Fosters graduate--and a retrospective.

[ginnyinWI]

The four kittens went back to the shelter on Wednesday. I expect to see them being made available for adoption by Saturday--and they are the only kittens this week, so will no doubt go fast! Mama Greta is still here with us and will go in next Wednesday. She's getting along fine and enjoying herself. I haven't seen her calling for or looking for her kittens even once. She goes where she pleases in the house and is getting along fine with my two cats--cordial, with only a little hissing on either side.

Here is a little look back to see how the kittens had grown:

Milo at two weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TEP1V8][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/TEP1V8]fullsizeoutput_90a2[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Milo at five weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/U4nHPh][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/U4nHPh]fullsizeoutput_911d[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Milo at eight and a half weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Vm1dGL][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/Vm1dGL]fullsizeoutput_92d3[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Ellie at three weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/U1ATpf][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/U1ATpf]fullsizeoutput_90b1[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Ellie at six weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UstAvo][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UstAvo]fullsizeoutput_9144[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Ellie at nine weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UaVVni][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UaVVni]fullsizeoutput_92fc[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Max at four weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TudNAL][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/TudNAL]fullsizeoutput_90da[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Max at six weeks (on the right):
[url=https://flic.kr/p/Uv4G4U][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/Uv4G4U]fullsizeoutput_91df[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Max at nine weeks (on the left):
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UaTqQH][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UaTqQH]fullsizeoutput_931c[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Alfie, three weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TucV3W][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/TucV3W]fullsizeoutput_90b2[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Alfie, six weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/TW6sNC][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/TW6sNC]fullsizeoutput_9156[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Alfie at nine weeks:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UaVWDr][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UaVWDr]fullsizeoutput_92f7[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

And on their final day here:
[url=https://flic.kr/p/UaTtB4][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UaTtB4]fullsizeoutput_9317[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/UaTx6t][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/UaTx6t]fullsizeoutput_9312[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/U7XV4C][img][/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/U7XV4C]fullsizeoutput_930f[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/ginnylym/]Ginny[/url], on Flickr

Bye, bye, kittens! Have a nice life!

[shenmue]

1. Squeeeeeeeeee

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Aww, squee! Won't you miss them?

I don't think I could foster kittens because I couldn't give them up for adoption and would end up the stereotypical Cat Lady.

[ginnyinWI]

5. oh for sure.

It hurts ever time. But I do it for the little ones. And I tell myself that if I want to help any more, I have to let these ones go on to new lives. The shelter always places them very carefully in new homes where they will do well.

The first day is hardest, when the house seems so quiet. But sadness is mixed with a sense of accomplishment, and a sense of shifting the responsibility for them back on the shelter.

The second day is better, after I put away their toys and wash their blankets, etc--the reminders of them.

Today is the third day, and I'm fine now. I still have the mama cat to work with on her socialization, but she's doing well.

Time to remember all the things I've put on the back burner in the last few months and get them done! I could get new fosters at any time--you never know!

[Phentex]

7. You are great person!

kitties are lucky to have you from the start

[irisblue]

3. Thank you for fostering all those kits.

[ginnyinWI]

4. sorry I hit "post" before I added the last three photos. n/t

[catbyte]

6. Awwww! Love it. Bless your heart for being a hero to these precious little ones.

You gave them the greatest gift of all--a safe, loving start in life which will serve them well when they go to their forever homes.

I'm sure that Ceiling Cat is pleased.

[ginnyinWI]

8. I honestly believe that I get more out of it than I give.

Even though I only have them for a few weeks or months, I get them for the very cutest time of their whole lives! Once they are gangly "tweens" they are more trouble (climbing curtains, knocking things off shelves). Then they are adults, and although nice--I have two of my own--they are pretty much the same from day to day. How else can you have such an endless supply of kitten-ness besides fostering? The season runs from late March to sometime in the fall--cats can have second litters at the end of summer. So winters are mostly free.

What I give is taking responsibility for them, spending the time to care for and socialize (litter box, feeding, laundry, dishes, meds given when needed). What I get is the fun of nurturing and watching them grow, solving little problems for their care, and the sense that I'm giving something back to the community. The people I work with at the shelter are a great bunch of dedicated animal lovers, so I have friendships around our common interest. I do volunteer there once a week in addition to fostering. I did that first, then after almost two years someone encouraged me to give fostering a "try", and I was hooked.

[Freddie]

9. They're gorgeous

I would have a houseful of orange cats as I can't resist them. I would love to foster in a couple years when I retire but DH is afraid of freaking out our boys. They are both very well adjusted and have never once not used the litter box.

[ginnyinWI]

11. If you have a separate room for the kittens,

That will be best. You want to make sure they don't have anything your cats can catch, and you want them to be big enough--at least six weeks old--to be around the adults. My cats have been fine with kittens. The female hisses a little but they mainly just watch the kittens racing around. The kittens have their own litter box far away from our cats' boxes, and no troubles with that part of things. And I always shut them up in their room when we go away and at bedtime. No sense asking for trouble, either between cats, or what the kittens might get themselves into when you aren't there.

The room could be as small as a bathroom. Anything is bigger than a cage at the shelter.

[ginnyinWI]

10. Update: All adopted on the first day!

Alfie was adopted one hour after being made available. Milo and Ellie were adopted together!!! And Max was adopted a little while later!

They went like hotcakes! Makes me feel happy.