Murphy and Cass

Irene gave birth to four kittens on Easter Sunday this year. Two found forever homes with others and two got to be saddled with me for however long they can stand it. I named them Murphy and Cass and they are little demons, put here to torment me, particularly as I am just about to fall asleep. My shower curtain liner is ripped to shreds, my furniture is torn up (more than it was) and my legs looks like a bloody scratching post. Jerk kittens. Cass is the deceptively sweet-looking one. Murphy kept getting stuck up on that ledge.

The healing power of water

Certain kitties in my neighborhood think it's hilarious to beat the snot out of each other. With a lot of boys and few girls, the fights can be explosive. And the wounds bloody. More than once, I have used a wet tissue on these wounds, specifically on Irene because she likes to have holes ripped in her, and the quickness of the healing is nothing short of amazing. Cat claws are not clean. Even though they are fastidious bathers, their saliva is what a lot of people are allergic to and there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic cat. Washing cat scratches immediately is important, whether you are human or another cat.

Leo

Leo is one of Irene's kittens from last summer. She had four black kittens and brought them to me when they were around five weeks old. One became my friend quickly, the others ran in terror. Three of the four are still around; one got hit by a car when he was a few months old. Leo got his name after losing a part of his tail fur near the tip. He was left with a little tuft, making him look like a little black lion. He doesn't think it's funny. Now that he's almost a year old, his tuft is mostly gone.