THE SPARKY REPORT #35 - FIRST BIRTHDAY

Sparky, moments after she was discovered. She weighed 9 ounces and was desperately hungry.

Two days ago (June 6) Sparky Tabasco celebrated her first birthday! This milestone is significant because when I found Sparky, she was a 3-week-old orphan. Had my sister and I not heard her cries of distress, Sparky would have died. It's a testament to her indomitable spirit and will to survive that she kept up her cries until we discovered her in a barn atop a stack of hay bales.

I thought you would enjoy a picture esssay chronicling Sparky's first year of life. Some of the pictures you've already seen, but many of them will be new to you. Let's start with a series of pictures taken during the first few days after I adopted Sparky.

Sparky in her new home. (3 weeks old)

 

4 1/2 weeks old

 

4 1/2 weeks old. In her litter box, with litter on her nose.

 

6 weeks old. Learning to drink milk from a bowl.

 

2 months old. Getting ready to pounce on a wadded up piece of paper.

Typepad is being recalcitrant and won't let me caption the above picture. The caption should read:  2 months old. Sparky sleeping on a freshly laundered dog blanket.

The next series of pictures depict Sparky playing peek-a-boo. She does that often, giving me many opportunities to get some really cute pictures of her peering around objects, thinking she's invisible.

 

2 months old. Peek-a-boo!

 

 

2 1/2 months old.

 

2 1/2 months old.

 

2 1/2 months old. This is one of my favorite Sparky pictures.

 

3 months old.

 

4 1/2 months old.

Are you still with me? Can you handle a few more pictures? The next set includes miscellaneous shots taken at random, including another of my favorites:  Sparky playing fetch with a wadded up ball of paper. No matter where she is in the house, when she hears me wad up a piece of paper, she comes running.

 

4 1/2 months.

 

5 1/2 months old. Exploring the great outdoors

 

6 1/2 months old. Relaxing in her favorite nap spot: the wastepaper basket under my desk.

 

7 months old. Naughty Sparky!

9 months old. Looking all grown up. She's squinting because of the camera flash.

And that's the end of this essay in pictures. These photos represent only a small portion of Sparky's life, and I have hundreds more pictures of her, so be glad this post isn't longer! Sparky wants to thank the Word Wenches and all her fans for making her first year a memorable one. She's one very lucky kitty!

Good-bye!

 

 

Comments

[Donna]

I love having an e-pet and am very grateful to you for the time you've taken to photo, write and share her with us. Happy Birthday, Sparky!

[Mary Jo Putney]

What a wonderful rogue's gallery of pictures! Please thank Sparky for her participation in this. *G*

Hope you had a wonderful birthday, Sparky, with good kitty treats!

[Laura]

Donna, I love "e-pet"! I'd never heard the term until you used it. And what a wonderful way to have a pet--all the fun and laughter, without the bother of litter boxes, scratched furniture, etc. The best of both worlds!

[Laura]

Mary Jo, Sparky had a wonderful birthday full of fun in the sun, with occasional retreats to a nice shady spot. I also spent part of the day training her to come when called. Since she's become an indoor/outdoor cat, she spends more and more time outside, often disappearing for hours at a time.

I'm training Sparky to come when called, so that I can be assured of getting her back in the house to stay after 7 p.m. The enticement is food. Her normal meals consist of a variety of super-premium kitty kibble, so when I break out the fancy canned stuff and go outside and call, "Kitty-kitty-kitty-kitty," she usually comes running. It's a riot to see her burst from the woods at a dead run and make a beeline for the house. *g*

[LenoreJ]

Happy Birthday Sparky Tabasco! I have enjoyed every report and look forward to your further adventures.

[theo]

Has it really been a year already? I can't believe how fast the time has flown. And I'd forgotten that you found Sparky almost on the same day we rescued Murphy. Of course, he's probably three now, as close as the vet can get anyway, but the time flew there as well.

I love the pictures. But I must say, I agree that the one showing off her ears is one of my favorites too. Happy Birthday to Sparky! :)

[ELF]

So much fun to see Sparky grow up and develop a personality, I love those toes of hers. Happy Birthday to her and kudos to you for having raised such a beautiful fur-purrson...

[Jan]

Sparky is "polydactyl"! Oh my a very special cat indeed. Did I miss that part? Rumor has it that would maker her an exceptional mousers.

[Annette N]

Sparky is truly one very lucky cat! And we are very blessed to be able to share her life in pictures.

[Donna]

I think I made it up! lol! At least I've never seen it either. And mine certainly don't need any help in destroying furniture, etc. But I probably wouldn't trade them! ;-)

[Glenda]

Happy Belated Birthday to Miss Sparky!! I love the photo timeline!

[Laura]

Thank you, LenoreJ. Since Sparky is such a busy-body, into everything, I have every expectation that she'll continue to provide me with many more hours of fodder for future blog posts! *g*

[Laura]

Theo, I love Sparky's ears too! She's finally growing into them, but at times she still looks like she has bat wings on her head! I love those big ears and I hope they stay that way. They define her taste and it's so loke
Sparky to be unusual in that respect: big ears, extra toes, a "fetcher."

I'd forgotten you found your Murphy near the same day I found Sparky. I think they're both lucky to find loving homes!

[Laura]

Hi, ELF. I agree, it has been fun watching Sparky grow up and develop a personality that is so endearing and sometimes frustrating. *g* She is indeed my perfect and beautiful fur-purrrson!

[Laura]

Yes, Jan, Sparky is a polydactyl. I noticed that the first day I found her. That, and her very loud voice complaining that she was hungry and wanted milk NOW. I don't know if having extra toes gives Sparky an edge as a mouser, but she certainly captures her share of rodents!

[Laura]

Annette, I'm glad you are enjoying Sparky's adventures. I'm lucky to have a camera beside me on the desk for those times when she does something worthy of capturing in a photo.

[Laura]

Hi, Glenda. I wish I'd been able to include more pictures, but I didn't want to include so many photos that they'd take forever for visitors to download. I''m just glad you all are enjoying Sparky's weekly adventures!

[Faith @ Demon for Details]

Smart training tool. If you use an electric can opener, bet she'll eventually start hauling a** outta the woods as soon as you start it.

I've always thought it odd that most people think that cats can't be trained, hate to go in cars, and won't come when called. Mine love to travel, one came when called as soon as she figured out what her name was...

...and only one of the many feline companions who've shared my life didn't automatically come in every night about dark. He's a long and wonderful story, but the funniest part is that he actually always came quickly when called, would stick his head in the window or pet door, but if he wasn't ready to come in, would immediately turn and run like hell. Loved that cat! One of the two best patriarchs I've ever seen!!

[Jeannette]

wow - Ha[py Brithday Sparky. It's been fun watching you grow up. AND Terrible George from Virginia USA sends his regards and says to say that he does that exact same thing with the toilet paper - great fun!

[Laura]

Donna, I'm pretty sure you made up the term "e-pet." At least I'd never heard it before you mentioned it!

Thankfully, Sparky loves her corrugated cardboard scratchers, and she seems to have pretty much grown out of the furniture-scratching stage. One thing she does like to sharpen her claws on, though: my foam kneeling pads I use when gardening. I finally gave her one to shred to her heart's content. Much better to have her scratching the kneeling pad than my sofa!

[Laura]

Faith, if I had an electric can opener, no doubt Sparky would know that it means delish wet food. I prefer an old-fashioned opener--the kind you clip to the side of a can and turn the handle with the other hand. Anyway, those expensive little cans of fancy cat food have pull-tab openers.

I agree with you, Faith. Cats are very trainable. And they can teach themselves by observing. When I trained my dogs to ring some bells hanging on the door handle when they needed to go outside, all of my cats (I had 3 at the time) would stand on their hind feet and bat at the bells until I dutifully let them out. I didn't train them to do that. They learned it by observing the dogs.

I loved your description of your "patriarch" cat who had a mind of his own, but came when you called. Sparky is fast learning that when I call her, it means a kitty treat. She's no dummy!

[Laura]

Jeannette, please tell Terrible George from Virginia USA that Sparky thanks him for his birthday wishes! She's also glad to hear that she's not the only cat that likes to unravel the toilet paper roll. The first time Sparky did it, I wanted to be mad, but she was lying in the middle of the mess, looking so happy, that I just had to run and get the camera. That picture makes me laugh every time I see it.