Batch 5 - The Christmas Trio

Yep, that's right. We got another batch of foster kittens and they are very, very cute. We picked up the foster kittens today on December 22, 2010. We do not know much about these kittens, other then they were an owner surrender, and they born on November 5, 2010.

There are 2 boys and 1 girl. We're monitoring their personalities to come up with good names for them. We are also trying to find a way to tell the 2 gray kittens apart. They look almost identical except when you put them side-by-side, then you can tell one has lighter fur, and one has darker fur.

We have the same setup as batches 2-4 with a large dog crate in our bonus room. They're crate has a 'kitty loft' where they can hang out. They whitish cat was the first to discover the loft and enjoys hanging out there.

More updates to come on the Christmas Trio. Happy Holidays!

-The Foster Family

Cupcake has been adopted

We just heard from Homeward Pets that Cupcake was adopted this afternoon. She is a beautiful, sweet kitten with the softest fur! She'll be a great pet. We wish her, and her new family, all the best. Would love to hear from them about how she's doing.

Goldie and Luna -- adopted together!

We heard from the shelter that Goldie and Luna were adopted today and are living together (!) in their forever home. We are so happy for them.
We still miss them a lot. They, along with their sister Cupcake, are wonderful little kittens with great personalities. And, while we don't miss their litterbox, we sure do miss playing with them and seeing our cat, Bindi, be their foster-mama-cat.
Congratulations, Goldie and Luna! And, if Goldie and Luna's adoptive family reads this, please keep us update on how they are doing. We want to know if Luna still has a fondness for sitting on shoulders -- and if Goldie still has a habit of sucking on her sister's ear.

Rusty has a new home!

Hooray! We heard today that Rusty and his crate-mate Abby, a cute black cat, were adopted together this weekend. We're happy for the both. They are in their Forever Home. Hope to hear from their adoptive family.

Our cat, Bindi, sure liked being a foster-mom to Rusty!

Goodbye Three Little Kittens!

Today we gave back the Three Little Kittens to Homeward pets. They will be "spokes-kittens" for Homeward Pets at a Homeward Pets - Petsmart event. They are up for adoption. We hope these wonderful kittens - Luna, Goldie and Cupcake - get great homes quickly! We hope to here from each kitten's forever family.

Here is the Three Little Kitten's Goodbye video:

Three Little Kittens Video

The Three Little Kittens' Video:

The Three Little Kittens

We got a call on August 26th from Homeward Pets that another batch of kittens was available for fostering. We picked them up the next day.
They are three little kittens:Cupcake (aboout 1 1/2 lbs), Goldie, and Luna (1 lb, 1 oz). They are very cute little baby cats with very, very loud meows. The loudest, most insistent is Cupcake, an entirely black cat. (We have to admit that we sometimes call her Batcat -- because she really does look like a black bat at times.)

Since they are so little, we will likely have them for several weeks, until they reach 2 lbs.




This is of Goldie (left) and Cupcake (right)











And, here's our little Luna:

Still Waiting

Rusty, one of the Greystone Trio, is still at Homeward Pets, awaiting his Forever Home.



We saw him today when we went to pick up our next batch of foster kittens. He's grown and seemed to recognize us.

We really, really, really hope he gets adopted soon! He's a great little cat.

Fluffy Sisters have been adopted

We are so glad to have learned that the Fluffy Sisters have been adopted -- together! They ended up being adopted by our friend's sister's friend. The coincidence was determined by a series of Facebook posts. We are so glad to hear that the two kitties are being cared for by a doting 12-year-old girl and her family. We always thought they were little princesses and now we hear they will be treated like royalty with bejeweled collars and a kitty stroller (we'll thing of it as their carriage) for walks around the neighborhood.
Best wishes Lola (formerly known as Lindy) and Mitzi (formerly known as Lola).

The Fluffy Sisters

These last two weeks we have fostered two beautiful kittens, Lindy and Mitsy. They both are long haired kittens, and are very fluffy, so we called them the Fluffy Sisters. They were shy, as usual, when we first got them. Since they were already 2lbs, we were originally only going to foster them for just one week. However, as we got to know them, it seamed like they needed some extra socialization before they were given back for adoption.

So we kept them for two weeks. They are a lot more playful now. Hopefully these kittens will be in their Forever Homes soon! Here is their video:

Waiting, waiting

We found out that the second of the Greystone Trio, Lep/ Leo was adopted this past week. We're so glad he's found his Forever Home. If his adoptive family reads this, please post and tell us something about yourselves.

We're still waiting to hear that Rusty, the third kitten of the brother bunch, has been adopted. By now, he's been at the shelter for two whole weeks. So sad. They've told us that, for whatever reason, kitten adoptions are just not happening as quickly as they usually do. In the past, all these cute kittens would end up being in the shelter for only a day or two after returning from foster care and having their surgeries. Now it is days and even weeks.

We hope the two fluffy kittens we've been fostering for two weeks will get adopted quickly! Lindy and Mitsy are beauties. Kitten-food-commercial cute!

Mixed Feelings

Last week, saying good-bye to the Greyscale Trio was made a bit easier by saying hello to two beautiful, long-haired kittens we're naming the Fluffy Sistahs. These two girl kittens are adorable.

We were happy to hear that Dub was adopted last weekend to a fabulous Forever Home -- Hooray! But sad to hear that Rusty and Leo/Lep are still at the shelter. -- Last weekend was a big weekend for dog adoption, and less so for kitties. We really, really hope they find their Forever Homes in the next few days.

Summary video of fostering the Greyscale Trio

Today, July 29th we gave back Leo (aka Lep), Dub, and Rusty to be made ready for adoption. They had their surgeries midday today and will be up for adoption tomorrow (Friday). Homeward Pets is having a pet-adoption-awareness even at a local pet store chain and while they won't bring kittens to the event, it does bring more people into the Homeward Pets adoption center. So, the Greyscale Trio will most likely be adopted by the end of the weekend.

Farewell Leo/Lep, Dub, and Rusty! We wish you well in your Forever Homes.

Here is a video of our fostering experience with the Greyscale Trio:

Time flies when you're having fun

We've really enjoyed spending lots of time playing with the Grayscale Trio. We're having a different experience with fostering these three compared to our first batch.
This time, Homeward Pets allowed us to borrow a big dog crate so we could keep the kittens in a family room. (The first batch of kittens were kept in the bathroom and taken out for playtime.)

This time around, the kittens have been around us -- and the noises of the household -- more since the crate is in a room that is often used. And, when we're around, we close the room door, open the crate -- and the fun begins! The cats have enjoyed exploring every corner of the room. It's our "everything" room -- with toys, an indoor swing for our son who has Sensory Processing Disorder, our laundry area (washer and dryer in a closet). -- Each time we do laundry, we have to make certain all the kittens are accounted for before turning the machine on. -- They like to climb in the front-loading washer and dryer! One of the kittens has decided the ironing board -- folded up against the wall -- makes a perfect mountain to try to scale.

These three boys have come a long way! It was clear they hadn't been handled by humans before they came to our home. They hated being picked up and would wildly claw at us. (We have the scratched up ands and arms to prove it!) We started slowly with holding them for just five seconds at a time -- and building up to longer and longer times. Before long, they'd try to climb up our pants and shirts to get to our shoulder when we opened their crate for playtime.

We constantly remind them that humans are their friends and that they're supposed to purr when a human picks them up. Leo and Dub have gotten to where they enjoy being held like a baby, getting their tummies rubbed. Rusty still thinks that's pretty undignified -- but we have managed to get him to purr when being held, too!

In a couple of days, on Thursday, the Grayscale Trio goes back to Homeward Pets to have their surgeries. They will be available for adoption on Friday.

Grayscale Trio - Days 2-4 - Naming

When we first got the three kittens, they were without names. So we've spent the time we've had with them figuring out their personalities and what to name them.

Starting from left to right: The first kitten, lightest in color is "Leo" - sometimes called "Lep" (short for Snow Leopard); the middle one, with the reddish nose is "Rusty"; one on the far right is named "Dub" because it looks like someone took a Sharpie and wrote "w" on his forehead.

Foster Kitten Batch #2 - The Grayscale Trio - Day 1

We picked up three male, gray tabbies who are yet unnamed. They need about one week's worth of fostering. There are two darker kittens, and a lighter kitten. We borrowed a dog crate from Homeward Pets and used it to create a 'kitten condo' for the kitties. They especially like the 'loft' that we made for them. We are trying to get to know their personalities so we can name them. They are scheduled for their surgeries on the 22nd (next Thursday) so we have to socialize them quickly.

The Fab Four are with their Forever Families

We took the kittens back to the shelter last Friday. They all had their surgeries and were available for adoption on Saturday.
By the end of the day on Saturday, Max had gone home with a woman who had adopted cats from Homeward Pets before -- and has a cat that is 24 years old. Marvel, who stole our hearts, went home with a family with young school age kids who will, no doubt, love him as much as we did.

We thought the girls (Emmy and Smudge) were still at the shelter because their names were on the website. But, when I e-mailed today to ask if I could come visit them tomorrow, I found out they had actually gone to their Forever Homes on Sunday. Hooray for the girls. Unfortunately, we do not know anything about the homes they went to.

We HOPE the people who adopted these kitties whom we loved and cared for for a month will send us updates about how they are doing.

Farewell Baby Cats!

Days 20-29 - The End of Fostering the Fabulous Four

Days 20-29:



Tomorrow, July 9th, we return the foster kittens to Homeward Pets. It will be the end of our first kitten fostering journey. We will be sad to see them go, and wish them good luck in their Forever Homes.
http://www.homewardpet.org/adoptprocedures.html

Ready to go

We took the kittens to get immunizations at Homeward Pet and had them weighed. Max and Smudge are well over 2 lbs each and are ready to be scheduled for their surgeries. Marvel and Emmy are nearly there and will certainly be ready for their surgeries by next Friday.
So, now we have our "date." The kittens are scheduled to go in on Friday, July 9th to be spayed / neutered. They will be available for adoption the next day, Saturday. -- So, if you're interested in adopting one of these cute baby cats, fill out your adoption papers and show up at Homeward Pets when they open their doors at 9:00 am on Saturday, July 10th!
http://www.homewardpet.org/adoptprocedures.html

Days 16-20 - Kittens! Kittens! Everywhere!

Update in video. Be sure to watch to the end!!

Kittens, Kittens, Everywhere:

Noteworthy changes

The kittens continue to have their home base in our kids' bathroom, but we've been bringing t hem out for longer and longer chunks of time. Today, for about an hour, we had 4 kittens, 3 humans, 2 adult cats and 1 dog -- all in one room, happily hanging out together. (Actually only one of our cats was 100% happy -- but that's another story.)

We've been feeding the kittens as much as they want -- and they are getting heavier; their bellies are getting bigger. Marvel, the smallest of the group, gets "first dibs" on food at each mealtime. Actually, we put him on the bathroom counter with his own bowl of catfood so he can eat, uninterrupted, as long as he needs / wants. Another noteworthy change in Marvel is that he's initiated play with his siblings a couple of times. Previously, he'd play when approached, but hadn't initiated.

Other noteworthy changes -- the kittens' greetings when we enter "their" room. The first few days, they meowed like crazy -- equally for food and attention. Of course, they were always "starving" and would start devouring food as soon as the bowls were set down. But, even before the food was gone, they'd start trying to crawl up our legs to be held and given attention.

Then, after we started letting them out into the hall to explore -- or into the other room -- they'd crowd around the door and try to push their way through the tiniest of openings in order to be able to explore some more.

Well, today since they've had plenty to eat and plenty of play / exploring time, when I went into "their" room in the evening, they looked at me but didn't move or react. --Oh, guess they are turning into grownup, "disinterested" cats!

Another noteworthy change (for which we are grateful!) is that they are no longer stinky! Hallelujah! Maybe they really did need the antibiotics and probiotics that we've been giving them.

Fingers crossed they all continue to do well. We'll have them at least another week, though Max has likely reached his 2lb goal by now...

Days 11-15 - Now It's Two Weeks

On Tuesday we took the foster kittens to the vet. Marvel was 1lb 1oz, Max was 1lb 14oz, and the other two (Smudge and Emmy) were in-between. We were given antibiotics to administer twice a day for possible head-cold/infection.

They continue to have daily play time outside of their room. They've been curious about house plants and electrical cords, so we've had to keep a close eye on them.

They also are still getting along with our own pets, but we never leave them together unsupervised. One of our cats (Bindi) was playing with Max earlier today and we couldn't really tell if she was cleaning or biting him, but Max kept purring! Even though Max is a lot bigger then his siblings, they all still play together. Even Marvell has started playing "rough" with the rest of them.

Occasionally the kittens still get "poopy paws", but that has been happening less often. Nevertheless, kitten care involves a LOT of cleaning. For example, we clean the litter box at least 4-5 times per day and we have to sweep/clean the floor multiple times per day.

It will be sad to see them go once they're big enough to go back to the shelter, but it will also be a bit of a relief from all the pet care involved.

Days 8-10 - Life with Kittens

We have gotten into a routine with the kittens, and have been busy, so daily posts might not always happen. But we'll keep this updated!

The kittens continue to grow. Maxwell is twice the size of his siblings. He will be a BIG cat. Emmy and Marvel love to be held and are the two shyer cats, while Maxwell and Smudge are outgoing and playful. They are both very interested in out cats and dog. Marvel - despite his early, terrifying dog experience - is not afraid of our dog.


Emmy has a fascination with our stairs. She really isn't big enough to walk down the stairs, so she jumps. And loves it.

Our own cats are beginning to forgive us for the kitten invasion and are starting to warm up to the baby foster cats. Maybe in a few days they'll even play. (Pictures will definitely be up if that happens)

The kittens still stay in the bathroom for the majority of their daily time, but now - after they've already explored our house a little bit - come running out of their room every time we open our door.

They go through quite a lot of cat food. Since we got them, they've eaten about 29 cans of kitten food.

Day 7 - A Week!?

Day 7 in Timelapse with the Kittens playing at the end:



Tomorrow will have a timelapse, but we'll also post a bit of news about the kittens as the timelapses are pretty much the same day after day.

Foster pets vs. our own pets

Today we let the kittens out of the bathroom and into the upstairs hallway. We closed all the bedroom doors and let them explore a bit. Pretty soon, our dog and cats came to check out what was going on. -- We decided to take the chance and let the Fabulous Four meet our own cats and hope for the best (regarding potential spreading of illness from the kittens to our cats).

The kittens are not afraid of the dog at all. The dog (Mocie) just looks at the kittens, wags her tails in fascination and "smiles." The Smudge and Emmy (the female cats) are more interested in the dog than are Max and Marvel (the boys). Smudge thinks Mocie is the best and tries to rub on her legs, the way cats do. She also wants to sniff Mocie's muzzle and even has "stood up" on her hind legs to do so! When Mocie-the-dog sat down, Smudge started poking around her belly. Makes us think of the book Are You My Mother by P.D Eastman.

Our cats are still quite wary of the kittens. As we suspected, Bindi, the older, more maternal one, was the first to come visit the kittens. She's not impressed and has hissed at them. -- The kittens, too, have tried to look tough -- and did the whole raised fur, arched back, walking sideways thing. Pretty funny.

In the morning, the stress of the visitors took its toll on our cats and they growled and hissed at each other downstairs, something they have never done. Made me start worrying about the emotional price they are paying for our fostering experience. But, by afternoon, they were snuggled back on the couch together again, so all seems to be well.

Day 6 - Wow, these kittens can meow!

Watch the following until the end to hear just how much these kittens meow when they want something.

Day 6 in Time lapse (With Kitten feeding at the end):

Realities of kitten fostering

We started this blog as a way to record our experience of fostering kittens. So far, it's been mostly about how cute these Fabulous Four are. So, here's some more about the actual experience.

• We assumed we'd keep the kittens in a room that doesn't get hours of daily use -- our "bonus" room that has the treadmill, Wii Fit and "laundry closet" in it. It would be easy to keep closed off from our other pets (two cats, whom we've adopted from a local shelter in the past year and our four-year-old Labradoodle). But, as we said in a previous post, we were advised to start off our kitten-fostering adventure with the kittens in a bathroom, which would be relatively easy to clean, and that turned out to be good advice. The downside is that the bathroom our kids usually use is now a kitten sanctuary and, despite continual cleaning, smells! The litterbox is manageable; it is the smell of canned catfood in a small enclosed space that is particularly offensive.
• We assumed that after a few days, we'd be able to introduce the kittens to our cats. One of the cats (Bindi) is particularly maternal and we thought she'd really enjoy the kittens. But, we were told that since the kittens' history is unknown, it would be best to keep them away from our own cats, in case the kittens are harboring some illnesses. At the very least we, we were advised to keep them apart for several days (in case the kittens have something incubating). So, our unintended consequence of our fostering experience is that our own two cats are confused and upset about the closed door -- and why we are spending so much time with those little visitors. Our cats are giving us the cold shoulder. We have let our dog meet all the kittens but Marvel (see his history in our first post) and that has gone OK. So far, the meetings have been with the kittens in our hands. The dog does not trust those tiny paws and claws, so she's kept her distance.
• We didn't think about the financial cost of fostering. We had to buy a new litterbox, dry kitten food and lots and lots of canned kitten food. It isn't a terribly huge cost -- but something that needs to be taken into consideration before jumping into such a venture.
• And, only time will tell what the emotional "cost" will be. As of today, I have to admit that am becoming attached to these Fabulous Four. Even though we've been very clear from the beginning that we are taking care of someone else's kittens (their future forever owners), I think B. and I are really getting attached to them. -- How can you not love these babies who, as hungry as they get, are willing to walk away from their catfood bowl in order to come sit on your lap?

Day 5 - Many Visitors

Today the kittens had a lot of visitors throughout the day. All told, eight neighbors (adults and kids) came to visit the Fabulous Four. It's not common to have visitors in your bathroom, but that's where we were hanging out for a couple hours in the afternoon! The kittens are quite a hit with the kids, so maybe we'll get to watch one (or more) of these kitties grow up as a neighbor's cat. That would be great as we are starting to get attached.....

Another time-lapse. Tomorrow, we'll feature more photos.

Day 5 in Time-lapse:

Day 4 - More Timelapse!

Day 4 in Time-lapse with Kitten Soccer at the End:



Same setup as yesterday, except we kept the camera in one spot and increased the speed from x300 to x600. Not sure if tomorrow's time lapse will be x300 or x600. We'll see!

What to do if you're intersted in one of these kittens.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised to start hearing from friend -- and friends-of-friends -- interest in particular kittens. We'd be thrilled if we knew where they end up in their "forever home" so we could keep tabs on them.

We've been told that we are not supposed to promise particular kittens to individuals. This morning I sent an e-mail to my contact at Homeward Pet to see what their adoption procedure is -- especially if someone is interested in a particular baby.

This is the response I received:

We cannot put “holds” or “reservations” on any cat or kitten(s) but you are more than welcome to let your interested parties know as to when they will be available for adoption and advice them to come in that day THE MOMENT WE OPEN. Kittens, especially your litter of kittens breeds are quite popular and will fly out of here in a heartbeat. So whoever is interested in them must show up the day they become available to the public by the time we open (maybe even a little early to assure you are first in line).

Anybody interested in adoption whether it’s a cat, dog, kitten or puppy needs to fill out an application(which they can print out online already filled out by the time they get to us) or they would fill out an application the moment they arrive to the shelter. After the application is filled out they would be shown the kittens by an adoption counselor working that day. The application is a tool we use to help pair up the animals to their future owners. We want to make sure the animal is going to a great home that will be loved unconditionally and never returned or surrendered again, and vice-versa. We don’t want to pair up an animal that isn’t going to work out depending on the family’s lifestyle, needs, wants and etc.

If after talking to the interested parties, and are approved for that given kitten(s) and/or cats then we proceed to the adoption process. It takes about 10-15 minutes worth of paperwork and then they go home with their new companion(s). We do have paper boxes here for free but it’s nice if people come prepared with a cat carrier.

A single cat or kitten is $100 and if you get a pair then its $175. If anybody lives in King County they will have to pay for a King County License Tag which is only $5 for a kitten or $30 for an adult.

Since you are fostering them, you will know when they will be returned to us and available for adoption. I am guessing they are not spayed/neutered yet so when you do return them for their scheduled surgeries they typically become available that following day or two. Laurel or the vet staff would be happy to let you know so you can spread the word like wild fire. Again, the best advice is to let them know when the kittens will become available and to get here that day slightly before we open and maybe already prepared with a completed application on hand.

They can also keep tabs through our website www.homewardpet.org or through www.petfinder.com to see what animals we have that are available for adoption.

Here is the link for the Homeward Pet Kitten Application:
http://www.homewardpet.org/adoptprocedures.html

I hope it all works out for everyone to get the kitten that calls to their heart!

Day 3 - In Video

Day 3 in Video (Time-lapse):


We attached our camcorder to a tripod and had the camcorder take a picture every minute for about 8 hours. Then we strung together the pictures in a nice little time-lapse of day 3. Also, we added a little real-time video of the kittens playing since most of the time-lapse was of them sleeping. (The music was: "Cradle Song" by Paul Sullivan)

Poopy Tails

Warning: you may not want to read this right before eating...

The kittens seem to instinctively know to use the litterbox. That's the good news.... The not-so-good news is that they do not know to "bury" their poops. As a result, they step in it and get poopy paws and poopy tails. Sigh. More to clean! We also realized that we bought a small litterbox that would be more than adequate for one kitten -- but is way to small for four kittens. Because not only do they have issues with their own "stuff," they also step into each other's waste. So, we need to go back to the pet store - again - to get a bigger box. (Already went once today to restock the canned kitten food that they are devouring.)

We have never scooped poops so many times a day, nor have we swept so much litter, cleaned the floor of "dirty" pawprints, swept up catfood and spilled water all in one day.

Good things those baby cats are SO DARNED CUTE!

Day 2 - The Naming

The kittens are even more comfortable with us today and are playing a lot. They are getting used to the litter box, and their bathroom environment.

When we got our foster kittens, they had already been named. Marvel, Mace, Mavis, and Mina. We decided that Mina's name had to be changed, and probably Mavis' too. Marvel was a good name because of the story and Mace could work too. After playing with him, though, we decided change Mace's name to Max/Maxwell. Also Mavis seems more like an Emmy, and Mina definitely has to be Smudge. She looks like she has mascara smudged around her eye and a smudge near her mouth.

Marvel on top, Max on bottom.


A surprised looking Smudge: (with Emmy underneath)


In the afternoon, we spent a lot of time with the kittens. We (unfortunately) got scratched a lot because apparently kittens of their age have learned to extend their claws, but don't have the fine-motor-skills to retract them. It's called the "sticky paw stage." Also, they love to climb, so all the way up our legs and arms there are tiny kitten-claw sized scratches.

The first night we had them, they all went to bed at around 8:30. Not tonight! At 10pm the cats were still jumping around and wanting to play. We finally got Smudge, Max, and Emmy into bed, but Marvel still wanted to play. We calmed him down, and put him to bed at around 10:30. What a day!

Day 1 - The Beginning

Yesterday we turned in our registration form to foster kittens. We thought it would be a few days/weeks before a batch of kittens were ready for us. However today we got the call that 4 marvelous kittens were in need of a foster home. Our home.

We had planned to house the kittens in an extra/family room, but were advised to use a more-kitten-friendly room. Specifically a bathroom. That turned out to be good advice! We went to pick them up in the late afternoon.


What a bunch of cuties! We learned about their history: we think they're 4-5 weeks old, they were recently motherless found in a field. Then one of the cats (Marvel) was grabbed by a dog belonging to the neighbor of the person who found them. They managed to retrieve Marvel relatively unharmed, but understandably he was in shock. They were worried he wouldn't make it. He didn't eat. The finder took him to a local vet where they put him on fluids. Slowly he began to perk up. By the time we met him, we couldn't tell he was any different then any of his siblings. The cats were brought to the shelter, checked out by the vet, and then we were called.

We asked why kittens need to be fostered. We were told that kittens need a place to stay, to gain weight, and to be socialized in a home environment. The shelter is not a good option because of potential germ exposure, plus cage space is needed for incoming animals.

So the kittens will stay with us until they reach 2lbs. This will likely be 2-3 weeks. At that point, they will be old enough to be spayed/neutered and made available for adoption. Let the adventure begin.