All of our present babies are rescues. After loosing so many we were going to avoid the pain - the fates had different ideas.
Dracula was the 1st to arrive, he showed up in a rain puddle with his eyes unopened (actually I thought he had drowned and was going to give the poor little thing a descent burying since he was cheated of ever having a life). That was September 9, 1995. I dropper fed him all weekend and took him to the shelter Monday. They took one look at the tiny waif (I had him bundled against the cold in a washcloth and he was lost in it) and said he needed to be put to sleep. I left in tears - with him, and called hubby who instructed me to go back and get him (he knew I couldn't let them put him to sleep after a 48 hour save the baby marathon!!! :). I took him to work everyday so I could feed him until he got old enough to leave for 4 hours at a time. He learned to say "Mama" but couldn't meow. He has grown into a beautiful 14 pound tuxedo who still suckles when he can on thumbs, ears, noses, cheeks, or anything else.
When Dracula was almost a year old I became concerned then alarmed for one of the back yard colony kittens - she was a sweet little dilute calico who, in spite of extra "treats" weighed 8 ounces at 6 months old. I called her Littlebit because she was soooo tiny for her age. I put my hand out to her that August 26 (1997) and she walked right up into it - she felt like an old dusty beanbag - just a bit of dry fur and tiny dry bones. When our vet saw her she couldn't believe her condition - or her age until she checked her teeth. I was told given her small size and poor health she might never get bigger than 2 pounds, if she got that big but she fooled us all and today is 7 to 8 pounds. Her whole life has been a challenge and she continues to amaze everyone beating the odds again and again. Dracula house trained her the first day, showing her the food, then the water, then putting her in the litter box (he even watched and patted her on the head when she had done her business). He took on the role of big brother and protector that day, a role he still enjoys. She took on the task of teaching him he was a cat. He finally learned to meow and how to catch a mouse.
This then was to be our family, fates decided they were ours and that was acceptable. But the fates had other ideas, although they kept that secret, not sharing any of the continuing story until 1997 - and they continue to surprise us with further chapters when we least expect.
