May 20, 2015

It’s too early to determine the sex of the just rescued black kitten. I’m calling him/her Ebony who appears to be only three weeks old. Ebony’s fuzzy long kitten hairs are stunning as the tips of the hairs seem to be tinged with silver. I don’t know if that is only a property of a newly born kitten’s coat or if it will remain this way. The kitten’s eyes are a blue color. I think they just opened. I tried unsuccessfully to photograph the hapless little one with my iPhone. The result was always blurred. I came across this  pic that greatly resembles Ebony, sans hat.

 

There are a few amazing things about this tiny, little fella. First, it’s the loudest darn kitten I’ve ever heard. Wow, does it have a set of lungs! But the crying saved its life. The plaintive sounds coming from a certain spot inside a long vertical, metal gutter were loud enough to get the attention of the maintenance man at work. The night before, it had rained so it’s likely a torrent of water washed him into his predicament. How long was this poor, nearly drowned little kitten trapped inside his metal prison before its cries were heard? To top it off, the sun was hot enough to greatly increase the temperature inside the metal gutter. The traumatized little one surely possesses a great will to live.

Another amazing thing is this kitten’s ultra-sharp, micro-needle claws. They are the sharpest I’ve ever encountered. Although translucent, the prickling little claws are capable of some surprising damage.

May 21, 2015

I have never before had to feed and care for an orphaned kitten as its primary provider. I found using an eye-dropper for feeding to be minimally effective and that using a little bottle created for this purpose to be much better. Every three hours, sometimes more, I have to prepare a formula, heat it for 4 seconds in the microwave, place it in the bottle and get it in the right position inside the mouth. It’s an exhausting commitment.

My other cats are not sure they like what they see. I’ve had to reassure them they are still loved and cherished. Nothing’s changed. It’s only a mild inconvenience. From the first moment it came into the house, the little one loudly announced its presence. I knew it was crying for a mama who would never come. My two older cats regard the little black kitten as a hairy little monster who is being disruptive. They can barely tolerate the change in the status quo.

I’m reassuring my beautifully proportioned Tuti, young hyper-active Russian Blue fireball (who, age-wise, would translate into being a super confidant teenage girl) that before her is an entertaining toy that’s just not quite ready. “You are bored with your old toys,” I tell Tuti, “and you need something more challenging than just bugs and lizards. It will be Ok, just wait and see.” So far, she’s not buying it.

I’m not sure how my big ole boy, Lennie, a neutered male ginger (who would translate as approaching grandpa), is reacting. He did not like the din of the kitten’s cry. Lennie’s been attentive. He’s usually been in the same room as me, watching as I feed it. The kitten no longer cries for his mama in the same way it did before. I suppose that means I’ve been accepted as the mama. Lennie is more tolerant now that the awful sounds have subsided but he remains distant and unapproachable. I wonder if Ebony could stir the memory of Fred, Lennie’s old buddy and pal. Before Fred’s unexpected demise, he and Lennie were inseparable.

May 22, 2015

I noticed Ebony attempt to scratch behind his ear with his hind foot. He fell over. Ebony’s still learning coordination. This kitten is willful and strong. Though its cries were loud at the beginning, his little purr is soft, precious and delicate.

May 23, 2015

I think Ebony is a male. Today he’s learning depth perception. I watched him stare at something. With eyes fixed upon it, he’d move his head back and forth, up and down, then reach out to see if he could touch it. I also noticed him focusing his gaze upon his front paws while he purposefully moved them in front of his face. Is he trying to judge spacial relationships? Fascinating.