Diary of a Kitten Foster Mom

If you know me well, maybe met me once or twice, or don’t even know me well at all-you will still likely know how much I love cats!! I always have, always will- that’s been discussed before, so we don’t need to revisit all the crazy cat lady jokes etc etc. I have no human children- these are my “kids”. Yes, I know I post tons of pictures of cuddly kittens and cats and I think to myself sometimes hmmmm, maybe it’s a bit much. But then I look at the newsfeed on FB and see other people posting pictures of their “kids” So I figure if I have to look at a pic about your kid’s first poo, then you can look at a pic of my cats cuddling.

Anyhow- since it’s always been a challenge for me to not want to buy and keep as many kittens as possible, I needed a way to get my “fix” without actually turning into said crazy cat woman.

I started off volunteering at the EHS which is great- I love it, and will continue to do it, but it wasn't quite scratching my itch-especially when the kittens were being manhandled in most inappropriate ways by people who should not be allowed to have an animal. Add to that the fact that I wanted to buy almost every single kitten I cuddled with.

So, I decided to try fostering. I knew it would be hard because I’d get them and have to give them back, but it hasn't been too bad. So far I've had a single kitten, three kittens and now lately, two kittens and their mama.

These are the youngest ones I’ve ever had-they were only about 3 weeks when I got them. They were still feeding from their mama and their ears hadn’t even popped up yet. Completely adorable! I named the mom Lily, and the two girls Daisy and Jasmine. I always had kittens, cats etc growing up and they were either outside cats or a bit older when we got them. We just plunked down some cat food and a litter box and they went in no problem.

With these two though- they were actually almost like newborn babies. They couldn’t even walk without falling over. And I had to do things I’d never thought I’d have to do to a cat…..

Week 1 was the time I was supposed to start getting them on the soft cat food and mom was supposed to start weaning them. I could NOT get the little ones to eat. They flat out refused. I put hot water with it to make it smell yummy , I tried putting a little on my finger and let them smell and still nothing. I then settled on finger feeding which is basically putting food on your finger and opening their mouths and shoving it down there. It felt really cruel but they needed to eat.  After a few days of doing that they started to recognize the smell and started pretty much eating on their own.

While this was all going on, I kept checking the litterbox and was wondering what was wrong as they didn't appear to be leaving anything behind…

So after a little call to the shelter asking if something was wrong they told me that the mama takes care of it. I was like “what do you mean” Well apparently when they’re super young, after they’re done eating mom gives them a little bath including their little “areas” and whatever business they need to do they just do and mom cleans it up. This totally grossed me out and made me rethink letting my cats lick my face. But I thought ok well the litter box is there so I’ll just put them in and they’ll get the hang of it.

Daisy went in first, she rolled around and kicked it around and starting eating it, but no business. Jasmine was next-and pretty much the same thing. I was thinking how could you not want to eat cat food but you’ll eat gross litter?

But there were no accidents so I figured the system they had was working.

Then I got concerned because they were eating more solid food and nothing was coming out the back end. So I did a little research, watched a few you tube videos and then braced myself for what I had to do.

If they don’t go on their own, you gotta give them a hand. So you take a wet cloth or paper towel (to mimic the mom’s tongue) and you rub their little private parts until they go either 1 or 2.

First of all- it takes a long time and second of all, since they just sat back and lifted their little back legs with their eyes closed I felt like a bit of a perv.

But happily kitten pee is like a few drops and the towel got it and it was all good. Mom eventually showed them how to use the box and we were set. They had a bit of trouble with number 2 getting all over their bums which resulted in a few baths and clipping of matted hair. That also started out kind of gross, who wants to touch that- but by the time I had done it a few times, it goes away and you just user your hand and run them under water etc.

The little girls are very tight and they do everything together including visiting the litter box. (Another bath story when Daisy pooped on Jasmine)

So I've had them for around two weeks now and they are sooo cute, it is going to be hard to give them up, but I won’t miss the litter smell floating around and trying to roll over at night only to find a little white fluff ball on my pillow.

Even though it’s hard, I really do love fostering and totally am going to do it again next year! I’d encourage anyone else who loves animals to look into it. You have no idea how much help is needed.

Seriously, how could you not love this!

What would you change if you could go back in time?.......

It’s something that I have quite often thought about and quite frankly wished to happen over and over and over again. Sadly life doesn't come with a rewind button…but what if it did?

Our experiences in life shape who we are and who we become. So if you could change the outcome of things would you then change your fundamental personality?

And if you could change them, would you want to go back and relive the experience making a different choice and carrying on from that point on, OR would you want to go back to a single moment, change it using the knowledge that you've already learned from the outcome? I think personally, I would like to go back to with the knowledge and then step back into my own life and see how it went.

I’m not talking about time travel in the sense of going back to significant events in history etc. I’m talking purely about each of our lives.

And even more trippy- what if there is an alternate universe out there for each choice that we make, causing thousands and thousands of possibilities…(Yeah, I watched a lot of Star Trek, so what?)

Would you still date a specific person, still be afraid of things you always wanted to try, still spend 150 bucks on those ripped jeans you've always wanted because they were “cool”? (No I did not do that, but I know someone who did)

Personally, there a quite a few “forks in the road” where I wish I had made different choices, especially knowing the specific outcomes and the pain they've caused.

BUT suppose that pain is necessary? What then would it be like if we all went through life with no pain?

So, for argument's sake let’s limit it to only a few choices allowed per lifetime. Let’s say two every ten years.

Mine would be:

1-10     I would not have punched my friend Jeff in the face because he tried to kiss me under a blanket in his underoos. I just wanted to play He-Man and She-Ra. That was perhaps a little harsh of a reaction to someone I considered my bud.

(I know I get another one for 1-10 but I’m old and my memory ain't what it used to be. I’m sure there is probably something though)

10-20: Grade 6- Said friend Jeff’s father committed suicide sadly and children being the insensitive little shitheads that they are teased him about it. He got angry (deservedly so) and got in a fight, with the whole grade 6 class standing in a circle cheering for the other guy. Jeff was my bud but not exactly an experienced fighter (I could beat the kid up) but I regret soooooo much that I stood there and did nothing. That one still haunts me to this day. I also regret that we lost touch and I have no idea where he is or what he is doing.

10-20: Pretty much any moment in junior high/ high school where I thought being cool and part of the “in” crowd was everything. I was a huge nerd, I stuttered, I was chubby and shy and had glasses that pretty much took up my whole face and frizzy hair. I always looked at the girls in my grade and wondered how they were sooo skinny, and had shiny, pretty hair, and perfect eyebrows and how did they get their makeup sooo perfect?

I spent a lot of time feeling bad about myself because of it. BUT as many of us nerdlings know- we tend to peak after high school, while many of the A group descend into oblivion. So, would you want to have 3-4 great years and a lifetime after of crap OR 3-4 years of crap and then a lifetime of wonderful experiences?

20-30: Good lord there are way tooo many here. BUT since I have to limit it to two……

The first one would be the moment where I convinced myself that eating my feelings was the answer to my problems. That one is just self-explanatory.

The second one would be that when my Grammy died- I was too sensitive and freaked out to spend her last moments with her and my family. I went and hid with my friends. I have always regretted that, and it gnaws at me a little every now and again.

30-40: I’m only 32 and I think I already got my first one. I’ll try to be careful from now on though because I have 8 years to find my second one.

This one I've debated back and forth because it is about a relationship and I wonder at what point in the year of bad and heartache I should have made the different choice.

As many of you know, I have talked about Crypto (a.k.a The Scab) a lot, and to be honest it still really pisses me off if I think about it. Sometimes I wish I’d never met the guy- but then I’d have missed those few really awesome moments that there were. So I don’t think it would have been at that point. I don’t even think I’d change the way we got together even though it was wrong. I think what I would go back and change was the moment he broke up with his gf the second time and immediately came running to me. My spidey sense was tingling the whole time and I didn't listen. I convinced myself that this person who said the only obstacle to us “being together” was that he had a gf was now no longer an issue, and"this time" things would be different.So despite my intuition I welcomed him back into my life. And a week later, I found out through Facebook that he had a new gf. I have to be honest and say that one stung like a fu*k*ing bitch- especially after waiting for someone for a year-so I think that is the moment I would change. The minute I got that text- I should have followed my instincts and told him to take a hike. Wouldn't have changed the fact that we didn't end up together, but at least I wouldn't have walked around like a zombie for the next 6 months. I would have felt good about my choice, because it was mine to make!

So that’s enough of me blabbing on I guess. I’d be curious to see if anyone has any profound moments they’d change if they could.

Until next time

Ciao