My current batch of kittens has gone viral. Mostly because Facebook has decided to show my videos on their media section. I am thrilled. It's nice to see so many people love my videos and the kittens. It also warms my heart that I can bring a smile to so many faces.
But..
As you can guess by the opening image, it isn't all whiskers on kittens. I'm getting criticism for the most basic of things. People saying I shouldn't be recording hungry kittens but feeding them. I shouldn't let kittens fall. I shouldn't confine the kittens, among others.
Personally, I couldn't care less as I know what I'm doing and why. I know that the kittens are well fed, loved, happy, and are in one of the safest place (20 years of tweaks to my foster room has made this as safe as it can be and not be a padded cell). I am constantly complemented on how social and well adjusted my foster kittens are. Do I wish I could do more? Of course, but there is no money in volunteering to raise kittens. I have to work, which puts me out of the house 11 hours a day. I have a family, friends, five cats, six email addresses, a blog and social media.. and I need to sleep and deal with my lipedema..
And after 11 hours of work I do get to come home to this..
But also this..
And I, nor anyone else on the internets, really need you to do that as well.
What I do care about is being an advocate. Not only for the kittens but for fostering.
So, basically, for people who don't know me.. I've been fostering for 20 years. Well over 500 kittens.. I've lost track. I study cat behavior. I understand behavioral development in kittens. I have taken on incredibly difficult cases, heartbreaking ones. I've learned to tube fed, I've given a kitten a vet sanctioned enema, I can give a 3 oz kitten fluids. I haven't met a cat I can't medicate. I can trim 120 claws in under 10 minutes. And I'm generally faster than a speeding kitten (but not four).. so before you tell me what I'm doing wrong in a 2 to 4 minute glimpse into one part of my life, please tell me what you do to support unowned cats and kittens. Do you volunteer? Have you ever fostered? Have you even shared a plea from your local rescue to find a home for a kitty in their care? Donated? No? I didn't think so.. so maybe you can trust that I might know something you don't.
And if you really really can't stop yourself from telling me I'm doing it wrong, could you try formatting it to ask a question instead? Like "why are those kittens behind a baby gate" (to keep them safely contained in the very large foster room) or even "those kittens look really hungry, why are you not feeding them faster?" (A couple of reasons. A)kittens are unreasonable and don't understand that sometimes they have to wait. Teaching that now helps when they are older so they don't scream in your face at 3 am. B) because making cute videos of them when they aren't hungry is harder and people like to hear mews, and the more people that see the videos the more people learn about fostering. And most importantly... C) they simply aren't that hungry. Think of a kid on a hot day when they hear the ice cream truck. I give them enough food to last until the next time I tend to them. They like canned food, they want more. They don't care of they are actually hungry or not. Hasn't your cat every conned you out of a second breakfast? )
I love questions. I'll talk about cats and kittens all day if someone is genuinely interested (and sometimes even if they aren't)... so have at it. Any questions you've ever wanted to know about me, my cats, my fosters, cats in general?
