CATerwauling

Cats purr, chirp, and occasionally, they make a weird sound that seemingly defies description.  It is a mix between a yowl and a whine, but cat-like.  It is a drawn-out moan that sounds melodramatic.  This is called caterwauling.  (cat-chat-understanding-feline-language)

Cats start caterwauling to communicate many needs and emotions including the following:  physical problems, hormonal reasons, danger warnings, insecurity, desire for attention, and disorientation or cognitive dysfunction.

Saturday 11/2 - Sleeping in Britney's room with Mama Styx and the two girl kittens, the little black kitten (Babe) woke me up throwing up at 2am.  Shoot, it was no more than a teaspoon of liquid but I had hopped she was past that.  After getting it cleaned up, we (the two kittens were on the bed by me) eventually all fell back to sleep.







Mama and Babe did not eat much of the canned food for breakfast, but Lady dug in.  Styx was nursing them as I left to go downstairs.  I was glad to know Babe was getting some liquid and nourishment.  The boys were asleep together but woke right up, eager to eat.


Working here at my computer, I watched the three boys play.  They didn't seem to be missing the girls or Mama.  Maggie found them entertaining also.  And so did Monita, who was on the other side of the glass door, and had to move closer for a better view.

Cleaning litter boxes mid-morning, I observed a large, rather loose stool that had to be Styx.  She also didn't seem to be as perky.  I was actually looking forward to shipping the boys off so I could move the girls back down to the sunroom where I spend a lot of my time, and could keep a better eye on them.

I went to the gym over the lunch time hours and had a great workout.  I like it when it isn't as crowded.  Neighbor Allen and his daughter Debbie came by to visit the kittens, only seeing the boys since the girls were upstairs.  I was surprised to see the boys acting frightened.  Maybe without Mom nearby, they have less confidence.

As I was getting ready to meet some friends at Reds for a bite to eat, I got word that the Connecticut transfer was not going to happen until Friday (six more days).  So I went right upstairs and brought the three girls down, along with their litterbox and some toys.  I wasn't able to watch too much interaction but they seemed happy to be re-united.  Even Styx and Babe acted a little more energetic.  The boys were trying to nurse, but Mom was too busy making sure the sunroom was secure for them, since she hadn't been here in 24 hours.






I sat with Patty Burger, some of her family, and her singles golf group.  We enjoyed food and libations and singing along with the karaoke performers.  Karaoke can sometimes be like listening to caterwauling.  There was a talented group this time and we even did quite a bit of dancing.

I didn't get home until 11:45, immediately set the clocks back an hour and took the dog for a walk.  By the time I fed the cat family more canned food and did my bedtime routine, it was a few minutes before midnight in the new time.

Sunday 11/3 - Monita didn't know of the time change so was waking me up at 3:30, her usual 4:30 time to try to get me up and moving.  After 30 minutes of pushing her on the floor or hiding my head under the covers, I finally gave in.

While getting the canned food ready for the cat family, Babe threw up (much more - about 3 tablespoons of liquid) and then had dry heaves.  I was sooo worried about her.  She did not eat any canned food, and just looked weak and cold.  So I held her and she fell asleep while I was working here at my computer.


When Babe woke up, maybe an hour later, I put her by Styx
who was sleeping, to see if I could get Babe to nurse.  In no time, all the kittens were up fighting for a spot at the liquid food bar.  Mama Styx is under that pile of five kittens.  I had to block them from pushing Babe off.

Once she seemed to get her fill, she fell asleep.  When Mom and babies eventually moved on, Babe was huddle there looking cold, so I again scooped her up and let her
sleep in my arms.


Maybe 30 minutes later, Styx came up and laid on the cat tree on 'our side' of the fence barrier.  So I tried giving Babe another chance at nursing.  She latched right on to Mama who then started cleaning her (video).  I had noticed she kind of smelled of vomit, so was glad this was occurring.

I basically held Styx there by petting her, and Babe got a long, uninterrupted opportunity to nurse.  I was so thankful.  Before long, I ended up with Babe again, sound asleep under my sweatshirt.

I took this photo looking down through the neck of my yellow sweatshirt.  Babe was asleep on my belly.  I was really worried about her.  I felt like caterwauling, so cried and also prayed over her.

Babe was actually nursing again, with the crowd, when I left for Church.





I made a trip to Food City (through the construction mess) on the way home from Church to buy a milk replacer to see if that could rehydrate the sick kitten, but had no luck finding anything.  I planned to take her to Dr. Dan first thing Monday, hoping we could get her through this little bump in the road.

I held Styx again for just Babe to nurse (video) when I got home from Church.  Her siblings were all running around playing.  She had been so week, cold and lethargic all morning.  After this forth time nursing she was acting a little more playful.

Throughout the course of the afternoon, I watched Babe nurse as best as possible along with the other four ruffians.


This series of photos shows them jockeying for position at the milk bar.











The little kitten got much better as the day ended.  I had not seen any more throwing up since morning, but she definitely still had very runny diarrhea.  I was relieved to see that her energy was better, but not like the others and she had definitely dropped some weight.

I don't know where the time or day went.  I did spend a great deal of the day watching Babe and the other kittens.  And holding each of them.  Renegade actually held still in my arms for quite awhile.



Look at those eyes, still fairly blue.


After dinner I was able to give Babe one on one nursing time without having to ‘fight the crowd' although Mama Styx was not hugely agreeable.
















And then just before I went to bed, I saw them all nursing again.  So I was feeling less overwhelmed and worried about Babe (dehydration is a real concern).

Monday 11/4 - Joe sent me this photo of him with Mom, out to lunch, I think on Sunday.

Babe still had diarrhea, so I took her to the vet soon after his office opened.  Her weight dropped from 2 pounds on Friday, to 1.6 pounds.  Not good.  Her stool sample had no worms or protozoa, but we went ahead and gave her Ponazuril, which treats coccidia, a parasite that only passes through in the stool every couple of days.



Two of the boys got over the wall while I was sitting here.  Yet another problem to deal with.  They immediately started exploring my cat tower.




Renegade was by far the most adventuresome.






He even tried going up the stairs to the cat shelves (something Styx hasn't even tried).  But he quickly realized it was too tricky (or scary) for him.









I placed the boys back on their side of the wall a few times and they soon gave up.

This is Arigato (left) and Blue (above) on Courtney's cat tree that is being stored here until she gets a larger place.

I started in on concrete work down back in the afternoon, but only got one batch made because I first had to find, fit, and clean the rocks I was going to use.










Just as I was finishing up, Tony dropped by to get kitten paper work because the transport of the boys to Connecticut had been moved to 3am Wednesday, because there was snow expected up north on Friday.  While she was here, one of the boys threw up and then had diarrhea and another boy also had diarrhea.  I was flabbergasted.  But I should have known if I had read up on coccidia.  She said she thought it was coccidia because of how it smelled.  The vet was already closed so I had to wait till morning to treat the others.


Once I had cleaned up, fed everybody, and let all five babies nurse one last time, I moved the girls back upstairs.  The boys were to leave here at 4:00pm Tuesday.  I sat here working on last week's blog and the boys were again trying to get over the wall (video).








I could tell my two house cats were feeling neglected because they were extra affectionate, but I decided to sleep in Britney's room with the girls, and went up shortly after Joe got home from his nearly two weeks of travel at 9pm.  They could sleep with him, ha ha ha.  Lady was ready to hit the hay.

Tuesday 11/5 - Babe was much better, eating, drinking, and running around.  I still kept a close eye on her and hoped her appetite would continue to improve and the diarrhea (which was pudding rather than water) would also get better.  Styx did not eat much and seemed a little under the weather.  She had not gained any weight between the 5 week vet visit and Friday’s 7 week visit.  Maybe she has been ‘fighting’ this parasite for awhile.  Dr. Dan was in surgery all morning and let me just go in to pick up the medication so I didn’t have to cart the whole cat family in.  That saved them a little less stress thankfully.  Patty (who is so good at cat care) helped me get the medicine down each kitten and Mama Styx.


Renegade was feeling fine and being very playful.






Look at those blue eyes.

The boys really missed their mama and would climb up my legs every time I walked into the sunroom.  It’s a step in life that's hard to take.  They weren't caterwauling, but they sure were crying a lot.

All three boys did figure out how to get up and over the plastic covered fence to get on my side to be with me while I was sitting here (video).  They sure didn't appear to be sick.

I ended up taking the plastic covered fence down after setting the boys back on the other side several times.  They loved this new space and second cat tower (video).










I was really looking forward to moving the boys on and having less responsibility, but I was worried about them traveling all day Wednesday.  They didn't need any additional stress.  I hoped they'd be fine because I really do care about them.

I had planned a day of work in the yard (the weather was going to get rainy and then cold) so I carried on with the ditch project.  These photos are of what I had finished the day before, but it had been covered by the plastic when I took the end of day photo.


While working, I had numerous texts with Tony about the boys.  Ultimately, we decided it would be best not to send the boys, but I was really needing a break from the chaos of three cat groups.  I just didn’t feel I could foster the boys much longer.  This was the third time I had separated them from the girls and the second time I had mentally said goodbye to them.

I had to haul more sand up the hill from out of the creek.  Then I picked out rock and laid out the pattern.  Next they got a good cleaning and then I made concrete.

A text from Tony said she had come up with a new foster lady here in the Glade.  Her three older kittens would be going on the transfer north in place of my three and she would be ready to take mine on Friday.  I was feeling kind of guilty for pushing them off on somebody else, but it’s really what I needed to do.  I have had a great time fostering these kittens.  It’s been a blast, even though it’s a lot of work.

I got a call from neighbor Carole just after mixing up a batch of concrete.  Her best friend who sits with us at Ladies Club, had passed away at midnight.  If humans caterwauled, I would have been, but instead, I just cried.  Life was getting too sad at the moment.

I came in and checked on the two kitten groups a few times, between batches of concrete.  I ended up mixing four bags worth.  Again, my ending photo doesn't show much because I didn't think to take it until it was all covered with plastic.


We had Patty over for dinner (which Joe picked up at the pasta place) so we could hear about his trip and then she could visit the kittens.  Maggie wanted some loving also while we were in the sunroom with the boys.







After Patty left, I was here working on blogging.  Renegade figured out how (and was brave enough) to go up the ladder to the first shelf in the corner above my desk.  That's all the farther he went, and he soon came back down.

Joe was off at poker and I wanted to spend some time with the girls, so slept upstairs again.  I tried reading for awhile, but kittens and fatigue got the best of me.

Wed 11/6 - At some point the day before, Lady had also thrown up and was acting sickly.  Mama Styx nursed the girls several times during the night. I would hear her call out in a loud voice, the kittens would wake and scamper down from beside me in the bed, and pretty soon I would hear sucking and loud purring.  I took this (video) a day later, but it gives you an idea.  Anyway, I was glad both girls were still getting liquid and nutrients, but it was becoming more apparent that I may have to separate Mama Styx from the two girls once the boys are gone.

At my computer here in the sunroom, the boys were a big distraction.  They were quite playful and trying to figure out the ladder up to the cat shelves.

They were still missing their mom, and Renegade actually took a nap here on my lap.

Also, they weren't feeling 100% yet.  The two gray ones still had rather loose stools.






Well, my morning was shorter than I would have liked because I had Ladies Club.




It was also a gorgeous day and I hated the thought of being inside when I could be getting work done down back.  But I enjoyed a delicious turkey dinner and conversing with the seven other women at my table.  Carole did not come and I was feeling bad for her because of the loss of Rosemary.  Alas, when I heard the speaker was a doctor talking about hearing, I decided to ditch it right after the meal, and got home by 12:30.


Uncovered, you can see what I accomplished the day before and by the end of this day, although I made one batch of concrete.  There was not much more time left in the day, it gets dark so darn early.

I switched the boys and girls since the boys were to leave on Friday and the girls will be down here, separated from Stevie and Monita through the end of this month.














And I slept up in Britney's bed with the boys.  Arigato is the gray one with the four white paws.

Thursday 11/7 - Rain started in the night and continued all day.  It hadn't gotten a lot colder yet, but that was to come.  The boys were so sweet and cuddly to sleep with all night.  When they slept on my legs, I could hardly feel them.



The girls seemed happy to be back down in the sunroom, where they can see out the windows and have the climbing trees.











Mama Styx was still nursing the two girls, and didn't even mind Maggie watching.



She does not like my cats looking in on her.  This is Monita on the other side of the sliding glass door.



Notice Mama Styx keeps an ear cocked in that direction.  Always on the alert.




It rained all day so I never left the house or got out of my PJ's.  I did do some laundry and cleaning (mostly from pets).  We did have a little accident.  One of the kittens peed on the dog bed.




Little Lady fell asleep on my mouse arm and I eventually moved her into the box with her sister so I wasn't entrapped.  A little later she decided to go sleep with Maggie.  Notice the different dog bed.













Meanwhile, Styx rested behind my computer and watched wildlife and rain outside the window.


Babe tried her skills at the ladder but turned around and came back down before getting up on the shelf.  She has four white paws like her mom and Arigato.


















Lady got on and off the bed with Maggie several times during the day.  She even tried nursing at one point.  Maggie the surrogate mom.

So how did I spend my day if I never left the house?  You guessed it, watching kittens.  I went upstairs to play with the boys a few times.  And I fed both groups canned kitten food,  which I do four times a day (roughly 5am, 10am, 3pm and 8pm).  The two girls and Mama Styx and still so skinny.



I got an e-mail from Tony indicating the new foster home would NOT be ready for the boys Friday and it would be awhile, so I started caterwauling.  I was half tempted to put them back with the girls and foster them indefinitely.



I have been trying to get Mama Styx 'dried up' so thought I could just put her upstairs and bring the boys down.  But I didn't want to do this to her.  She has been such a good mom.  I ended up contacting the foster lady (Gay) to see just how long 'awhile' was and she said she would be ready Saturday.  I could hang in there a little longer.

Wanting to keep mama Styx with her two girls, I have been trying to discourage her from letting the babies nurse, and often she does this on her own accord.  But then, sometimes she actually calls them over (is this caterwauling?).  Just before my bedtime, she used her fresh kill' (mouse toy) and voice to attract them for a nursing session (video).

Friday 11/8 - I was up at 4:00.  The boys were rambunctious and hungry, I think for Mom's milk and love.  I fed them and then the girl group.  The girls were not doing too well.  They didn't really want to eat and they acted cold.  The sunroom does not stay as warm as the rest of the house when I have the doors shut.  So I turned on the space heater.  Lady and Maggie thought it cozy in front of it.


Babe was content to stay warm and snuggly in my arms.  It made it slow going typing one handed.

By the time the sun was up, I noticed that Lady was still struggling to get over the diarrhea.  And then Babe started in with another bout of throwing up and liquid stools.  I called the vet once he was open, and was told I had to wait a week from the first dose of Ponazuril, so would get more after the weekend.




The other dog bed got peed on just after sun up so in addition to cleaning litter boxes, I took care of that mess.

I discovered diarrhea in the boys box and again was getting frustrated and feeling exhausted.





The two little girls were catching snitches of milk when Mama was preoccupied.  And she continued to call them on occasion to come relieve her, even while sitting up on the cat tower.  Scheesh.














Lots more cleaning took place during the day.  I learned that disinfectant (bleach) doesn't kill the coccidia, so I had Joe get the recommended ammonia I later used.

I turned the space heater off once the sun was warming the room.  Sunshine is a magnet to cats.




I went to catch a nap up on Britney's bed with 'the boys' but all they wanted to do was play (video).














Joe was doing his own household tasks, unclogging his very stopped up sink and installing a new Xfinity box.  After he got the plumbing back together I insisted on doing some additional clean up of that mess.  And before he moved the TV and bookcase back in place in his mancave, I also had him wait for me to clean behind the furniture he had pulled out.







Eventually, I did get myself to the gym for a decent workout followed by stretching and a shower.








I had the evening to myself because Joe was playing poker.  I hung out here at my computer with the girls and worked at this blog.  Again the space heater was on with Maggie and Lady sitting by it.





I went up to bed early (in Britney's room) for one last night with the boy kittens.  Playing with them while doing some reading was a good way to end the day and our wonderful eight weeks together.  I was so glad to see these three were feeling much better.


Renedgade and Arigato on my lap and legs, seen right.



And Blue watching from the headboard.









I was not at the point of caterwauling, although I would miss these boys a lot.  I was glad to have them move on to the next stage of their life and have my life simplified somewhat.

This is an interesting article about David Teie who makes  Cat Music (which is at the other end of the noise spectrum than caterwauling).  The purring sound my kittens make can be heard.