Just call me crazy!

Haven't I said that I'm not going to foster anymore and that I'd like to cut back on my cat involvement?Then what possessed me to volunteer tonight to foster a litter of five semi-feral kittens in our basement for a week while my downstairs neighbor is out of town?

We've had them in foster care for a month. They're about 4-months-old, already fixed, tested and vaccinated. They're really coming along well, just still very shy and not quite ready for adoption. Our coordinator's been fostering them, along with several other litters, and feels they need a little more one-on-one attention. She seems to think they'd do well at my place for a week, where I could give them a lot of lap time. Would this be good for them or would it just traumatize them more?

Told her I'd sleep on it, but I'm really leaning towards taking them. It would only be from tomorrow until next weekend, when my neighbor (who's not a cat person) gets home.

Any thoughts?

They DO need more individual time, but one week isnt no way enought. Make it a month at least...

Do you have own friendly homecat? Put him to work, it makes it easier and quickier.

do it do it do it...........

They need you El. Heck, put them a box in your bedroom with a stuffed animal or make a pallet and sleep by them. They need to bond with a human and know that it's ok. I slept wiht Molly for two week after I adopted her. I tucked her in beside me and we slept on a pallet on the floor in the living room. I wanted her to bond with a human...me. Husband thought I was a nut but a few times he was there too. Molly has a been a wonderful dog to us. We love her and she has the sweetest nature.

Molly had lived at the pound her whole life when I got her. She went in at approx 4 months and poor girl at nearly two yrs old she had never seen a tv, a ceiling fan or anything. She was so submissive to humans and so unsure of things and nobody wanted her. She was in a shelter that kills after 6 months and she was even adopted once and the lady never came to get her.. So she started her next 6 months as a new dog in the kill system. When it came down to put her down again she came real close to dying. She was on the table and the vet turned around to euthenize her and she looked at him and he KNEW she was a good dog and he put the needle down and put her back in her cage to give her one last chance. She was there approx 4 more months and then I got a job to work part time at the shelter and empted litter boxes for 4 hrs crying over all the dogs and cats waiting execution. I saw them bring one in, a beautiful cow dog and she was crying at the gate wanting her owner who dumped her at the gate knowing she probaby wouldn't be adopted. It broke my heart and I quit my job that evening and told them I could not do this that it was too painful and to keep my paycheck. I could not accept the money....... which is a cop out. I respect all you people who devote your time and your effort working under such difficult circumstances. But I saw Molly that day. She had reached the point of giving up. While the other dogs ran to the front of the cages, she just stood back and watched and never came forward to be petted. Her hips are a little crooked from spending over a year laying on concrete.

I came back the next day and put her in the dog yard with me and fed her crackers and cheese and ham and she was standoffish but she ate them gently from my hand. She would eat and dart away and would not come when I called her unless food was in my hand. She is a big girl and they only fed the dogs, one cup of food a day. They were all skinny animals. And I thought I MIGHT adopt her but she seemed to have a strange personality. But I went back and she jumped and ran to the front of the cage to greet me because I had shown her real affection the day before. I am a cryer and I burst into tears, paid the money and took her home that day and I have never regretted it......

After I had had Molly for a year, I went back and picked out my labmix Emma so she would have a friend. Emma had been there longer than any other dog at the shelter and was due to die soon as well. She was ONE THE LIST. She had been there 9 months. She was black and no one wanted black dogs so she was a lost cause too. She looked kinda mean but she is so sweet and absolutley devoted to me. I had to socialize her. I took her on every store trip, had people pet her and got her to believing people were just ok folks. Now she is an absolute guard dog and she does not growl at anyone. She watches my emotions to see how to react. But she lets me know if someone is outside. I adopted her when my husband worked in Virginia. It was a good 4-6 months before he met her. All this time she had slept on his side of the bed with Molly on the floor on a pallet beside me. Emma did not like husband at first. He was in her bed. So she struggled to get between us pushing her feet again him. In the mornings he would wake early and she would get up too but she would not go toward him even he offered her food. It took a while. She sat by my bed till I woke up. She would not even get out of the car for him unless I told her it was ok. She is my dog but she loves him now. But it took her several months.

I know this is not the dog area, but this is Molly and Emma. And I got way off track of this but I can't sleep.

Molly weighed 50 when I got her. She was real skinny. She weight a whopping 90 now and is not overweight. She is just right. Vet thought she was a beagle puppy but she is actully part St bernard... hehe Big big beagle....... But look in her eyes. She is a kind dog and very intelligent. She would never hurt anything. She does nothing wrong. She is sitting in her crate here which will also be JJ's recovery room, but it is Molly's den. It used to Emma when I first got her because I wasn't sure how she would do with the cats so if I had to leave her, I crated her. All three of my dogs have slept together in this crate it is so big... Snuggling.


Emma weight 45 lbs when I got her. she weighs 75-80 now and is extremely stocky. Vet said she is lab/shar pei mix. She is a bundle of energy and loves us so much. She carries thing to me all the time. Remotes, cat toys, check books, small pieces of paper. She loves to carry stuff and bring it to me.


These little kitties need you Eileen....... they do..... A month goes by before you know it.. It's just one time. And 5 babies will be fun to have around.

I say get them a box and put them beside your bed for the FIRST weekor TWO and lay your hand down in the box with them.. Just dont' fall in love with them. It will help them and make a difference in their lives. Your babies might love a little fresh meat in the house.. It's not for that long girlfriend........ And you love baby kittens. You might be the very thing they need since you are so loving and caring.

Jenn

p.s. If I was wrong in posting this, I apologise webmaster, but I just took a sleeping pill to try and rest and still can't and I got a little carried away here. I hope it was ok. Got a lot on my mind and mostly needy animals tonight.

Originally Posted by StefanZ

They DO need more individual time, but one week isnt no way enought. Make it a month at least...

Do you have own friendly homecat? Put him to work, it makes it easier and quickier.

Click to expand...

A month isn't an option. The only reason I'm able take them at all is because my downstairs neighbor, who shares our basement, will be out of town. She'd freak out if she knew about it!

The kittens are already pretty well socialized, just shy, and we'll continue to work with them when they go back to our main foster home. Our coordinator just thought exposing them to a new environment might do them some good. I could still only have them for week because of my living situation.

Another option might be to keep them in my spare bedroom. They'll be in a big playpen. It would upset my cats (at least Gracie) having them there, but it would give me more time with the kittens.

Jenn, thanks for sharing your story about the dogs. I wish more people had the patience
to give shy pets a chance. It's so worth it when they learn to trust you.

So, Eileen, does this mean the babies have their own bedrrom????

I so hope they do............ Kittens just add to a house and if we ever get settled in our new place with our enclosure, I might look into fostering some from our shelter if they have such a program.

Jenn

Originally Posted by jcribbs

So, Eileen, does this mean the babies have their own bedrrom????

I so hope they do............ Kittens just add to a house and if we ever get settled in our new place with our enclosure, I might look into fostering some from our shelter if they have such a program.

Jenn

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Yeah, looks like they're going to have their own bedroom. It will be better environment for them than the basement and will be easier for me to spend time with them. I just wish I could get away with this for more than a week!

Originally Posted by eilcon

Yeah, looks like they're going to have their own bedroom. It will be better environment for them than the basement and will be easier for me to spend time with them. I just wish I could get away with this for more than a week!

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If they are in the bedroom, so you dont need ask your afraid neighbor about holding them in the cellar?? Ie, it should be possible with more than one week??

Do have a net in the doors, if your cats not so friendly. The net shows where the temporary revirs are, so they wont be anxious for revire.

But the smalls will se you interaging with your homecats, so they will be a plus in any case...

Good luck!

Originally Posted by StefanZ

If they are in the bedroom, so you dont need ask your afraid neighbor about holding them in the cellar?? Ie, it should be possible with more than one week??

Do have a net in the doors, if your cats not so friendly. The net shows where the temporary revirs are, so they wont be anxious for revire.

But the smalls will se you interaging with your homecats, so they will be a plus in any case...

Good luck!

Click to expand...

Even if they're in the bedroom, I can still only keep them while my neighbor's gone. The last time I fostered she complained about the noise from the kitten running around and the door opening and closing.

It'll just be a minor inconvenience to have them in the bedroom and they're worth it. The only one of my cats that will mind is Gracie and she'll get over it.

Your neighbor complains if you open doors... She needs to get a life...

And I am so glad Eileen.....!!! You're a good person.......

Jenn

Well guys, I now have five very sweet, but scared, kittens in my spare bedroom. They're in a cat play pen for now, all huddled together. I've been able to reach in and pet them though, and no one shies away. They've been a very gentle litter from the start. I'm just going to spend a little time with them tonight, then leave them be with the radio playing softly.

Congrats on babysitting the kittens for a week. I think this will be a good experience for them. They will learn that someone else is good and kind and gentle.

I just got 3 kittens myself! They were caught outside a week ago, and hiss when I approach, but will allow me to pet them. Hopefully I can mix them with my kitties soon, so they will really get tame. For now they are confined.

That is wonderful Eileen....

Originally Posted by Beckiboo

Congrats on babysitting the kittens for a week. I think this will be a good experience for them. They will learn that someone else is good and kind and gentle.

I just got 3 kittens myself! They were caught outside a week ago, and hiss when I approach, but will allow me to pet them. Hopefully I can mix them with my kitties soon, so they will really get tame. For now they are confined.

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I saw the pics of yours - very cute. That's great that they already allow you to pet them!

Depending on how my little ones do today, I may let them out of the playpen tomorrow. There's been no hissing so far and I got a couple of them purring last night.

It's so sweet when the babies purr.........Aww....

That's great! You still have 10 fingers, right?

Originally Posted by eilcon

I saw the pics of yours - very cute. That's great that they already allow you to pet them!

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Thanks!

Originally Posted by eilcon

Depending on how my little ones do today, I may let them out of the playpen tomorrow. There's been no hissing so far and I got a couple of them purring last night.

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Purring is GOOD! I let my babies out of the cage today. Not because they have made much progress, but because Hissy says don't tame using a cage. It scares me to let them loose...what if they never learn to come to me?!?! But then again...no one wants a cat who is trained to cower in a cage and "allow" themselves to be petted. To change a skittish kitty into a pet, they need to freedom to be able to come to you, not just sit passively while you go to them.

So far, my kids have just run and had fun in my presence. I tried putting Festie in the room...she just hissed and growled (thanks alot, Festus! ).

Keep us posted on your kits. Hope they bring you loads of fun this week!

I love the babies too and can totally relate. I have three right now about three months old. A feral lives in their room and one of them wanted to be feral. She was/is his special kitty friend and she was developing some feral characteristics. Like running like crazy when she saw me. the others did not do that. So I opened the door and have kept it open for a few weeks now or close to a month and now is back to being just a kitten. They have slowly explored the whole house. Two run to me and ones walks toward me, but the slower one came to me for macaroni and cheese tonight. She'll be fine with a little more love.

And Eileen, baby update. I know they are sweethearts. I just know it. How are your kitties doing with them?

With much kitty love,
Jenn

Originally Posted by Beckiboo

Thanks!

Purring is GOOD! I let my babies out of the cage today. Not because they have made much progress, but because Hissy says don't tame using a cage. It scares me to let them loose...what if they never learn to come to me?!?! But then again...no one wants a cat who is trained to cower in a cage and "allow" themselves to be petted. To change a skittish kitty into a pet, they need to freedom to be able to come to you, not just sit passively while you go to them.

So far, my kids have just run and had fun in my presence. I tried putting Festie in the room...she just hissed and growled (thanks alot, Festus!

).

Keep us posted on your kits. Hope they bring you loads of fun this week!

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What Hissy says makes a lot of sense. Mine seemed fine with me being in the room with them while they were in the kennel (could even reach right in and pet all of them), so I let them out last night for a while and again this morning. They seemed a little overwhelmed at first and two of them hid, but the others were running around like crazy and I got them playing with Da Bird.

My own cats know something's up because there's a closed door, but the only one that seems really curious is Peter. He keeps hanging around outside the door. He loves other cats and has done well with previous fosters, but when I open the door to let him in, he runs away! I bet he'd be overwhelmed by five kittens.

So, as I type this they're out running around and having a great time. I'll try to get some pictures to post when I get home from work today.

Awww, congratulations! It's definitely a great idea for them to be with you, even for a week. Kittens accommodate to new situations faster than adults and with all the love and attention they'll be getting from you, they'll make progress.

Can't wait to see pictures!

Rachel

As I sit here with my morning coffee, there's total kitten chaos happening behind me. All five of them are out and about tearing around the room. They're so adorable and I'm thrilled they feel confident enough in presence to be playing and not hiding! Three of the five have really warmed up to me. When I came into the room this morning one of the little females who'd been pretty skittish was laying on the window sill. I thought she'd bolt when I approached, but I took it slow and she didn't move. As soon as I touched her, she started to purr.

I'd really love to keep these little ones longer than Sat., but there's actually a woman that's interested in adopting one (or two!), so they'll need to go back to our main foster home anyway. I've also decided that I'm going to have a heart-to-heart with my neighbor when she gets home and tell her that I'd really like to foster again in the future and how much it means to me.