We had some bad weather here yesterday and some tornadoes touched down, but nothing really even came close to Crooked Acres. We just got some wind and rain. Fred leaves work early on Fridays most of the time, so he was home by 11. If we’d needed to take shelter, we would have put Emmy and her babies in a carrier and brought them downstairs into the closet. Fred’s pretty good at nape-ing cats, so he would have been responsible for getting Emmy moved.
And really, on a side note: Emmy is scared, but she’s not mean – when she’s cornered, her number one goal is to get away, not to attack, so I think it might have been a struggle to get her into the carrier, but not impossible.
Despite our intentions of just leaving Emmy and her kittens in the box with no bedding, since that was how she apparently preferred it, I noticed that her kittens were having problems gaining purchase on the smooth wood floor of the box. And then Fred went up, and her kittens were laying there like little frogs, and he worried that it might not be good for their limbs. So he grabbed a pink pad, put it in front of the box, laid the kittens on it one by one, and then pulled Emmy out of the box (which she didn’t like, but he managed to do it without stressing her too much), and then slid the pad into the box. She didn’t react by pushing the pad out of the box or anything, so it must be acceptable to her – and the kittens have a much easier time moving around.
We went up this morning and got a face shot of each of the kittens and weighed them all. We did it quickly because the kittens were yelling and Emmy was growling, but at least I finally (after two WHOLE days!) got face pictures of each of them.
This is Stumpy (obviously a nickname for the time being!). Stumpy weighed 4 3/8 ounces. Fred thinks Stumpy is a girl, but don’t take that to the bank, it could change.
This is Stripey1. Stripey1 weighed 4 1/2 ounces. Fred couldn’t tell whether Stripey1 is a boy or a girl.
This is Stripey2. Stripey2 weighed 4 7/8 ounces, and we don’t know whether it’s a boy or a girl.
This is Charcoal. Charcoal’s the biggest at 5 1/4 ounces. Fred says Charcoal is “possibly” a boy. We’ll see!
Now, here are Stripey1 and Stripey2 side by side for comparison purposes:
The differences I see: the dark marks on either side of their noses – S1 has shorter dark marks and S2 has longer, curved marks. The middle of S1’s “M” comes down further. Fred pointed out that S1’s “M” has a big round dark circle above it.
Those are the differences I’m seeing – y’all feel free to chime in, here! Obviously it’s easy for me to tell Charcoal and Stumpy apart, but I want to be able to tell the other two apart as well – which, I am sure, will become easier as time goes by.
After the kittens were cruelly weighed and had their pictures taken (which took about 20 second each), they were returned to their mama, who curled protectively around them.
I’m sorry, what’s that? You’d like MORE pictures? Well, if you insist!
The happy family.
“I HAZ A COMPLAINT!”
“I SAY! I HAZ A COMPLAINT AND MY COMPLAINT IS THAT YOU ARE HOLDING ME AND YOU SMELL LIKE A SMELLY HUMAN, YUCK!”
Stripey2 was a bit calmer about being held.
The tiny, delicate little whiskers slay me.
Not bothered, was our little Stripey2. Not bothered in the slightest.
SUCH a good mama!
Tommy likes to make sure Elwood stays clean.
Previously
2011: Like I say to Fred, every single day, how could you possibly see that face and not think he’s the MOST gorgeous boy in all the land?
2010: Crooked Acres pics.
2009: “LAYDEES,” he crows. “I SAY! CAN I GET SOME LOVIN’?”
2008: That, my friends, is a powerful stench. And it wasn’t a pleasant one.
2007: No entry.
2006: “MmmHMMM, I KNEW that was going to happen, the dumb bitch was lifting shit long before she was supposed to!”
2005: By the way, Erika: who watches your kids while you’re busy reading PEOPLE and firing off those indignant letters?
2004: Have I mentioned that I adore my DVR?
2003: Ah, you poor damn AOL users.
2002: No entry.
2001: No entry.
2000: See? I always say “Thank you” to the freaking servers at fast food places. Yet all I get in return is rudeness.
I like Fred noticed the large circle above Stripey 1’s M and that would be the way to tell them apart for me too. The M’s are quite different too but that circle would be a quick tell at a glance for me.
I love how Emmy is wrapped up around them. She appears to be a great Mama.
Very glad the storms passed over your place again. We had heavy sounded like build the ark rains overnight too but little flooding surprisingly. Our rear street floods much more the last few years and it was minimal when I walked the dog this morning.
AAAAAAAAaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! They’re over here, too!! THE CUTE!! THE CUTE!! The little dark one with the yammering mouth!!
Emmy is a great mom.
Thanks, Robyn and Fred!!!
Glad ya’ll and the kittehs are okay. I swear, I don’t know how much more I can take of this awful weather. As you probably know I live in Cullman and last year most of my neighborhood was totally destroyed. Just now getting it rebuilt. I’m so sorry for those folks in Harvest, very sad.
Such cute kittehs, gave me a smile when I needed one.
I know, Cara, it was a very unpleasant flashback to last April, wasn’t it?!
Damn you, Robyn. I don’t NEED a kitten. Now I want that little Charcoal. Good thing you’re so far away 😉
I have been way too busy lately to keep up and haven’t read since about the middle of January or so (aaaand, it’s driving me nuts) but I did check yesterday to make sure you guys were okay when I heard about the bad weather there. I prayed for y’all until I knew for sure and I’m glad to hear you’re all okay. I’m a long time reader of your site and you’re just like real people to me (haha!) I’m always talking about Robyn and Fred and I’m sure I drive my peeps crazy but I enjoy you all so much. I promise to get caught up one of these days, it’s my number one priority.
THANK YOU for letting us know all is well and sound at Crooked Acres. When I heard Huntsville caught the brunt of things, I immediately worried about you and Fred and the kittehs. THE CUTE! CUTE! KITTEHS!!! Glad everyone is okay!!! 🙂
It is EXTREMELY good that you guys are in another country because if you lived anywhere near me I’d have 20 cats by now because I can’t stand the CUTENESS of all the foster kitties you have had! The stripy kittens are my favs with those little M’s on their sweet little heads.
Perfect little cuties! Thanks for sharing :P)
Thank the LAWD Emmy allowed the pink pad to stay in the box. It was bugging the shit out of me that she was being so ornery and insisting on a bare wooden box. Those kittens are cuuuuuute.