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Today we discovered that Mario is actually a "Mariette!" As it turns out, calico kitties are pretty much always female. That is one thing that we learned at the kittens' first vet appointment today. We also learned that they have ear mites (gross!) but other than that they are very healthy. So.... Adam is insisting that we still call his cat "Mario" but we are all using alternate terms for her. Mariette? Maria? Marielle? Mariana? I am just excited to have more females in the house to bring a bit more balance. ;)

 

For the most part the kittens have been easy to care for and fun to have around. However, we did have a bit of a kitty saga a few nights ago. The weather has been so nice, so we've had the windows and back door open. The kittens have enjoyed being on the back (screened in) porch. When Jon closed things up for the night on Wednesday, he couldn't find the kittens. We looked and looked for them all around the house.... and then noticed that one of the screens on the porch had been pushed out, leaving a gaping hole. Although the kittens have stayed pretty much in the living room and at floor level, I just "knew" that they had escaped. Jon and I were out in the yard from 11:00ish until midnight.... in our pajamas.... with flashlights.... looking for kittens. We were in a state of panic as we spread our search to our neighbors' yards.

Finally we put some food and a blanket for them on the back porch and went to bed. I could not sleep. I was just dreading telling the boys that their kittens were gone. I was dreading the task of searching for them the next day. I kept checking for them.... and praying to God and Mary and Saint Anthony and Saint Francis and anyone else who would listen to my pleas.

Since I couldn't sleep, I went downstairs and sat in the recliner and watched TV. I dozed a bit. I felt something rustling beneath my chair. I looked under the chair and all around. Nothing. I dozed a bit more. After I'd been in the chair for more than an hour, the rustling started again. And then out climbed Mario, stretching  and yawning. He had been sleeping INSIDE the chair! I looked at the back of the recliner and saw a round lump behind the fabric. It was Gloria! Those little rascals were sleeping right inside the chair I was sitting in!

I was SO relieved! Jon heard me bringing in the stuff from the back porch and came down. We laughed so hard about it.... and thanked God and all the saints for bringing those kitties "back" to us. We didn't get to bed until 2:00!

WHEW!!!!!

It became obvious that night how attached we've already become to these cats. We are so thrilled to have them as part of our family.