This visit was only for their second set of shots and a re-check. They were also tested and all came out negative. They are doing so much better health-wise but what we are facing with them now is (sorry for using an over-used term) but it is unprecedented. Whatever horror they lived through during the fires have left all of them with PTSD. But with Ashes and Magoo, it goes further than that. Because of the time they spent away from the rescue and were at the vet (a total of 15 days non consecutive) they came back with yet another form of PTSD.. These kittens are now deathly afraid of hands.

We’ve had to think out of the box and try to figure out how to show them without scaring them, that hands are good. For Magoo, it is a bit more difficult. He was put on antibiotics which unfortunately led to him getting Herpes and he is still on meds for that. His last treatment will be Monday and we can’t wait. His behavior has become so bad that the minute one of us walks into the room, he hides from us. Thankfully, I had set the bedroom up with him not being able to make a complete escape. The bedframe was even removed so they couldn’t duck under the bed. He will hide in the folds of the comforter, hugging the sides of the mattress hoping we don’t find him. But we do.

Ashes is so traumatized by her experiences, she is now suckling Magoo’s lower ears to the point that we have to apply YUCK to Magoo’s ears to make them less tempting to suckle on. That stuff is so nasty. I got some on my fingers and when I test tasted it- well it really is YUCK, It seems to be working though.

So although there is a a family waiting in the wings to take all of these three, they are not ready to go anywhere. Their new mom has been here one time and it did not go well. Not one of the kittens would go over to meet her or her grown-up son.

We will keep working on this problem and hopefully show these beautiful babies that the world is still good and hands do not always hurt them. Wish us luck!