Emma and Annie have arrived!

[mrspunkysmom]

Wonderful news for Annie and Emma! You are doing a great job!

Pardon me for having to ask, but what type of store do you own?

[moosmom]

THANK YOU Snakemama! Those girls are in wonderful hands!

[snakemama]

Wonderful news for Annie and Emma! You are doing a great job!

Pardon me for having to ask, but what type of store do you own?

I'll write up a more detailed reply in half an hour or so, but I had a moment so I thought I'd pop in and say I manage a pet feed store. We don't carry any animals, but we have two budgies who live in the store, and Annie likes to listen to their chirpy noises.

It's a REALLY quiet store for the most part, and both myself and my employees have been diligent about wheeling the kitty condo into the back any time there are noisy crowds....which generally is just for 90 minutes once a week when we have a low cost vaccine clinic come through, but occasionally a big family comes in and I don't think A&E would appreciate noisy kiddos.

[snakemama]

Okie, more detailed update before bed. I came in to work this morning to find that the wet food was almost all gone and the dry food had been picked at too! I was on cloud nine, and I called the vet who cheered with me! Apparently they made a big impression on the receptionist, because she was cheering them on too! I'm HOPING they both ate, but there's no real way for me to tell since I wasn't watching. A few hours later, the doc called me back to tell me that all of their bloodwork was great! Kidney, liver, etc...all well within normal range. There was a slightly elevated...er...somethingorother for both of them, but apparently it's something that is typically elevated during times of stress and nothing to worry about.

We had lots of lap time today with both of them, and after several vigorously applied biscuits punctured my skin we did manicures for both of them too. Emma still doesn't seek out my attention, but she leans into my hand when I rub her face and ears so I think she appreciates the attention. She doesn't cringe away anymore at least! Annie REALLY likes lap time, she spent most of my lunch break keeping my lap warm and watching what was happening around us. Neither of them was really into food today, so I'm hoping for more empty bowls tomorrow morning. I put out two bowls with different wet foods, and I did bring a can of tuna with me just in case.

My employees hooked a BIG playpen to the condo today and once we were confident that it was escape-proof, we opened the condo door. Nobody ventured out on their own, but they both sniffed around when I took them out, and they both spend time in the big bed out in the playpen.

And of course, pictures!


Cuddled up in the big bed after brushing and manicures.


I found a bigger box today so they can hide out together!


Emma can't decide if she's happy or annoyed to be in my lap.


I admit, I'm slightly obsessed with Annie's nose freckles! One of my customers is a kindergarten science teacher, and she told me there is a technical name for the spots. I looked it up: it's letigo simplex. You can't see it very well in this picture, but she has freckles on her eyelids too!


The thing my vet emphasized the most is that they need lots of hiding places, so I exchanged the bag of food they didn't like for this covered bed, and Emma took to it right away!


I just thought Annie's expression in this one was too sweet!

I'm already wishing that I could just take them home and call them mine. Unfortunately, Kyubey has developed a habit of licking himself bald in huge patches whenever he's stressed by new things (putting up the Christmas tree resulted in s 3x5" bald patch on his back >.<) so bringing in new adult cats is out of the question. Sigh.

[Karen]

It all sounds great, and we know you will help them get the best furrever home! Here's to empty plates in the morning!

[slick]

Oh my Lord, I'm crying happy tears over here. This is so wonderful!! In a couple of months if they are still there I can send you a bit more money. Heck, who needs the frivolities of life when the money can go to this. I showed Gini the pictures and she is thrilled. Grinning from ear to ear.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I'm already wishing that I could just take them home and call them mine. Unfortunately, Kyubey has developed a habit of licking himself bald in huge patches whenever he's stressed by new things (putting up the Christmas tree resulted in s 3x5" bald patch on his back >.<) so bringing in new adult cats is out of the question. Sigh.

Is he an only cat? Maybe he would like some friends?

[snakemama]

Thank you Staci!! The ladies have $1112.22. On Sunday, if they continue to eat and explore, we'll do vaccines and microchips. Then I'll give them a few days to recover and make sure they're continuing to do well before scheduling dental cleaning! I'm going in to work a little late today because I helped someone load some stall mats into their truck and I am HURTING today, so I'll see them in a couple of hours.

[Randi]

I'm so glad you keep us updated on Annie and Emma, and I'm sure Gini is following closely from up there how they're doing.

I loved the pictures of them! Did you say our Tracey came to visit? I hope she got some pics, too.

Have sent you a contribution to their care, you should have it in a few days. Let me know.

Give Annie and Emma some kisses from me, please.

[snakemama]

Thank you SO MUCH Randi! I'll update immediately when I get it!

Today was a real breakthrough - I got a REAL PURR out of Emma! She looked so sad today...she spent most of the day with Annie in the cardboard box, not peering out or anything, I was getting very worried. I pulled her out for lap time in the afternoon, but one of my employees had to leave early so lap time got interrupted. In the evening, I stayed after and took her out again. She sat in my lap for a few minutes, then got up and tried to go back in the condo. I set her in the bed on the floor instead, hoping she would at least look around and be curious about her surroundings.

She looked around for a few minutes and even ate a couple of treats when I offered them, then went back into the condo and tucked herself into the covered bed. I reached in and started petting her in the bed, and she rolled over for a belly rub! (no mean feat for such a big kitty in such a little bed!) I rubbed her belly for a few minutes, and after a minute or so I felt a rumble...is that really a purr? I reached a little closer to her chin to be sure, and it was!! I went from intensely worried to delighted in an instant!

Annie has observed where the playpen opens when I come in, and she eyeballs that corner whenever she's wandering around. I keep waiting for her to try and shove it open to go for a proper wander.

Oh! I want to get them a scratcher! Does anyone who had stayed with Gini recall what they liked to scratch on? Cardboard/carpet, slanted/horizontal/vertical, etc? If not, I'll start with the basic flat cardboard scratcher and work my way up!

I didn't forget pictures either :P

Here's Emma's blissful bellyrubs!


And Annie pondering the best way to get out of the playpen!

[Grace]

There was a slightly elevated...er...somethingorother for both of them, but apparently it's something that is typically elevated during times of stress and nothing to worry about.

That is most likely the glucose level. When I take mine to the Vet - if they have blood drawn - it's the glucose that is often elevated.

[snakemama]

Just a brief update today 'cause I'm wiped! I left out two bowls of wet food last night and both of them were empty this morning! Tracey came to visit them tonight too.

[Karen]

Aww, cool!

[shais_mom]

finally got time to read thru this - and Cathy I KNOW it was Gini that you felt "over your shoulder"
Thank you for doing this for A&E and Miz Gini. She was special to a lot of us. I remember when I stayed with Gini in 2006 I woke up at one point having Emma curled behind my legs. I usually don't have an affinity for cats - dogs I can usually draw out but not cats. I was quite pleased with myself
I'll get a donation to you Cathy since I didn't get to send a memorial or flowers for Gini's memorial service.