meet the fosters! (Updated with more pictures!)

[ginnyinWI]

Last edited Wed Nov 4, 2015, 12:53 AM - Edit history (1)

These are numbers 13, 14 and 15 for me this season:

Hershey (a.k.a. Cuddlebug):



Heidi (she has more white under her nose and has longer white "socks" on her back feet than Hersh):



and Hughie (a.k.a. Braveheart, because he always does everything first):



These three came to me quite skittish and they spent the first three days or so mostly behind the washer and dryer. But they've come to trust me and now roam the whole main floor of the house when I let them. And they purr when I feed them or pick them up for a cuddle. They are healthy except for sore eyes which I'm treating with antibiotic ointment. Seems there's always something with stray kittens!

I've had them almost two weeks and they are almost eight weeks old now.

Edited to add: I got some good natural light from a sunny window today and finally got some nice sharp images:

[catbyte]

1. OH, HOW ADORABLE! I'm such a sucker for tuxedo cats, I'm afraid they'd be a foster fail.

You're awesome!

[shenmue]

2. Squeeeeee

[ginnyinWI]

3. I just noticed something in Hughie's picture

The newspaper strip right in front of him says "Best".

Actually I do love Hershey, and all of them. But I've got three full grown cats of my own already.

[japple]

4. Awwwwww. So sweet! This just makes my day. I work in cat rescue and we are

ALWAYS looking for fosters. These babies are adorable and they have a much better chance at finding a good home if they are sociable. Bless you for giving them a foster home and lots of loving. Tuxies rock the world IMHO (just see my avatar!)

[ginnyinWI]

7. Yeah I know. People say they would like to foster, but...

...they wouldn't be able to give them up, and the parting would be too painful. And to that I say, "That's the sacrifice WE make so that these little ones can have a better life." It is hard sometimes to return them, but I call it "graduation day" and make it a happy occasion. Still think about certain ones from time to time, though.

[catrose]

10. It's a lot easier

when you see what good homes they're going to, and how they become someone's most adored and cherished pet rather than a member of your pride (even though you love all of them). I saw a pair of declawed sisters, 5 years old, visibly relax when I took them to their new home. They raced up and down the stairs, up and down all the furniture--they'd both sat in a corner together in my house. I didn't think they were very active. They were just scared.

[spooky3]

11. Totally agree. Have been fostering for many years

And though the day they go to their forever homes is painful, their new families are so happy and they soon are also. In every case they get a better life than I could have given them.

[brer cat]

5. You are awesome!

Thanks for sharing.

[City Lights]

6. Oh my gosh, they are absolutely adorable!

There is nothing quite like fostering kittens! Tons of work, but so worth it!

[niyad]

8. awwwwwwwww

[OnyxCollie]

9. Oh. My. GOODNESS!

So cute!

[spooky3]

12. That first photo is soooo cute! They're all dolls.

[eridani]

13. Mom!! Teh newzpaperz haz been fighting again! n/t

[TNNurse]

14. You are tougher than I am

the fosters would never leave.

[ginnyinWI]

15. I just say to myself:

If I don't take them back, I can't help out any more. We'd be overrun. And I keep in mind that there is a very adoptable window, namely between two and four months, when they are the most sought after. So they need to get made available as soon as they are ready and well. Yeah-- it's always really, really quiet after they go back, but I get over it and know there will be other ones in the future. The last two litters I've had this year were only separated by one week off.

As for their feelings: I have met my fosters again at the shelter, maybe a week or so later, to do their photographs, and they don't seem to recognize me. I think it is all very much in context--in my house they know me and know I'm the food person, and otherwise it's all different.

So I keep in mind that they aren't going to pine away for me or for our house. Every day is a new day for a kitten. As long as they have at least one sibling or another kitten their age to be with, they are pretty content until they get adopted, which doesn't take long.

And I know the staff at my shelter will treat them exactly as if they were their own personal pets.

[Omaha Steve]

16. I hate DUing on my phone

But I had to K & R.