A lot has happened but it has all happened slowly, like a dripping faucet nobody has fixed for years.
But now -- something to write about!!!!!!!! Yesterday we picked up two tiny foster kittens to keep until they re old enough for their forever homes. I signed up to foster last week and didn't believe I would get a call so soon. These two little guys are STRAYS -- can you believe it ??? -- at such a young age. Mom probably dead somewhere.Fostering can get me my kitten fix with no permanence involved.
So this will be " The Kitten Diaries" with updates on how they're doing along the way.
Here I am holding Pip - smaller grey with short hair.
This is Squeak in the little cat cubby
here they are in their bathroom playpen
The Napa Shelter gave me everything I need for these guys -- food, kitten milk, little tray, food bowl, litter, nd even the little cardboard cubby they sleep in. I provided some toys and a faux sheepskin mat for playing and sleeping if they don't want to sleep in the cubby. Today I bought them a stuffed kitten to snuggle and rassle with at IKEA.
SO: KITTEN DAY ONE: They did not fuss or mew coming home in the carrier. I set up their living space and let them out, and they immediately began exploring. Pip made a stab and playing with the jingle ball, but Squeak was more interested in exploring. No crying. They let me pick them up and crawled all over me --I feel like Gulliver every time I sit on the floor and they swarm all around, biting my toes and climbing over my legs. When they had worn themselves out, they climbed into the cubby and fell asleep instantly in a heap. they were quiet all night long but clambered out this morning to greet me when I came in. I had installed a night light as much to keep us from stepping on kittens in the middle of the night when we went to pee as for them.
This morning, (KITTEN DAY TWO) they voraciously ate a half tin of kitten food mixed with kitten milk and then used the litter box (this was accompanied by a few mews). Squeak was a little messy, and sat down on his poop, so I had to wash his tiny behind. I also fixed a small amount of kibble moistened first by water (not interested) and then with a little bit of kitten milk (more interested). This afternoon they got the rest of the tin of kitten food mixed with kitten milk, and studiously washed their faces when they were finished. I tried some milk in a bottle, but they were more interested in chewing on the nipple than sucking it -- so no more bottles. They also played with the stuffed mouse for the first time.
They are such good little boys!!!!
They are such good little boys !!!!!!!!
DAY THREE: Very active this morning. After having tracked litter and bits of poop all over the floor last night, cleaned the litter box . Put out a shallow bowl of water for the first time and Pip stuck his nose in it, sneezed, then licked his lips. Did that a few more times. Removed the kibble dishes -- they are just not interested in that yet. Brought in the feather toy and set up the small blue cat tree. They explored the shower this morning for the first time, but their favorite toy is -- ME. Thy climb all over me and nip my toes and fingers. Don't stay still enough for cuddle, but they like to be petted. waiting for first purrs. I go in and sit with them and play until they wear themselves out and climb into their little cubby for a nap. Last night introduced them to Morgan --who hissed. he is having none of it --and is spending time under the bed quilt in protest .
First purrs this afternoon from Squeak -- not long -- only a few seconds -- but melted my heart .
DAY FOUR : Eating well, playing, and have decided to use the small blue cat tree for a sleeping cubby instead of their box. Will take the box out in a couple of days. Bathroom habits are improving, and not as much clinging poopettes, no tracking around, either. Let them out into the bedroom (under supervision) and they wobbled around exploring a bit.
DAY FIVE: We were pretty busy today with not a lot of time to spend with the munchkins, but Squeak especially will climb a leg even if it is an unclothed leg. I look down and blood trickling down my shins, and my hands are covered with tiny puncture wounds. Began mixing the kitty food with water instead of milk, to cut down on the sour smell, and added a little milk to the water dish, which made them much more interested in that.
DAY FIVE: Ability to run and climb is improving by leaps and bounds. Much more steady on their feet, and Squeak can climb up the bedclothes onto the bed when exploring in the bedroom. I had them up on the bathroom counter while doling out the food, and they dived right in -- no gruel for these big boys!!!!! Reverted the liquid dish to just water. Decided to only give the kitten milk once a day, since it sours before they eat it all and they certainly don't need it in their food to make it more palatable.
I am amazed at the changes daily -- better balance, improved running and climbing ability, eating. And nothing wrong with their litter box habits, either~! They fill that baby up every day.
Such good boys!!!!
DAY SIX; What I have learned from fostering kittens:
1. Never enter the kitten den without your kitten armor on. This consists of long pants (preferably sweat pants) and a long sleeved shirt (nothing knit).
2. The favorite toy of the kittens is YOU.
3. They will play and tussle adorably until you get the camera out. Then all you will capture are butts and blurs.
4. They change so fast from one day to the next. When I went in this morning to feed them, Pip was ON TOP of the cat tree and Squeak had fallen into the trash can after scaling the side.
5. You need to empty the litter tray every day. Those little guys poop up a storm.
DAY SEVEN: One week in foster care and they have changed so much!!! They now run (no more wobbling) eat canned food (without being watered down), drink milk and water from the bowl, can climb up onto our bed from the floor, steal Morgan's food (Squeak) , purr like crazy when held (Squeak), climb the cat tree to the top (Pip), and have been introduced to Morgan (much hissing) and Chessie (wary sniffing and resigned acceptance). So proud of my little boys~~~~~!!!!!
WRAP UP: after having these delicious little furballs for one month and three days, it was time to take them back to the Shelter (June 9). This was after having them weighed in on the First of June and finding them them big enough now to be fixed. then to the clinic on Monday the 8th, and after making sure they were all healed and ready to go, returning them to the shelter on the 8th. I admit I cried a little -- mostly because i knew they would be in a cage after having spent a whole month of their very young lives with a big exciting playground (our master suite). Also the shelter lady said they would not be getting any more wet food -- just kibble, so I bought 5 cans of kitten food for them and turned that in along with the bag of kibble that had only been eaten a bit, their dish, remaining wet food, and their favorite toys ( little red felt heart for Pip, fuzzy birdy for Squeak, and crinkle ball and mousie for them both).
The next two days I went to visit them, and on the second day found out that they are going to Marin County, which actually is having a shortage of adoptable kittens. So I bid my farewells and cried a little again.
Then I told them I would foster again after we get back from our trip to Florida.
No comments:
Post a Comment