Catmas Carols

Christmas Carols by Laurie Loughlin
2013
Weight: 5.6 oz
Method of Disposal: Lending Library

I lost another foster kitten today.  It is bound to happen.  We never want to foster kittens because it ends in heartbreak too often but, when you see them, struggling to breath and there is no one else willing to endure the possibility of losing them then what can you do?  You cannot leave them to suffer at the shelter just because you do not want to break your own heart.  Besides, sometimes you are able to turn it around.

I was not able to do that today and so, after a four day struggle, we lost Cilantro.  On evening two I started to get my hopes up.  By three, I knew we could do it.  Up until an hour before he died, I refused to believe it was happening.  Once they are gone you wish you had opted to euthanize and end their suffering.  Sometimes that is the decision you make.  Sometimes one pulls through.

No matter how many we have lost I am always heartbroken to say goodbye, to watch their final breaths.  I wish I could say that I will never foster another one.  I would really like that.  But I will never be able to turn away from a kitten or cat that is sure to die, alone in a cage.

Commandos

Commandos by Octavio Diez
2001
Weight: 1 lb
Method of Disposal: Donating

The General George Alexander (featured above) is training himself to be a Commando, despite my attempts to civilianize him.  Yesterday, he took to pouncing on my ankles as I walked by and biting them.  It would shock my, and I would stumble, trying not to crunch him.  However, when you pick him up and hold him he is just a purring machine.

NEVER DRAW BLOOD THOUGH.  He had his first blood test last week and things quickly got out of hand.  He bit me and was off in a frantic, angry, blur of bristled cat fur.  It was embarrassing.  Bottle babies always have such...unique personalities...
 

Amoeba and Paramecium

America the Beautiful by Moon Unit Zappa
2001
Weight: 12 oz
Method of Disposal: Donation



I have been fostering a three week-old kitten for three days now, and I still do not have a name for her despite my manager asking me about it through text message at random times during the day. I am thinking about it, but I want it to be wonderful. It does not matter how often I name animals it is always important and special to me. Usually, I get vetoed and when I don’t people grumble about the dog named “Medvedev” for weeks. My own dogs were named by my ex-girlfriend, with the exception of Phoenix—who I named when I was in 9th grade and I bet you could tell. My car is named Alexandra (and the one before her was Athena) and my GPS is Vetica. I like names. I really like irregular names. I dream of naming a sibling duo Amoeba and Paramecium, but I am always shot down.

I picked up America the Beautiful after my coworker/dear friend/girl who would read me Curious George pointed it out. She was thinking about buying it because Moon Unit is the daughter of Frank Zappa. I bought it mostly because the author’s name was Moon Unit and the main character was named America Throne. I should have known I would not enjoy it when I saw that the two review quotes on the back of the book were made by Alanis Morisette and Diane Leslie, author of FLEUR DE LEIGH’S LIFE OF CRIME? Or when I read the first sentence of the description. “America Throne is living the good life in L.A. Her career is sprouting, and she is in love—with Jasper Husch, a sexy-sultry artist from San Fran.” I feel like I was just punched in the stomach. Do you feel that?

Fortunately or unfortunately, there are plenty of people in the world that would love to read this book so I am donating it—unless any of you poor souls would like it. If you do, let me know soon and I will get it to you free of charge.
As for the baby kitten, I am thinking up a stream of not so irregular names with the help of friends and family. Just to list a few: Raika, Chicago, Millie, Mona, Lola. I do not know why, but I think it is suppose to be Millie even though I have been resisting it. A quick Google search says the name means industrious, strong, and brave. She IS all of those things, after all. Thank goodness it did not say “sweet” or I would have to throw that name out forever. To give credit where credit is due, Millie was thought up by my mother.