And The New Day Is A Great Big Fish

I wonder how many people will get that obscure title?

I was supposed to clear out the basement this weekend; I'm not going to. What is on my list of things to do today:
- Delete shelter facebook from Firefox browser bar
- Cross out "X of weeks missing" from calendar
- Cross out "check shelters" from calendar

Other things to do today: wash Mulder. The vet (and redpanda13) said we probably didn't need to, but it's not going to hurt him and it's going to make us feel better. We're also going to take him out of quarantine when his collar has been bought and put on. The idea of keeping him separate from the others was breaking down every time Gytha tried to break into the bathroom to see him. And after holding him close in my lap, carefully washing my hands, and then having DB jump into my lap, the idea of keeping the other cats shielded from whatever virus he may have picked up isn't really working.

I have killed the fatted can of gooshy food for the prodigal son. I had hoped to sneak him a can of his own without the other cats noticing, but they pay very close attention to that area of the kitchen and were all, "Hello? Who did NOT scare you two to death for a fortnight? What are we, chopped liver?"

I'm going to try to get a photo of the official sister/brother reunion. I've been behind on my kitten pictures.

Mulder: not quite all roses

We've pulled three more ticks off Mulder after his bath - the extra nipple, the lump by the dewclaw, the cling on that was quite a different kind of thing clinging. We're thinking that there may be more yet; he has a thick coat.

Also, while taking a look for more ticks, M took a very close look at his paws. The pads of the hind paws are scratched, although not deeply. A couple layers of skin have been worn off the pads high up his front paws; one looks like it has a blister that burst and got dirty; the other is bright red and inflamed. (Oddly to me, the main front pads look clean and in good condition; it's just the spots higher up the leg. That skin isn't as calloused as the main pads; has he been doing that much low crawling?)

M is also wondering if he's lethargic; last night he purred madly and squirmed against us, kneading for all he's worth. Today the purr was there still, but he lay and took whatever position we put him into, kneading gently, and he slept a lot. I don't think that's a big deal - he's certainly taking an interest in food and attention and even the laser pointer. I think that this is the first time in two weeks he can put his head down somewhere familiar that he trusts - even last night he was locked in the bathroom and didn't know why. Also, his sister is hissing at him, he's had a bath, and he keeps getting stubborn ticks yanked off. It's a lot to ask out of a boy.

Kaylee, furious to be once again in a house of five cats, has been hissing at everyone. Gytha has been hissing specifically at Mulder, but that didn't start until after his bath. I think he stopped smelling familiar and smells too much of the shampoo right now.