Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.
One Tiny Ambassador
From the Embassy of Compassion
A Non-Profit 501(c)(3) Organization
All donations are tax deductible
Copyright © 1997 - 2010
"The ways are two: love and want of love. That is all." ~ Menchius, Confucian Monk
Tigger's Diary
For weeks American Jana Faucher fed the tiny kitten of Missy's second litter in Singapore, worried she'd return the following day to not find the feisty silver-tipped tabby kitten waiting for her meal. But Mama Missy had taught her sole survivor of her second litter extremely well, for Jana would find her each day. Jana's enduring patience had finally won the kitten to brief petting before she gulped down her portion of precious food. Who only knew if this would be her last? Finally the day arrived when little Tigger walked into the rescue trap, then was whisked away for spaying; afterwards, she would rest in a safe haven awaiting for a flight to the United States.
Back in the States, a small group was busy organizing the beginnings of donations for Tigger's flight to Washington, DC, where hopefully soon a safe and loving home would be waiting once Tigger could travel after her recuperation from surgery. She and KitKat, her older sister (the only surviving kitten of Mama Missy's first litter) would be arriving on July 23, 1997 in hot and humid weather; and to be frankly honest, Jana and I were in a frazzled state wondering how the kiddens would hold up under the stress of their rescue, spaying and thousands of miles travelling by airplane. The following is Tigger's diary I kept from the day before her arrival.
July 22 - After weeks of hot, muggy and rainless days, I realized I had to be at the airport to help bring the kiddens to KitKat's adoptive home for a nice rest...isolated from each other and the adoptive owner's pets. I left Pennsylvania USA early that morning, driving through dense fog and later heavy thunderstorms, but with every mile behind me, I prayed for more rain - hoping Washington would be getting more than its share, for the simple fact that the weather would be cooler. Though over-due by two hours, I arrived, guided by kitty angels no doubt. We all settled down, hoping for a restful night of sleep, still not knowing what to expect. These two little ambassadors from the Embassy of Compassion, KitKat and Tigger, had people from around the world chewing their fingernails and repeatedly checking email the next afternoon.
July 23 - The day the flight was due! We awakened to cooler temperatures and a nice fine drizzle which continued all day, that night and into the following day. And what clock watchers we were! At last, we headed for the airport, remembering paper towels to clean the kiddens and bottled water for cleaning and for them to drink.
We had to wait for the flow of paperwork, so wandered off for coffee. We found a darling new toy and had to each buy one for our kiddens at home and one for the newcomers. Back we went - this time, though we had to wait again, they let us go into the area where the kiddens were waiting. In less than an hour after arriving, the kiddens were cleared through US Customs.
We were expecting to see and hear little dirty, beraggled, travel-weary banshees thrashing around in the two carriers. Instead, we were greeted with bright, clear eyes, sleek and shiny coats! KitKat watched us, occasionally allowing us to touch her through the openings in the cage, but wee Tig was mewing with her low, throaty semi-growl meow - too cute! - and playing bat the fingers poking in her cage. Each cat was very much alert and taking in all the interesting sights and sounds about them.
We arrived back to the woman's home with whom I was staying amid much excitement. Both kiddens were placed in their respective rooms for quiet and rest. Since I will be fostering Tigger until she's adopted, I spent most of my time with her, getting to know her as she learned of me.
When we brought out the food bowls, my heart nearly broke as she darted toward it, pulling the bowl close to her with her tiny paws and feverishly gulping down the food, constantly aware of any sound. When something frightened her, she scurried for cover behind my legs and then after accessing all was fine, would tear back to gulp down food again. She never settled down into a kitty eating crouch...appearing on the verge of instant flight with every bite she took.
July 24 - KitKat and Tigger are very affectionate and love to hear our voices as we talk with them. Both are purrfect loving companions. We feel once their isolation period is over, they will fit right in with the rest of our households. Both are eating and drinking well. Both love the affection times, stretching their long necks and bodies out for more.
Tig seems to know now that the food bowl will never vanish again. She's not so fearful as she eats and has begun to eat in the traditional kitty eating crouch. Though she does run to me for comfort and security, she has much spirit and is very, very independent.
July 25 - Little Tig was so wound up...she had travelled thousands and thousands of miles - from Singapore, to Amsterdam, to Washington, DC and travelled over another 300 miles by car just beautifully. She slept most of the way, occasionally shifting position in the carrier and making sure I was still beside her, then curling back into a comfortable nap once more. When I stopped in Allentown to let Craig know I was 45 minutes from home, she fully awakened and began a meticulous grooming session that would last until I brought the car to a full stop at our Palmerton home.
She fell for Craig immediately, allowing him to hold and pet her. When he comes into her room, she runs to him for more affection. She settled down for a night's sleep amongst the throw pillows of the guestroom's bed when I retired to Craig's and my bedroom at 1:00 am this morning.
Tigger's First Night in Our Home |
Tig ~ Her Favorite Daytime Catnapping Place |
July 26 - The five kiddens can usually be found lined up outside Tig's bedroom door, curious to know just what's going on behind it. When Craig or I open the door, Tigger surveys the "outside" situation from the middle of her room, on occasion arching her little back should one of the five get too close to the threshold of her room.
Oh but she's feeling her oats this morning! After a good breakfast and fresh water, little Tig has been a whirlwind of contsant motion - so many things to investigate and play with! She holds a facination with the computer keyboard: the only time she comes to a dead still stop...as she watches my fingers move across it. Currently, she's finally at a semi-rest, sitting in a basket on the 14 inch window sills playing with the mini-blind pulls. Life is good and she is thrilled with the idea of living it to its fullest.
July 27 - I swear this tiny kitten is growing and growing right before our very eyes! With her robust appetite, it won't be long before she'll be the average sized little house cat. She eats with less fear now ... eating slower and more daintily. When Craig or I open the door to her room, she no longer bolts for cover, but waits for us to come in, greeting us with ankle rubs and throaty mews.
Any and everything catches her attention. Her curiosity is great and all nooks and crannies of the bedroom have been thoroughly explored.
She spends a lot of time grooming herself. The facinating thing about both her big sister, KitKat, and her are their lovely coats. I considered all our four little strays short-hair cats (KC is Himalayan; therefore, has long hair), but KitKat and Tig have extremely short hair. Compared to them, our "short hair" cats have long hair!
Last night I had the brainstorm to open the door for air conditioning because I felt it was a little warm in here with only the windows open and ceiling fan on high. Every barricade we thought up was immediately scaled - over the top she leaped! Her sense of adventure and curosity is just too deep to allow any form of access to this room other than a closed door.
July 28 - We received news yesterday that little KitKat is also enjoying a wonderful life at her new home, sleeping next to her new mom and being the loving little lady she is. Craig and my hearts swell with pride knowing KitKat and her little sister are doing so well.
This morning Tig's adoptive mom called to start the arrangements of meeting at a half-way point to get little Tigger home. I'm estatic to know of the warm, loving home Tig will be going to, yet I dread the day she leaves us. Tig's mom will be putting Tig's page on her site during the day; our two sites will be linked as soon as she's finished.
Tig called out a greeting to her mom - it was so sweet, bringing tears to my eyes. As I type, she's sitting right beside the keyboard, watching my fingers. This little kidden means the world to me - she's a hearty survivor. I don't know of many adult humans who could undergo such trauma and still enjoy every waking moment in life as this darling kidden does.
Little Tig will soon be headed home at last - Tig's home is now prepared. Sadly, Craig and I will be giving her up on August 7, but our sweet foster baby, who has brought much sunshine into the Bachman home, will finally come to the end of her travels - another guessimated 425 miles to go and she'll be in her loving home of twelve more wonderful kiddens, two dogs and an anxious doting mom. What more can a wee girl ask for??? All she ever needed and wanted is a home to call her own and lots of love, both of which will be waiting. Cricket, I know our Tigger will be so happy having you for a mom. If only you could truly know how pleased and happy we are to know she's going to you. Knowing, too, she has such a wonderful relative as her UnkUnk Benji - you two are the greatest!
July 29 - Over the weekend, I introduced each of our kiddens to Tig, one by one, bringing them into her room over a period of time. Each cat gazed at the wee babe in rapt curiosity. Sunday night during the "barricade escapes," Tig had her first real socializing and all the cats and she appear to be getting along extremely well.
Yesterday afternoon after visiting with her mom, Cricket and her UnkUnk Benji by phone, I gave her free reign over the rest of the house, monitoring her activity so she'd not visit the other kiddens' litterbox. She's on a 10 day medication and Tig and the rest of the gang must not share respective litterboxes until the medication has been taken. She was in her glory, running in mad little dashes throughout the rooms - under, around, and over every piece of furniture. She and Lucky created their own little game of "chase me, catch me if you can" - they were just too cute to watch - this tiny little 2 pound kitten vigorously romping with a 20 pound cat. He thinks he's her protector, standing guard outside her door and mewing his shy meow greeting often during the day. When I bring her out, he invaribly greets her with nose kisses and headbutts.
Twice I brought her out for visiting and both times, she zonked into a deep sleep after her hour's worth of playing and exploring. How wonderful it is knowing she'll be going home to more than twice the amount of playmates she has here.
YAY! This place is big!!!
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Hehehe...dem big ole cats
can't see me now!
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