First: The last few posts, which have earned such an amazingly NEGATIVE response from some people (Thanks for your honesty though folks... it's amazing to see who was brave enough to own up to their identity, and who just decided to flame me while hiding behind an 'anonymous' name tag)... were NOT written by "Da Tigger" the better, female half of the author team of this blog. So please, next time you want to abuse someone, at least make sure you are abusing the right person! So to the lovely person who called me a 'bitch' - sorry, wrong gender. 'Bastard' would have been more appropriate, if still incorrect, thank you.
Second: These posts were NOT written with the intent of deterring fosterers... it was a warning to be aware that some of the actions taken, and decisions made, by the people in power there, were far from wise, far from fair, and more than a little rude.
Third: This blog was set up to chronicle the highs and lows of our time as fosters. It is unfortunate that a number of kittens who were fostered here managed to contract feline flu... none of our cats have it, no other cats who have visited here have it, the foster room was sterilised to hospital standards between fosters... and even the vets said it was above standard... so the accusation we somehow caused it is laughable, incorrect, and utterly insensitive. Every one of those lovely bundles was loved, and mourned. And, to make something else clear, even AFTER the last batch of fosters were put down, we were STILL asked to foster more... so if the SPCA staff - those in the know - saw us as fit fosterers, who are you, anonymous flamer, to say otherwise? (By the way, some of the information you used in your abuse has lead to an identification, you knew too much to be anyone else. -tsk tsk- Shame on you. Did you know that every time you post, your computer's IP address is tracked?)
Fourth: To clear up our standing on fostering, and 'helping all those animals' - actually, we are. We are still FIRMLY in favour of helping animals. In case there is something about this property that is somehow causing illness, we've decided NOT to foster HERE any more... we are going to help in other ways - such as fundraising and spreading awareness of the OTHER animal shelters out there... you know, the ones that have even LESS support than the SPCA... actually, you probably DON'T know, since they don't have the national exposure the SPCA enjoys. That kind of thing. And yes, even some volunteer time at the shelters if able. We still think the idea is great... we've just decided to go with those who need help even more.
Fifth: Since we decided to stop fostering for the Waikato SPCA months ago... the time is now overdue for this blog to fade out. Thanks to all those who offered suggestions and positive reinforcement during the good times, and support during the bad times, and as a previous post said... DO NOT be put off being a fosterer... if it goes well for you, the feeling is amazing. Just make sure you are prepared for the lows too... be they animal related or people related.
LASTLY: The SPCA organisations, world wide, do an UTTERLY INCREDIBLE, and mostly thankless, job and deserve your support and respect... it is simply all too human that some individuals are less than perfect at this task, causing situations that embarrass the whole. Work around them, at the end of the day there are more good people, and more good deeds done than can ever be fully appreciated. THANK YOU from us, to all those who labour on for the sake of the animals. It is our sincerest wish that your efforts are respected by those above you in the administrative chain.
Cheers...
The Male Half...
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Once more unto the brink, dear friends...
Today brings yet more examples of how a charitable public organisation, when run in a manner both ethically and morally dubious, can open their mouths and firmly insert their foot... and wonder why they get slapped for it.
It seems my last blog post regarding the Waikato SPCA prompted yet more irrational and unethical behaviour. And I regret to say, that based on their track record thus far, this post will do so too. My sincerest apologies to anyone affected by the outburst from Waikato SPCA Admin. This is about THEM BEING PLONKERS... it is in NO WAY a reflection on their excellent volunteer crew who, even in the face of adversity, get on with the mostly-thankless task of looking after the animals.
Message to those at the top of the paper-chain - if you want to raise an issue with my blog post, at least have the integrity to come to me directly. You have (or at least had... did you trash my file too, and didn't tell me about it?) my contact details... use them. Don't play piss-in-the-sand-pit games.
It seems my last blog post regarding the Waikato SPCA prompted yet more irrational and unethical behaviour. And I regret to say, that based on their track record thus far, this post will do so too. My sincerest apologies to anyone affected by the outburst from Waikato SPCA Admin. This is about THEM BEING PLONKERS... it is in NO WAY a reflection on their excellent volunteer crew who, even in the face of adversity, get on with the mostly-thankless task of looking after the animals.
Message to those at the top of the paper-chain - if you want to raise an issue with my blog post, at least have the integrity to come to me directly. You have (or at least had... did you trash my file too, and didn't tell me about it?) my contact details... use them. Don't play piss-in-the-sand-pit games.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
The official end of an era...
A while back we decided to take a break from fostering... we needed some headspace after the loss of another litter of kittens.
A short time later some 'ethically grey' actions by the Waikato SPCA came to light, and had us seriously concerned as to whether we wanted to deal with people who could treat their staff so rudely... not to mention probably illegally.
Yesterday, at the 'grand opening' of a new pet store, I was approached by someone wearing an SPCA shirt, and it reminded me I had been meaning to make this post for a while.
Today, new information came to light that has cemented my determination NEVER to have anything to do with the Waikato branch of the SPCA again. I'm not going to go into details - it would only inflame an already 'hot' situation - but suffice to say that to find out once more how they treat those who volunteer time and space in their house to help out the animals... well... it pisses me off, frankly.
If I ever hear from them again, it will be 1,947,296 years too damned soon.
To put things into perspective... it's not that we don't want to help the animals... we just don't want to help THE PEOPLE! Our plans now turn to other animal shelters and volunteer support groups instead, who value those who give help and assistance, and respect them for it.
A short time later some 'ethically grey' actions by the Waikato SPCA came to light, and had us seriously concerned as to whether we wanted to deal with people who could treat their staff so rudely... not to mention probably illegally.
Yesterday, at the 'grand opening' of a new pet store, I was approached by someone wearing an SPCA shirt, and it reminded me I had been meaning to make this post for a while.
Today, new information came to light that has cemented my determination NEVER to have anything to do with the Waikato branch of the SPCA again. I'm not going to go into details - it would only inflame an already 'hot' situation - but suffice to say that to find out once more how they treat those who volunteer time and space in their house to help out the animals... well... it pisses me off, frankly.
If I ever hear from them again, it will be 1,947,296 years too damned soon.
To put things into perspective... it's not that we don't want to help the animals... we just don't want to help THE PEOPLE! Our plans now turn to other animal shelters and volunteer support groups instead, who value those who give help and assistance, and respect them for it.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
An overnight stay...
... makes for a very quiet house!
Being kitten season, the vets have been super busy with desexing all the new kittens around, which means sometimes, some have to wait... including our fosters. They rang earlier this afternoon to say Spook had had his bits removed, and that they MIGHT be able to squeeze one of the girls through today as well, but the other 2 girls will have to wait until tomorrow. *sighs* The house seems so quiet without their constant thumping against the washhouse walls as they run and play in there, destroying the room in the process.
I missed having them all come running, little purr engines going like mad, to greet me this morning when I went in, and later again this afternoon. Going to be a sad quiet house for a while when they go back to the SPCA in a few days to find new homes. Even knowing they're only temporary guests, it's super hard not to get attached... especially with the ones who need the most work, like Spook and Mumma cat from the last lot of fosters. All that extra work to get past their fears and show them that not all human beings are bad, just makes you bond with them even more, and makes it that much harder to let go. Oh well, I guess on the up side, at least the washhouse will stay clean for longer than 5 minutes for once!
Right.. I have a lot of photos that need to be processed and put up on the blog... they are coming, as promised! So far behind! Slowly working my way through them though and will upload them as I go.
All 4 kittens now have temporary names thanks to K:
The black boy is of course Spook, who will lick, purr, lay on his back in my arms and cuddle for ages, and has definitely become the most cuddliest of the 4.. such a turnaround! However, he still freaks out easily when he and the others are out of the washhouse for their play time, and when he hears/sees something unfamiliar. Definitely need to take any big changes nice and slow with him.
Then there's his pretty black and white sister, now nicknamed Boots (coz of her pretty white boots..well DUH.. lol!). She is the most aloof of the 4.. doesn't mind being patted, and will happily start purring if you start stroking her, but she's not keen on being picked up for cuddles, and loses interest in any attention a lot quicker than the others. I will have the other 3 crowding around me, demanding attention, and little Boots is sitting there in the background, purring, but just watching and not attempting to come any closer.
The darker/smaller of the two tabby girls is Tabitha, who is cheeky, playful, and a right wee terror! She doesn't mind cuddles (and in fact will sit and miaow at me behind the door if I go into the toilet in the washhouse and shut the door. I'm thinking little Tabs is definitely a people cat!), and has no problems at all with a noisy, fast moving, chatterbox of a 2yr old wanting to chase her and pick her up for cuddles and kisses regularly. She absolutely loves the rougher stroking too, and having the base of her tail patted firmly (I'm met quite a few dogs who like this, but not many cats), and will in fact lean up into it. This gorgeous girl would do just fine in a family home with young, boisterous kids I reckon!
And last of all, the bigger/lighter tabby girl is now Perky... she's always so alert (looking for mischief to get into, I suspect!). Still definitely the most placid of the 4, this girl is also quite happy now to be picked up and cuddled, and will start purring the moment I come in the door. Although she is fine with our 2 yr old around her, she does go rather wide eyed if he's moving fast (whereas Tabitha doesn't really seem to freak at that at all), but stays happy and relaxed if he stays gentle and moves slowly. So like Tabs, she'd probably be fine in a family home, but better suited to one with older calmer children.
And now, for just a few quick photos to tide you over until I get the rest processed:
I'll try and get some more photos sorted over the next few days.
Being kitten season, the vets have been super busy with desexing all the new kittens around, which means sometimes, some have to wait... including our fosters. They rang earlier this afternoon to say Spook had had his bits removed, and that they MIGHT be able to squeeze one of the girls through today as well, but the other 2 girls will have to wait until tomorrow. *sighs* The house seems so quiet without their constant thumping against the washhouse walls as they run and play in there, destroying the room in the process.
I missed having them all come running, little purr engines going like mad, to greet me this morning when I went in, and later again this afternoon. Going to be a sad quiet house for a while when they go back to the SPCA in a few days to find new homes. Even knowing they're only temporary guests, it's super hard not to get attached... especially with the ones who need the most work, like Spook and Mumma cat from the last lot of fosters. All that extra work to get past their fears and show them that not all human beings are bad, just makes you bond with them even more, and makes it that much harder to let go. Oh well, I guess on the up side, at least the washhouse will stay clean for longer than 5 minutes for once!
Right.. I have a lot of photos that need to be processed and put up on the blog... they are coming, as promised! So far behind! Slowly working my way through them though and will upload them as I go.
All 4 kittens now have temporary names thanks to K:
The black boy is of course Spook, who will lick, purr, lay on his back in my arms and cuddle for ages, and has definitely become the most cuddliest of the 4.. such a turnaround! However, he still freaks out easily when he and the others are out of the washhouse for their play time, and when he hears/sees something unfamiliar. Definitely need to take any big changes nice and slow with him.
Then there's his pretty black and white sister, now nicknamed Boots (coz of her pretty white boots..well DUH.. lol!). She is the most aloof of the 4.. doesn't mind being patted, and will happily start purring if you start stroking her, but she's not keen on being picked up for cuddles, and loses interest in any attention a lot quicker than the others. I will have the other 3 crowding around me, demanding attention, and little Boots is sitting there in the background, purring, but just watching and not attempting to come any closer.
The darker/smaller of the two tabby girls is Tabitha, who is cheeky, playful, and a right wee terror! She doesn't mind cuddles (and in fact will sit and miaow at me behind the door if I go into the toilet in the washhouse and shut the door. I'm thinking little Tabs is definitely a people cat!), and has no problems at all with a noisy, fast moving, chatterbox of a 2yr old wanting to chase her and pick her up for cuddles and kisses regularly. She absolutely loves the rougher stroking too, and having the base of her tail patted firmly (I'm met quite a few dogs who like this, but not many cats), and will in fact lean up into it. This gorgeous girl would do just fine in a family home with young, boisterous kids I reckon!
And last of all, the bigger/lighter tabby girl is now Perky... she's always so alert (looking for mischief to get into, I suspect!). Still definitely the most placid of the 4, this girl is also quite happy now to be picked up and cuddled, and will start purring the moment I come in the door. Although she is fine with our 2 yr old around her, she does go rather wide eyed if he's moving fast (whereas Tabitha doesn't really seem to freak at that at all), but stays happy and relaxed if he stays gentle and moves slowly. So like Tabs, she'd probably be fine in a family home, but better suited to one with older calmer children.
And now, for just a few quick photos to tide you over until I get the rest processed:
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| Lil Spook, Boots, Tabitha (at the back), and Perky Just hanging out on their new favourite perch. |
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| Spook and Boots Such a handsome pair! |
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| Sisters at play Boots and Perky |
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| Boots and Perky again |
I'll try and get some more photos sorted over the next few days.
Monday, April 4, 2011
They shall return, a little less than when they left...
Well, this morning was a VERY early start for me... I had to get up and take our little fuzzy visitors off to the vet to get de-sexed. Two of them went into the carry boxes without fuss, but little Spooky and the darker tabby (who I have nicknamed "Tabitha" because sometimes she's a wicked little witch) did NOT wish to go quietly unto that dark box... as the welts on my wrist attest to.
Anyways, they eventually got boxed and shipped, trying to chew their way out of the box the whole journey...
Collection time will be sometime after 2pm today... we'll see just how frisky and bouncy they are now.
Anyways, they eventually got boxed and shipped, trying to chew their way out of the box the whole journey...
Collection time will be sometime after 2pm today... we'll see just how frisky and bouncy they are now.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
In a moment of inspiration last night, T recalled we still had the old cat tower out in the garage. We figured our two cats are such outdoor cats nowdays, it was a shame not to put it to good use... so in it came and was placed in the 'Foster Zone'.
It took a long time for the kittens to get used to it... all of a few seconds until they were gleefully testing the rope poles out for climbing, and half an hour later, after much exercise on their part, we entered to the room to find them all curled up fast asleep in their new playpad. No more blanket-lined cardboard boxes for these little tykes. ;)
On another note... little Spook now only keeps his nickname as a sideways joke regarding his colour... he doesn't shy away from sudden movements or attempts at strokes any more... totally settled and more than willing to rev up the 2-stroke purr motor any time a hand even hints at coming near him. Today, he happily settled back on the top layer of the tower and licked my fingers for almost 10 minutes before the tickles became too much for me and I had to pull away. -lol-
The fuzzbuckets don't know it yet, but they are booked in for desexing next Tuesday... I sure hope they will forgive us for this horrendous betrayal of their biological rights... but it won't change a thing if they don't.
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| Checkin' out da new crib... |
It took a long time for the kittens to get used to it... all of a few seconds until they were gleefully testing the rope poles out for climbing, and half an hour later, after much exercise on their part, we entered to the room to find them all curled up fast asleep in their new playpad. No more blanket-lined cardboard boxes for these little tykes. ;)
On another note... little Spook now only keeps his nickname as a sideways joke regarding his colour... he doesn't shy away from sudden movements or attempts at strokes any more... totally settled and more than willing to rev up the 2-stroke purr motor any time a hand even hints at coming near him. Today, he happily settled back on the top layer of the tower and licked my fingers for almost 10 minutes before the tickles became too much for me and I had to pull away. -lol-
The fuzzbuckets don't know it yet, but they are booked in for desexing next Tuesday... I sure hope they will forgive us for this horrendous betrayal of their biological rights... but it won't change a thing if they don't.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
What a difference a weekend makes...
This weekend I had to scoot off to a camp with Mr10's Cub troup. Before I left I had a chance to play with our foster furballs, and as usual, Spook was more willing to hide than play. I am not sure why, but these kittens seem to be somewhat androphobic (scared of males) as they react far better to my partner than to me or our boys. (OK, the kids I can somewhat understand - noise, fast movements, rough handling, etc).
Upon my return, I was regaled with tales of how much progress had been made... but even so, it was a surprise this morning when I climbed out of the shower and found that as well as the usual 'three girls want to play in the shower box' situation, little Spook came wandering over and not only willingly walked up to me and sniffed my hand, but then started to rub his cheeks against my fingers, then sidle side-on so I could stroke his back.
His little 2-stroke purr motor was going full-volume within seconds and he was loving the back scratches, with his back legs up on tip-toes and rather forceful shovings making sure I scratched right where he wanted it. HUGE progress indeed!
Seems there are very promising signs of hope for him after all... I was worried he wouldn't show signs of socialising before the decision had to be made whether to invest in de-sexing or not bother on the grounds he probably wouldn't be adoptable. Chances are looking good that he'll go to the vet and return "2 stones lighter" and thus be eligible for adoption by a loving, gentle family or a retired person/couple. I still don't think he'll be suited for a rough'n'tumble household.
Upon my return, I was regaled with tales of how much progress had been made... but even so, it was a surprise this morning when I climbed out of the shower and found that as well as the usual 'three girls want to play in the shower box' situation, little Spook came wandering over and not only willingly walked up to me and sniffed my hand, but then started to rub his cheeks against my fingers, then sidle side-on so I could stroke his back.
His little 2-stroke purr motor was going full-volume within seconds and he was loving the back scratches, with his back legs up on tip-toes and rather forceful shovings making sure I scratched right where he wanted it. HUGE progress indeed!
Seems there are very promising signs of hope for him after all... I was worried he wouldn't show signs of socialising before the decision had to be made whether to invest in de-sexing or not bother on the grounds he probably wouldn't be adoptable. Chances are looking good that he'll go to the vet and return "2 stones lighter" and thus be eligible for adoption by a loving, gentle family or a retired person/couple. I still don't think he'll be suited for a rough'n'tumble household.
One on One - Part 2
Just a few photos from yesterday's One on One session with the lighter and bigger of the two tabby girls. I've now done short One on Ones with all but lil Spook (who, this morning, came running over with the girls for pats and started up a loud purr within seconds of me starting to pat him!), so will put up more photos within the next day or two, if I can squeeze in a bit more spare time.
For now, the photos:
So far, this girl seems to be the most placid of the 4 kittens. She's ever so slightly more willing to be picked up for a cuddle, and had a higher tolerance of our boisterous 2yr old. Definitely the most relaxed too during their times out of the washhouse.
For now, the photos:
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| Watching the mini-human to make sure he doesn't get TOO close! |
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| IT.TOUCHED.ME!!!!!!!!! |
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| Oh hi, watcha doin??? |
Saturday, March 19, 2011
One on one
Going in to feed everyone this morning, I got even more purrs from lil Spook, who, once I started patting him, seemed to really like his back stroked rather roughly (so does the smaller, darker of the tabby girls for that matter). He has quite a loud wee purr when he gets started!
After they'd all had a chance to fill their bellies and use the dirtbox, I decided to take the bigger, lighter of the tabby girls out for a bit of one on one time, to see how she went. First we went for a wander outside, but that was still a wee bit too freaky, so back inside to the bedroom. I left the door open so she still had plenty of room to explore, but she spent most of the time in the bedroom where I was, even when Mr2 kept coming running in, babbling at top volume as he does, trying to give her cuddles and kisses (and making his toy dog give her kisses too!). I was actually rather surprised at how well she handled his behaviour... occasionally she'd run away, but most of the time she'd just sit there, eyeing him with crazy-kitten-want-to-play eyes, and let him pat and kiss her! She didn't even try and run away when Doggy was made to give her a kiss! I have a feeling this wee girl would cope rather well in a family home, even with small children around.
Chasing flies, attacking the mat by the door, exploring the room, and jumping on and off the bed kept her occupied while I got a few photos, then she dashed off to the washhouse, which was shut to keep her siblings in, and started giving a squeaky little miaow. Figuring that meant asking for the dirtbox, or maybe she'd just had enough, I popped her back into the washhouse with the others.
Later today I might bring one or two of the others out for a one on one session, otherwise will do that over the next few days, but I will put a post up later tonight with some of the photos from the session with lil miss Tabby.
After they'd all had a chance to fill their bellies and use the dirtbox, I decided to take the bigger, lighter of the tabby girls out for a bit of one on one time, to see how she went. First we went for a wander outside, but that was still a wee bit too freaky, so back inside to the bedroom. I left the door open so she still had plenty of room to explore, but she spent most of the time in the bedroom where I was, even when Mr2 kept coming running in, babbling at top volume as he does, trying to give her cuddles and kisses (and making his toy dog give her kisses too!). I was actually rather surprised at how well she handled his behaviour... occasionally she'd run away, but most of the time she'd just sit there, eyeing him with crazy-kitten-want-to-play eyes, and let him pat and kiss her! She didn't even try and run away when Doggy was made to give her a kiss! I have a feeling this wee girl would cope rather well in a family home, even with small children around.
Chasing flies, attacking the mat by the door, exploring the room, and jumping on and off the bed kept her occupied while I got a few photos, then she dashed off to the washhouse, which was shut to keep her siblings in, and started giving a squeaky little miaow. Figuring that meant asking for the dirtbox, or maybe she'd just had enough, I popped her back into the washhouse with the others.
Later today I might bring one or two of the others out for a one on one session, otherwise will do that over the next few days, but I will put a post up later tonight with some of the photos from the session with lil miss Tabby.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Little steps...
... bring about purrs and licks!
Well, it's been 8 days since the latest litter of foster kittens came to stay, and progress is slowly being made. All 3 girls are happily settled and will start purring at the slightest of touches, sometimes if you even go NEAR them without actually touching, they'll start up their little motors. Although they definitely love attention though, they are still showing no signs of being interested in actual cuddles. Everytime they're picked up, they give you an indignant look, and start to struggle to be put down on the floor again. It may just be just a kitten thing, but maybe not. They are very well toilet trained with using their dirtbox (but MAN can those 4 furballs POOP! And they always seem to have to do the smelliest ones when one of us is in the washhouse too.. esp if we're in the shower! UGH!), and know the sound of the food bowl being filled, although we are learning to fill it up OUTSIDE of the washhouse, because otherwise they have an annoying habit of trying to get to the food before you've even put the bowl down... and they often have no problems using human limbs to assist them in reaching their goal! NOT COMFORTABLE!
Little black man however, who has now been nicknamed Spook because of his rather timid personality, is going to take quite a bit more time I think before he becomes as friendly as his sisters. BUT! He is definitely making progress! I've had several days in a row now when I've been able to approach him, with him staying relaxed and letting me pat him... even starting to purr! The 1st 2 days he started letting me pat him without freaking out and running away, he licked me. The next 2 days I got purring, but no licking. Today... I got both! He's also gotten to the point where he will continue playing with his sisters when I come in... my appearance before always sent him scuttling as fast as his little legs could take him to his preferred hiding spot between the washing machine and cupboards. Now, he'll sit/lie still and just watch me, looking pretty relaxed, or, if he was racing around being an idiot with the girls, he'll look at me, then continue. So this wee man is definitely coming along nicely... but I don't think he's going to be a quick "easy tame" case like his sisters.
It's these small steps and little tidbits of hard won progress though that make me love this whole fostering adventure! Watching this uncertain soul start to emerge from his shell, letting a human near, then letting one pat him.. responding with licks and purrs... it's these rewards that make the heartache from times like the last litter easier to bear.
With all 4 kittens though, we've noticed they seem to react differently to me than they do to my Partner. It makes me wonder if they (or at least the wee boy, Spook) have been abused in the past before coming to the SPCA, and if so, if it involved a male. They all seem more hesitant about letting my partner interact with them, and Spook doesn't seem to relax at all when he's in the room. They are slowly learning not to run away though when our 2yr old comes in wanting to give them pats, but still a little freaked by him (not surprised.. he's rather full on!). They have also met our 2 cats, from a distance. There was a bit of hissing and growling... but it was more from our boys than the kittens. The little black and white girl turned out to be the boldest of the 4 in regards to the other cats and wanted to go and say hi.
I will try and get some new photos up in the next couple of days, now that they're a bit more settled, and hopefully a few more days will bring about some more good progress with lil Spook. :o)
Well, it's been 8 days since the latest litter of foster kittens came to stay, and progress is slowly being made. All 3 girls are happily settled and will start purring at the slightest of touches, sometimes if you even go NEAR them without actually touching, they'll start up their little motors. Although they definitely love attention though, they are still showing no signs of being interested in actual cuddles. Everytime they're picked up, they give you an indignant look, and start to struggle to be put down on the floor again. It may just be just a kitten thing, but maybe not. They are very well toilet trained with using their dirtbox (but MAN can those 4 furballs POOP! And they always seem to have to do the smelliest ones when one of us is in the washhouse too.. esp if we're in the shower! UGH!), and know the sound of the food bowl being filled, although we are learning to fill it up OUTSIDE of the washhouse, because otherwise they have an annoying habit of trying to get to the food before you've even put the bowl down... and they often have no problems using human limbs to assist them in reaching their goal! NOT COMFORTABLE!
Little black man however, who has now been nicknamed Spook because of his rather timid personality, is going to take quite a bit more time I think before he becomes as friendly as his sisters. BUT! He is definitely making progress! I've had several days in a row now when I've been able to approach him, with him staying relaxed and letting me pat him... even starting to purr! The 1st 2 days he started letting me pat him without freaking out and running away, he licked me. The next 2 days I got purring, but no licking. Today... I got both! He's also gotten to the point where he will continue playing with his sisters when I come in... my appearance before always sent him scuttling as fast as his little legs could take him to his preferred hiding spot between the washing machine and cupboards. Now, he'll sit/lie still and just watch me, looking pretty relaxed, or, if he was racing around being an idiot with the girls, he'll look at me, then continue. So this wee man is definitely coming along nicely... but I don't think he's going to be a quick "easy tame" case like his sisters.
It's these small steps and little tidbits of hard won progress though that make me love this whole fostering adventure! Watching this uncertain soul start to emerge from his shell, letting a human near, then letting one pat him.. responding with licks and purrs... it's these rewards that make the heartache from times like the last litter easier to bear.
With all 4 kittens though, we've noticed they seem to react differently to me than they do to my Partner. It makes me wonder if they (or at least the wee boy, Spook) have been abused in the past before coming to the SPCA, and if so, if it involved a male. They all seem more hesitant about letting my partner interact with them, and Spook doesn't seem to relax at all when he's in the room. They are slowly learning not to run away though when our 2yr old comes in wanting to give them pats, but still a little freaked by him (not surprised.. he's rather full on!). They have also met our 2 cats, from a distance. There was a bit of hissing and growling... but it was more from our boys than the kittens. The little black and white girl turned out to be the boldest of the 4 in regards to the other cats and wanted to go and say hi.
I will try and get some new photos up in the next couple of days, now that they're a bit more settled, and hopefully a few more days will bring about some more good progress with lil Spook. :o)
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Trying again!
4 new furry faces have entered our home! We received a call from the Waikato SPCA yesterday, saying they had a Mother cat and 4 kittens who needed fostering, just for a couple of weeks as the kittens were up to weight, but were a little on the anti-social side. After the heartache caused by what happened last time, we were somewhat hesitant, but decided to give it another go. So while I was in town running a few errands, K made the trip to the SPCA to pick up the new foster, but when I came home, there were only the 4 kittens, and no Mumma. Apparently poor Mumma cat was in desperate need of a break from her 4 little terrors, err, children, and had even gone and wedged herself in the tiniest ledge as high as she could get, so the kittens couldn't get to her! Poor girl! K said as soon as the kittens were taken out of the enclosure, she hopped down to the bigger platform, chirrped, then curled up and started purring. Yep.. definitely sounded like she was in real need of a bit of P&Q!
Once the kids were in bed, and the washhouse had been freshened up with a quick scrub over, we took the boxes into the washhouse and opened them up... then sat back to see what would happen. Two sweet little tabbies were the first to poke their noses out of the boxes, taking a couple of minutes to look around, eyeing us a little warily, before they jumped out and started exploring. Next came a slightly shyer black and white kitten, leaving an almost pure black (with the tiniest hint of white on his chest) boy sitting in the box, not at all keen to come out. We ended up picking him up, giving him a little cuddle, then he went for a wander too.
With a dirtbox sorted, they all promptly went and used it, then had a feed before we left them to it for a while. Going back in later, I found it was the tabby girls who were the most curious, and most likely to come over and have a cautious sniff at me, whereas the black and white girl was more interested in wandering around, but was semi ok with me reaching out to pat her back (but not her head) as long as I went slowly. The pure black boy however, wanted nothing more than to hide, and it wasn't long before he found the previous foster mumma cat's preferred hiding spot... beside, or behind, the washing machine.
This morning the dirtbox had been well used again... good little babies! The black boy and one of the tabbies were curled up asleep on top of the washing machine, and the boy decided to try and make a dive for it behind it as soon as I walked in. Taking things slow, and talking quietly, he changed his mind and just watched me instead. The tabby girls ended up jumping around on my feet, playing with my skirt, and even the black and white girl willingly came over to say hi. Breakfast was biscuits, with the boy being fed on the washing machine, since he refused to come down. He even let me pat him a little while he ate... a small step in the right direction!
I visited them again later, and ended up with both tabby girls purring while I stroked them, although they weren't too keen on actually being cuddled, but they did love being stroked. Again, the black and white girl was willing to be patted, but is definitely the quieter and shyer of the 3 girls... although later she proved she was still a nutty kitten as she raced around and around in circles in the box we'd given them as a bed, chasing her tail! This time the boy even pushed back into my hand when I tried to pat him, so although I think he'll definitely be the one who needs the most work, I'm pretty sure it'll be easy enough to get him a lot friendlier and more sociable. He reminds me so much of how the first foster Mumma cat was when we first got her! So we'll just take it slow.
With regular visits to the washhouse to visit our guests, including some time spent making a lot of loud banging noises etc when I was cleaning out the rat cage gear in there (during which, the black boy stayed curled up between the cupboards and washing machine, watching me quietly, but not showing any signs of panic or stress, and all 3 girls just kept sleeping in the box, with only an occasional glance in my direction if I banged extra loudly), I've already noticed signs of improvement in all 4 kittens. I have a feeling the girls won't be lap cats... they enjoy the attention, and will happily come over for a pat, but as soon as you pick them up for a cuddle, they'll let you have a minute's cuddle, then they politely ask to be let down with rather pointed looks at the floor and a hint of a struggle.
So that's our first day and a bit with the new foster kittens... so now it's time to introduce them.
A couple of photos of all 3 girls together:
Once the kids were in bed, and the washhouse had been freshened up with a quick scrub over, we took the boxes into the washhouse and opened them up... then sat back to see what would happen. Two sweet little tabbies were the first to poke their noses out of the boxes, taking a couple of minutes to look around, eyeing us a little warily, before they jumped out and started exploring. Next came a slightly shyer black and white kitten, leaving an almost pure black (with the tiniest hint of white on his chest) boy sitting in the box, not at all keen to come out. We ended up picking him up, giving him a little cuddle, then he went for a wander too.
With a dirtbox sorted, they all promptly went and used it, then had a feed before we left them to it for a while. Going back in later, I found it was the tabby girls who were the most curious, and most likely to come over and have a cautious sniff at me, whereas the black and white girl was more interested in wandering around, but was semi ok with me reaching out to pat her back (but not her head) as long as I went slowly. The pure black boy however, wanted nothing more than to hide, and it wasn't long before he found the previous foster mumma cat's preferred hiding spot... beside, or behind, the washing machine.
This morning the dirtbox had been well used again... good little babies! The black boy and one of the tabbies were curled up asleep on top of the washing machine, and the boy decided to try and make a dive for it behind it as soon as I walked in. Taking things slow, and talking quietly, he changed his mind and just watched me instead. The tabby girls ended up jumping around on my feet, playing with my skirt, and even the black and white girl willingly came over to say hi. Breakfast was biscuits, with the boy being fed on the washing machine, since he refused to come down. He even let me pat him a little while he ate... a small step in the right direction!
I visited them again later, and ended up with both tabby girls purring while I stroked them, although they weren't too keen on actually being cuddled, but they did love being stroked. Again, the black and white girl was willing to be patted, but is definitely the quieter and shyer of the 3 girls... although later she proved she was still a nutty kitten as she raced around and around in circles in the box we'd given them as a bed, chasing her tail! This time the boy even pushed back into my hand when I tried to pat him, so although I think he'll definitely be the one who needs the most work, I'm pretty sure it'll be easy enough to get him a lot friendlier and more sociable. He reminds me so much of how the first foster Mumma cat was when we first got her! So we'll just take it slow.
With regular visits to the washhouse to visit our guests, including some time spent making a lot of loud banging noises etc when I was cleaning out the rat cage gear in there (during which, the black boy stayed curled up between the cupboards and washing machine, watching me quietly, but not showing any signs of panic or stress, and all 3 girls just kept sleeping in the box, with only an occasional glance in my direction if I banged extra loudly), I've already noticed signs of improvement in all 4 kittens. I have a feeling the girls won't be lap cats... they enjoy the attention, and will happily come over for a pat, but as soon as you pick them up for a cuddle, they'll let you have a minute's cuddle, then they politely ask to be let down with rather pointed looks at the floor and a hint of a struggle.
So that's our first day and a bit with the new foster kittens... so now it's time to introduce them.
 |
| The sweet but slightly shy black and white girl. |
 |
| Look at those pretty eyes!! |
 | ||
| The tabby girls... doing what the previous foster kittens used to LOVE doing... racing up and down the net curtain covering the washhouse door! The wee torti kitten from the earlier litter had helped make this hole large enough to climb through... and now this tabby girl has helped enlarge it further! |
 | |
| The larger and paler of the two tabbies. Don't let that sweet face fool you... she's an adorable bundle of mischief! She's usually the one to come and sit on my feet or start attacking my skirt first, and has a gorgeous spotted wee belly |
 | |||
| The smaller, darker tabby girl on the far left, and her paler, larger sister, shown in the previous photo, in the middle. |
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| Darker, smaller tabby is the one in the box in this photo. |
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| And lastly, the handsome, but rather timid black boy, who makes me think there is siamese or something similar somewhere in either of his parents' blood. In one of his favourite spots... between the cupboards and washing machine.. the other being ON the washing machine. |
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Little eyes...
There are days when all looks bright and shiny when it comes to fostering. You wake up and know you are helping animals to get a chance at a happy, fulfilling life in homes that will love them. If not for your efforts, the shelters could easily get overloaded to the point where euthanasia is the only option, just so that they don't run out of funds, resources and space. By taking on the workload of giving the cats/kittens a temporary home, you are giving them a chance they might not otherwise get. It's a wonderful feeling, even during the rough patches - like when you discover the dirtbox got well-used the night before and is now half empty, with the rest all over the floor... or the patches of wallpaper ever so lovingly removed in tiny kitten-paw-sized scraps... or the net curtains now having more 'net' and less 'curtain' than you recalled...
But then there are days when the world folds up and falls on your heart. The days where you discover that these wonderful, loving, warm little heartbeats must be stilled in the name of mercy. When keeping them alive, to brighten your days, is just selfishly prolonging their suffering or delaying the inevitable. When the vet tells you, in the kindest way possible, that extending the course of antibiotics is quite probably a waste of resources that could be used to successfully save another family of kittens that have a better chance of beating the illness.
Today was a day that said it all, in every way. In the midst of weeks of fine weather and summer heat, today was windy, cold and wet. A poet might say the world started weeping, for it knew the fact that we were trying so hard not to acknowledge - that these lovely kittens had no future that didn't involve large amounts of cost for future owners, illness and suffering for the kittens, and - in the meantime - a possibly constant drain on the resources of a wonderful organisation who does everything it can to give every animal the best chance of a loving life.
Some days, life just isn't fair.
The aftermath for us, the fosterers: A long and chemically-stringent cleanup of their entire living area, inside and out, to make sure that there are no 'bugs' left behind that could infect any future foster cats... a period of mourning, while we try to untangle the heartstrings these little balls of innocent love got attached to in us... and a hard think and talk about whether we can do this again.
I think we could. I know if we did it wouldn't be easy - there would be the fear that it might somehow - despite everything we were told by the vet - be caused by something here and thus happen again... the worry that we won't give them as loving a temporary home as they deserve because we don't want to feel the loss of handing them back just as we find ourselves getting attached again... the concern that with all the prices going up, and donated supplies to the shelter getting tighter, that we won't be able to afford to 'top up' the food/litter...
These are hard choices, decisions that need to be well thought out BEFORE you take on the responsibility for the innocent lives you will be entrusted with.
The pay-off is great, for those willing to see it that way... but it carries a price. For those who can, please do... for those who aren't sure, go talk to the staff at the shelter... but for those who think "I don't want to face times like this..." then please, don't. Give food, give money, give resources... those are VITAL things that mean you are still giving, still doing a 'good thing'... and without you, the rest have no chance at all.
But then there are days when the world folds up and falls on your heart. The days where you discover that these wonderful, loving, warm little heartbeats must be stilled in the name of mercy. When keeping them alive, to brighten your days, is just selfishly prolonging their suffering or delaying the inevitable. When the vet tells you, in the kindest way possible, that extending the course of antibiotics is quite probably a waste of resources that could be used to successfully save another family of kittens that have a better chance of beating the illness.
Today was a day that said it all, in every way. In the midst of weeks of fine weather and summer heat, today was windy, cold and wet. A poet might say the world started weeping, for it knew the fact that we were trying so hard not to acknowledge - that these lovely kittens had no future that didn't involve large amounts of cost for future owners, illness and suffering for the kittens, and - in the meantime - a possibly constant drain on the resources of a wonderful organisation who does everything it can to give every animal the best chance of a loving life.
Some days, life just isn't fair.
The aftermath for us, the fosterers: A long and chemically-stringent cleanup of their entire living area, inside and out, to make sure that there are no 'bugs' left behind that could infect any future foster cats... a period of mourning, while we try to untangle the heartstrings these little balls of innocent love got attached to in us... and a hard think and talk about whether we can do this again.
I think we could. I know if we did it wouldn't be easy - there would be the fear that it might somehow - despite everything we were told by the vet - be caused by something here and thus happen again... the worry that we won't give them as loving a temporary home as they deserve because we don't want to feel the loss of handing them back just as we find ourselves getting attached again... the concern that with all the prices going up, and donated supplies to the shelter getting tighter, that we won't be able to afford to 'top up' the food/litter...
These are hard choices, decisions that need to be well thought out BEFORE you take on the responsibility for the innocent lives you will be entrusted with.
The pay-off is great, for those willing to see it that way... but it carries a price. For those who can, please do... for those who aren't sure, go talk to the staff at the shelter... but for those who think "I don't want to face times like this..." then please, don't. Give food, give money, give resources... those are VITAL things that mean you are still giving, still doing a 'good thing'... and without you, the rest have no chance at all.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Heartbroken!
This post hurts to write. Today we said goodbye to 4 of the sweetest, most loving little balls of fur I have met in a long time. Four little kittens, put to sleep way too soon... because they were sick.
A few days after we took these babies and their mumma on, when they were only about a week old, their eyes kept sealing with gunk, so began the vet visits. The vet thought they might have herpes, with possibly having cat flu as a secondary infection, so ...they were being treated for that with eye drops. When that didn't work, Baytril was added on top of the eye drops. After a week on the Baytril, they'd started to come right, eyes were clearing up, and all was looking good. But then that course stopped, and a couple of days later they were getting all the signs, but worse, back again. So today, we took them back for another vet visit... their last. The vet mentioned possibilities like Chlamydia and FIV (Feline Immunodeficiency Virus ) when we went back in today, and said even a 2nd course of Baytril was highly unlikely to do any good. So, we said goodbye.
What hurts the most is that in EVERY other way, these little guys (and girl) were the most sweetest, loving kittens ever.. they'd purr at even the briefest of touches, demanded cuddles constantly (before wanting to race after a sibling to attack), and were totally adored by the whole family (despite the mess they regularly left us to clean up!). They would've made awesome pets for any lucky owner... if they'd just been healthy. The world is so unfair sometimes!
Dude... black & white boy, who was so laid back, he'd go all floppy in your hands and start purring the moment you picked him up. You could do pretty much anything with him, and he'd just keep giving you that purr and adoring look. He got even smoochier in the last couple of days and would wrap himself around my neck, thrust his nose deep into my ear, and purr extra loudly.
Mostly Ginger, nicknamed Buddy, was a right wee terror... who somehow wormed his way into being my 2nd favourite. Usually the first one to race out the door if the door to the washhouse, that was their temporary home, was opened to go exploring, this boy would try and climb up my legs when he wanted his cuddles, and would probably have had the loudest purr of the 4. If I felt claws around my ankles, it was usually Buddy, saying "hi, pay attention to me please". Buddy and Dude were usually the first ones to go racing into the shower if the door was opened while the water was on, only to come racing back out to shake themselves dry again... and occasionally turn right around and race right back in. Adorable dorks!
Ginger and White, nicknamed "Mumma's Boy", was the quietest of the 4 when it came to demanding attention (but had just as loud a purr as his siblings!), and usually the 1st to go running back to their mum for cuddles and food. I was planning on getting more photos of him and the torti girl later today, as they were the only ones I didn't get many good ones of.
Torti girl, nicknamed Minnie, as she was almost a short haired, miniature copy of their mother. A right wee tomboy, who was as rough-n-tumble as the boys were, and usually the only one not so keen on staying still to have a cuddle. No thanks.. far too many brothers to chase and pounce on, or curtains to tear up, etc. However, she was always the first to come running, purring like mad, if you put the shower mat down on the floor... she'd curl up and go to sleep on it quite happily, usually as close to your feet, if not ON them, as she could get.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
The saddest part of the job...
Today was a sad day indeed. When we first got this first family of foster cats, we brought home four little bundles of fluff that barely had eyes open, and a mumma cat who I would have sworn was half wild, if her temperament was anything to go by. 5 days of intensive 'being zen' later, and she had bonded to us and was fairly relaxed when we open the washhouse door, and even let us pat her head. By the end of day 10 she was as tame as anyone could want, and was showing a lovely, placid nature. She was even tolerating our 2 year old coming in all 'full volume, top speed' and demanding cuddles.
Yesterday she was taken to the vet to be speyed, and came home all drowsy and droopy after a successful surgery. Today I had the heartbreaking job of returning her to the SPCA Shelter to recover, get fed back up to optimum weight and health, and go up for adoption. The rest of the family was really down, and it wasn't exactly a picnic for me either. There are times I am so glad to have 'emotion detachment issues' - they make the rough times like these a little easier to cope with.
It was amazingly reassuring to discover that the Hamilton SPCA have a "No Kill" policy of fosters and adoptees... only the ferals and seriously infirm get given 'the cold needle' and even then, only if there is no hope for rehabilitation or recovery. It meant that I wasn't handing over this lovely tortie girl to face a death sentence if she wasn't adopted within a week or two. In fact, if she's still there when we take the kittens back, we might just adopt her ourselves.
Fostering cats is a real mixed blessing... on the up side, you know you are helping the SPCA cope with a massive overload, taking some of the stress off their awesome crew of staff and volunteers. They provide the fostering family with pet food and pay for required vet visits, and it's as simple as a visit to the shelter to collect the food or a phonecall for an order number for the vets.
The downside is that it is so very easy for you to get attached to the fostered pets, and having to hand them back can feel like a betrayal of trust... but you know you'll do the fostering thing again, and have to go through the heartbreak once more... and again, and again... because you know it's the best thing for the animals in the long run.
Oh yeah, photos of the kittens to come soon - just need to find the time to edit them all - so many wonderful shots to choose from!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Getting up to speed...
Well, this is a little late in starting, because we wanted to get the OK from the SPCA first... now that we have it, here we go!
Back at the start of December 2010, we offered to foster cats for the SPCA, especially pregnant cats, who for obvious reasons soon take up a lot more space than, say, a single cat, once they drop their kittens. It's our way of supporting their great effort, without having to find money out of a tight budget.
So, our first foster cats... a mumma cat with four little kittens, each hardly bigger than the palm of my hand when we got them. Their eyes had only just started to open and all they did was sleep and feed. Mumma cat wasn't at all sure about us, and understandably so... she had been at the shelter for only a single day after being collected from the home of someone who suffered from Alzheimer's - not the best environment to raise a young family.
Mumma cat is a beautiful tortoise shell, though she was skinny and nervous. Her four babies were an almost-entirely ginger boy, a ginger-&-white boy, a black and white boy and a lovely little tortoise shell girl. It wasn't long until they would start to develop their personalities.
Now, because we had to keep them quarantined, and we are blessed with having an easily-isolated wash house and bathroom attached to the house, it was a simple matter to keep them separated from the house, our own cats, and the outside world. The only problem was ventilation. Without offering them a way to escape, it was going to be difficult indeed to prevent the cats from making a horrible stink. The solution was granted by some MacGyvering - the application of some shelf brackets to the side window frames allowed us to force the windows to be locked open JUST enough to provide airflow, but not enough to allow the adult cat to escape.
Alas, it seems her past came back to haunt her, and her kids... because Mumma cat had Feline Herpes which flared up again due to her high stress levels and low body tone. This was rapidly passed on to her little ones, either through contact or through her milk. Either way, just after Christmas we had to take them all to the lovely folks at the Hamilton South CareVets because the poor wee mites would wake up with their eyes glued shut with -yuk- which the vet explained was caused NOT by the Herpes virus itself, but more the secondary bacterial infection that was able to get a foothold while the immune systems were fighting the virus.
A drop in each eye,
Three times a day.
All going well,
The goop goes away...
Not quite, as it turns out... because though Mumma cat managed to fight it off fairly well, her babies didn't have much of an immune system and thus were not faring so well. By the time the drops were nearly gone, we were due to take them all back to the SPCA for worming and a quick check-up, however due to the SPCA's cat expert's concern it may be Cat Flu, and not wanting to bring that kind of thing into the main compound, we were asked to take them back to the vet for their worming and check-up. The usual vet wasn't available, due to the holiday period, so we had to take them to the Chartwell CareVets. The lovely vet there was able to not only give us more eye drops, but also suggested Baytrel to act as a 'big hammer' for the bacterial infection. That was January 5th.
And now, here we are at Jan 10th (well, now Jan 11th) and that's the foundation of the story. Over the next few days we'll start to fill in some of the more memorable moments and experiences of fostering cats for the SPCA here in Hamilton.
It's not easy... and there are days when you wonder why you opened your stupid yap to offer... but then there are those moments that make it all worthwhile.
It's a lot like having kids really...
Back at the start of December 2010, we offered to foster cats for the SPCA, especially pregnant cats, who for obvious reasons soon take up a lot more space than, say, a single cat, once they drop their kittens. It's our way of supporting their great effort, without having to find money out of a tight budget.
So, our first foster cats... a mumma cat with four little kittens, each hardly bigger than the palm of my hand when we got them. Their eyes had only just started to open and all they did was sleep and feed. Mumma cat wasn't at all sure about us, and understandably so... she had been at the shelter for only a single day after being collected from the home of someone who suffered from Alzheimer's - not the best environment to raise a young family.
Mumma cat is a beautiful tortoise shell, though she was skinny and nervous. Her four babies were an almost-entirely ginger boy, a ginger-&-white boy, a black and white boy and a lovely little tortoise shell girl. It wasn't long until they would start to develop their personalities.
Now, because we had to keep them quarantined, and we are blessed with having an easily-isolated wash house and bathroom attached to the house, it was a simple matter to keep them separated from the house, our own cats, and the outside world. The only problem was ventilation. Without offering them a way to escape, it was going to be difficult indeed to prevent the cats from making a horrible stink. The solution was granted by some MacGyvering - the application of some shelf brackets to the side window frames allowed us to force the windows to be locked open JUST enough to provide airflow, but not enough to allow the adult cat to escape.
Alas, it seems her past came back to haunt her, and her kids... because Mumma cat had Feline Herpes which flared up again due to her high stress levels and low body tone. This was rapidly passed on to her little ones, either through contact or through her milk. Either way, just after Christmas we had to take them all to the lovely folks at the Hamilton South CareVets because the poor wee mites would wake up with their eyes glued shut with -yuk- which the vet explained was caused NOT by the Herpes virus itself, but more the secondary bacterial infection that was able to get a foothold while the immune systems were fighting the virus.
A drop in each eye,
Three times a day.
All going well,
The goop goes away...
Not quite, as it turns out... because though Mumma cat managed to fight it off fairly well, her babies didn't have much of an immune system and thus were not faring so well. By the time the drops were nearly gone, we were due to take them all back to the SPCA for worming and a quick check-up, however due to the SPCA's cat expert's concern it may be Cat Flu, and not wanting to bring that kind of thing into the main compound, we were asked to take them back to the vet for their worming and check-up. The usual vet wasn't available, due to the holiday period, so we had to take them to the Chartwell CareVets. The lovely vet there was able to not only give us more eye drops, but also suggested Baytrel to act as a 'big hammer' for the bacterial infection. That was January 5th.
And now, here we are at Jan 10th (well, now Jan 11th) and that's the foundation of the story. Over the next few days we'll start to fill in some of the more memorable moments and experiences of fostering cats for the SPCA here in Hamilton.
It's not easy... and there are days when you wonder why you opened your stupid yap to offer... but then there are those moments that make it all worthwhile.
It's a lot like having kids really...
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