Adopting TWO Kittens & A Chocolate-Banana Bread Emergency with our Dog

It’s been an interesting week in our “Pet Department”. One emergency visit with the vet at San Pedro Vetenariry Hospital on Sunday and then a slightly unplanned adoption on Tuesday. Let me tell you about both.

For those unfamiliar with pet care on the island, we are SO lucky to have two facilities. The amazing SAGA Humane Society – funded by donations and fundraisers – does INCREDIBLE work. They have so many dogs and cats that they care for and put up for adoption – they are also in the process of building a new facility. They do so much – you can follow them on Facebook for information, updates and to make donations.

There is also a private veterinary clinic called San Pedro Veterinary Hospital – and on Sunday…the day they are closed…our dog Frances was going to venture up on the counter and eat 2.5 mini-banana breads packed with chocolate chips that I had just baked. Eat some on the counter, carry some into bed and eat it there and…ALL my fault. A totally amateur move. But in my defense, Frannie (we’ve had her for 6 years…she’s probably 8 or 9?) had never been on the counter before.

Until Sunday. As we climbed the stairs to the house, we heard some uncharacteristic yelping/groaning. When we opened the door, she looked pregnant – like FULL term. Her belly was THAT distended. And then we found the parchment papers/wrappers on my computer keyboard and on the floor, and…ugh.

Frannie is a potlicker – which means she grew up eating chicken bones galore all over town…she has yacked down a good chunk of a small wish willy (black iguana) before I yanked it from her grasp…she has an iron stomach. But chocolate? Maybe 1 cup of mini-chocolate chips? We needed to get that out.

The internet basically told me she was on death’s door (in the same way it diagnoses me with cancer if I ask it about any symptom). She was clearly uncomfortable. We administered a small dose of hydrogen peroxide…and a good amount came out. But this was going to require a visit to the doctor. Thankfully, we contacted SPVH, and the vet tech talked to the doctor and they both met us at the clinic in about an hour.

Oh Frannie…

She was weighed, and a shot was administered to make her purge. And purge she did. About 90 seconds later, she was over one pound lighter.

There was an IV and charcoal and a prescription. Feeling a bit stupid but incredibly grateful, we drove home with Fran. And she has been fine since them. She was ready for her 5pm dinner just a few hours later.

Oh potlickers. Now, to unplanned kitten adoption.

Tuesday morning, at about 630am, as I was turning over in bed, I heard a loud, distinctively kitten meow. I jumped up and looked out the front door. One of the guys at Xtan Ha Resort (just next door to us) was holding a tiny, disgruntled kitten up just over our fence. Sigh…I guess it’s time.

But let me back up a bit…a few weeks ago, as I was cutting thru the Xtan Ha Resort pathway that connects to our yard, I heard…kittens. I stopped…followed the sound…and gauged that they were about 10 feet above my head in a very dense, very prickly-sharp screw pine. You had to admire the mother. No one was getting in there to mess with her kids. You’d need protective clothing and a chain saw to get in there.

I chatted with the guys working at the resort. Yes, they had heard kittens. Yes, they had seen the mother – a feral tortie cat – running from them when they approached. Yes, they would keep an eye on them for me.

I visited about once a day and either they had learned to be quiet or mom had moved them. I kinda gave up. I left tuna a few times in the area but it was untouched (though the ants surely enjoyed it)

2 weeks later…there was Jason…holding a kitten above his head.

Oh good grief! Jeff and I had talked about getting a cat for Cayo Frances Farm and Fly – to do a bit of mousing, sure, but to mostly lay around lazily and to be adored. No kittens! We’d both had bad experiences of screaming kittens, 1000s of micro-scratches on our arms and hands, and sleepless nights.

Well…change of plans! The 4-5 week old orange tabby kitten and his 50 flea friends came into our house.

And then Jason messaged me about 45 minutes later. The mom had left another one. Would I take it?

ARE YOU F-ING KIDDING ME? We didn’t think, we just agreed. And that has turned out to be the best snap decision we’ve made in a while. Two brothers, that can play with each other, comfort each other and sleep together. And to keep each other quiet. It TOTALLY works.

We got to the important work: Naming them. Ball and Chain? Johnny Cake and Fry Jack? Robles and Rocky? We settled on Mango and Cash(ew).

Wish me luck! Frannie is not at ALL sure about her new brothers. But for now…everything is going well. Cashew is using his litter…Mango is a slow-starter.

Easy peasy! Until they can climb out of their box. I’ll have them at home for probably 1.5-2 months more…and then we will transition them to the camp where they can GET TO WORK!