The Last Days

Monty and Harold had their surgery before Chesley did, so they were able to move on to their new home almost a whole week before Chesley left us.

We let Chesley really join our family in those last days. She was allowed upstairs in the big cats'  domain and we even let her sleep with us, too, which is something that we only allow on rare occasions, and only when there's just a single kitten left.



Much to my surprise, she did really well throughout the night. I thought for sure she would wake us up many times, but most of the nights she stayed curled up quietly on my pillow or on my shoulder. She did venture to the foot of the bed a few times and cuddled up with Charlene, who did not seem to mind.

Wylla enjoyed having just one little buddy to run around with and they had some fun moments racing the length of the house and up and down the stairs. They chased many Sparkle Balls together. Wylla taught her how to pounce on and burrow for Bed Mice.

And there were baths -- Wylla became very focused on keeping her kitten clean. Chesley enjoyed it for the most part, but on occasion got tired of the old "pin and lick" routine.





 I like it when our little ones have some one-on-one time with the big cats. It allows for some extra lessons on boundaries and respect, which will come in handy for Chesley as she adjusts to her new life with her new big brother in her new home.


Here's a sweet little bath time clip with Wylla and Chesley.  Gosh, these two just melt me.




I thought Wylla might be a little mopey after her friend left, but she's doing just great and I think she's enjoying catching up on her napping this week.

We're on the waiting list for more kittens, of course, but it's still terribly quiet at the shelter, so who knows how long it will be before we see more! Hopefully not too long!

Goodbye to Our Little Gray Girl

About the time the Higgenbotoms moved in with us, Elton, who volunteers at the Humane Society, posted  a message on the HS Volunteer Facebook page stating that he had been on a long search for the perfect kitten.  Mister, his big orange boy cat, was showing signs that he was in need of a playmate, and Elton really wanted to find a kitten that would merge easily into their home and be a great buddy for Mister.  He also really wanted a kitten that was a good "lap cat" and was loving and affectionate, too.

Chesley seemed like she might check all of his boxes, so I sent a message to Elton asking if he might like to meet her.  He came over the next Saturday to visit with our little gray girl and quickly fell in love with her.


At that point, the kittens had some growing to do before they were ready for adoption, so Elton had to wait three weeks for his girl. I'm sure these weeks were long and torturous, but this gave him plenty of time for him to prepare for her arrival. Though Elton felt Mister really wanted a friend, he wanted to make Chesley's introduction to him was slow and stress-free.  He set up a room just for her where she could get comfortable and acclimated before she went nose-to-nose with Mister.

Finally, adoption day came on Friday, and here she is in Elton's arms.



Congrats on your new little kitten, Elton! We hope Mister and Chesley become the best of buddies and you have the loving lap cat you've always wanted!  

Do stay in touch -- we're all curious to see how this little beauty develops!











Stay tuned, folks. I've got some updates happening the IBKC shop today that I'll be sharing with you shortly!

Ear Today, Gone Tomorrow!

-OR-

DisappEAR Lashes!


Remember those sweet little "ear lashes" Miss Chesley was sporting when she came to us?   For the first couple of weeks they seemed to be getting longer, fuller, brighter and whiter, but then all of a sudden they began to fade.  Now, there's only a whisper of her once white wispy ear whiskers!

So you can compare, here's a before and after shot:







She's still just adorable, of course, but I am a little sad to see they seem to be going away.

One lovely new development is the tiny white heart taking shape on her nose! Look close, can you see it?

What a perfectly smoochable spot that is!

Ear Floof, Fuzzy Toes, Velvet Noses

It's All Worth It

I know the big cats do make sacrifices because we foster kittens. They're not always able to eat EXACTLY when they want to be fed.  Doors are closed and they're kept in or out of places when kittens are in our care. Naps are interrupted. Our time is monopolized, and they don't get as much playtime or supervised deck outings as they would like to have.

But when I see moments like this, I know that what they contribute to the lives of these little ones is valuable and makes a difference. Though Wylla and Charlene might not understand or agree with it, I feel those little sacrifices are all worth it.

Such a Doll

She's so perfect, she hardly seems real -- a sweet kitten doll made of felt.

 

Higgenbottom Highlight Reel

I strung together a few of my favorite Higgenbottoms moments and made them into a little highlight reel for you!

Here's you'll see a couple of good pounces from little Chesley, some chirping from Harold, and Mr Monty doing a little victory trot when he captures his prey (the feather wand).

Thank you for always being so entertaining, dear Higgenbottoms!

 

Crows, Cats, Baths

The sounds of several squabbling crows drew Wylla and the Higgenbottoms to the window this morning.  One crow had what appeared to be a partial baguette and everyone wanted a piece (or maybe total control of it).   They all stole one a bite at a time, and once the remaining bit was small enough for the crow to fly away with it, he did. The others soon left the yard.

It was a funny scene, and I was as entertained by it as the cats were.

When the crows moved on, the cats remained in the window and focused their attention on each other and the drapes. All three wrestled on either side of the panels until two slipped off the ledge and only Harold remained.

Wylla moved in on Harold and began giving him got a thorough, head-to-toe bath. Harold did not mind one bit -- he loves any attention he gets form the ladies.

Chesley Lately

It's been three weeks since the Higgenbottom crew arrived on our doorstep. Chesley's always had some underlying tabby, and it's starting to surface more as she ages.  The lighter parts are be coming whiter and she has some darker stripes coming in as well. Her ear lashes seem to be brighting and thickening a bit, too.

Though she's still ounces smaller than her brothers, she's been putting on weight and is now much thicker through her middle and her belly is looking pretty round.

We're thrilled Chesley and her brothers are healthy and growing so well, it means their chapter with us is going to be awfully short!