June 3rd, 2006 by Atomictumor
This morning, we woke up this morning to a box in the front yard containing 4 kittens. Details are sketchy at this point, but somehow the box tipped over, and the kittens scattered to the winds. When they were done scattering, they all ended up under vehicles out back. My sister and brother in law (Jdub and Dustbunny, for those keeping score) were here visiting with their kids, and we all went outside to try to track these kittens down before they got run over. After some serious work, we got them all replaced in their box.
A grey cat suspected to be their mother prowls outside, waiting for one of the kids to get too close and become a hostage. This cat is unrecognized, so I guess whatever gutless bastard dumped these kittens in our front yard (why? We don’t have any pets? Kids has always been enough of a responsibility for me) dumped mama cat out with the kids. 
Problem is, I don’t know that mom is getting the kittens back. The kids here have latched on, with Pigpen using his unique naming skills to dub the black kitten “Popopolese”, so I think we’re going to have another creature running around inside the house now. Not sure how thats going to work out.
Jdub and Dustb are thinking of taking another one home, while a neighbor who loaned us cat food for the box is thinking of taking another. The final one may end up at the Oak Ridge shelter unless somebody else wants one.
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:49 am
Gutless bastard indeed. It never ceases to amaze me how irresponsible people can be when it comes to domesticated animals.
I wish we could help you out, but I’m terribly allergic to cats and swell up like a puffer fish. I wish the kittens luck.
Which one are you thinking of keeping? Popopolese?
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:50 am
I don’t think we can not keep it with a moniker like that.
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:59 am
Don’t take them to the OR shelter. They “euthanize” after only 3 days and they will charge you some absurd fee too. There are no-kill shelters in Knoxville that could take them/it. And (takes a deep breath) if push comes to shove, to save a kitty’s life, I will take it TEMPORARILY. A foster home. Yeah, that’s it. But only as a last, last, final resort.
As an aside, there MAY be a blogger get together tonight at the new Borders in Turkey Creek. I’m getting more info soon. I hope. Doug at RealityMe is putting this together … sort of.
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:09 am
Anybody know any good places for vaccinations/spay/neutering?
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:51 am
So is having a kitty around going to keep you away, Eaves? I don’t want to put you in misery every time you come over. I figure it’s going to be an inside cat, at least until we get it spayed/neutered and vaccinated. Don’t know the sex yet.
June 3rd, 2006 at 11:55 am
Popopolese is a girl, along with one of the others. The other two are boys. There you go.
June 3rd, 2006 at 12:30 pm
“Gutless bastard” is far too kind… thanks for trying to find homes for all. I’d be one my way to fetch one, but I’ve already accumulated three homeless kitties (in addition to the two I’ve had for the last 13 years). Five cats, three chickens, five sugar gliders and a big dog are pretty much our limit.
A vet that I highly recommend is Mickey McArthur, on the west end of the turnpike. He’s on the right (driving west), past the fire station but before Weigels. Phone 482-1797. He’s taken care of everything from shots & spays to copperhead bites for my animals since I was a child.
June 3rd, 2006 at 12:50 pm
Thanks NM. So far, we’re taking Popopolese, Jdub’s taking the other girl (Rosie), and a neighbor might be taking one of the boys. We might just keep two of em here. Hell, if we have to go to the trouble of keeping one, two isn’t much more burden (works kinda like kids, the way I figure).
June 3rd, 2006 at 2:12 pm
Two is actually better than one … they keep each other company and they are less likely to be prone to many of the neurotic afflictions that single cats tend to have. Be sure to emphasize in very strong and unconditional terms to the kids that the cats are living creatures and are not toys. They can be hurt and if they are, they are not very forgiving, and can strike back in some painful ways.
I have a bit of experience in spoiling … err, raising and caring for cats. Give a holler if there’s anything I can help with.