Gretta finds her "forever home" starting this week

Well, this is it! She gave up her bottle last week, and will be on straight water in her bowl in a couple of days! Please pray that God will send her great, forever home people right away , I hate having to turn people down! I think our Boxer will miss her the most! They play through the playpen grate (it is so funny! I will post a picture soon!).

I don't know what to do about my 2 1/2 year old, though. I don't know if she will be more upset to SEE Gretta leave, or to come home and she's gone. Whoops, just answered my own question while typing that- she has ALWAYS (even when very small)been upset if someone left without saying Goodbye -even if it was the termite inspector . Poor kid. It will be hard either way, even though I have been telling her that Gretta is just staying with us a little while.

No matter how much we try to prepare, it is hard when the babies get old enough to move on to a forever home. Just tell your daughter that you have been babysitting Gretta, and she needs to go to her own family soon. Maybe that will be easier for her to understand.

Poor baby. I would be honest and let her know that Greta was just getting prepared for her new mom and dad... Maybe when she gets older you will see the animal lover in her because of you.

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She is already an animal lover This is her pretending she's got a kitten to keep warm and snuggle, like mom (she has a little stuffed "the Cat" McDonald's toy cat in her shirt) ! If only she were that gentle with the real thing, she could do more than pet Gretta and let her crawl in her lap.

That is so cute. She is taking after you really well.

It is so hard to see them go. I cry each and every time a kitten leaves my home. It is almost like a little piece of my heart goes away and never returns. But I comfort myself with the knowledge that they were loved, well cared for and nurtured when they were here just as their new forever families will do for them. Because you can basically hand-choose the homes they go to, you will have that peace as well.

My 5 year old son cries about one kitten in each litter. He bonds with one, and hopes to keep it forever and ever, and when the time comes, he takes it very hard.
We learned though, that when the kitty parents comes to pick up their new kitten, it is best to have him occupied doing something else. I let both kids say their good-byes to the babies the night before they go home. The kids also make a little toy or give a little stuffed animal on a string, that makes them feel apart of each adoption.
It is hard to love these babies for 3 months and then let someone else take over. Gaye is right, when you feel comfortable with the family who is adopting, it gives you a lot of joy. I would ask the families who adopt your babies, to please stay in touch with photos, either through email or snail mail. You can also share the pictures with your daughter so she can see how they grow up.
One of the kittens that was adopted, just turned a year old today, and has kept in touch the entire time. This kitten is one that Joey really wanted to keep. He loves it when I bring him in to see an updated picture of one of "his" kittens.
Your daughter is adorable!! It won't be long before she will be bringing home rescues, saying, "Can't we keep this one, it is only one more?"

Originally Posted by catsallover

Well, this is it! She gave up her bottle last week, and will be on straight water in her bowl in a couple of days! Please pray that God will send her great, forever home people right away

, I hate having to turn people down! I think our Boxer will miss her the most! They play through the playpen grate (it is so funny! I will post a picture soon!).

I don't know what to do about my 2 1/2 year old, though. I don't know if she will be more upset to SEE Gretta leave, or to come home and she's gone. Whoops, just answered my own question while typing that- she has ALWAYS (even when very small)been upset if someone left without saying Goodbye -even if it was the termite inspector

. Poor kid. It will be hard either way, even though I have been telling her that Gretta is just staying with us a little while.

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How old is Greta?

Have you tried also contacting the local no-kill rescue groups? They are very thorough when the investigate and visit people, and do make sure the kittens go into appropriate homes. Can't hurt to have others looking also.

Do you think your daughter is old enough to understand the concent of growing up and having your own family as she will one day? If she can understand that, perhaps that might help her not only accept it, but be part of "sending Greta off" to her new family and life, the way she will one day when she grows up. If she can understand and handle that, perhaps she can help pack a little "suitcase" for greta (a favorite toy, towel, a bag of semi-used litter to help the new owners get the kitten to use the new litterbox), a little bag or can of food she's accustomed to, a card saying goodbye that you can help her write and sign everyone in the family's name to, including the Boxer. It will still be sad, but perhaps it will also give her a way to actively partipate in a positive way, and see it as not just saying goodbye or feeling she was abandoned or the kitten just taken from her. I know she's young, but maybe it might be a way of giving her the feeling she's doing something for Greta and will always be a part of Greta's life because she helped give her a good start in her new life.

Just a thought.

My 6 yr old cried his eyes out over Missy's last litter. I warned him as soon as we found the kittens in the couch - they were about 4 wks old by then. (How I never heard them, I have NO clue! This new litter of kittens is so loud I can hear them from the opposite end of the house!!!) Once I had people set up to come see them he begged me to give away our adult cats instead and keep the kittens. lol We had to ask both new owners if we could come visit the babies sometime, but after about 2 weeks he seemed to forget about t hem.

Since this litter was born I've been telling him that they have to go to new homes. He says he knows, but we'll see what happens when it's finally time. He's going to have much more time to bond with these than he did the last ones. I'm going to try to limit the time he spends with them, but I do want both of my boys to be able to see them develop and would like the kittens to get used to being around children. There's going to be a thin line I'm gonna have to try not to cross. We'll see how it goes.

Originally Posted by Tina Marie

My 6 yr old cried his eyes out over Missy's last litter. I warned him as soon as we found the kittens in the couch - they were about 4 wks old by then. (How I never heard them, I have NO clue! This new litter of kittens is so loud I can hear them from the opposite end of the house!!!) Once I had people set up to come see them he begged me to give away our adult cats instead and keep the kittens. lol We had to ask both new owners if we could come visit the babies sometime, but after about 2 weeks he seemed to forget about t hem.

Since this litter was born I've been telling him that they have to go to new homes. He says he knows, but we'll see what happens when it's finally time. He's going to have much more time to bond with these than he did the last ones. I'm going to try to limit the time he spends with them, but I do want both of my boys to be able to see them develop and would like the kittens to get used to being around children. There's going to be a thin line I'm gonna have to try not to cross. We'll see how it goes.

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Could I ask why you don't spay your cat? It seems that it's difficult for your children when they do have the kittens, and it's better for the cat. There are so many homeless kittens out there that suffer as it is. One can always foster a pregnant queen if they want the experience of having a cat with kittens.

Originally Posted by Tina Marie

My 6 yr old cried his eyes out over Missy's last litter. I warned him as soon as we found the kittens in the couch - they were about 4 wks old by then. (How I never heard them, I have NO clue! This new litter of kittens is so loud I can hear them from the opposite end of the house!!!) Once I had people set up to come see them he begged me to give away our adult cats instead and keep the kittens. lol We had to ask both new owners if we could come visit the babies sometime, but after about 2 weeks he seemed to forget about t hem.

Since this litter was born I've been telling him that they have to go to new homes. He says he knows, but we'll see what happens when it's finally time. He's going to have much more time to bond with these than he did the last ones. I'm going to try to limit the time he spends with them, but I do want both of my boys to be able to see them develop and would like the kittens to get used to being around children. There's going to be a thin line I'm gonna have to try not to cross. We'll see how it goes.

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Tina....the best time to have mom fixed is once the kittens are old enough to go to their new homes....but she will need to be kept away from intact males until that time. If you feel that you would like to continue to raise kittens, working with a rescue group to foster pregnant cats is a great way to help.

Katie

I do and did plan on having her spayed. After her last litter I was recovering financially from X-mas and then ended up having surgery and spending a month in the hospital. I thought we had been diligent in not letting her get outside, but obviously I was wrong. I WILL be having her spayed as soon as possible! This is her second litter in 5 months and its definitely not healthy for her. I'm not just an irresponsible person, or at least didn't mean to be. I have had both of my males neutered.

Missy is over 2 yrs old and had never gone into heat (at least not that I could tell). The lady I got her from has a house full of cats, mostly females (none of them spayed) and only a couple males, so I know a lot of inbreeding happens there and thought that that accounted for her not going into heat. I guess she was just a late bloomer.

This will be Missy's last litter of kittens. I will probably end up having her spayed even before the kittens are weaned because she has been trying to get outside again. The weather just started getting nice here and she's just itching to get out in it.

Originally Posted by Tina Marie

I do and did plan on having her spayed. After her last litter I was recovering financially from X-mas and then ended up having surgery and spending a month in the hospital. I thought we had been diligent in not letting her get outside, but obviously I was wrong. I WILL be having her spayed as soon as possible! This is her second litter in 5 months and its definitely not healthy for her. I'm not just an irresponsible person, or at least didn't mean to be. I have had both of my males neutered.

Missy is over 2 yrs old and had never gone into heat (at least not that I could tell). The lady I got her from has a house full of cats, mostly females (none of them spayed) and only a couple males, so I know a lot of inbreeding happens there and thought that that accounted for her not going into heat. I guess she was just a late bloomer.

This will be Missy's last litter of kittens. I will probably end up having her spayed even before the kittens are weaned because she has been trying to get outside again. The weather just started getting nice here and she's just itching to get out in it.

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Tina....I understand....I had a friend whose cat ended up having 5 litters before she could get her fixed. Looking back on the situation....she probably should have had her cat spayed before the kittens were weaned as well because she kept dashing out and would come back pregnant. The important thing is that you will get her spayed. Although not an extensive list..here are the low cost spay clinics I could find:

MICHIGAN

C-SNIP (Community Spay/Neuter Initiative Partnership)
Serves Kent County and adjacent counties
Grand Rapids MI
Web: www.csnip.org
Low cost mobile clinic for pets of people with low income.

West Michigan SPCA
Muskegon MI
231-788-5933

Silver Lake Animal Rescue League
Dixie Highway
Waterford, MI
248-545-6583, extension 5 This organization has a program for spay/neuter of pets of low income people in metropolitan Detroit.

Long Lake Animal Hospital
5044 John R Road
Troy, MI 48098
248-689-8899

Humane Society of Huron Valley
Ann Arbor, MI
313-662-4365

Kalamazoo Humane Society
4239 South Westnedge
Kalamazoo, MI
616-345-1181
Provides some assistance for the spay/neuter of pets of qualifed low income people.

Animal's Best Friend
PO Box 443
Oshtemo, MI 49077
616-624-1090
For pets living in Kalamazoo and Van Buren counties, ABF provides small subsidies at particular veterinary clinics each month. Call for details.

Zimmer Foundation
PO Bx 130944
Ann Arbor MI 48113
734-663-8000
For feral cats in Washtenaw County.



Katie

Originally Posted by Charmed654321

How old is Greta?

Have you tried also contacting the local no-kill rescue groups? They are very thorough when the investigate and visit people, and do make sure the kittens go into appropriate homes. Can't hurt to have others looking also.

Do you think your daughter is old enough to understand the concent of growing up and having your own family as she will one day? If she can understand that, perhaps that might help her not only accept it, but be part of "sending Greta off" to her new family and life, the way she will one day when she grows up. If she can understand and handle that, perhaps she can help pack a little "suitcase" for greta (a favorite toy, towel, a bag of semi-used litter to help the new owners get the kitten to use the new litterbox), a little bag or can of food she's accustomed to, a card saying goodbye that you can help her write and sign everyone in the family's name to, including the Boxer. It will still be sad, but perhaps it will also give her a way to actively partipate in a positive way, and see it as not just saying goodbye or feeling she was abandoned or the kitten just taken from her. I know she's young, but maybe it might be a way of giving her the feeling she's doing something for Greta and will always be a part of Greta's life because she helped give her a good start in her new life.

Just a thought.

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Gretta will be 7 weeks old Wed. or Thurs. I am going to put the flyers up then, and I figure she will be almost 8 weeks by the time she leaves. She is well adjusted to us (plays and snuggles) and the dog, and would like to be with the older cats (watching a 1.5-2 lb kitten chase a 10 lb cat out of the room is too funny ! The big chicken! The others -who have had kittens- just ignore her).

We have one group that I am planning on calling-they may do a courtesy listing for me-as far as I know (and believe me, I looked at A LOT of shelters, here and in neighboring states when looking for our Boxer this year ) there just aren't any or many "no kill" shelters around here.

I am planning on giving Gretta's new parents her favorite toy, a washcloth that she sleeps with (that smells like me and home), her kitten food, her kitten litter pan-plastic shoe box with lid (to put in her new litter box), leftover catlitter, and glove toy (we wear that when she wants to roughouse so she isn't biting our hands). I am also inquiring into purchasing a spay certificate that they will have to pay me back for, so that I know I have someone serious about taking care of her and getting her fixed. We'll see!

I don't think my daughter is old enough to get the leaving home part, but I am going to try to relate it to her 3 yr old and 1 yr old cousins coming to stay the weekend, but having to go home with their parents. I think she will be alright, but the other cats better look out-all the more attention for them ! I think I am going to try to build it up as an exciting thing for Gretta, so she can be excited for her.

I did have a few people call and give me updates on the kittens they got from us, and it was really nice, especially as one of them was my favorite (he was a Christmas present for a little girl and I got to keep him an extra month )

Sounds like you have things well in hand!

I would strongly suggest you do not give the kittens to their new homes until they are fully 8 weeks old, which is the very mimimum age they can should be taken from their home. (Many feel it should even be longer.)

When you're dealing with kittens that have only lived 60 days, don't underestimate what a difference even two or three days can make, boith in their physical and emotional/learning makeup.