Kitten Season!

It's summer, and that means KITTENS EVERYWHERE! Including at Miri's House. Because, even though we were trying to take a break from fostering to give our older kitties a little rest, sometimes homeless cats find a way.

Like this little kitten who was born outside, and whose feral mama just gave birth to yet another litter of kittens.

Nimbus, age 12 weeks, learning to love a safe indoor life.

And this pregnant mama who turned up on somebody's doorstep, as hungry for attention as she was for food.

Opal, a sweet and very pregnant kitty.

Right now, we've got a full house--with more to come, because Mama Opal, the beautiful calico, is due to give birth any day now.

We named the gray and white kitten Nimbus, thanks to a suggestion from one of our adopters, and named his mother Stormcloud. When he first came into rescue, he hid and hissed at anyone who got near him. He wasn't sure about being picked up and cuddled at first, but now he immediately starts up his little purr motorboat when you hold him.

Stormcloud (L) and Nimbus (R), in their outdoor days.

And we've just learned that he has more siblings his own age. We are concerned about them, and about Nimbus's mother, Stormcloud, and her new litter of kittens who remain hidden somewhere outside. Our neighbor has been feeding the outdoor kitties, and was able to capture Stormcloud--but she managed to rip her way through a window screen and escaped outside.

Then there's a sleek, dark-gray cat who we think is the father of all these litters. He keeps turning up on porches, looking for a home.

The number of cats who need help can feel overwhelming. We can't rescue them all, but we hope to find some help to rescue all the kittens, find them homes, and, if we can't find homes for the older outside kitties, at least get them fixed.

Nimbus has had his first set of shots and is due to be fixed in a few weeks. Mama Opal and her kittens will also need medical attention soon.

Can you help? Here is our wish list:
--Funds for veterinary care and spay/neuter for all current fosters and strays (click our "Feed the Kitties" PayPal link)
--Foster caregivers for the outdoor kitties (all you need is love--and a spare room)
--Kitten food and cat litter (we have an Amazon Wish List for those wishing to donate that way)
--Pet-proof window screens, and someone to install them, to keep foster kitties safe

If you can help with any of these, please donate through our PayPal link on this blog's main page or email mirishouse(at)gmail.com.

Thank mew!

Mama Stormcloud--still outside; desperately seeking foster home for her and her kittens.

Baby Steps

Our three little kittens are growing bigger and more active every day! They're still in the "kitten drawer" for now, safe in their snug nook under the bed, but they come out for regular play sessions and to socialize with visitors. We also weigh them (in a Tupperware container, on a food scale), and everyone is doing well--just past twelve ounces. Of course, like any ladies, they don't always care to get on the scale!

Hey! Don't weigh me, FEED ME! 

We tried introducing them to wet food yesterday, but no one showed any interest yet. That will come very soon, though--and then they will learn to use a litter box--and soon they will be big enough to climb out of the kitten drawer on their own and start exploring.

Soon I shall escape this prison, and the world shall tremble at my wrath! 

But no rush. Right now they're three weeks old, no longer helpless babies but toddlers, just starting to take their first steps to independence. Good job, Mama Emily!

Mom still makes the best pillow! 

Thank you to all those who have donated to help support our little family. Donations (through PayPal) and adoption requests can be sent to mirishouse (at) gmail.com. The kittens and mama should be ready to go to their new homes around the end of September or beginning of October.

Looking for a foster--or forever--home!

This sweet little lady looks an awful lot like our former foster kitten, Luna. A neighbor found her huddled outside in the snow, trying to keep warm.

We don't really have room for another foster kitty right now, so we are looking for someone who can take her in, either temporarily as we search for an adoptive family, or permanently. We think she's about 6 months old. We need to take her to the vet and have her checked out.

We will post updates soon, but in the meantime, if you can foster, please send an email to mirishouse (at) gmail.com. And if you can, please send us a donation to help with her vet care.

The Cuteness of Calicos

Rue and Runway: dilute and traditional calico cats

All cats are beautiful, and their different coloring is part of their beauty, from the sleek elegance of the black cat to the leonine lure of orange kitties, from the cream-and-sable delicacy of the Siamese to the wild leopard spots of the Bengal. 

But calico cats are special. With their tricolor coats and unpredictable markings, they stand out in a crowd. Their Dutch name is lapjeskat (for 'patches cat,' not 'lap cat,' although they can be both!), and in Japan they are known as mi-ke (for 'triple fur') and considered lucky. Associated with prosperity, they are sometimes known as "money cats." 

Japanese maneki neko or lucky cat

When a calico kitten is born, you can say, with 99% certainty, "It's a girl!" The genetic markers for the distinctive calico coloring can only be found in the X chromosome, and only two X chromosomes (not the XY of male cats) can result in this unusual color palette. 

At Miri's House, we've had the pleasure of fostering three calico cats, and while we can't say they've lived up to their reputation as "money cats," we still consider ourselves lucky to have known them. 

The first calico was Marilyn, the only calico in beautiful red foster cat Miri's litter of four kittens. Named for her Marilyn Monroe-like beauty spot, little Marilyn took after her namesake in another way: the camera loved her, and she loved to pose. And why not? This kitten was seriously adorable.

Pin-up calico girl Marilyn

 Not only was she almost illegally cute, Marilyn the kitten had a personality to match: sweet, friendly, and playful. A friend was planning to adopt a kitten from Miri's litter, and she had wanted an orange kitten, but when her son met Marilyn, it was love at first sight. Marilyn was the first kit of the litter to be adopted.

Marilyn the MeerKitten

Marilyn's new mom named her Carlotta, in honor of a deceased family member. Carlotta had two kitty siblings to play with, Precious and Bherr, and a new family that adored her. Today, Carlotta is all grown up, more beautiful than ever, and a treasured part of the family. In fact, Carlotta is so loved that she will be part of her mom's life forever, thanks to this amazing work of tattoo artistry.

Carlotta: love that's more than skin deep!

Runway, a striking traditional calico with black, orange, and white coloring, and her daughter Rue, an unusual dilute calico with silky grey fur blending into muted orange and white shades, are still in foster care, waiting for just the right person to fall in love with this bonded pair and give them a home together. 

Our wish is that every cat can find a forever home as loving as the one Carlotta found. 

Please donate to Miri's House so we can continue to foster cats and kittens who don't yet have the homes they deserve. Thanks for your support.