Update in video. Be sure to watch to the end!!
Kittens, Kittens, Everywhere:
Jun 29, 2010
Jun 25, 2010
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...
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...
Jun 24, 2010
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.
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.
Jun 19, 2010
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 twic
e 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.
The kittens continue to grow. Maxwell is twic
e 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.
Jun 16, 2010
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.
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.
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.
Jun 15, 2010
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):
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?
Jun 14, 2010
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:
Another time-lapse. Tomorrow, we'll feature more photos.
Day 5 in Time-lapse:
Jun 13, 2010
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!
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:
http://www.homewardpet.org/adoptprocedures.html
I hope it all works out for everyone to get the kitten that calls to their heart!
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).Here is the link for the Homeward Pet Kitten Application:
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.
http://www.homewardpet.org/adoptprocedures.html
I hope it all works out for everyone to get the kitten that calls to their heart!
Jun 12, 2010
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)
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!
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!
Jun 11, 2010
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!
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!
Jun 10, 2010
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.
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.
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