Kittyrat

**Ruthie-chan** · 04-21-2004, 02:30 AM

I think this counts as a rescue.

I came home from church to hear this really pathetic sound.
*meew*
*meew*
*Meew*
*MEEW*
*meew*
etc.
Only to find on the edge of my patio, near the front door (the only door), a kitten. A very small kitten who should be with its mother still.

I brought it in, Robert (my husband) was home, I called for him and when he walked into the living room I held up the kitty. He gives me this look like: "You'd better have a good explanation for this, and you'd better not have gotten it at church."
I told him where I found it, and his heart melted. (Robert loves kitties to boot.) On my patio was a plastic bag that looked like it was opened from the inside. I think someone either tossed it or shoved it there. (My patio is mostly enclosed.)

Robert and I think it's about 3 weeks old.
It's darling.
Robert just told me and I quote: "This cat is ridiculously cute."

So, good news is, it's eating solids, drinking infant formula, and it can pee and poop on its own now! Though for another day or two I'm still going to stimulate the genitels (rubbing gently with a warm cloth to simulate a mama cat's tongue).

Kittyrat (what I've been calling him(?) because he likes to hang out in my hair on my shoulders) purrs, and does really well with Hazel. (It helps that Hazel's nice too.)

We want to keep him. But we're not sure. Robert says we'll definitely keep him if he gets the job at Hitachi DataSystems. I hope we can keep him even if he doesn't. *sigh*

We go to the vet (hopefully) tomorrow.

Here's a picture on the day I found him.

**prechrswife** · 04-21-2004, 09:00 AM

That is an adorable baby! I hope things work out for you to keep him.

**RedHedd** · 04-21-2004, 11:11 AM

OMG! I can't imagine someone actually dumping a kitten that cute, but then I know it happens. I'm just SO glad you found the little "kittyrat"

and it's an ORANGIE! I do hope you get to keep the little scooterbug!

**lizbud** · 04-21-2004, 11:31 AM

Oh, what a precious baby.

How the kitty gets a good checkup at the vets. Bless you for
taking he/she in. Good luck. Sooooo precious.

**Denyce** · 04-21-2004, 06:29 PM

Oh my gosh!

In October of the year before last a small orange kitten showed up at my work. He was such skin and bones...the poor little thing. The vet didn't think he would have made it through the weekend as a huge ice storm was on it's way. I found a home for it that weekend with one of my husbands co-workers. His name is now Harley and he is huge and spoiled. When I found him he weighed less than a pound.

I am telling you all this because I became SOOOOOO attached to that tiny little guy. I knew he was going to a great home but the three days I had with him I just fell sooooo in love. I cried like a baby giving him up. There is something that happens when they are that small and they need you so much. That bond is just so tight.

I hope you get to keep your Kittyrat...although perhaps a more flattering name?

Denyce

**Ruthie-chan** · 04-21-2004, 07:11 PM

Oh, this is a temporary name.
We're not giving him a real name until we know we can keep him. . . *sigh*

We have a vet appointment on Friday.
All full up until then, but Kittyrat is doing very well so I'm not too worried.

**Ruthie-chan** · 04-23-2004, 12:09 AM

Half asleep

Up close and personal

The look of triumph after roughing up the defenseless stuffed cow.

For the entire narrative go to: http://potato.xarph.net/~ruthiechan/kittyrat.html
More pics will be forthcoming, so check back in a few days.

**RedHedd** · 04-23-2004, 10:40 AM

OMG! He is absolutely DARLING! Good luck at the white coats today, little one.

**heinz57_79** · 04-23-2004, 01:52 PM

What a doll!! I'm thinking my Katie's orangy kitten will probably look a lot like him. I have a sneaking suspicion that you'll probably end up keeping him.

And it's the temporary names that usually end up sticking. So he may just end up with a little tag that says "Kittyrat" on his collar. hehehe

Congrats on the new addition and I'm glad the bag was on your porch instead on someone else who wouldn't give a damn! Keep us posted!

**Ruthie-chan** · 04-23-2004, 02:39 PM

Well we're back from the vet.
I was right about the age and gender!
We have a boy who's now about 4 weeks of age (so about 3 weeks when we found him), and he weighs 10 ounces (he certainly didn't when we first got him!).

He loves my daughter who turns a year old on May first, and she loves him too.

Oh, so in 4 weeks he's getting shots and lukemia testing done, and at 4 months old we're getting him neutered.

I'm going to be getting a fecal sample soon to check for internal parasites.

They were all very happy with me and impressed that I had actually done a bit of research so I wasn't a total 'tard.

**K & L** · 04-23-2004, 03:08 PM

What a story!! That baby is adorable! Thanks for being there for him.

**Steffi N** · 04-23-2004, 04:52 PM

Thank you for being there for this precious handful. He is adorable as can be. I am glad that the little scooterbug's first vet visit went well.

I hope he will be able to stay with you.

**krazyaboutkatz** · 04-24-2004, 12:46 AM

He's adorable!!!

Thanks so much for rescuing him and I sure hope that you'll be able to keep him. Maybe you could name him Lucky because he's very lucky that you found him or Chance because now he has a new chance at a great life.

Please keep us updated and be sure to keep taking lots of pictures too.

If you want to name him for his looks:
O.J.
Sunshine
Sunny
Rusty
Tigger
Nacho
Pumpkin
Julius as in Orange Julius
Sunset