Skate Update: Day 9

It's been almost a week and a half since little Skate (Stray Kitty 8) came to recuperate at Rosehaven Cottage after being found cold, shivering and probably dying in the middle of the street. Thanks to a round of antibiotics and a warm room to sleep in, she has rallied stupendously! We are so very proud of her tenacity and will to live. We are also thankful for the encouragement and support that many of you have given to us. It has meant more than you will ever know. We want to send a special thank you out to Yolanda Elizabet at Bliss who responded to an email I sent to her because of her many years of feline expertise. Yolanda, your words mean so very much! We thank you profusely!



As evidenced by the photos in this post, you can see that little Skate is doing very well! She's a typical playful kitten with energy spurts that I wish I could bottle and use myself.

Skate is also a very special kitten, in that despite her "kitten-ness" she has a sweet mature ability to show affection that I have never seen in a kitten this small (and I've seen many in my lifetime). Skate is far more people-oriented than any other kitten I've ever known--even our own Dee Dee and Dexter who were like little dogs in catsuits from the time we met them at 10 days old. Skate likes to cuddle more than most rambunctious kittens which is probably a result of her close call with death.

Skate is also learning human words very quickly and is quite attentive to commands. Interestingly, except for 1 or 2 tiny squeaks at the very first, we have never heard her meow. She only opens her mouth with a silent meow now and then. The only sound we hear emanate from her is a loud rumbly purr that vibrates her entire tiny kitten body when she turns it on.

Now that Skate is feeling better she is allowed to have "romp time" around my studio when I'm in here working. Her little habitat cage is left open and she is allowed to go in and out freely. I think she's explored every nook and cranny possible. She particularly enjoys watching "kitty-vision" out the studio window because there's a pineapple sage bush that is a favorite of the garden sparrows. She will watch for long stretches of time and then turn and run toward me as I work at the computer (she just did). she climbs up into my arms of her own accord and settles in for a bath and a cuddle leaving me to type one-handed (as I'm doing now). Often during her kitty baths, she also grooms my hand or arm. Then she flips her little head over for a snooze. I'm just not used to such a people-oriented little kitten. Such a cutie!

I'm sure that many of you are still wondering about Skate's "foster" status. We aren't certain ourselves. We've invested a lot of time, money, and love into this little gal. We've done it before with other feral kittens that we've easily let go to wonderful homes. Skate seems to be different for some reason.

As we prayerfully consider her future in our family, we are willing to do whatever is appropriate for this little gal. If she belongs in a "forever home" somewhere other than here at Rosehaven Cottage, we will let her go to that home (which is the easiest of the future options). The harder of the future options is the possibility that she belongs here, with Rosehaven Cottage being her "forever home". It would be a sacrifice for us and for the other kitties here, but we will do whatever we are supposed to do. In the meantime, we are enjoying this little bundle of furry affection and hope you don't mind indulging us on the occasional "Skate Update".

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20 comments:

  1. Can bloggers vote? I vote that you keep this spunky gal, so your friends in bloglandia can follow along as she grows and flourishes. I'd hate to lose track of her. Too bad my hubby is allergic or I'd volunteer to adopt.

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  2. Skate is so pretty, and she sounds like a real sweet-tempered lady cat. Regardless of whether you decide to adopt her, you've given a wonderful cat a chance to have the life she deserves.

    Merry Christmas to all from all the Good Cats (and Pat + John)

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  3. Yay for little Skate! She couldn't be more blessed this Christmas to be at your house with all the love and attention that she apparently really loves! What a cute little girl...
    Makes me miss our kitty :(

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  4. Thanks for sharing and keeping us updated. I love her cute nose! What a beauty!

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  5. Oh, Skate is such a sweet little kitty..I say keep her!

    Thanks for my Christmas card. Great photo of your cottage!

    Merry Christmas,
    Michelle

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  6. Yes folks, she's really that adorable ;-D ...and she's so tiny as compared to our adult kitties. She really does purr loudly and loves to cuddle; why, she sat on my shoulder like a parrot and sniffed my neck and hair for about 2 minutes this morning while I was servicing her water and food. I would expire if even the smallest adult kitty were to attempt that.

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  7. What a sweet little girl. It was so kind of you to nurse her back to health. Your kindness has transformed her life, whether you eventually keep her or not.

    Kate

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  8. Skate is a keeper in my opinion but I guess thats easy for ME to say! LOL

    I love the pic of you in the sidebar...has it always been there?

    I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!!!

    Blessings,
    Robin

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  9. Well, if she were with me, I could not bear to part from her (and we've got four already!) she is utterly gorgeous, and looks like a perfect little lady. Have a wonderful Christmas at Rosehaven!

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  10. I love the Skate updates. I think it will become clear, in time, where her true Forever home will be. She is really a beautiful kitten.

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  11. Cindy, it warms my heart to see Skate looking so animated and well, and to see yours and hubby's smiling faces!

    See you in 2008!

    Hugs to ya,

    Lynda

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  12. Skate is adorable, and a little Christmas miracle. You know, angels come in all kinds of disguises! The pictures make me ache to hold her! Much Christmas Love! Lynda and Brett

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  13. Hi Cindy, Skate is really cute everytime I visit.

    Aside to this post, Cindy I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2008, and take this opportunity to thank you for your wonderful comments and visits to my blog, and also your wonderful posts that shows lot of appreciation to little creatures and nature. Enjoyed your Pomegranate posts a lot this summer, and I am glad to know someone who actually can have them on their background, mean while I have to drag myself to the store to get them, lol, I think I never really enjoy any other fruits as pomegranate and picking on those little bursting fruits. All the best, Anna :)

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  14. You KNOW you're going to keep her! How can you part with her now? Know, however, if I lived near you, I'd take her in a heartbeat! You'd get visitation rights though. :-)

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  15. What a joy she is. You can just see what a love-kitty she is. Thanks for sharing her with us. Great gift to all of us. How lovely to have a Christmas kitty!

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  16. Cindy,

    I think I shall wish upon a star
    for Skate to stay in her Christmas home. She is just so precious.

    Actually, I've grown quite attached to her and hope to know more, maybe a picture of her curled up on your bed etc.

    Well, you get the idea.

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  17. Skate's story is something similar t Spunky Boomerang's. We found him and his sister abandoned on a country road, one night several summers ago. I got out of the car and called the kittens, and they came to me; the bigger of the two, however, got startled and ran back across the road, in front of an oncoming truck. Whether he was blown to the side of the road, dodged between the wheels, or what, we don't know; but when I called, he came WAILING out of the tall grass, and clung to me like a burdock to wool.
    Originally we were going to foster them for a few days then take them to our no-kill cat shelter...but my longsuffering mushball of a spouse decided we should keep them...and today, Spunky continues to cling to me as his personal favourite thing...and he has never gone outside the house since we brought him home, three and a half years ago. He's pure housepuss...and like Skate, he was incredibly affectionate and knowing right from the start.
    Some things are just meant to be, aren't they?
    Merry Christmas to you and your hubby and all the other beloveds in your family, from us on the other coast of North America.

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  18. Santa comes tonight!!!!!!!!!
    WooHoo!!
    No question,Skate is a swety kittie :)


    MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Mickey, Georgia & Tillie

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  19. Cindy and Brent, I'm so glad that Skate is doing great now, she looks wonderful!!! And the way you describe her ......... how could anyone possibly resist such a sweet little kittycat like her? Like you I am amazed by this enormous capacity to love that is displayed by some of these wonderful cats like your Skate and my Kadootje, also a former stray kitty.

    Give little Skate lots of hugs from me and the Bliss team send many purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrs to Skate-y-pooh!

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