Category: Foxfire and kittens

Foxfire and her kittens

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Foxfire is part of the “Farm Kitties” group we currently have. It includes her sister Nalia and her kittens, and also Felix. There is an excellent chance that Foxfire, Nalia, and Felix are all sisters from the same litter.

Foxfire was pregnant when we brought her home on July 20. I originally put her in the Jiro Palace with Nalia and her kittens, but she didn’t seem to like being cooped up with the kittens, and didn’t seem to have a close bond with Nalia. After a few days I noticed her growling at the kittens, so I decided I had to move her. It might have been a low-key warning that she wanted space, but I didn’t feel I could take the risk.

Foxfire in her private popup, about a week before her kittens were born. She’s not huge, so I estimated 3 kittens, but she had five.

Foxfire was moved into a popup by herself, but in the same room as Nalia and also Flora and Fauna. I didn’t like cooping her up, especially by herself, but she seemed to handle it ok. I knew she would prefer it once her kittens were born.

Foxfire is a very pretty kitty who is part Maine Coon. She has long hair, but not all over. She also has ear hairs that are very long and stick out, and a very fluffy tail. She’s only 7 pounds pregnant, so she’s like a miniature Maine Coon. Her face is pretty, and delicate, but from the side it has something of the Maine Coon shape. She has tabby stripes on her face and legs, but her back has more of a flecky pattern. Very unusual and quite pretty.

Foxfire’s kittens at almost 3 weeks. Note the tiny one in the middle right.

Foxfire’s kittens were born on August 8. It’s her first litter, but she has good instincts, and she did well. There are five and they range from a dark tabby with white feet to a couple of sable ones. These guys are going to be beautiful cats.

One of the kittens needed bottle feeding (click here for her story, and here for the poem she inspired), but she’s doing well, as are the others. They are 3 weeks old tomorrow, and really starting to move around on wobbly legs. They have started playing with each other a bit, and are becoming very cute!

Welcome new kitties!

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It has been quite a week, and sadly full of more examples of how horribly human beings can behave. We have seven new foster kitties from two different situations.

Flora and Fauna

On Sunday, July 17, we transferred two sisters here from another foster. The two cats are adults, probably about 2 years old. They were found abandoned in a house with no food or water, and one of them had three kittens. Someone pulled a sofa out and kittens fell out. Eventually they ended up with 9 Lives Rescue, but not without someone threatening to shoot them all first. The kittens seemed to be doing well for a few days with their new foster mom, and were gaining weight, but died the sixth day. No one really knows why – perhaps there were delayed consequences from their earlier treatment.

The adults are called Flora and Fauna. Flora is a light orange tabby, and she was the mom, and Fauna is a brown tabby with tortoise-shell markings: a torbie. They’ve been here six days and I have only had a few quick glimpses of Fauna; I haven’t seen Flora at all. They live in a big “popup” pen that is 7 feet across and octagonal, and 3 feet tall. They have a fleece blanket and hide under that all day. I’m going to do my best to convince these kitties that there are good people in the world, but they’ve had some pretty serious trauma – plus they are grieving from the loss of babies. Having each other is a great thing – they have a tight bond and are probably sisters.

Farm kitties

The farm kittens are about 6 to 7 weeks old. They weigh only about a pound each, but they are growing every day!

On Wednesday I went with the director of 9 Lives to visit a farm that asked us for help. Less than 20 minutes north of Madison, it is a tempting distance for humans who want to dump cats they don’t want and can’t be bothered to surrender humanely. As an example, the owner watched as someone drove by and just threw their cat out the window of the moving car.

With some of the cats pregnant and also an active tomcat across the highway – who loves to visit – the farm ended up with more cats than they could afford to feed. Cat populations get out of hand so fast! So they reached out to 9 Lives for help.

The fact is, 9 Lives Rescue is not taking new cats in, because all the foster families already have more cats than they are comfortable with. I agreed to take some, because I had openings, but the farm has many more cats that need new homes. We’re going to try to help, but, like most of the rescues in the area, we’re overburdened already.

On Wednesday we brought home a young mama cat, her three kittens, and also her sister – who is pregnant. I think that will make me officially over-extended with foster kitties, and yet there are so many more!

None of these kitties will be ready for adoption soon – but I invite you to follow along if you’re interested in watching their progress. I’ll be posting more photos soon!

Please surrender your cats humanely! Please spay and neuter your cats!