Yesterday we noticed that Grey had quite a severe limp and, in fact, by the end of the day wasn’t putting his right paw down at all. The animal clinic advised us to keep his movement limited and give it 48 hours.

This morning, I was delighted to see him emerge from the kitty carrier and walk, albeit gingerly, on all fours. What a relief! Relief that lasted until I returned from popping out to the garden. He was so startled that he tried to jump up onto the counter and fell. He nipped into the cat carrier and didn’t move. For hours.

Just to be safe, I took advantage of the opportunity, slipped the door shut and took Grey to the vet. When we arrived, I was delighted to see “our” vet was working today. My heart just softened, remembering how she’d been there with my cat Jinx so often and with Shannon’s cat too, right at the end. It felt right to share the beginning of this new journey with her.

So I told the story of the abandonment and rescue, of the limp and of the fall. We put Grey on the ground so the vet could observe his gait and… he quickly scampered under the chair with no limp at all! Not a hint.

Perhaps he’d dislocated something and managed to pop it back in with the fall.  Perhaps it was the adrenalin. Just to be sure, our vet examined him closely and carefully and though he squirmed, he settled.

Not only is Grey just fine but our vet seemed to believe that with his behaviour today we had every reason to be hopeful that he’ll soften up too.

We’re just starting our fourth day with The Triplets and so far the signs are promising. Even this photo of them sprawled out and sleeping (can you see how Little Sister is holding Grey’s head? LOL!) tells a tale of settling in nicely. We’ve certainly moved past the dominant mood of “fear” and are now working to get through “wary.” All three cats now let us sit a little closer to them. We’ve managed to lightly touch Big Brother and Little Sister just for an instant and I’ve been able to sit beside Grey with my foot touching his side. On occasion each of the cats has actually moved in closer to us and Big Brother and Little Sister have both taken treats from our hand!

Big Brother is definitely warming up and often comes to sit near me. My heart just about bursts every time because he was the most afraid.

Grey continues to be the most gentle and reserved. We’re worried about him this morning because he has a very pronounced limp. We’re hoping he just got a little overzealous and tweaked a muscle. All the kitty parents out there are telling us that’s the likely cause. I’ll still call the vet this morning.

Yesterday I started calling Little Sister Little Miss Feisty. She loves to play and hunt and is full of personality. And when she sleeps – she is OUT! This morning when I entered the Kitten Zone, she was up on the piano looking out the window. When she saw me, she leaped down and came closer. And yesterday she jumped on a chair and curled up right beside Shannon’s legs! Progress!

I feel so amazed and blessed by this adventure. Last night I said to Justin, “Whatever happens, this is one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life.” I meant it.

Read the start of The Triplets adventure here.

If you want even more of these kittens, be sure to join me on Facebook and Instagram, plus I have created a Tumblr just for the journey!

We’re starting to get to know The Triplets better and seeing more of their personalities. I thought you’d like to be introduced to this ragtag trio. Now, because we’re not sure how these little ones will grow and where they will end up for sure, we’ve decided to give them ‘For Now” names. Let me introduce you to Big Brother, Little Sister & Grey (Discover how we ended up with three abandoned kittens here.)

Big Brother is pure black and has an elegant long nose. He’s the boldest of the bunch when it comes to adventure. He’s the first to the window, the first to jump up, on and over anything. He’s also the most afraid of people. He was in a wild panic at the vet and he generally runs when we come near. We’ve definitely got to keep an eye on him and create a great sense of safety and love.

Little sister is also pure black. She has a lovely round face and the most expressive ears! And wow, Little Sister is feisty!! She’s the bravest with people. In fact, I’m so excited to share that she even took a treat from my hand and licked my finger! She loves to hunt and is quick to bring out the “smack-down” paw.  We’re finding her absolutely hilarious!

Don’t let this mug shot fool you, Grey is the gentlest of the bunch. Remember the vet said they might have slight colds? I think that has him extra quiet and looking serious today though it does seem to be in his nature to be observant and still. He’s also clearly smart. While the other kittens were playing with a toy on the end of a string, Grey was looking calmly at Shannon, who was making it move. There is something absolutely magnetic about this kitten.

I so appreciate all the love and support that we have received for The Triplets and all the encouragement we’ve received as rescuers. I know that every kind thought and positive word is a part of the circle of love that will help these little boos find their way. We’re taking it one day at a time with love, care and little bit of caution. No doubt we will have plenty of pictures to share and stories to tell!

(Read The First Installment: How I Went Out for Coffee and Came Home with Three Kittens, The Second Installment: Getting Three Abandoned Kittens in a Box)

What’s the first thing you do when you rescue abandoned kittens? Take them to the vet.

(Okay, first you take as many pictures as you possibly can and then you take them to the vet.)

Keeping the triplets in the carrier and the box, I got on the phone to our animal clinic, where just two weeks ago we said goodbye to our dear Jinx.  Considering it was Friday afternoon, I hoped beyond hope they would fit us in. There was a small window of opportunity and we had to make it work. Without a car, it was quite a trip. We carried the little grey one over first and then I hurried back for the other two.

As I carried these kittens from place to place throughout the day I couldn’t help but remember when I brought home Jinx from the Humane Society all those years ago. I adopted her impulsively and the fee took the very last bit of my money. All the way home on the streetcar, Jinx in a box on my lap, I said to Shannon, “Did I just make a big mistake? Should I be turning around and taking her back right now?”

Well, I didn’t. I trusted my instincts and we had 20 years together.

Now I was faced with the same kinds of questions. What would the vet discover? Could we cover the cost of what these kittens needed? What had we (or, more rightly I) gotten us into?

The First: The first kitten out was the one we had seen behind the refrigerator. Now was our first chance to get a good look at the little grey. The minute this kitten came out of the box, I fell in love – the beautiful face, the shining grey fur and, of course, memories of our beloved Bascha who we lost years ago. As the vet started the examination, she told us that when cats are very afraid they tend to either freeze or go wild.  This little one was very still, except for the trembling, and didn’t resist the exam at all. Soon we knew that we had a “he” and this little boy was doing just fine.

The Second: Next the bigger black cat came out of the carrier and smashed its way over, under, through and behind – any direction that was away. The vet really had to work to get a hold of this beauty. When she finally did, she kept the kitten held down to the table by the scruff of the neck and that had a calming effect. Once again the results were good. Maybe a teeny-tiny sign of a cold that would clear up on its own but other than that, we had another healthy boy.

The Littlest: Then came the littlest – what a feisty kitten! The vet was able to get this one on the table but wow, this kitten didn’t anyone holding his/her scruff! Every grab resulted in ears back and a devastating look in the eye! The vet couldn’t help but laugh as again and again she got “The Look”! Despite the ferocity, the exam was completed and once again, good news! This healthy kitten is our one girl.

Amazingly, all three went back into the carriers fairly easily. Now that each kitten was de-wormed, immunized and had a clean bill of health, it was time to take them home.

(Read first installment)

I headed back with the cat carrier, thinking I’d get behind that fridge, plop the timid triplets in and get them home. My sister Shannon offered to help and, as we walked, she told me about a dream she’d had that very morning – a dream about babies and a kitten in our home.

Another sign.

When we arrived, the landlady took us up to the apartment and we were thrilled to see all three cats in the living room. We entered quickly and closed the French doors, but not before the little grey darted out and disappeared. We decided to focus on the remaining two. The big question was: what would be better, a quick grab or a long coax?

Thinking tough love might get them home sooner, I grabbed the towel we’d brought along and tried to wrap one up quickly. I got a gash on the heel of my hand as a thank you.

Okay, slow and steady it is.

The landlady kindly bandaged my hand, telling use we could take our time in the apartment while she got back to work. Before she left, she called the former tenant and it turned out he was willing to come by and help capture the cats. We were relieved, though I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to meet the person who had left these kittens behind.

Two cats and two humans spent the next hour in a gentle stand-off, with Shannon and I taking turns looking for hidden away grey.

The former tenant arrived with a friend. They were a bit rough and unsteady but they set to it. The tenant lumbered right in and grabbed the closest kitten. That little being fought with all his might but the man held firm. He pulled the writhing, scratching cat into his body and then pushed the little dervish into the waiting carrier. Onto the next, a repeat performance. After a fierce but quick fight Cat 2 was contained and the tenant had a deep and bloody reminder across his hand.

As he put the scratch under running water, the tenant told us the cats had never been anywhere but here, never been outside. He told us not to rely on the carrier door but to hold it firm with our hands too. He seemed to care about the cats though he was clearly unable to care for them.

The cats were bigger than expected and we thought better of adding a third to the carrier. We decided to take the two black cats home and come back with a second carrier while the men searched for the grey. When we returned, the landlady said the kitten had come out when the two men were alone in the apartment. They had managed to get the little boo in a box.

There at the top of the stairs in a fruit box, tucked under a shelf with a weight on it, was the third of the kittens. We put a blanket over the box and carried the last one home.

(Read what happened next)