball o'cuteness!

They're small and fluffy and playful, and they're growing every day. Katniss is still the leader at 1 lb., 7.8 oz. ; Gale is not far behind at 1 lb., 7 oz.; Peeta is catching up at 1 lb., 5 oz., and tiny Rue has finally broken the pound barrier at 1 lb., .5 oz.

Mom Runway in a rare quiet moment

Meanwhile, none of them have started eating solid food, despite many attempts to introduce it. They still think Mama's Kitchen serves up the best meals in town! But the kittens are five weeks old now, so it is time for them to start being more independent. We expect the next week to be messy but fun, with more attempts to interest them in "kitten glop." Stay tuned! 

Peeta, a/k/a "Cry Baby Kitten." He's very vocal when he's hungry!

Kittens on the Move!

 The Hunger Games kittens are four weeks old and coming into their own. Sure, they still like to snuggle with Mom and sleep in kitten piles ... some of the time. But they're much more active, exploring their environment. They're moving on up and out of the nursery!

Katniss leading the crew in the Great Escape.

They are starting to show their distinct personalities. Katniss is the leader, always the first to explore new turf. Peeta likes to splash and play in the water dish, as if it's his own personal swimming pool. Gale is rather bold, and prefers the heights of the bed, although we've had to pull him back from the edge a few times. Rue is the smallest, but by no means the shyest. Her eye infection is healing nicely, and she can hold her own in kitten wrestling matches against her bigger brothers.

Mama Runway, while still eating voraciously, is getting thinner. No doubt she's hoping the kittens will soon show interest in eating solid food, but so far, they're more interested in walking through the food dish than in actually eating the stuff. They have, however, been observed in the litter box--Peeta, especially, seems to enjoy kicking litter around. We can't say that they're actually using the litter box for its designated purpose, but we're hoping that Mom's example will guide them in that direction.

"Hey, have you tried that new sandbox thing?"

 Basically, they're changing from babies to kittens, and they're just adorable. Sturdy, sweet Gale is stunning with his bright blue eyes and red hair. Peeta's lighter ginger coat is developing beautiful tabby stripes. Katniss has a thick, plush  coat of soft grey fur, and little dilute calico Rue has the cutest, funniest smudge on her nose. They are starting to play with toys (we need to get them more of those), are spending more time running around and less time sleeping, and are starting to talk more, demanding to be noticed--as if such cuteness could go unnoticed!

For her part, Mama is less nervous when they're running about, more willing to let them venture from her side for short periods of time. She even seems to enjoy some alone time, lounging on the floor or in her window perch. After all, even the best mother needs a little break from the kids now and then.

Caturday's Child Works Hard (at Being Cute) for a Living

Four kits, three weeks. The Hunger Games Kittens--Katniss, Peeta, Gale, and Rue--turned three weeks old today, which meant it was time for their weigh-in. They didn't like it any more than we humans do (of course, we might not mind it so much if we were tiny enough to be weighed on a food scale)!

We're happy to report that all four kittens are growing apace. They are either closing in on one pound or have already passed it. This week, Katniss leads the pack at 1 lb., 6 oz., with Gale close behind at 1.4, then Peeta at 15.7 oz., and little Rue at 12.9 oz.

They still love to sleep kitten-pile style, but are more aware of their surroundings and have even made some attempts to climb out of their nursing box. Mom Runway is clearly proud of them, and who can blame her?

New Family on the Block: The Hunger Games Kittens!

How do cats and kittens get to Miri's House?

Miri, the first mama cat fostered here.

Sometimes, we've taken in kittens from a local animal shelter, but usually, like Miri, they just find their way here. Maybe homeless cats leave invisible hobo signs pointing the way, saying "Good food, soft beds, high-potency catnip here!" Maybe not. But however they get here, we're glad these little wanderers find a safe stopping place on their way to a forever home.

Runway, the current mama cat in residence, was wandering around the neighborhood for a while. Sometimes we'd glimpse a little calico face peeking out from under cars or bushes. On a hot Fourth of July day, we got a frantic call from some neighbors. They had managed to capture the little calico, and she was very thin--AND very pregnant. Panting and terrified, she looked as if she were about to give birth immediately. But once released from the cat carrier, she calmed down and showed her true nature: a complete purr bug. With two weeks of high-quality kitten food, Mama grew ... and grew ... Finally, on July 20, she gave birth to four healthy and absolutely stunning kittens: one calico, one grey, one light orange, and one dark orange--the same number and coloring as Miri's kittens.

Runway with Peeta, Rue, Gale, and Katniss.

 Runway got her name from the cute little "landing strip" of orange under her chin, but what to call the kittens? We'd already had a "Harry Potter" family (Molly, Ginny, and Luna), so it seemed only right to honor another favorite young adult book series and name these plucky little survivors after characters in The Hunger Games. So, we have strong and determined Katniss, with the softest grey fur ever; Peeta, the fluffy ginger-blond boy with a gift for gab; sleek dark-red Gale, already a bold explorer; and sweet little Rue, the tiniest but very likely the brightest.

Right now, they still wobble when they walk, and they haven't really seen the world beyond Mama's side. But soon, they will be getting into all kinds of cute kitten trouble, the way kittens do. We'll keep you posted.