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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