Blame it on the Boogie

 

Welcome to Jermaine (left) and Janet (right). These two came from the same location as Bowie and Crema and as such they are under socialized.  

Janet has broken with a URI and is quite congested.  Hopefully we can get that under control quickly. 

Jermaine really really wishes I would leave them alone.. he had a really bad reaction to being weighed but we got through the nail trim easily enough.  He even ate the food I put in his mouth.  

They are a little older than I would like to start socialization bit camp.. so here is hoping they are open to liking people

Taco Tuesday 🌮

I've finally decided on which kitten gets which name. Sophie Bell came easy as she pretty much claimed it for herself. The Catman and I had different opinions on the other two, but since this is my blog, I won ☺

Okay,  not the best photo ever,  but you try getting two kittens in a small cardboard box let alone take a photo.. lol

First up,  Julie Rose:

Ellen May:

And finally, Sophie Bell.. whose eyes are just too big..

They are doing well. I had to give them formula for about a week despite their being old enough to eat solids but they are now eating me out of house and home..

Sophie Bell is the smallest hitting 2lbs today so they will be going back next week to be neutered and adopted.  

Aren't they just the cutest??

Julie Rose, Ellen May, and Sophie Bell

 I really was not expecting to get any more kittens this year, but then an email landed in my inbox and well.. 

I was told they just need a little time to fatten up, but at this point, they are not reliably eating solid food so it might be a little bit more than bit of time. 

They came with names, but I didn't get a copy of the contract and I haven't heard back from the shelter what the names were. I remember they were pretty generic so I don't feel bad changing them. 

I've got three little girls and when I googled this is what came up so.. this is what it is. 

Now, who is who?  Good question. How about you pick.. :) 

A)

She is the one that is doing the best. She is feisty (in a playful way) and adores little furry mice. 

B)

This little one was not really thriving after the first day and I realized she wasn't eating enough so I broke out the Tailspring formula and she loves it. It has helped her make some good strides and she is starting to feel like she's filling out. She is very much a lap cat, and really likes being near me (even before I started hand feeding her formula)

C)

Despite this photo where she looks pretty big, this little girl is currently the smallest. She is also sneezing a bit.  She also likes hanging out with me, but she also really likes wrestling and playing with toys so she is a nice mix of the other two personality-wise. 

So who do you think should get which name?

September's Fosters #trickortreatkittens

 On September 9th, I drove down to the shelter and picked up a litter of kittens to foster.  Meet Corny Cornucopia, Tornado Tommy, Lemon Drop Larry, and Meowy Shelley (from top to bottom) 

They were feral and were on bite hold for 10 days because when they were found they resisted being captured in the only way they knew how. The safest option is to put them on "bite hold" and only allow people who have been vaccinated against rabies to handle them on that one in a million chance they were exposed prior to the bite. 

I was told they weren't eating that well when I picked them up.  It is so hard to assess feral kitties when you bring them home because they are so fearful.. are they not eating because they are ill or because they are feral? are they not using the box or having diarrhea because of the stress? 

I gave them some food that they could not resist, so at least I knew they were getting some calories, but they still felt very thin and the diarrhea was concerning.  I reached out to the shelter and got some dewormer and when things still weren't going in the right direction I pulled out some milk for them and they started turning the corner. 

Except Lemon Drop Larry.

He was still struggling. He was grumpy and stressed over being held and cleaned and tended to. Just when I started getting hopeful, he passed away  It was absolutely heartbreaking to walk into the kitten room to see him there. 

With that, I was not taking any chances and they spent a few days getting fluids and regular care and they started to pull through.  I waited another good week before the kittens graduated from the bathroom to the full foster room to be better socialized and on the off chance they had some major communicable disease, I wouldn't have as much to disinfect.

Corny came around fairly easily.  He was not a lap cat, but I didn't really tighten him that much anymore. Meowy Shelley and Tornado Tommy were less than thrilled when I was walking around but in the end, they realized that humans were a good thing.  When they made weight (to be neutered) I was a bit hesitant about sending them back not 100% fully socialized, but I thought it might be a good idea that they get into their homes and let their people love on them, which would be more frequently than I could

They were quite playful and awful cute.. it was totally fun to be part of their lives. I am guessing I am done fostering for 2021.  I am considering investing in some new flooring for the foster room as what is in there really isn't kitten proof and the water is getting into the joints of the flooring and we have a little warping, but I'm not sure when or even if I am going to do that.  I do want to do some more catification in there with shelves and other climbing options, but then again I also want to do that for my own cats.

Before you criticize.. ask

 

I know I'm not a active on the blog as I used to be,  but I wasn't seeing the engagement that would make the work worth it for me.  I've been posting on Facebook,  Instagram and occasionally to Twitter. 

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?