LostWoods Blog

I went to bed on Saturday night after doing my usual check of Kali. She was acting just like she did all week. Greet me at the door, run to the closet purring, sit in the closet washing herself and purring… I sat with her for a little bit then called it a night.

Sunday morning I went in to check on her first thing and she did not greet me at the door. Instead, when I looked in the closet, there was Kali with five brand new kittens! They were all cleaned up, dry, and contentedly nursing. Kali was purring with pride. I guess she wanted to remind me that cats have been delivering their babies without human supervision for a lot longer than I’ve been around!

So, introducing The Melons:

Pepino - brown mackerel tabby & white boy - 3.9 oz / 110 gr

Honeydew - blue-cream mackerel patch tabby (torbie) & white girl - 3.8 oz / 105 gr

Charentais - black & white boy - 4.2 oz / 118 gr

Galia - black & white girl - 4.2 oz / 120 gr

Crenshaw - brown mackerel tabby & white boy - 3.8 oz /108 gr

The babies’ pictures are on the web site so you can see their cute little faces. And yes, I know that Pepino is not a true melon, but it’s such a cute name!

They’ve all gained weight since yesterday, with Crenshaw and Honeydew leading the pack with .8 oz (about 20 gr) gains. Our only issue is Kali’s desire to put them under the bed. She delivered them in the closet, on the housebreaking pads and blankets I’d put in there for just that purpose. But now, she thinks they should be under the bed. Next to the wall. Right in the middle so it’s hard for me to reach them. When I move them back to the closet she doesn’t immediately move them back under the bed. She stays in the closet with them, nursing them, washing them, acting perfectly happy. BUT… as soon as I leave the room, under the bed they go!

Tonight I think I will be taking the large kennel up there and caging her. I hate to do it. But I don’t want the babies under the bed. It’s too big a space for the babies to wiggle around in and I worry about them getting separated from mom and siblings, getting a chill, and dying. I’d rather make Kali a little unhappy than lose a kitten. It’s not like it’s cold in there — it was in the 90s here yesterday and the bedroom was about 78 or so. (We don’t have a/c so we rely on closing the house up in the daytime, then opening windows and running fans at night. So I just don’t open the window in that room.)

One last thing to make you smile this morning. Basia has taken a liking to two big stuffed hippos in the hippo room. She has been taking her afternoon snoozes in there, cuddled up to them.

Sondra left for a few days in Nebraska, but before she hit the road, she took new pictures of the Warrior Kittens and her F Litter. So last night I updated the websites (mine and hers) with new pictures. They are all so cute! When I saw the pictures yesterday I wanted so badly to go to the airport and hop a plane to Colorado so I could give them cuddles in person. July 17th is way too far away! Here’s a bonus shot of Dawnflower.

I dropped off Taiba to be spayed today. She wasn’t very happy with me. She’d spent the night in the bathroom alone with her bed, a bowl of water, and a toy — which she put in the bowl of water. She didn’t like being alone. She didn’t like missing breakfast this morning. And she didn’t like being confined to the dark bathroom. Poor baby! But I should have taken her in to be spayed months ago. Next month when we go to Wichita Falls she’ll go along and her new owners will meet us at the show to pick her up. Yes, after all this time, Miss Opinionated, Talkative, Messy, Sweet Taiba has a new home.

No baby Melons  yet. I don’t really expect them until next week, but Kali is so big and clumsy that she’s been confined to the bedroom earlier than I’d usually confine a girl. She spends a lot of time napping under the bed (just like Talia!) except when I’m there and then she runs to the closet, purring. Yes, I’m just sure she and Talia had that conversation! She’s also eating like a pig, downing a can of wet food morning and evening, plus gobbling her dry food and drinking lots of water. From the looks of her, she eating for more than a few babies.

I think Kali got some advice from her Talia-mom about how to get tons of attention. The conversation may have gone like this. Imagine Kali on one side of the bedroom door and Talia on the other.  

Kali: I don’t like being in the bedroom by myself! I’m lonely. I’m bored. I’m sick of being pregnant!

Talia: I know, dear. That last week is just miserable.

Kali: Please let me out of here. I’d be sooo much happier if I were out with everyone else.

Talia: lisa-mom would get mad if I did that. But I’ll tell you how you can get lots of attention.

Kali: How? Tell me, please!!!

Talia: The first thing you need to do is go mess up your birthing bed. That will make lisa-mom think you’re nesting.

Kali: Okay, I can do that.

Talia: Then when lisa-mom comes up to visit you, meet her at the door, then run into the closet.

Kali: Why would I do that? I’d rather try to get out the door when it’s open.

Talia: No, if you go out the door, she’ll just catch you and put you back. And she’ll know you’re not ready to deliver the babies yet. You need to go in the closet so she thinks you’re going into labor.

Kali: Okay, that’s all I have to do?

Talia: No, once you’re in the closet, dig around at the blankets some more, then lie down and start purring. If lisa mom doesn’t come in the closet with you, go back out and look at her while you’re purring and as soon she reaches to pet you, run back into the closet again.

Kali: Then what?

Talia: Well then lisa-mom will probably come sit in the closet with you. She’ll pet you and talk to you and tell you how beautiful you are and how wonderful your babies are going to be.

Kali: And she’ll stay with me?

Talia: She’ll stay for ages. You do need to do some things now and then to convince her you’re nearing labor. Wash yourself a lot. Get up and dig at the blankets then lie back down in a new spot. Stare off into space with an unfocused look on your face. If you do all that, she’ll sit on the floor with you for hours. 

Kali: Really? She’ll stay right here and keep me company? For hours? 

Talia: Yes, she will. I’ve got her trained. The only problem is if you get hungry or thirsty she might get up and leave when you go over to the bowls. And if you get bored sitting in the closet and go lie under the bed, she’s going to leave then, too.

Kali: Okay, I’ll stay in the closet as long as I can.

Talia: Oh, another thing… In a couple days, lisa-mom is going to start sleeping in the bedroom with you.

Kali: And???

Talia: You can get loves all night long practically.

Kali: How?! Do I have to stay in the closet all night?

Talia: No, you can go up on the bed sometimes, too. Here’s what you do. You do all the things I already told you, but when you’re hungry or bored, it’s okay to come out of the closet. Lisa-mom will just get up and go sleep on the bed. Then every hour or so, jump up on the bed and purr at her. Give her a few head butts if she doesn’t wake up right away. She’ll pet you a few times and try to get you to cuddle up to her and go back to sleep. But if you want lots of loves, jump off the bed and run into the closet. If she doesn’t get out of bed and sit with you, do it again. She’ll give in. I know.

Kali: Wouldn’t it be more comfortable to just stay on the bed with her?

Talia: Well, yes. But she falls back asleep and you don’t get very many pets. If you go in the closet, she’ll wake up and pay attention to you for longer.

Kali: Thanks, Mom! I’ll try all these on her. But are you sure you couldn’t just let me out of here for a little while until lisa-mom comes home?

Talia: Sorry, dear. I don’t like it when lisa-mom is mad at me. And she’s right. It is better for you to be in the bedroom now. We don’t want you to do anything that would hurt you or the kits. The bedroom is the safest, quietest place. 

Kali: But I don’t want quiet. I want to be with my friends. 

Talia: You’ll be fine. It’s only a little longer. I can’t wait to see my new grandkittens. 

Kali: And I can’t wait to see my babies! Thanks for all the advice, Mom.  

It turns out that this past weekend was great for not just one, but two LostWoods boys. In my last post I wrote about Colyn becoming a Supreme in Loveland. Well, yesterday evening Connie called me to say that Magic (LostWoods Majestic of Foresttales, fka Kheldar) also became a Supreme Grand Champion Alter over the weekend.

Magic went into the show as a Quadruple Grand Champion Alter. On Saturday he earned a Best and then spent the rest of the weekend earning the rest of the points he needed to Supreme. On Sunday, the same judge who had made him Best the day before finalled him again, giving him the last of the points he needed. He finalled in nine rings at this show and supremed in only three shows — quite the accomplishment!

When I brag about my cats that others own and show - and love! - I hope you all know that while I’m proud of the cats, I’m also proud of the owners and their efforts, as well as thankful that they are showing off my babies so well. My contribution is small compared to that. And what I am most thankful of all for is that my babies live with people who adore them. Even if Connie and Kris had never taken Magic and Colyn to a single show, I’d be thrilled to say they own the boys. That goes for every kitten I’ve placed in a loving home. Thank you to everyone who loves my furry babies!

One evening last week I took Basia outside for some photos. This was only her second visit to the great outdoors if you don’t count going from the house or hotel to the car. So Buzzy Girl wasn’t quite sure what to think of being outside.

I put her on one of the lower branches of a Ponderosa pine tree — one I’ve determined is a good spot at the right height for photos. At first Buzzy looked around like maybe she should jump and make a dash for the house, but then she started exploring. She walked out further on the branch. She turned and came back toward the trunk. She discovered she could climb onto a higher branch, so she did. And she did again. Each time she’d climb higher, she’d explore to the end (or close) of the branch, then return to the trunk of the tree before going up some more.

I was starting to get a little concerned when she decided to climb out of my reach. I was telling her to come back down. Sometimes she’d sound a little meow like she was nervous, but she just kept climbing. Once in awhile she’d come back down to a lower branch, but then she’d spot another higher branch that looked interesting and back up she’d go.

About then, Ken came outside and I told him I thought I’d lost Buzz. She was never going to come down. He got the ladder from the garage, climbed up, and lifted her back down to the ground. I let her explore the grass and the flower beds for a little bit, then I put her in my other “photo tree”. But this time, when she made a move to climb up higher, I grabbed her and took her back in the house.

Here are some of the photos from Buzzy’s forest cat adventure.

Now on to a little more current news…

Congratulations to LostWoods Colyn, owned by Kris Main. Colyn (who is a Grand Premier in CFA) is now a Supreme Grand Champion Alter in TICA after being the Best Alter in Show at the NocoLoco show in Loveland this past weekend. Colyn was Best in seven of the eight rings and 2nd Best in the other. Way to go, Colyn & Kris!

Also, congratulations to LostWoods Keona Nevada of RedCanyon and her Brenda-mom. Keona finalled in two rings — 5th Best LH Kitten and 4th Best AB Kitten. These are the first two finals for an official RedCanyon cat, although Brenda’s boys (co-owned with me and having the “of LostWoods” suffix) have earned quite a few rosettes for her over the past few years. Yay Keona & Brenda!

I was in big trouble with Sondra because I hadn’t updated her site yet with the Warrior Cats four week photos, nor with the F Litter one week pics. She threatened to hold the five week pictures of the Warrior Cats for ransom until I did my job. Luckily, she relented. And I happily updated my site with their new photos, plus got caught up on her site. Of course, tomorrow she’ll be taking pictures of the F Litter and I’ll have to do it again, but I will be prompt. I will not get behind. I’ll be a good friend and web mistress.

The kittens are getting to be more and more adorable. Here’s a cute bonus shot of Brightheart. 

To me it looks like she’s inviting us to come visit her. Brightheart is Sondra’s favorite — a total sweetheart of a kitten.

Buzzy had an outdoor adventure this evening. No, nothing scary. Just her first trip outside (other than being carried to the car to go somewhere) since her snow adventure way back in November. I’ll write about it tomorrow and post some pictures.

I also managed to snap a few shots of the Cantaloupe. They really do not do justice to how big she is getting.

She is getting very clumsy and this weekend I will be getting the guest room all ready for her babies and confining her there, even though the babies aren’t due for awhile. I just don’t want her to hurt herself or the kittens while she’s trying to jump up to her favorite places — like the top of the refrigerator. So confinement it will be.

Ken and I also spent some time this evening cutting down a tree. And what, might you ask, does that have to do with cats? Well, I’ve wanted a piece of a tree to put in the cat run for some time. While scoping out the “forest” in our backyard, I spotted a pine tree growing right next to another tree. Both of them were suffering from the close proximity and the smaller one looked like a perfect candidate for the cat run. A sturdy trunk, with an equally sturdy branch off to one side, so Finny can climb up the tree, then sit on the branch or walk around surveying his kingdom. Now we just need to get it trimmed up and installed in the run. I also have a plan for a small water feature in the corner of the run to add additional entertainment for Fin. The least I can do if he has to be confined to a small room and a run.

… The four week pictures of the Warrior Kittens are FINALLY on the website. Two more days and I’ll have the five week pictures from Sondra. After all the grief I’ve given her about having to take pictures weekly, you’d think I’d be quicker to get them posted. And I will be. This week anyway.

I still need to add them to Sondra’s site, plus I have the one week pictures of her F Litter to post for her. I did get a little more done around the house this evening and Ken and I went for a walk. The weather is beautiful and it’s so nice to get out and enjoy the outdoors. So working on websites sorta fell by the way again, except for updating the kittens’ pictures. Oh, and I added the photo of Buzzy to the Cats page. I updated my links on the site and here on the blog to include Winteridge (Ohanna’s new home.) I put the Chehalis show results on the Show News page. I guess I did a little more than just the kitten pictures… Jim and Donna finally sent me pictures of Lucy to add to their site, so I need to get that done tomorrow night, too. The list keeps growing. Good thing I’m not going anywhere for awhile!

We had an awesome time in Washington!

I went to the show with modest expectations. Ohanna was going to meet her new mom — Karen Stinson of Winteridge who is both a NFC breeder and a TICA judge — and I was hoping that Karen liked her as much in person as she did in the many pictures I’d sent over the past couple months. (Yes, she does.) I had no real hopes that my little, mostly naked baby would do anything in terms of finals. I took along Natane, because I wanted some confirmation that Ohanna was indeed the better of the two girls, although I truly like Natane as well. One judge did pick Natane over Ohanna for breed, but everyone else picked Ohanna. And Ohanna did final in four rings, earning 2 8th Best AB Kittens awards and 2 10th Best AB Kitten awards. Here’s one of her goodbye photos, taken in the benching area Sunday.

Another of my aims for the weekend was to catch up with Magic (Kheldar) and his Connie mom. He looked very nice in the pictures she’d sent, but I wanted some more — and nothing beats getting to see and hold him in the fur. Magic has become a big, handsome wegie boy with a very nice coat. Connie says he’s lost a lot of it, so I can’t wait to see him in full coat this winter. He’s wasn’t a very cooperative model for the photos (I thought I trained him better than that!) but here’s one of him that is somewhat respectable — even if he does have shiny eyes.

But the best — the very BEST — part of the weekend was Basia. I took her to get started on her adult titles in TICA. I was hoping for a final or two, but I hate to go to a show expecting anything or having too high of hopes. I think I’ve mentioned that before. I’d rather come home happy with one final than disappointed that I only got one final. Glass half full…

Well! My little girl started out her adult show career on a good note, getting a 2nd best AB Cat in the very first ring and finalling in 5 of the 6 on Saturday. On Sunday morning, a little bird flew by and told me Buzzy had been Best of the Best on Saturday, despite one seriously misguided judge leaving her out of the final in a specialty ring. I was so excited to hear that! As Sunday progressed I started paying more attention to the other cats in the finals. Since Buzz was in all six of them, it was easy to see who her competition was, and by the time the 6th final was over, I was pretty sure she’d made Best for the weekend. The same little bird flew over to my cage as I was starting to pack up and told me I couldn’t leave quite yet.

Sure enough once the last rosette was hung in the last ring, they called Buzz and me up to where Alice Rhea presented Basia with the Leota Powell Memorial Trophy for Best of the Best. Alice was thrilled to be doing so not only in the memory of her dear friend Lee, but also because Basia just happened to have been her own choice for Best Cat earlier in the day. Lee’s daughters were there to help with the presentation and told me later that they were so happy a “real” cat won. (This after they were asking about the Norwegian Forest Cat and its origins.) Here’s a picture of the presentation. HORRIBLE picture of me (a good refrigerator picture for motivating me to lose weight!) but it captures the happiness of the moment, I think.

Also, a couple pictures I took of Buzz in the benching area. She’s growing up and becoming a beautiful cat, no longer a cute little kitten. I’ll update the website later with the one picture since I haven’t put a new one of her up in ages.

I got home really late (or early if you want to look at it that way) from Washington so I’m not terribly motivated to do anything today. I do have four week pictures of the Warrior Cats that Sondra sent me Thursday. That evening was too crazed for me to get them done then and I had no internet connectivity for my lap top all weekend, so updates had to wait. I’ll do them after my nap. Or after my first yoga class — which is this evening. Unless I decide to take a nap instead of going to it…

We left about 7 this morning. Jeremy is driving so I figured I’d do a post while kicking back and enjoying the ride. Such a luxury to not be stuck behind the wheel!

The girls (Basia, Taiba, Ohanna, and Natane) are safely ensconced in their big kennel. This is the first cat show trip we’ve made in the Highlander so it was like doing a new jigsaw puzzle to figure out how to arrange the kennel and all our stuff. Coming home will be easier as Jeremy is staying in WA with his mom for the summer. His big suitcase, two backpacks, and guitar will stay with him.

As I said, the girls are caged. All four of them are doing well with it, although from time to time I hear a plaintive meow from back there. Taiba has claimed the top of the covered litter box as her throne. Basia and Ohanna are lying on the blanket near the door. And Natane is trying to hide on the floor of the kennel behind the litter box.

It was Natane’s and Ohanna’s first bath last night. Natane did not want her claws clipped, nor did she want a bath. But she was good when I dried her. Ohanna was fine with the claw trim and pretty good in the bath. But she did NOT want to be dried. They had it fairly easy as neither of them has tons of coat right now so it didn’t take all that long to bathe and dry them.

Basia isn’t bad to bathe, and she is the best behaved cat I’ve ever dried. It’s not that she likes it but she stays on my lap and doesn’t fight me. However, she pouted all night and refused to sleep with us. She was still grumpy this morning and wasn’t very happy when I picked her up and took her to the car.

Enough for now. I think I’ll just relax and watch scenery go by.

Due to a lack of creativity and brain power this evening, I’ll make this short — but entertaining, I hope. Three pictures of life here at LostWoods.

First, our Queen of Everything, Meisterhaus Shira of LostWoods. It’s a bit of a mystery to me how she manages to take over the entire love seat but she does. Nobody, cat nor human, will disturb her.

Next, LostWoods Ariane (aka Ohanna Ariane) enjoying her favorite place in the house. She loves to nap in the tunnel of the little cat tree.

And last, LostWoods Natane Wynter has put herself away for the night — in a drawer in the kitchen!

Good night from Natane, me, and the cast of characters here at LostWoods!