My story of suddenly becomming a fosterer overnight!

scandicatlady

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Hi all.

I'm new to this site but the last few days I have found it really helpful for me so I thought I would come and introduce myself. My name is Leah, I'm 24 and from Essex, UK.

I currently have three cats, a female called Buttons who is 4 1/2, and male called Max who is almost 3 (and is cross eyed), and a kitten called Ruby who is almost 7 months (her mum was a Maine Coon/Bengal cross so she's a big girl)

As I'm am a 'crazy cat lady' I also feed all the other cats in the neighbourhood and for the last couple of years I have been feeding a little black and white cat who is very friendly. Last year I noticed that she was pregnant then all of a sudden she dissappeared so I knocked on a few houses to see if she belonged to anyone and found out she lives three doors away from me and was told that she had had her kittens. A few months later she started coming back down to me again and would sit with me having a fuss for ages! I began to get a bit worried when I noticed that she seemed to constantly be outside in any weather however knowing how cats are I assumed it was probably her decision.....

Then i noticed she was pregnant again! I fed her twice daily and would sit outside fussing her (my female cat hates her so I couldnt let her in) and when she started getting really big and was sitting on my doorstep in minus degrees temperatures I decided to pick her up and take her down to the home she was from and just explain that she has been sitting on my doorstep and she is about to pop. The 'owner' told me that the cat never goes in as they have a big dog that she is scared of. She took the cat off me and said she would try to keep her inside and said that she has a bed set up for when she has the kittens. I lay there that night wondering if i had done the right thing...

I didnt see her then the next day so I assumed that she was tucked up indoors. Then the next evening I saw a little blurry face at my front door, I opened the door and there she was with her massive pregnant belly and a spot of frost on the end of her nose. I picked her up straight away and went back down to the house she lived at and the lady told me she had to let her out cos she was wrecking the door by scratching at it because she was scared of the dog. I held on to the cat tightly and told her that I will take her in and she can go in my spare room and have her babies in there as she cannot have her babies outside in this weather. She agreed and didnt seem too bothered. So that night I took her in, set up my spare room (which was already set up as a cats room from when my kitten was younger) and made a nice comfy room for her to have her kittens in.  

On the 1st March she had 5 gorgeous kittens in a basket full of soft blankets in a lovely warm room... and she was amazing. She dealt with everything herself (although i had to pull the placenta of the third one out of her on the vets advice as it had got stuck!) and has proven to be an aazing mummy.

All kittens are healthy and I have since got in touch with Cats Protection who are going to help me out and rehome the mum and her kittens to good homes if I will foster them until it is time for them to go. I spoke to the cats 'owner' and we agreed that it was best that she was rehomed and we will also be going back for the other (un neutered!!) cats that she has which also all live outside.  

So now I am the pround fosterer of a mummy cat (Pickle) and five 6 day old kittens and am enjoying every minute of it!



 

margd

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Welcome Leah, to you and all your kitties! 
   The story of Pickles and her babies is heartwarming - thank heavens you were there for her.  And the babies are completely adorable.  The image of little Pickles with frost on her nose looking to you for help is one I will remember for a long time.  She really did come to you for help and you came through in a big way.  I'm so glad she won't be returning to her old "home" where it seems she wasn't appreciated and loved as she deserves. I don't suppose there is any way you could keep her?   

We'd love to see photos of Buttons, Max and Ruby, too.  We can never get enough cat pictures around here!  
 
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scandicatlady

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Hi Margd,

Thank you for your reply. That image will stick with me too but at least now I can think of it whilst looking at her curled up in her basket with her babies.

I would absolutely LOVE to keep them all if I could but I already have three so it would just be too much (if there is such a thing!). But good news is a good friend of the family is going to have the mum and two babies when the are old enough and they have a lovely big garden and her own golden oldie cat called Buxton and I know that they will spoil them rotten so at least I wil be able to keep up to date with their progress. And as for the other three kittens as I am doing it through the Cats Protection Charity all of the potential owners are fully vetted and homechecked and all will have to come to my house to see the kittens before they take them so I will at least get to see what type of people they are and ask them if i would be able to keep in touch so I can see the kitties grow up.

The kittens are a week old today so I have to weight them when I get home from work to make sure they are doing well, from the looks of it they are little porkers.

This is Buttons


She is such a loving cat and very posessive over me. I often have to carry her around the house on my front like a baby or she will just cry at me. I definately have a connection with this cat, she knows when I'm down or ill and always comes and lays a paw on me or sits next to me purring.

Next is Max:



He is my cross eyed wonder cat. He is such a funny little character and has decided he wants to be kitten again since we got our new kitty. We have become a little worried about him recently though as he seems very scared of everything and panics and runs off if anyone approaches him which he never used to do, we are wondering if maybe he eyesight isnt too great and this is what is panicing him, he spends a lot of time in his little den in the garden but on his choic he will come to your lap for a little cuddle....but not too much...

This is little Ruby who was born 19th August 2015. Her mum was half Maine Coon half Bengal so her paws are already massive but she is such a soppy little thing who loves sleeping n the most uncomfortable positions.



 

dahlia

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Good for you for taking the initiative and approaching the "owner". I get frustrated with people who know there is an issue but just ignore it and hope someone else takes care of the problem. The kittens are adorable. I especially like the little girl with the calico patch on her back. I hope Max starts doing better.
 
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scandicatlady

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Thank you dahlia, I couldnt have sat back and done nothing about it, I was having sleepless nights thinking of her out there on her own in the cold.

The little ne you like is a right little madam. She chose her teat from day one and she will push of anyone who dares to go near it, she falls asleep on it when she finishes so no one else takes it when all the others cuddle up to mum and sleep. She's a real cuite though with one ginger and one white ear. x
 

margd

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Buttons, Max and Ruby are certainly beautiful cats.  You have some wonderful photos of them, too.  Buttons has such a loving look in her eyes -it's very sweet.  And Max looks so regal and handsome!  As for Ruby, she is an adorable little miss.  I can certainly understand why Pickle chose your home as her sanctuary.  It was clear the person there knew how to treat cats!  Great news that Pickle and her kittens will all have homes - this story really does have a happy ending.  My favorite kind!  
 
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