I've been thinking about the past year's accomplishments. I think we fostered more critters than we ever have before in one year. I know we definitely worked harder at fostering than we did ever before, hand raising seven kittens from when they were a week old is something I'll likely never have time to do again.
First the "N bunnies" hopped into our lives… mother Nelly, babies Nibbler, Nick, Nodwick, and Nubbin.
In May I got a frantic call from my niece, who had found seven kittens in a closed box in a cardboard recycling bin. She saved them from the baler and we took them in: Opal, Orlando, Orion, Othello, Oliver, Ophelia, and Oreo. Whew! They were the healthiest kittens we'd ever raised. Oreo and Orlando were adopted by relatives of ours, so we get to see them grow up, which is great!
There was a brief break and then the shelter was overrun with babies again. We opened our home and hearts to mother Penny, and her babies Polly, Peanut, Pepe, Punkin, and Puss. Polly was memorable for the white heart on her chest. Penny stayed at the shelter for a long time, but was finally adopted on Christmas Eve. Best Christmas present ever!
By this time we were pretty exhausted and thinking we'd need a break from fostering. Then I was at the shelter one Friday night working on the computers, and some kittens were brought into Health Wing. Their owner had left and taken the momma cat with her, leaving the babies to fend for themselves. They weren't quite weaned yet, although they were eating some wet food out of desperation. They were mostly getting it all over themselves as they searched through it for the milk they really wanted. How could we resist? So we met Quagmire, QD, Quincy(who had extra toes!), and Suzy Q. Unfortunately Quagmrie got sick and although an heroic effort was made by the Small Animal Clinic at the U of S, he didn't make it.
Wow, that's 22 critters. I don't think it's healthy for us to keep up that pace though, because frankly we were pretty burned out by the end of all that. Hopefully this year will be a bit less frantic!
If you are considering becoming a foster parent, please look here for more information. It is incredibly rewarding work, there is no better thing than holding a purring kitten.