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