Spitzer is a low energy, infrared radiation telescope. Spitzer is the most relaxed of the siblings. He'll watch his sisters wrestle while he purrs, almost always belly up.
I love watching him bottle feed, even though I rejoice when he eats real food. His little ear flaps are so delightful.
Spitzer is a pretty good eater, putting his whole face into his food dish to nomnomnom then nurse a little on his bottle before settling in for a nap.
Updated 4/5/2020
Spitzer is the best named kitten, for he is so chill! If 3 kittens are playing and one is napping, it's Spitzer for sure!! He can sleep while a wrestling match happens over his face!
He does like to curl up under things though. He's often on the bottom of a kitten pile, under the blankets, or curled up inside my clothes. It's getting harder to get a picture of him because he's tucked up!
I can't get enough of watching his ears flap when he nurses, though they're nearly weaned so my chances to watch this may be over.
Spitzer was sleeping face into his food dish for about a minute before we got the camera out. Sleep eating is great! I've done it too!
One thing Spitzer does NOT like is to be confined. And he is LOUD!
Update 4/9/20
I love looking at Spitzer's face. He's so sweet! I also love his belly, and he likes to climb when he's confined and to sleep on his back, so I get lots of looks at his belly.
Spitzer is one of the easiest to get in photos (unless there is a kitten pile) because he's so chill. He loves to nap and pose. Except in a kitten pile, he's often buried, because he's the first one to stop playing and start napping.
Spitzer hates to be away from his people and screams (LOUDLY) from his kennel.
I recently held him as he slept-for nearly an hour. When he woke up and started wiggling, the hubby and I giggled at him wagging his tail... until that giggle turned into a shriek as his explosive poopy butt released all over my hands. While his sister's are getting better (they have upset tummies), Spitzer still has very loose stool. We dropped off a sample at the vet today and are waiting or a report.
Updated 4/19/20
Oh, Spitzer. That first stool sample was negative, but he continued to be sick A second check revealed bacteria- so antibiotics and different foods... he got a little better (less explosive butt problems) but wouldn't gain weight. The former runt, Kepler, is now almost twice his weight. His tendency to just cuddle or sleep is still adorable, but also worrisome. I wish he would play!
Here's Spitzer, currently around 12.9oz and sister Kepler, now 1lb, 6.25 oz.
Spitzer spends most of his time sleeping.
Spitzer likes to be held and told he's a good boy.
The weird part is he loves to eat... he goes face first into his food and protects it at all costs... for a very short time. He just seems to get tired before he eats enough. He is fed OFTEN.
If not being held, he likes to fall asleep on soft things.
Here he is this morning- we took him to the vet and are heading out to pick him up. They're doing labs (again). WISH HIM LUCK!
Update 4/26/20
Last Sunday Spitzer went to the vet for half a day. They gave him fluids and prescription food and fell in love. He finally began to gain weight, though I think most of it was the water weight from his fluids. He continued to eat with gusto!
His energy increased and he played with his siblings! But his butt continued to leak. Wrapping him in toilet paper wasn't very effective for a playful kitten. Do you think he enjoyed it?
He enjoyed it more than my attempt to fashion diapers from panty liners and a ribbon.
Diaper 2.0 was much better received, though putting him in them tested my dexterity. After the first attempt, I called for reinforcements. Diaper installation became a 2 person project! One to hold the wiggling top and one to guide the flailing bottom!
I never knew how much joy poop could bring me until Spitzer. Watching a slightly formed soft-serve? Happy dance! Making it through a meal without leakage, shower of kisses! I had a few days of poop joy before I got the call the next Wednesday- Spitzer's lab results showed an untreatable, contagious virus. The best thing for him is supportive care. The vet wanted him back to recheck him and my mentor felt he would be better separated from his littermates (and my housepets). I packed him up and he was gone within an hour.
I prepare myself to let them go, but I thought I had at least a month left, if not more, with this tiny tot. Spitzer was my favorite in this litter, so this round of kisses and belly rubs in the parking lot of the vet office was heartbreaking for me. Not ashamed a bit that I sobbed all the way there and all the way home.
The vet decided to keep Spitzer overnight to monitor him. In the morning, they called the rescue to ask if the rescue would consider allowing one of the vet techs to foster him. A foster mom with the technical skills to provide Spitzer with the care he needs to have the BEST QUALITY LIFE possible?? Ummm... yeah!! We're pretty sure this is a foster to adopt situation... I hope these pictures I just received are Spitzer with his forever mommy.
My brain knows this is the best situation for little Spitzer. Hopefully it will convince my heart to stop hurting. I hope the new foster-maybe-forever-mommy will send me updates on the little tyke.
Update 5/23/2020
Spitzer has adjusted to so many changes already in his short little life. After his unexpected departure from my home, he went to vet tech student that we hoped would keep him. But her school and work schedule weren't a good match to give Spitzer the attention he deesrved, so he was taken back to my mentor and was fostered by her best friend for a week until he could get fixed and taken to the adoption center.... where he is RIGHT NOW as I refresh the IBR facebook page to see if he was adopted!
While with her best friend, my mentor asked me if I was interested in visiting with Spitzer again. Um.... YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs
In case you've adopted ANY of my kittens and you're wondering... I would NEVER turn down an opportunity to visit with my former foster babies... just saying...
Spitzer charms EVERYONE he meets. When he lived with me, I loved his laid back attitude and insistent cuddle mode. Spitzer took great pictures, because he was so often at rest... belly up, posing as you snapped pics from multiple angles. Hundreds of Spitzer pics live in my photo album.
But during my short visit, I ended up with so many Spitzer blurs that I had to just delete. This boy was in near constant motion, sprinting around the room for the entire visit. I could tell he was getting tired, but you could see him fighting sleep, convincing himself that he had unlimited energy by sheer will. His new foster dad said he'd keep up the energy until he crashed into a sudden sleep wherever he landed.
I did miss Spitzer cuddle time, but my heart was soooooo happy to see him so full of kitten energy. It was so obvious that he was feeling 100% better. Maybe it's TMI, but I was also THRILLED to see his normal, not red, not raw little kitten butt.. and I almost cried when he went to the litter box and had a completely normal potty time. Maybe weird for you, but to a foster mommy who hurt whenever he cried when his poor sore butt was wiped, it was a glorious thing to see.
Spitzer is being adopted as a special needs cat. He'll need to be in a single pet household and have a special diet for life. But with those simple things, he is the happiest, healthiest, loveliest kitten. I've checked the IBR facebook page 3 times while writing this update... but so far, no news of his adoption. Hopefully I'll get an update for you with happy news!
5/28/20
Spitzer found and is taking over his new home. This spunky dude waltzed in and took his teenagers for a spin, wore them out, then stole the dog's bone and refused to give it back. Nothing throws this little guy for a loop! He owns every heart he touches.
Well, maybe not the dog's...
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