I have 9 rescued cats already. I wasn't planning on taking in any more. But this kitten season, there seemed to be a bumper crop.3 Weeks before MJ found this little guy, Kirby, half dead on our patio, we had taken in four 2 week old babies. Surely 13 was more than enough cats. But, he was so pathetic ..... It just didn't seem right to just drop him off at my vet's office and walk away.
Sound asleep there on the porch, he looked like that infant Jesus all stretched out dead in that Mannerist painting -The Madonna with the Long Neck. He was so tiny and he has a disfigured left eye and other problems from a nasty respiratory infection. Even after the vet gave us an immune system booster and antibiotics for him, we were concerned he wouldn't make it.
Worried that the other older kittens might injure him, I set up a little pen for him and put one of the extra wire panels from the pen on top. I went into the kitten room that afternoon to give them all their second feed of the day and found a serious commando raid taking place on the pen.
Pan and Jackie O, the 2 largest kittens were enthusiastically pushing the roof of the pen and Sniffles and Fluffy were hanging on the pen sides encouraging Kirby to climb up. After a couple of jumps and a spilled water bowl, Kirby got up the side and through the tiny hole in the top. He and the other 2 jumped to the floor from the roof . Squeaks of great happiness ensued, as all 4 kittens rolled him around the room like a little fuzzy ball. Naturally, they all stayed together after that wild raid.
Now Kirby is a few weeks older now and much better. He actually looks like a kitten now and has velvety fur. His favorite game is rattle ball. When he's excited, he's a wonderful little dancer prancing and "Meeping " happily. The other kittens still baby him shamefully though.
The big cats... well they're watching the situation with their usual disdain.
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