Newest member. . .

[gahspidy]

So, I do not really understand how it has come to be that I now have three cats.I was never really a cat person. always was a dog kind a guy. It is a long story . . .

Well, my son was out in the backyard playing when he discovered a kitten that appears to be a few days old at most. Alone next to a tool shed, yelping and yelping away, eyes wide shut, trembling. . .Nina and I went out to see what we could do. Turns out the mother was in the next yard with her litter and could easily hear the yelping little youngun who could not have gotten to where he was on his own. We figured the mother removed it from her litter for whatever reason (too much yelping??)

Well, with QUITE ALOT of persuading and begging from Nina and Kyle we took in the little guy. I went to buy the formula and the baby bottles, etc.
And so the story goes . . . .
After being named "Orange" and "Squirmy" we have settled on "IKI" pronounced "eeky" which in Hawaiian means tiny or little.
Our other two female cats are curious about the new guy, but I think it will work out.
Please, no more . . . if you can hear me

[Frog]

Awfully young...hope it makes it.
Just about every cat I've ever had has found me, rather than the other way around.
I'm a dog guy, too, but circumstances at the time don't allow for one.

[Xia_Ke]

...Please, no more . . . if you can hear me

Oh, I hear you. I am a big cat guy but, we are watching a kitten for a friend who's in transition to a new apartment. It's just a couple weeks old but, that cat is the biggest little sh*t....LOL Our 2 adult male cats have had enough and we have to put the kitten in a separate room at night cause we're afraid they'll kill it when we're not around...LOL

[SmartWombat]

Good luck with the kitten care.
Keep stimulating the bowels the way that mum would do by licking, use a slightly damp cloth. Don't worry - you know how rough cat's tongues are.
Don't overfeed him, his stomach is the size of your thumbnail, little and often.
Fingers crossed for you.

[AmberC]

Oh my goodness! Poor little thing! I love the coffee cup pic though! I hope all goes well with your new little one!

[susaan]

Awwww...the last is my fav,big guy checking out small guy,
So glad IKI has a home with you,
My latest adoptee is careering off the walls,I have scratches all over my knuckles....
get jumped on while deeply asleep,etc,etc
-time to find him a friend to practice being a cat with...

[Liz]

Oh my! IKI is sooooo sweet! How could anyone resist such a beautiful kitten. Orange no less!

It's possible that one (or both) of your other cats may "adopt" IKI. Sometimes when they are so small and helpless, another cat in the house will sense he/she is needed and come to the rescue. Sometimes if it's a female, they will even nurse the kitten - with a little human intervention and encouragement.

At any rate, it's great you're helping little IKi out. Please keep us updated - and post more pics. These are so cute!

Liz

[gahspidy]

Awfully young...hope it makes it.
Just about every cat I've ever had has found me, rather than the other way around.
I'm a dog guy, too, but circumstances at the time don't allow for one.

Frog, I have been a victim of circumstances as well.

[Photo-John]

Keep stimulating the bowels the way that mum would do by licking, use a slightly damp cloth. Don't worry - you know how rough cat's tongues are.

Gary's tongue probably isn't rough enough.

[gahspidy]

Oh, I hear you. I am a big cat guy but, we are watching a kitten for a friend who's in transition to a new apartment. It's just a couple weeks old but, that cat is the biggest little sh*t....LOL Our 2 adult male cats have had enough and we have to put the kitten in a separate room at night cause we're afraid they'll kill it when we're not around...LOL

This little guy is real frisky when he's not sleeping the hours away. One of our female cats was allowed to sniff him and give him the once over and she started growling and making weird noises. I think though that both our cats will take to him as he becomes a bit older and they are more familiar with him.

[gahspidy]

Good luck with the kitten care.
Keep stimulating the bowels the way that mum would do by licking, use a slightly damp cloth. Don't worry - you know how rough cat's tongues are.
Don't overfeed him, his stomach is the size of your thumbnail, little and often.
Fingers crossed for you.

LOL, Johns right, my tongue is not rough enough.rrr: :ciappa: :biggrin5: :frown2: He looks to have a great chance at it, he's got alot of heart.

[gahspidy]

Amber, Susaan, and Liz, thanks I'll keep posting some newer shots of him. I'm glad he was given a second chance as well. . .

[Overbeyond]

Good for you and your family Gary. That's a good deed.

[Lori11]

Awwwwwww, I am allergic to cats and I now have 2 (and 2 dogs), and yes they showed up on my doorstep, I think it proves once again I dont know whats good for me I love the name too, Zeke is a year old and he takes care of the baby with no problem, your will too (Groucho is my new addition lol) Post more soon!

[gahspidy]

Well everyone, I thought I would post a few more recent pics of Iki since he is in a critical time of his short existence. He had some issues that I felt warranted him a visit to the vet.
The Vet told me that he may have worms and he has an upper respiratory ailment. Iki is still too young for deworming but the doc gave him a bit of something to control it until he can get old enough for a real deworming. Also has him on some anti biotics to control his respiratory condition. The vet says the next two weeks are critical and that he has a 50/50 chance of surviving.
He is now approx. 2 weeks old and we feel real positive about his chances. He is full of spunk and eager to eat.
He loves the attention we give him and contantly purrs whenever we play with him or hold him.

[Sebastian]

I'm no cat person by any stretch of the imagination, but those last three shots kill me. I really hope he pulls through.

[Lori11]

Oh heavens! Totally adorable, I'm pullin' for him! Keep us posted please

[SmartWombat]

I wish you and little Iki luck in the next few weeks.
He doesn't look that well, I would have said perhaps a touch anaemic, and isn't building up the legs as rapidly as I would expect.
But those are big paws and he's got a low of growing to do !
Fingers crossed for the little guy, he was parted from mum rather early.

[jgredline]

Even though I do not like cats, I really like the coffee cup shot. Great job. Hope everything goes well.

[gahspidy]

Thanks for the well wishes for him. He sure does sleep alot, but when he wakes he does have a healthy appetite. Paul, he walks around pretty well now and can get into some real mess fast, so when we have him out of his box we have to really watch him closely.
The other two girls in the house are taking to him well it seems.
He is almost 4 weeks now and will be going back to the doc soon for his shots and whatever else he's ready for.I think the chances now for him are much better as he is certainly getting stronger and healthier it seems by the day.

I know how you guys feel about cats . . .I was never into cats, didn't like em much actually. How I have three now is something I need to investigate further . . .

[SmartWombat]

there's some sort of agency that sends them to cat people
particularly cat people who don't know they're cat people

[Lori11]

:lol: they contacted me too, twice!

[gahspidy]

there's some sort of agency that sends them to cat people
particularly cat people who dont'' know they're cat people

LOL, Yes, I think there is. . .I will need to get my name off of their list, and fast!
A dancer friend of ours is also very active in a cat rescue organization and of course is so delighted about my new found addiction to the feline persuasion

BTW, hows your newest one doing?

[gahspidy]

:lol: they contacted me too, twice!

Twice by the Secret Cat agency AND twice by the secret Dog agency as well. You could be in real trouble soon . . . .

[Liz]

Thanks for the well wishes for him. He sure does sleep alot, but when he wakes he does have a healthy appetite. Paul, he walks around pretty well now and can get into some real mess fast, so when we have him out of his box we have to really watch him closely.
The other two girls in the house are taking to him well it seems.
He is almost 4 weeks now and will be going back to the doc soon for his shots and whatever else he's ready for.I think the chances now for him are much better as he is certainly getting stronger and healthier it seems by the day.

I know how you guys feel about cats . . .I was never into cats, didn't like em much actually. How I have three now is something I need to investigate further . . .

Gary,

I can relate. Last year we closed our residence for homeless women with AIDS. A few years ago one of our women asked for a cat. My initial "thought" was "WHAT? a cat???" I told her I would think about it. Now, I've always liked cats, but never wanted to live with one. Well, of course I said yes. She picked out a very young tiny kitten and named her "Kahuna" (Kahuna grew into her name!). Then a year later she told me Kahuna needed a friend. I said no. Then I said yes, well, okay. So we got a gray kitty called "Mousey." This lady eventually improved in health and moved to her own apt with her cats. So, I adopted 2 more kittens for the other women.

Bottom line. I began to enjoy playing with them. When we closed the house, I brought the last 2 - Molly and Jeremy - to my new home. Now I don't know what I would do without them. They entertain me, make me laugh, are always happy to see me - and....sometimes drive me crazy!

Liz