September

Audace and Ruse learned lots of things in September: where to find a nice private place to take a nap (high on top of the kitchen cupboards!), where their food came from, how to play on their multi-level scratching-and-jumping toy (Austen was teaching them!), how to play in the water, and how to play with and in a box until it's in shreds.





What active little boys! And what a patient mommy they have, not to mention their servants!

Wow! It worked!

... and with photos, now, too.

Here's another test -- this time with Ruse and Audace baby pix! (Ruse above; Audace below.)

Quandry

I love the looks of this blog -- thank you, ML, for setting it all up! -- but the inability to post, with or without photos is becoming VERY frustrating. I'm looking into typepad.com and squarespace.com as alternatives, but I'd really rather have this one work and not have to switch.

So this is a test. Will Blogger work today??

Last June

When the kittens were first with us, they had many new people and things to become familiar with. It didn't take them long!! All these photos were taken between June 6 and June 16. Fast learners, these little guys!

Tummy Tuesday

This is Audace's favorite snoozing position -- toes curled and tummy up!

It's hard to resist patting that nice, soft, white little tummy. And he doesn't even wake up!

August

In August we introduced the cats to the Cat-Sitter DVD. At first only Ruse seemed interested, but eventually both of the kittens seemed to think it merited a passing glance. Grace was never impressed!

Audace is interesting, though, because he reacts to sounds he hears during regular television shows -- animal and bird sounds, doorbell or telephone ringing, things like those. You just never know what's going through those developing brains!

Hmmm...

More problems -- Blogger isn't letting me post photos today. The rats!

What's up with all this, anyway??

July

During the month of July, we were captivated by all the different kinds of play that our new babies found fascinating.


They loved the new stuff we brought home (e.g., flexible cubes that hook together, special from Target!) as well as the stuff that was already around the house (empty laundry basket!). They chewed on anything small and cylindrical, so we had (still do) to keep them away from computer cables and electrical cords.



But the most fascinating thing to me was not only the amount of time they slept, but that they always were together when it was naptime -- always. They needed to touch each other, whether they were in full body contact or just one foot each!


Grace, of course, was ever watchful -- and still did all the the cleaning, caring, feeding things she seemed to believe was her duty! Such an excellent mom!!

Beautiful Grace

On June 6, 2006, when I first saw Grace, I was just amazed. The photos we had seen of her online, including in this very blog, were impressive. Such a beauty, and she seemed so serene. All of those qualities that came through in those first photos were and are true. She's wonderful and beautiful and loving. Not even her rascally boys could fluster her!


She has filled out a great deal, now that she doesn't have four kittens to care for and is no longer nursing -- although I have to say, Audace and Ruse do still try, occasionally! Silly boys!! She didn't even weigh 9 pounds when she went in to be spayed, but now she's more like 14 or 15 pounds. She likes to guard the water dish, as you can see, and her two kitten-cats know enough to keep their distance when she's in guarding mode!

I do love this cat, and I cannot thank Deb and everyone else enough for rescuing her and her kittens that day in April.

While waiting ...

In case anyone doesn't know, I've been posting movies, photos, and little stories about Grace, Audace, and Ruse elsewhere since they came to live here in June.

Movies ~~> http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=writeacher

Photos and little stories ~~> http://writeacher.blogspot.com Look in the June, July, August, September, and October 2006 archives.

Re-naming kittens

When Deb brought Grace to us, she also brought Pete and Foster, whom my older grandson considers his own. He decided to re-name them -- to match their personalities. Heh! How can you tell that much about a kitten's personality at less than 2 months of age? Well, Austen played with them, watched them, fed them, etc., and sure enough -- the names he chose continue to suit them well.


Pete became Audace because he acted so boldly, barging right in where he seemed to think he belonged, where he was entitled to belong! This little guy continues to act like this. Whenever I come home, he's right there near the door to greet me. Whenever he sees anything interesting outside (such as one of the neighborhood cats!), he goes right up to the door or window to peer out at it and see what's what. At night, when I'm watching TV, he expects to cuddle up right next to me. He's been doing this all along.


Foster became Ruse because he's such a little imp, very sneaky, very tricky! He's always trying to get where he shouldn't go (such as in my own room or the computer room, the only no-no rooms in the house)! When he does make it into my room, he immediately skitters under the bed so I can't get him. I've learned not to bother chasing him. He'll come out eventually!

Deb and others referred to these guys as the twins, and they really do look alike. The primary way we can tell the difference is that Audace has more white on his little face, as well as a white patch on his back. Ruse has more orange on his face and all over his back. Both have this wonderfully soft and very white fur on their chests and tummies. They are perfect candidates for Tummy Tuesday posts!

These guys have truly wormed their ways into all our hearts -- and by "our" I mean myself and my daughter's family. They are loads of fun, really beautiful, and very loving. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Bringing this up to date!

Slowly, over the next few days or more, I'll post photos and little stories about Grace and two of her kittens. It'll be fun to relive the last 4 months in this way.

Stay tuned ...

CELEBRATE - GRACE & COMPANY HAVE HOMES

Okay, Fuzz Pack, good news.
Momma Grace, Brutus & Marigold, Pete & Foster all have forever homes.
Will post new pictures soon...

In honor of this great event, check out the little orange neko in the upper left corner. Click once to activate Little Orange Cat; click twice to read about him and get one of your own.

MOMMA GRACE - NEEDS A HOME, TOO

This is Momma Grace, the mother of the four beautiful kittens we have been featuring. Now you know where the kittens get their good looks. She is a wonderful Momma who adores her kittens. But she is also looking for a "forever home" of her own, with lots of love, a nice lap or two, and a quiet place to snuggle down. She, like her kittens, is a patient at The Houston Cat Hospital -- they were all given a clean bill of health. Not bad, considering their ordeal!

PETE & FOSTER - WE NEED HOMES...

Pete and Foster are still looking for their forever home - hopefully together, as these little guys have a very strong bond!

The first pictures are of Pete. Isn't he fierce? He has more white on his face than Foster. From what I can tell, he also boasts a large patch of white on his back. That should help in telling them apart!!!

The next photos are of Foster. You can tell Foster from Pete because Pete has a white face. Foster also has orange stripes under his beautiful baby blue eyes.

GOOD NEWS...BRUTUS & MARIGOLD ADOPTED!!!

BRUTUS and MARIGOLD are the first to be adopted!

As Deb announced in a post on Kat's Sunday evening: Okay Fuzz Packers -- looks like Marigold & Brutus are going to have a "forever home" with Rose! I'm call her first thing in the morning! They will be traveling in style to Newark. Wish I could personally take them. I would love to meet their new Mom in person. Thank you Rose! I look forward to talking to you tomorrow!

Congratulations to Rose and Emily on their newest family members!

Please Help These Kittens...

Please help us find loving "forever homes" for Momma Grace and her four beautiful kittens, Brutus, Marigold, Foster and Pete.

This kitten family was saved in a heroic last minute rescue by Debra Taylor of Houston, Texas. Deb rushed to the Houston SPCA just in time to save the kitties from euthanization.The kittens are now five weeks old (5/27/2006) and are hoping to find homes in the next few weeks.

They are patients of The Houston Cat Hospital and have all been given clean bills of health.

For more information on any or all of these cats, please contact
Debra Taylor.

You can also find additional information and photos at Kat's Cat of the Day and Pet du Jour.

Meet the Kittens -- PETE & FOSTER -- The Twins

PETE (top photo) and FOSTER (bottom photo) are the "twins". They are very difficult to tell apart. Here's a little hint -- Pete has a white face. They love to wrestle each other. Both are learning how to pounce. They love to lie on their backs and have belly rubs. They act very feriocious and often scare Deb greatly (or so they think!!!).

Meet the Kittens -- MARIGOLD

MARIGOLD is the only female of the litter and also the smallest. She is petite and very feminine. Yet she is also extremely adventurous, curious and will not hesitate to wrestle her three brothers with great gusto!

Meet the Kittens -- BRUTUS

BRUTUS is the only kitten who is a solid color. He earned his name because he likes to push everyone out of the way to nurse. He will even push the tiny Marigold out of the way to get to "his" nipple. Deb has to put Brutus in "time out" so Marigold gets a turn to nurse -- Deb calls it "nursing patrol".