High Five for Friends

For most of Tux's life, we left him at home - friends of ours checked on him daily so he wouldn't feel too lonely and would always have enough food and fresh water - while we traveled. Our plan is to do the same, at least eventually, with Plié and Popeye, but we were worried about leaving them home alone for this summer trip because they're both still so young. So when my friend, Jenn, volunteered to keep them, I took her up on her incredibly generous offer.

It's important to mention - because doing so gives you an idea of just how gracious the offer - that Jenn's house is already home to two adults, three kids, four dogs, and one cat. Some might ask, "what's two more kittens?"...but others might ask, "are you insane?!"

It's also important to mention that we didn't leave town for a weekend or even a week. We traveled for 17 days, so the kittens lived at Jenn's for 18 days. Adding two more kittens - especially two kittens who are still learning routines and are going through growth spurts and have/had some health challenges - to their already busy lives and large family for such a long time was no small favor. 

The kittens did exceptionally well, and Teaka, Jenn's cat who was once one of our fosters named Bob, didn't completely hate them by the end of the visit. By the time we travel again the kittens will likely be old enough to stay at home all by their big boy and girl selves, so we probably won't have to ask Jenn and her family to kitty-sit again. But we'll always remember this generous gift they gave us and our babies. 

Poor Teaka in her "safe place". (The fireplace mantle.
She's out of their reach and has a great vantage point.)

You can see Teaka in the background, still in
her safe place but clearly a little more relaxed.

Thinking about playing together...

Thinking harder about playing together...

I think this one looks like it belongs in a magazine.

Plié's new favorite game. I find this one particularly funny
because Teaka's favorite game is to open the blinds. I can
only imagine how she'd react if she opened one of them and
Plié was hiding there, quietly waiting for the surprise...

They're getting SO big!

Get yourself some friends who will love your kitten babies like their own.