Welcome Home, Kukki

This photo is what made it happen.

On June 27, 2018 a notation popped up on my calendar "Take donations to Dumb Friends League." Periodically I go thru the toy boxes belonging to my cats and dogs, any food or treats that are perfectly fine but they've turned up their finicky noses at and donate to shelters and rescues.  

Seven weeks prior we had said farewell as our beloved Kia crossed over to the Rainbow Bridge. We missed her terribly (and always will). She is tucked in our hearts for safe keeping.

But knowing that our three year old, Kazz ~ just a big kitten himself ~ needed a playmate, we were slowly warming up to the idea of adopting another cat. 

No one could ever replace Kia but there are so, so many kitties in the world who need and deserve a loving home... well, we started dropping hints to each other.

Since I was planning to drop off donations at the shelter anyway, something made me click onto "Adoptable Cats" on the Dumb Friends League website. What the heck ~ I'll just look. Right. This is the photo that made me call the shelter. This is the photo I emailed to my Mister saying, "What do you think?" I mean... his name is CHARLIE for cryin' out loud. And so is my Mister's. This is the photo that had us hopping in the car - me with no makeup and my ratty "work at home clothes" and without a lot of discussion or thought we were off to meet "Charlie."

The shelter described Charlie as:

My name is CHARLIE!  

I am a neutered male, red tabby Domestic Longhair.
The shelter thinks I am about 1 year and 2 months old.
I have been at the shelter since Jun 06, 2018.

I am described as A LOVING "GOOF BALL"
Favorite Things: Playtime is the best time of the day; will solicit attention to receive more pets.
Special Features: Loving/sweet purr machine; good with litterbox protocol.
Dream Home: A loving family with no small children that will turn this cat into a fine feline citizen.

His "behind the scene" notes indicated he was aggressive and had bitten someone.  We knew he had been returned twice and the notes said he shouldn't be around small children. Well, when I see "aggressive" and "small children" I see red flags and my first thought is - what did the small children do to him?

We visited with Charlie for about 10 minutes. He was adorable. A big chunk of a guy who was playful, purring, happy and easy going. There was zero indication of aggression. Sure if a cat gets overstimulated playing he may give a little love nip; but then you stop playing. It made me sad to think that such a great cat would have his chances of adoption diminished because previous owners were inexperienced in how to handle a kitten. 

Enter us.

One thing about my Mister and me? If we meet a dog or a cat at a shelter there is a 99% chance they're going home with us ~ no matter what their issues may be. In Charlie's case, that meant we knew we needed to work with him and help him lose weight. We didn't care. All 20 lbs of him was coming home with us. And we knew he wasn't aggressive. He was a kitten.

I've had A LOT of cats in my 63 years and this guy? Not one of them has adapted so quickly, so seamlessly, so happily to a family of two humans, two dogs and another cat. Today marks one month with us and it's like he's been with us forever. We did change his name because having two Charlies in the family seemed a bit confusing. And since we have Kizzie, Koko and Kazz, we searched for a K name. We settled on Kukki - which is Cookie in Japanese. And it suits our sweet boy - Kukki.

Sometimes it is just meant to be. Sometimes I get it right. 

Welcome home, Kukki.

Twenty Days Without You

It has been 20 days since we said a tearful goodbye to our sweet, sweet Kia. The pain comes in waves and some days it is all I can do to keep my head above water.

I wrote this one night as I watched Kia in her little corner of the kitchen that had become her world. I had returned from a five day trip the day before and was saddened by seeing her decline. 

April 19, 2018  (She lived 19 more days.)

I watch you tonight - as I have all day. Dozing. Standing. And when you move you lose your balance. 

I don’t think you know where you are. I don’t think you know what to do.  I think you react - out of instinct.  But you don’t know why.

You are still beautiful. You are still loving. 

You want to drink water but don’t seem to know how. 

You are slipping away from me and it hurts.  My beautiful girl. I know that saving you at 12 years old was a blessing for you - but most of all a blessing for me. I know the time is drawing nigh. I’m just having a hard time pushing the button.

But I don’t think you are happy here now. I think you are confused.  I think you are hurting in some way.

Think of the five things that make your cat, your cat.  When three of those things are gone, it’s time.

1.  Kia is affectionate - she likes to be on my lap or next to my pillow at night.  She likes to be in the studio with me.

2. She’s independent when it comes to the other animals.  She likes her space and doesn’t interact with them much.

3. She’s beautiful and takes care of her beauty.

4. She eats well and uses her litter box

5. She really, really loves me.

Right now she’s at 0 of 5.  

In retrospect – I think she really loved me to the very end. So 1 out of 5. She left this world purring and surrounded by so much love.

The Beatles said, "Love is all you need." If love was all Kia needed to survive she would still be snuggling in my arms, happy and thriving.

 Sadly it is not. Health is what you need.

Meanwhile on the Home Front...

We had some interesting weather yesterday. I was working in my studio when I heard the faint wail of sirens which got increasingly loud. I flipped the channel to the local news - nothing. So I concluded perhaps the sirens were just a test.

A few minutes later - ah, there it is. Several funnel clouds spotted - oh my - right in my neighborhood. In the past I would be the one on the deck with my camera searching out the best (read that most dangerous) looking sky. Something in me clicked this time, though. I'm responsible for three beautiful souls and I owed it to them to be as safe as we could be.

So when the meteorologists were strongly advising "take cover if you live in this area" I took it seriously.  So I packed a bag with water, treats (human, canine and feline), an LED flashlight, my laptop, my phone, batteries, adapters - you know the typical we'll-be-here-for-days type stuff.

Koko was already in his Thundershirt so we were good to go.  Go to that mysterious place called "The Basement."

You see, Koko and Kizzie aren't allowed in the basement. It is unfinished and full of all manner of stuff - a virtual playground and recipe for disaster when two puppies descend.

This is what it looked like to be in forbidden territory. The dogs explored as I tracked the storm. As Koko is very reactive to storms exploring the basement was actually a good distraction for him.

He thought perhaps it was Christmas.

Kizzie had other distractions. Kia merely enjoyed her position as Princess 

~ kind of like Princess and the Pea.

We moved upstairs as the storm passed; but the fascination did not.

Someone else was quite pleased the thunder was gone.

And then - as time went on and Koko went to bed (he's always the first to bed) the most amazing thing happened.

Almost a month in to Kia's adoption and I was beginning to wonder if she would ever acclimate... I found hope.

Of course, there is still some work to be done. *wink*

Kizzie: Ahem. Kia ~ that's my lap.

Oh here we go...

The Biggest Blessings Come in the Smallest Packages.

Just as I did when we adopted Kizzie

On her first night home

And just as I did when we adopted Koko

On his first night home

I have been obsessed with taking photographs of Kia.

On her first morning home

And every day since.  

Gazing out the window, watching the birds

On my desk

Or under it.

She prefers to drink out of the tap.

Or a "glass"

She likes to visit me in the studio

I do think she has claimed that yard of black fleece. All yours, babe.

She's a born model.

See?  I walked in the other room and she literally took my breath away.

I feel so blessed.

Foster Fail

If you read my previous post you know that I have been trying my hand as a foster parent fostering a shelter cat. 

And as most people who know me ~ starting with the folks I know at the shelter, then my family, then my friends, then my husband predicted ~ I am indeed a Foster Fail. Let me explain...

In retrospect I think the seed was planted when I overheard someone reject her because she was 12 years old. That bothered me. I was pretty much a goner when she sat on my lap and would not leave. Then - stick a fork in me 'cause I'm done - when I felt myself tearing up. Gah.

So I filled out the paperwork, met the Animal Protection Officers at my home so they could do more paperwork and do a home inspection and my husband and I were off to the shelter to pick up our foster girl.

I have experienced this with my dogs and heard it from almost everyone who fosters/adopts a shelter pet ~ the transformation once they are out of the shelter and realize they are going to be in a real home with people who love them ~ well, the transformation is remarkable.

They relax.

They get familiar with their surroundings.

Listening to her puppy dog brother sniff on the other side of the door.

They start to play.

Nothing says happiness like a rat filled with catnip!

And they get to know their people.

I haven't worked in 3 days.  How can I with bundle of love laying on me??

And eventually they realize... I'm staying!!!

Yes. We were Foster Fails in less than 24 hours. Truth told I was the minute I decided to foster her. It took just a bit longer for my husband to admit it but the day after we brought her home, he said, "Do you think we should keep her?"  I said, "Well if everything works out with the dogs, I would like to. I just love her."  Him, "Oh let's adopt her. If we have problems with the dogs we'll just call Yukari." (our dog/now cat trainer and fabulous friend).  

Today I signed the adoption papers, paid a nominal fee and bingo bango ~ Kia is now officially part of The K Team.  (I'll be updating their Facebook page to reflect that soon!) 

Speaking of the K Team my friends have remarked they haven't heard much about them (Koko and Kizzie) since Kia came on the scene. The three of them have yet to have any visual contact ~ we're working up to that. Right now they are sniffing thru doors and sniffing blankets to become accustomed to each other. Now their food bowls are placed on blankets (Kia's food bowl on a blanket that smells of the pups and the pups' food bowls on a blanket that smells of Kia) on either side of the guest room door where she is staying. So far, so good! Soon we will be doing the feeding routine in the same spots but with a puppy gate between them. Won't that be interesting??!  *wink*

So it's official ~ Kia is ours. Why Kia?  (Pronounced Keye-a) Well first Puddy Tat doesn't suit her.  She's beautiful and deserves a beautiful name. Second ~ we kind of have this K theme going with Koko and Kizzie (Kismet). Third ~ I Googled the meaning of Kia to find that the definition is loosely based on Chinese origins meaning "Arise or come up out of." Perfect! She's out of the shelter forever!

As for Koko and Kizzie ~ see for yourself. I think they're doing ok.

Goofball.

Mohawk rockin'

So...... stay tuned as we introduce The K Team to their new sistah!