Truffle and Beignet Together - Week 10

Before I get started, I wanted to wish Mom Terri a Happy Birthday today!!! She thought she could keep it quiet, but she's on FB and nothing is a secret there.  LOL

This post is even harder for me to put together than Monday's post because it's the first time Mom Terri was able to get Truffle and Beignet together in the same picture for their Week 10 Glamour Photo Shoot.  The pictures are just so beautiful that I'm going to show you all of them individually instead of as a collage.  I also received individual emails from Truffle and Beignet again, which I will share with you.

Truffle (left); Beignet (right)

Note from Truffle:

"Dear Mom Paula,  I think you and I need to put our heads together and put down some ground rules for Beignet.  He is the master of manipulation and fools Mom Terri into thinking he is just an angel every week.  Just because I have a hard time sitting still for the camera does not make him any more special than me!  He spends all week wrestling and beating up on Elvis and on me and then the camera comes out and he instantly turns into some kind of saint.  I love my brother, but he sure knows how to fool the ladies! Love, Truffle"

Note from Beignet:

Dear Mom Paula, Can we please teach Truffle how to behave for picture time?  I sit still and do exactly what I am told every week and she goofs off and looks the wrong way every time Mom Terri goes to take a picture.  Mom Terri insists on doing this every single week (she says you really want to see us!!!) so I think if Truffle would just tolerate Mom Terri's silliness for 10 minutes then things could go a lot faster.  With Love, Beignet"

Here are their beautiful pictures with Truffle on the left and Beignet on the right.

I'll only have one more group of pictures with Angel Beignet in them because he left us when he was 11 weeks old.  I have some comfort knowing that he is with Sweet Praline at the Bridge and I know she, along with numerous other cats from the CB, are watching out for him.  We should all take comfort in knowing that he was loved from the day he was born!

Watch Out, Mancats!

Terri's daughter left for her freshman year at the University of South Carolina a couple of weeks ago.  Terri sent me an email stating that her daughter was bringing some trash into the front of the house to be thrown away and just look who decided to investigate this particular bag!  Little Truffle wanted to see if there was anything in the bag for her!

 

I think I'm going to have my hands full with this little ladycat!!!  Mom Terri wanted me to make sure I told everyone that the bag belonged to her daughter and not to her!

Just remember all of you mancats out there, she's still a baby!!!

Photo Shoot - Week 9

For the first time during week 9, I received emails from Truffle and Beignet instead of Mom Terri.  As usual their pictures were adorable.  I'm a little sad as I put together the posts for this last week before Truffle comes to live with me.  I am beyond excited about Truffle coming, but it reminds me about little Beignet being at the Bridge and there will be no more pictures of him.  As I told Terri yesterday, "at least I had a few short months being able to love him and experience him, which helped me get through the extreme pain of losing Sweet Praline."  Truffle will help me get through the loss of both of them.

Now for the fun part.  Here's the email I received from Truffle.

"Dearest Mom Paula,  Since you've been here to visit me, you know I truly am a sweet girl.  However, when Mom Terri tried to convince me to sit still and behave today for my glamour shots, I just had a really hard time with it.  Please forgive me if my pictures are 'not so great' this week.  In fact, mom Terri had to hold me in her choke hold in some pictures.  Try to ignore that human hand in my pictures.  She insisted you would want to see my beautiful face.  I didn't want mom Terri cleaning my face either, so she put powder on me to try to make me look presentable.  I'm sorry.  I will do better next week.  And soon, you will have me home and I can show you all my tricks for getting OUT of having my picture taken.  Love, Your Darling Truffle.  P.S.  It sure didn't help that my brother had to be such a model today.  I almost think he wanted me to look bad!"

 Just look at that "diva" look on her face!

And now the collage of Truffle's Week 9 Photos!  I think she looks beautiful, even if she didn't want her picture taken.

Then I received the following message from Beignet:

"Dear Mom Paula, I hope you are having fun in San Francisco.  I was such a good boy for my photo shoot today.  I think you and I are going to have to have a talk with Truffle about how to sit still for pictures though.  Mom Terri wanted to take pictures of the two of us together and I was game, but Truffle sure wasn't.  Take a look at the attached pictures and be prepared to see the most handsome boy kitty ever!  Mom Terri keeps telling me I am going to make you so happy.  Cannot wait to get to your house and start our life together.  Love, Your Dapper Beignet."

Such a handsome little mancat!

When I see these pictures of Beignet this week, they bring tears to my eyes because I know he'll never get to come home with me and we'll never get to see him grow up with Truffle.  This is just one of those things that was "beyond our control" and I have to smile, knowing that I was able to hold and love this little mancat, if just for a little while.   Here are his other photos:

I hope everyone has a wonderful week this week and that all of our furriends and their beans along the East Coast are safe from Hurricane Irene.

Mom Paula

Pee ess - Happy Birthday to the two most special nephews ever:  Russell and William.  Russell is 28 today and William is 23.  Here is a picture of them with Baby Praline.

Easy Like Sunday

Truffle and Beignet were now 9 weeks old now and I was going to visit them for the second time.  I was getting really excited to see how much they'd grown, but it always seemed that everytime I received a picture or saw them, they were "taking it easy."  When I got there, all were asleep, but after a while, they woke up and played with me awhile and then as little kittens always do, they fell fast asleep again.  Notice where they fell asleep:  At My Feet!

Truffle (left); Beignet (right*

Then they got turned around (kind of like the Gemini Twins they were)

Truffle with her little black nose

Angel Beignet with his little pink/red nose.

I hope all of these relaxed you like they did me.  I know little Beignet is at the Bridge with Sweet Praline, but I wanted to share as much of his precious, short little life he had as I can.

I'm scheduled to pick up Truffle next Sunday, September 4.  She's scheduled for her second set of vaccinations on Monday, so please keep those paws crossed and purrs going that everything will be okay.

Photo Hunt: Symbolic

Wearing a certain color t-shirt is "symbolic" of supporting your favorite college football team.  In South Carolina, there are two major Division I college football teams:  University of South Carolina Gamecocks and Clemson Tigers.  As many of you know, I'm a diehard SC Gamecock fan and we always say true Gamecock fans would never wear orange, much less an orange shirt with a tiger paw on it.  We view that to be "symbolic" as being the enemy.

Just look at the picture I received of Terri's husband, Garry with Truffle in his lap.  I thought it was adorable because it was "symbolic" of Truffle being a lover, no matter which team you supported!

Update from Terri on  Truffle, which is "symbolic" of her love for people:

"Truffle has been just absolutely darling.  My husband keeps commenting on how she is trying to help me heal.  She's a doll.  She is just never naughty.  Zoey's girls are both beautiful, but they are stinkers!  The climb my legs constantly and jump on the table constantly.  We are working on manners!  Truffle, on the other hand, is well behaved all the time.  And I love that she is very trusting and lets me hold her 'belly up" all the time.  She's just a perfect kitty. "

Floofy Friday - Week 8

Even though Beignet is at the Bridge with Sweet Praline, I still wanted to honor his memory by sharing the pictures I received of him up until the time he left us.  I just feel I owe it to him.

By week 8, you could really start telling the difference between Truffle and Beignet.  Truffle always looks like she has "bed head" and she was always talking to me in at least one of her pictures.  She didn't fail me this week, either.

Angel Beignet was turning into quite the handsome mancat-in-training!  His little nose was turning from black to pink/red (which is standard for the Silver Shaded Persians).  Wasn't he such a cutie in this picture?  I've added a tab at the top of the blog for Angel Beignet.  I'll post pictures and remembrances of him like I did Praline and he'll always be part of the blog.

For those of you asking about Truffle, she is doing great!  Mom Terri wrote me and said Truffle is handling her little brother being gone like a trooper.  In fact, Truffle is doing everything she can to comfort Mom Terri.  I'll share a little story Mom Terri shared with me about Truffle on Wednesday night:

"Truffle was really cute last night. I decided to email everyone back individually . . .So yes, I was on the computer for a while.  When I finally got up and went to the living room, Truffle followed me everywhere!  A constant presence under my feet :)  I was racing around, cleaning water dishes, filling food dishes, scooping boxes, etc.  Finally, after she followed me everywhere, I sat down on the floor and she climbed right up my chest, stuck her sweet little nose into my lips and kissed me.  It was then that I realized that she was trying to comfort me.  Sweet little angel she is.  She just sat on my lap and I talked with her.  I told her, while crying more, how sorry I was that I lost her brother and how if I could go back and change things I would do it in a heartbeat.  She just sat, and listened, cocked her head from side to side, just listening to me sob.  She truly seemed to understand what I was saying to her and when I finally stopped yakking, she just curled up on my lap and laid there.  Like she knew she could not change things, but she could lie there and comfort me the best way she knew how.  This Truffle is going to be an amazing cat, Paula.  She is one who makes connections and understands feelings and that is priceless."

It sounds like little Truffle is wise beyond her years and she is going to be a purrfect fit for me.  She is scheduled for her second vaccination on Monday.  Let's keep those paws crossed and strong purrs going that everything goes well.  She's tentatively scheduled to come home with me on September 4.

Here's a short little video of Truffle playing last night.  She's doing great!

Remembering Beignet

Thank all of you for your comforting words yesterday for both Terri and me.  Terri wanted me to let everyone know how much all of the emails and comments meant to her.  She said she would send an email to me to post for everyone within the next few days.

I am going to continue to post for a few days about Beignet and hope all of you will enjoy seeing the additional pictures and videos I received from Terri.  This video was during my second visit with them when they were 9 weeks old.  As you can see, Truffle was relaxing on the left, but Beignet was being a little boy and fighting with my fingers!  He was such a sweetie and will be truly missed!



I talked with Terri last night and she said that she let little Elvis (Zoey's little boy) sleep with Truffle last night so she would be comforted.  Both Truffle and Elvis enjoyed Chloe's milk bar and they were curled up together when Terri woke up.  She said that Elvis would continue to stay with Truffle until she comes to live with me.

Beignet is with Sweet Praline

It's with great sadness that I must report that Beignet passed away on the operating table yesterday and is now at the bridge with Sweet Praline.  I think I'm still in shock.  Please keep Mom Terri and Truffle in your prayers, too!

 

I just can't think of anything else to say right now.  I'm heartbroken!  Even though he never came to live with me, he was my little boy and I already miss him.  I know that Sweet Praline has already taken him under her paw at the Bridge to protect him.

I did find it comforting to go back through all of Beignet's pictures since his birth and thought I'd share a video of his short little life with you.  

Strong Purrs Needed for Beignet

Sad update:  Beignet is at the Bridge with Sweet Praline.  He passed away halfway through the surgery while under anesthesia.  He was only 11 weeks old and all because of a vaccination.  This is so sad. 

Beignet is facing another surgery today.  The results from the pathology report were not good.  It appears he had a fast growing Vaccination-Associated Fibrosarcomas (VAS) as the result of his vaccination.  This happens rarely (in about 1% of cats), but unfortunately, Beignet fell into that small percentage.  I found an article on-line from a vet that explained this type of cancer where the average person can  understand it a little better.  You can read this article here.  We don't know what Beignet's prognosis will be, but Mom Terri will give him a quality life for as long as he remains on Earth.  Mom Terri has promised to keep me informed about Beignet.  I'm so sad.  I love this little mancat.  I just don't know what else to say except to please send Mom Terri and Beignet extra strong purrs and purrayers.

If you would like to send Mom Terri a personal message of support, you can email her here.

Movie Monday

Update on Beignet:  The news isn't good.  The pathology report showed a fibrosarcoma and there were cancer cells at the edge of the tumor, so he must have another surgery tomorrow (Tuesday).  The vets are shocked at the results because the tumor grew so quickly in such a young kitten.  Based on articles I've been researching, this type of tumor tends to happen in about 1% of cats.  He could survive the surgery tomorrow, but he will need very special attention the rest of his life.  Any needle going through the skin could cause another tumor.  Unfortunately, Beignet will not be coming to live with Truffle and me.  He'll stay with Mom Terri, who will take excellent care of him.  Please keep this little guy in your prayers as he faces another surgery and an uncertain future.  I feel like I'm losing Sweet Praline all over again.  Both Mom Terri and I are so sad.

I just adore Truffle's little personality.  She appears to love to play and even when one of the other kittens gets in her way, takes her toy, or pounces on her, she gets up and continues to play.  I hope you enjoy these two little movies of Truffle at 8 weeks old.



Truffle has the darker gray fur in these videos.  Nothing seems to phase her, does it?



I also wanted to share a updated picture of Truffle and Beignet (at 11 weeks old) that  Terri sent me last night.  They are really developing their own looks as they get older.  Truffle is on the left and Beignet is on the right.  If you want to see all of the pictures (35), you can visit my facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2353587121025.138989.1290590442&type=1. 

 

Please remember to keep Beignet in your purrs and prayers this week as he recuperates from his surgery and that his pathology report will be negative!

Pee ess - Just a little note to thank all of you for your continued visits, purrs, purrayers, prayers, and support.  I've been on the road an average of 3 days a week since June and now my office is changing locations and the move date is this Saturday.  I'm really behind in my visits to your blogs, but please know that I'll be back visiting soon!  You're a very special group!

Easy Like Sunday - August 20 Visit

I visited with Truffle and Beignet yesterday and they get more adorable every time I see them.  Beignet was playing around as if he had never had surgery!  Truffle was her curious self, but as soon as she got in my arms, she fell asleep again!  I took bunches of pictures with my better camera (Canon Rebel EOS) and they turned out so much clearer!

Truffle comfortable in my arms.

 

Beignet in my arms with Mom Chloe watching in the background.

After playing a while, he fell asleep.  His surgery spot doesn't look too bad.  Praying hard for a great pathology report this week.

Color Purple - Week 7 Portraits

Thank you for your continued purrs and purrayers for Beignet.  As far as his recuperation is concerned, he appears to be doing well.  I'll just continue to be nervous until we receive the results of the pathology report.  I'm going down today to visit Truffle and Beignet and hold them in my arms (as long as Mikayla (another future mom cat) doesn't go into labor.  She's due next week, so I should be okay.  I'll definitely give you an update on Beignet and Truffle.

I wanted to get back to the chronological story of Truffle and Beignet's life from the beginning.  The last post was from July 21, which was the day I visited the kittens and they selected me.  They were seven weeks old that day.  Terri always takes a weekly portrait of the kittens and these are the pictures I received of Truffle and Beignet for the Week 7 Glamor Shot.

I just love the pictures of Truffle and Beignet that look like they are talking to me.  I think it shows their personality, so I always like to share these pictures individually.  Here's Truffle.  Can't you just see her already telling me what to do?

Here is the collage of Truffle.

Beignet also likes to talk to me through his photos, but he is such a cute little mancat who loves to pose for his photos, so I had to share this picture of him "strutting his stuff."  If he still gets to come and live with me, I think I'm going to have to hold off all of the ladycats! 

Here is Beignet's glamor collage.

Update on Beignet

Thank you so much for all of your purrs and prayers for Beignet and me.  He appears to be recuperating wonderfully from his surgery and now I must patiently (I don't think I'm that patient anymore) wait for the pathology report.  The vet(s) seem to think the reaction may have been a result of a contamination in the vaccine because a kitten from another litter also had a reaction, but not as severe as Beignet.    The vet(s) believe it was a one time reaction, but also recommend waiting for the pathology report before making any decisions.

I received the following update from Terri yesterday morning about Beignet:

Beignet met me at this end of the hall with a perky little smile.  He is doing just fine.  He did spend the night without his sister, which was sad to me, but I was afraid Truffle might decide she wanted to play too rough so she spent the night with her siblings and Aunt Zoey (Zoey loves Truffle and cleans her and nurses her too, so I know Truffle suffered not at all from this!)  Mom Chloe took excellent care of Beignet throughout the night.  I got up twice to check on them and Chloe and Beignet were curled up snuggling both times."

Beignet and Mom Chloe

Terri reads the blog daily and also follows your comments on the blog and on Facebook.  She wanted me to thank all of you for the support and for all the wonderful prayers and purrs for Beignet.  She also wanted me to let you know that she only uses the Merial Purevax 3 vaccine on all of her cats.

I received the following update last night:

Beignet refuses to believe anything happened to him :)  He's a happy, active boy this evening, running and playing with the gang.  Just wanted to reassure you he was doing well before I headed to bed . . .Truffle understands everyone's concern has been for Beignet this past 24 hours but she sends sweetness to you :)

Here is one of Truffle and Beignet's most recent photos for your enjoyment.

Truffle (left) and Beignet (right)

Thank you for your continued purr, purrayers and prayers.  I really want to bring both of these beautiful kittens home to live with me. 

Purrs for Beignet

I need to go out of sequence for today's post because Beignet had to have surgery yesterday.  He developed a lump after his first vaccination and it was growing, so the vet recommended its removal immediately.  The lump was about 3 cm in diameter and it was near the surface of the skin.  The vet feels everything is going to be okay, but Terri insisted it be sent off for testing.  If everything comes back negative and additional vet consults reveal he will be okay, Truffle and Beignet's arrival may be delayed for 7-10 days until after we see how he reacts to the second vaccination.  This was really scary for me today because it's so close in time to losing Praline to cancer.  I'm praying that he will be fine and that I'll still be able to bring him home to live with me and his sister, Truffle.

Terri sent this video tonight to show me that he was doing fine and eating well.  Please keep Beignet and me in your purrs and prayers.  I'm a wreck!

The Selection Day

July 21 was my day to finally visit and make my choice of the two new furchildren who would come to live with me.  Truffle and Beignet were 7 weeks old on this date and they couldn't be cuter.  It's really unique how kittens will "choose" their beans.  When I came in the door, all five kittens were sleeping in the middle of the floor.

Truffle was the first one to wake up.  She came right over to me and began playing.  After I played with her for a while, I picked her up and she immediately fell asleep in my arms.  Terri's mouth dropped and she called her husband over and said, "She's never done that with anyone, not even me."  This was the exact same thing Sweet Praline did the first day I met her, so I knew this was a sign that Truffle was meant to come home with me.  Just look how relaxed she is!!!

Beignet wasn't feeling too well on my first visit.  He had a little tummy ache, but he still came over to me and played a little bit.  When I picked him up, he just stared into my eyes, begging me to choose him, too.

 

Zoey's three kittens really never had much to do with me.  They stayed sleeping and when they woke up, played with each other.  Terri told me the next day when the next couple came in to visit that kitten #3 crawled right into the man's lap and Truffle and Beignet ignored them.  Kittens are pretty smart!   After all, Truffle and Beignet chose me, didn't they!?!

A soon-to-be happy family!  Truffle is on the left and Beignet is on the right.

Playful Tuesday

According to  Terri, Truffle is the confident little girl that is always doing things to make her laugh.  I received this adorable little video of Truffle playing with her toy!  I just love the little jump at the end.

Ride 'em Cowboy!

Truffle and Beignet are growing faster and faster each week and they are starting to develop their own personalities and distinguishing characteristics.

The theme for Week 6 was "Cowboy Kittens."

Here's Truffle in her most "diva-in-training" pose!  Can't you just see that little cattitude coming out?

Little Beignet is always the little Southern Gentleman.  He loves to have his picture taken.  Just look at some of these poses!

At this point, you can really start to tell the differences between the two of them in their faces.  I hadn't been to Mt. Pleasant to see them yet, so my final decision hadn't been made.  However, I must admit, even though I thought I was going to get two females, I think I knew by this time that I just couldn't split up this brother and sister.  I received an email from Terri the day before these pictures arrived and here's what she had to say,

"Chloe's kittens are still very attached.  In fact, I laughed when I read what you wrote because my daughter's boyfriend walked by them a few days ago and they were all cuddled up together and he said in a little mock kitten voice, 'Please let us be adopted together.  We lub <love> each other so much.'  It was really funny. "
  
How could I not keep the two of them together after that?

Easy Like Sunday

Normally, I would post a picture of Truffle and Beignet resting on an Easy Sunday, but this little video of Truffle doing the "bunny kick" with her toy and Beignet coming over to snoopervise, relaxes me!  I can't wait for them to be home with me so I can watch them all the time.

Photo Hunt: One

Today's Photo Hunt Theme is "one."  I had to think about this one for a little bit, but soon it became obvious. 

First there was "one" floofy kitty for almost 16 years:  Sweet Praline

Soon there will be "one" of each:  a girl floofy kitty and a boy floofy kitty!

Truffle 

Beignet

Floofy Friday Overload

The week after I came home from visiting with Auntie Deb and The Taylor Catsssss, I went through another depression.  I was crying every day at any time of the day.  I think it was because the Taylor Catsssss were so loving and attentive that when I got home, I realized how lonely it was in my house.  Terri seemed to know just when I needed a picture of the kittens to cheer me up.  I was literally sitting at my computer crying when these videos arrived.  As you can imagine, a smile immediately came to my face.

By July 9, all of the kittens (both Chloe's and Zoey's) were together playing.  I don't even attempt to identify who is who in these videos, so just sit back, relax and enjoy some videos of floofy kittens at play!!!  I think Truffle and Beignet were the two largest kittens still at this point, but I'm not sure.

I know there are a lot of videos, but I just couldn't narrow down which one to share!  Enjoy your Floofy Friday Overload!

Rub a Dub in the Tub - Week 5

Week 5 pictures were adorable!  The update from Terri this week said, "This is Chloe's little girl.  She honestly is not as vocal as her pictures make her appear :)  She is a very sweet girl.

Now for the Week 5 collage.

The update on Beignet from Terri said, "This is Chloe's little boy.  He has a ton of personality.  He is all boy - loves to wrestle with his sister and is often the instigator when it comes to tussling.  However, when he gets tired, he is a snuggler and loves to curl up in my lap for a nap.  He is a licker, giving a lot of kisses."

 

Beignet's Week 5 collage:

Keep in mind that I was also getting pictures of Zoey's kittens at this time and they were all beautiful!  I literally had a hard time sleeping because I knew I had to choose two of these babies.  I tend to be a little OCD when it comes to making decisions.  I finally decided that I just had to enjoy all of the pictures and would let the kittens choose me when I went down for a visit.

Pee ess - the nose yesterday belonged to Beignet.  At around 4 weeks of age, his little black nose began getting some pink/red in the middle, which is "standard" for Silver Shaded Persians.  As you look at the newer pictures, it's getting redder.  Congratulations to all of you who can already tell the difference between the two.