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Pancake Moves Out. Kittens Justin and Morgan Move In
There has been some changes in my current sleeping arrangements. First things first, Pancake found her loving forever home. The meet and greet went well. Pancake was shy about meeting new people but the adopters were not bothered by that and gave her a loving home. Pancake was shy at her new home but she really wasted no time coming out of hiding to say hello to her family. From the stories I hear she is being friendly in her home.
With Pancake out of the way I had a few days off to do the Petsmart Adoptathon. It worked out really well for the cats. I ended up with a five day adoption streak and managed to get nine cats and kittens loving homes. I even managed to adopt out four kittens in one hour. One of those cats included Pancake.
The boys introducing themselves to Justin and Morgan
After the adoptathon was over there were two beautiful tuxedo kitten brothers named Justin and Morgan. It appeared that adoption centre life was not for them so they ended up moving into foster care with me. As soon as the brothers arrived the boys wasted no time going over to introduce themselves. Introducing new cats usually involves a big song and dance but I am amazed at how easily new kittens integrate with the boys.
There was a little bit of Spencer drama but the boy got himself sorted out really quickly. The kittens are shy but they are starting to spend time out of hiding and I have been able to pet both of them. The boys are playing with them and keeping them entertained. Hopefully the boys find a home soon but in the mean time they are doing a good job of overcoming their inhibitions and shyness and starting to settle.
The Current Feline Family
The Next Foster: Pancake
Poor Pancake has had a bit of a rough go of things. On Friday she had most of her teeth removed and when she came back from the vet she was not doing very well so she landed at my place. She went into the kitty condo to recover and I could keep an eye on her. Originally I was going to hold off on having her meet the boys but they charged into the room and were determined to introduce themselves and welcome Pancake.
Boys saying hello to Pancake
After about a day of taking it easy her appetite slowly came back and I decided to let her roam around the bedroom. She initially hid under the bed but by the end of the day she was out and being affectionate. The biggest problem I have with Pancake is trying to give her pills and she does not handle it very well so it makes developing trust with her difficult.
The other challenge is the boys really want to say hello and make a new friend and Pancake just wants to be left alone so it has made for some drama. Lots of hissing but nothing beyond that. Nobody gets swatted at, just a lot of noise. It has taken a few days but everyone seems to be adjusting. Pancake is getting her space and the boys get to hang out with her but at a distance.
Pancake’s time with me is drawing to a close now that she is better. The first is she is moving back to the adoption centre to hang out with some of her old friends at the end of the week. The other good thing is she has an approved adopter so hopefully she won’t have to even go and I can adopt her out at my home.
The other little bit of news is I also have a kitten coming to stay some time in the next few days so we will see how that goes.
Pancake sleeping Comfortably
Remembering Kitten Dante: A Eulogy
Little kitten Dante’s life story is the story of a kitten no one wanted and in the end everyone cared for. Dante was an only kitten when someone turned him into Toronto Animal Services. How he ended up at Toronto Animals Services or what happened to his mother and litter mates we do not know. Dante arrived with a lot of health problems and Toronto Animal Services took care of him.
When his health improved he was taken into the care of Toronto Cat Rescue where he did his two week quarantine period. After his two weeks he was transferred to the Toronto Cat Rescue Adoption Centre at a local pet store. While he was there the little guy lived up to his namesake and became a hell raiser and tore the place up. Just as he was adjusting he suddenly got very ill and was taken to a veterinarian for care.
Dante when he first arrived
He bounced back really quickly at the vet and he bounced back just as quickly as he got sick. The adoption centre was not really a good fit for Dante’s personality and he was moved back into foster care which is how I ended up caring for him. Dante loved his new home as it offered lots of toys, places to climb and most importantly two new feline friends. Dante had some trust issues with humans when he first arrived and the first few days he was with me I had to endure some wicked bites and scratches. After a few days as he began to trust me the scratches and bites stopped.
Kitten Dante Standing Tall
Kenny and Spencer never showed any hostility towards Dante and were nothing but gracious and hospitable to him. They watched his antics and even played with him which he loved. Dante watched the boys and learned to copy them. The boys loved to climb in and play in the bathtub so Dante learned to love it too. Kenny loves to climb and sit on top of the kitty condo so Dante to climbed the condo and sat on top of it.
Dante got this idea from Spencer
Dante being the impressionable kitten he was learned to love everything the boys did. The boys loved to sit on the edge of the bathtub when I was taking a shower so Dante did that too. Either through misadventure or bad choices Dante liked to join me in the shower. He knew if he stood at the end of the bathtub he really would not get wet. However he always tried to get out and he would get wet in the process.
Having Coffee with Dante
This is a lesson he never quite learned and fell in numerous times. Feeding Dante was actually dangerous as he got really excited when he knew it was wet food time. If I opened the fridge to get out leftovers he jumped into the fridge and several times he tried to climb my bare legs when I was opening cans of cat food. He was just so excited about the whole process. It was the highlight of his day.
Dante’s Favorite Sleeping Spot
Dante was a lot of fun and looking back on his life we now know he held a terrible secret. One I am not sure if he himself even knew he had. Dante’s digestive system when he was really young had been destroyed so eating and digesting food is something he could no longer do. Dante had been robbed of his ability to ever enjoy a long life.
Dante Loved to Sleep Face Down
The first signs that something was wrong happened near the end of his first week with me. It started with some vomiting which is not unique with kittens. Despite the vomiting his outward appearances showed nothing wrong. Given that he was also going through some food changes at the time it all made sense. For the next several days there was no signs that anything was really wrong with him. He still loved wet food and the boys were starting to take care of him.
Dante may of been tired and scared but Kenny looked after him
By the start of the next week little changes were creeping in. His energy level was down and he was not playing with things that he used to. I also started to notice he was not climbing on top of things that he once was. I had to lift him on the bed where all he wanted to do was cuddle. Despite all his problems the boys Kenny and Spencer never wavered in their support and encouragement and many times would play, cuddle and groom him to keep his spirits up. In one week his whole condition was deteriorating so quickly that he was quickly taken to the veterinarian clinic. He stayed overnight after showing some minor improvements and was sent home with his medications.
Dante Cuddling with Kenny
His last forty-eight hours in his foster home were very low key and it was obvious something something was terribly wrong with him so a decision was made to send him back to the veterinarian clinic for more care and evaluation. I visited him in the clinic the next day and he was just a shell of his former self. Life was draining from him and Dante knew it. Later the next day the veterinarian informed us of the test results and we received the news that there was nothing more to do for him.
Kenny caring for kitten Dante after he is back from the vet
Spencer playing with Dante to Raise his Spirits
I made an appointment to go and say goodbye to little kitten Dante at the clinic. When I arrived at the clinic they brought him to me wrapped in a blanket. The poor little kitten looked beat and exhausted. As I was holding him to say good bye a funny thing happened. He clawed his way to the top of my shoulder and stood up. Dante who lived his short life as a hell raiser was going to go out as a hell raiser.
Me with Kitten Dante at the vet
This standing on my shoulder only lasted a few minutes and it drained him of all his energy. After that he just wanted to snuggle next to me. I held him until the veterinarian came to see Dante off to the next phase of his journey. When all the pain and suffering Dante was enduring drew itself to a close I laid the blanket out and placed him on top of it.
I gave him a few pets and made sure his fur was straightened the best I could. I placed a catnip toy and a toy mouse next to him and wrapped him up and said good bye. It was perhaps a fitting tribute that when I left him the sun was finally shining outside and the warm weather had set in.
Kitten Dante may of lived a short life but he touched a lot of lives not just among those who knew him but among many around the world. The little kitten who no one wanted got to know what it meant to live in a loving home and be accepted not just by humans but cats as well. Although he is no longer with us his name lives on with a rescued cat in Australia.
We gave Dante not just a loving home but a life filled with meaning and the joys that all kittens should get to experience. We honour his memory going forward by continuing to care for cats like him so that they may get a second chance at life. We cared for Dante asking for nothing in return and he gave us the gift of his spirit and a legacy we will all cherish.
Good bye sweet kitten Dante. You touched a lot of lives and we are all better for knowing you.
Little Kitten Dante
Kitten Dante is Back at the Vet (Again)
After two days out of the vet clinic little kitten Dante is back at the vet again. His condition as far I can tell does not seem to be improving. In fact after weighing him I am worried he may even be losing weight. He really needs to turn things around in a hurry if he is going to pull out of this. A decision was made today that the best place for Dante was at the vet where he can be be cared for and assessed.
At this point he really only has two options. Get better or not. Where he stands at the moment I really do not know but the vet should be better able to assess what is happening. It is really distressing to think over the last week all the time I was feeding him it was not doing a thing for him because he was unable to digest anything he took in which would explain all the weight loss.
Spencer playing with Dante to Raise his Spirits
One of the things I noticed looking at my hands today was how all my Dante scratches are all healing. When Dante was at his best I was collecting scratches from the boy daily as a lot of his antics all seemed to involve scratching. His lack of play is now obvious. The boys still try to play with him and he does but he does not do it at the same energy level he used to. If Dante has had any saving graces it is that he has not isolated himself and still likes to be where the action is.
Caring for Dante reminds me of my first foster Silvryss and how at one point her prospects for recovery seemed really grim but she bounced back and is living a happy and productive life. I am really hoping Dante pulls off the same miracle and I can look back on him and remember how I thought he was not going to recover and he surprised us all.
Kitten Dante Returns from the Vet
Today little kitten Dante made his return back from the vet. I wish I could say the kitten is good as new but he still has some work to do to get better. He comes with a big bag of medication as well as vet approved cat food. He is eating which is a good thing and so far no sign of diarrhea. Hopefully his gastrointestinal system is on the mend. He is still interested in what I am doing and when I was cleaning up today he watched and investigated everything I did.
When I was editing some photography he sat on my shoulder as I went through the photos and got them organized. Glad to see he is not withdrawing from everything. Hopefully once his insides get themselves sorted out he will start putting on the weight and once again start tearing up the place like he used to.
As much as I would like to take all the credit for caring for Dante on his return I have been getting a lot of help from the boys. Kenny must know something is wrong because he has been going out of his way to care for little Dante. Dante has myself and the boys to help look after him so hopefully it will be the winning team he needs to get better.
The big question though is will Dante get better? The answer to that one is one that only time will tell. My money is on yes.
Kenny caring for kitten Dante after he is back from the vet
Imogene and Peter find their Forever Homes
In the last month I took in two cats named Imogene and Peter. Imogene was just a wee kitten who was spending too much time in the adoption centre and the lifestyle was not agreeing with her. Peter was a cat who was an alpha male who needed some cats who would put him in his place. For both fosters the boys were exactly the pairing they needed. They were the gracious hosts and took care of both of them.
Finally after a summer of no home little Imogene found her home. I know she probably missed the boys but it was her time to finally be her own kitten. She went home to a loving home where she will waste no time being the queen that she is. During her meet and and greet she put on quite the show and did everything to impress including showing off how she loved to play with Double Bubble gum wrappers.
Kitten Imogene in Her new Home
As for Peter he got to hang around for a little bit longer. With Imogene gone it changed the dynamic for Peter and he suddenly found himself the focus of attention from the boys. While he enjoyed the play sessions there were times where he just wanted his own space. With Imogene around she was good at keeping the boys occupied. A Pet Valu adoptathon came up and Peter went to one of the stores to find his home.
The first day he was there I was worried he was not going to find a home but lucky for him he managed to get himself a forever home. Peter was a real flirt and had all the girls swooning over his beautiful appearance and antics. Peter went home to a single cat home which I feel is perfect for him because he now gets to be the cat in charge which will suit him just fine. I am sure he will love his new living arrangements and I am sure he will be a welcome addition. I managed to be there to see Peter off and he was very good about going in his carrier and saying goodbye.
Lots of love and luck to both my former fosters.
Peter posing
Meet Kitten Peter
I finally got around to taking and publishing some photos of kitten Peter to be used to help him get adopted. He is a beautiful kitten and I am amazed at how well he looks on camera. He has been a joy to foster and gets along well with the whole family. I know that cats love wet food but I do not think I have ever seen a kitten get as excited about the wet food as Peter does. He inhales the food and when he is done and goes and inhales what is left in the other bowls regardless if anyone is trying to eat from them or not.
Toronto Cat Rescue kitten Peter
He has learned from Spencer how to walk all over me when I am trying to sleep and loves to make a big production early in the morning to get some attention. When am I am sleeping and he wants to sleep he loves to snuggle next me and draw himself close to me. Peter does have a dominant personality but Kenny and Spencer have been able to keep him in check and even Imogene is not afraid to stand up to him.
He can be a bit moody at times either loving getting picked up or hating getting picked up. I am used to dealing with moody kittens so it does not bother me. He also can be a drama queen and can get quite vocal when things are not going according to plan. Overall I love the guy and will hate to see him go and I am sure the boys will miss his antics as well.
Kitten Peter headshot
Kitten 911: Kitten Imogene has Landed
I thought I had the perfect family (although temporary). The boys Kenny and Spencer with recent addition kitten Peter (who is getting settled in). Early Friday morning I received notice that a kitten I care for at the adoption centre named Imogene had been diagnosed from with an upper respiratory infection (URI) and could no longer remain in the centre due to the highly infectious nature of an URI.
I made all the necessary arrangements and converted my bedroom into a room just for kitten Imogene. When the kitten arrived there was the typical drama from the boys about being kicked out of the bedroom but now I also had to deal with kitten Peter as well. Imogene hid under the bed as they always do and I left everybody alone. Later that night she made an appearance from under the bed and slept with me on the bed. As the day started she resumed her hiding.
Waking up to kitten Imogene’s First Day
Usually when I quarantine cats the boys have been good about staying out and the cats I have quarantined stay in. Kitten Peter however was not aware of these conventions and he charged into the room, every time he had a chance so I had to fetch him and take him out. Later that night I had an interesting scenario play out when Peter ran into the bedroom and Imogene ran out. She was quite a happy kitten with all this new space to explore and the boys were good about letting her have her space.
Unfortunately for poor Imogene I scooped her and put her back in the bedroom. This scenario played out a few more times including Sunday afternoon when I was trying to clean the bedroom. Sometimes with cats you need to pull out everything you know do deal with bad behavior and other times you raise the white flag and surrender. This is one of these times where I raised the white flag. Imogene was enjoying a chance to run around and explore and the boys have loved having her.
Kitten Imogene in the Adoption Centre
Unlike other fosters there was no real drama introducing Imogene to the rest of the cats. I knew that things were going fine when I got to watch little kitten Imogene chase Kenny (a cat twice her size) all around the place. In fact Sunday night was full of crashes and car chases reminiscent of a Dukes of Hazard car chase scene except with kittens and cats. There was a lot of crashes and strange noises, For reasons I do not understand when the cats were running around they all made sure they had to run over me.
Overall things are finally starting to settle and I am now the proud feline foster dad to one happy feline family. Hopefully soon both kitten Peter and Imogene find their forever homes soon.
Flying Kitten Imogene
Free Bag of Nutrience Cat Food
I have blogged about Nutrience cat food before and I wanted to make my Canadian readers aware about a limited time offer to get a free bag of Nutrience cat food. The offer as of this writing includes free shipping and handling. The cat food is made with all natural ingredients and can be found in most major pet stores in Canada. This offer itself including the shipping is around $40 which is a lot of money if you are in cat rescue.
I have fed many types of cat food to my foster cats mostly due to being the recipient of several donations (including Nutrience) and I can tell you the boys really loved this cat food. It was a real hit with them and they actually picked it over a few other brands they were offered.
Whether you need to feed your foster failures, foster cats or adoption centre cats this is a food and an offer you can not go wrong with.
You can get your free food here
The Simple Joys of Feline Innocence
One of the things I have always loved about cats is they come with a certain innocence. Of course at a primal level as predators cats are anything but innocent but as our companions cats come with a certain innocence that can be really comforting. Cats are immune to the civil strife in the world and all the other news that can cause the rest of us worry. Cats in our care have really only a few basic needs: something to eat, drink and a clean place to poop.
One of the most comforting parts about living with cats is when we come home stressed, unhappy or bothered by life in general cats are there to say hello and give us the reassurances we need. Petting a cat is of course comforting for the cat because it taps the cats basic need to relive its days as a kitten. Treating a cat like a kitten does much to remind us of our cat’s days as a kitten and feel the touch and warmth of something other then ourselves. The purr of a cat not only comforts the cat but all those who get to experience it.
Cat’s too have their share of problems and dealing with a cat’s problems and seeing the change in their behavior is not only comforting for the cat but ourselves. Unlike people problems which we can take on it is hard to take on a cat’s problems. Once we make cat problems go away the problems go away to never bother feline or human again. A cat’s greatest gift is their ability to not only help us deal with our problems but remind us of the simple joys to be had in life.
While we spend a lot of time looking around for the secrets to a happy life I think we might be wise to look down at our feet instead. The secret to happy life has been there all along wondering when you are going to get off your butt and serve the wet food.
Musings of a Feline Foster Dad 