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KITTEN BLOG!

FRIENDS OF CATS IS FEATURING A NEW BLOG, FOSTERED KITTEN BLOG!!ONE OF OUR FOSTER FAMILIES WILL BE WRITING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE FOSTERING ORPHANED KITTENS, AND THEIR STORY WILL BE FEATURED HERE ON OUR WEB SITE.

Foster kittens blog:

5/27/07

Hi my name is Screaming Eagle and I'm a foster kitten....correction....I WAS a foster kitten. I was adopted by my former foster parents! I was an orphan who's momma died. Me and my brothers and sisters would have died too if we hadn't been found. Friends of Cats quickly found me some nice people to take care of me and here I am. I've been adopted now for almost a year and I love my new home. My parents still foster baby kittens and this is their story.

12 days ago my dad came home with 8 babies that hardly made a sound. Their momma had also died and no one even knew they were there, all alone, fending for themselves. A big German Shepard found them and killed one of them before the dog's owner could do anything. The remaining 8 were then fed milk with a spoon. They called Friends of Cats, who then called my dad. My dad went to pick up the babies. They were so scared they didn't even meow. They wouldn't let me in the room to see but I heard my mom and dad talking. They didn't look very healthy they said. For one day they tried feeding them from a bottle. Some took it, others didn't. Finally my mom fed them moist kitten food with kitten formula. They ate so much! My parents were happy. But the next day, the smallest kitten nearly died! My mom was crying because she didn't know what to do. She wrapped it up and tried to keep it warm. My dad took over and warned up towels and kept it warm while trying to feed it from a bottle. My mom prayed a lot and got up every two hours to check on him. We didn't get much sleep that night, but "Blackie" (as my parent's nicknamed him) made it through the night. We were SO happy. Several days later, mom noticed blood in their feces. That wasn't a good sign. I heard her on the phone talking to Robin from Friends of Cats. They would have to go to the vet. When they came back, mom gave them all their medicine but seemed concerned. Are they going to be OK?

Mom didn't say anything. She didn't know. All she could do was pray. So we waited. On Thursday night, 5/24, mom kept holding Blackie. he didn't look good. She prayed and held him close to her heart. Finally she went to bed. At 4am, she woke up and gave him his medicine. She couldn't sleep, she was worried. She called Robin again and asked if she could give him more medicine. Robin said OK but there wasn't much more we could do. I was worried. All the other kittens were doing OK, why wasn't Blackie?

Mom said goodbye as she left for work. Blackie seemed tired but was alive. Mom assured me he'd be OK. Dad came home right after mom left and decided to feed him and keep him hydrated. He checked on him then went to heat up the bottle. By the time he came back, Blackie was gone. Dad cried. My dad never cries. he called mom and they both cried. Dad said goodbye. So did I.

6/2/07

The 7 remaining kittens have gotten healthier and grown. It's great to see them blossoming. When they first got here, they were scared and would stay towards the back of the cage. It was very sad to see them so scared. Mom said they were suffering from 'acute stress disorder'. I guess they had gone through so much in their short time on earth that they only expected more bad things to happen to them. First they had been abandoned by a momma who probably died in search of food. They waited and waited for her return but she never came. Then as they fended for themselves and stayed together, they witnessed the grisly death of one of their own. After being rescued, the didn't know what to expect. They cowered at mom and dad's touch, hissed, growled and even spit! But mom and dad had seen this before. They had a lot of patience and love and gave them both.

They slowly touched them, petted them and held them until the kittens began to trust. Fiona (the calico) was the most trusting of all. She didn't seem to mind a bit being picked up. Mom would come in after work and lay a blanket down on the floor and sit with them. They slowly began to see her as their 'mom'. As they warmed up to her, one by one they found their 'motor' and began to purr at her touch. Fiona would often climb to the top of mom's shoulder and just perch herself there. Shrek (the largest of the bunch) was next to warm up. He didn't mind being petted on the way to the floor but wanted to play and play and play. He is the healthiest and biggest. Their personalities are all emerging. The female black cat is shy. She was the last one to warm up. She had stayed towards the back of the stage but has since moved forward. She's the next biggest in size but much shyer than Shrek. She hasn't been named yet. The small gray with white paws we've named 'Puss 'n Boots'. He's the one mom and dad worried about the most since Blackie died. He was the weakest and smallest of the bunch. He has gained in size and strength but remains shy. He is the only one who hasn't found his motor. He doesn't mind being held but would rather be by himself. He has only begun playing with the others.The smallest orange kitten also has not been named. He loves to eat and is growing! He plays but tires easily but purrs the loudest, especially when he's eating! The largest orange kitten (also not named) can play rough with the big kittens and does. I've seen him take Shrek down! The small dark grey kitten is definitely momma's boy. He'll play and run but when scared will run to mom. Though they have healed from much of the trauma, they still are sometimes startled by their own shadow or loud noises. Mom says it'll take time. For now they are safe and life is good.

June 3rd 10:15pm

The kittens all went to Friends of Cats to get vaccinated and chipped today. They got baths beforehand and were all chipper....except during bath time. They slept all the way to the shelter and did really good while getting their shots. They seemed to be doing really well. Mom and dad had somewhere to go this evening so they got home 1/2 hour ago. Mom took all the babies out one by one kissing each one as she put them on the floor. All started playing and frolicking....except Fiona. Oh no, Mom called dad, and told him there's something wrong with Fiona, the Calico. She is just laying there. What's wrong with her? Mom tries to hold her but she doesn't want to be held. Mom tried to put her back in the cage but she didn't want that either. She just lays there. She can walk but seems pretty weak. Could this be a side effect of the vaccinations? We don't know. We just don't know. I know mom will be praying tonight and probably won't get much sleep, I won't either. I worry too. Mom says we have to hope for the best but....prepare for the worst. We have to tell her we love her while we still have time.....and we have to say goodbye, just in case, she doesn't live through the night. How can this be happening again?? Please God, not again. I'll be praying too and waiting. We love you Fiona. We love you....until tomorrow.

June 4th, 6 a.m.

She made it!!! I can't believe it, she made it!!! Mom fell asleep praying for Fiona. I stayed awake with MK (my sister/mom) and we both finally fell asleep, after midnight, praying too. MK was so upset she asked mom if we could please take her to the vet hospital. It didn't feel good not being able to do anything. We all felt so helpless. Mom was already blaming herself and second guessing herself. Dad too. Dad gave her milk from the baby bottle so she would have food in her tummy before we put them to bed. Dad rushed down this morning so no one would find her....you know....gone. But instead of sadness and tears, we were SO blessed! Mom told me not to forget to thank God for answering our prayers. She looks...normal! She's eating, she's playing, she's grooming herself. Wow! Last night the other kittens cuddled right up to her and everytime we checked, she was sleeping and alive. She ate so much this morning too. They all did. Wow, what a miracle! MK was so happy too. She kissed me goodbye before leaving for school and told me I had helped too. I got to be a part of it! I was so happy to help. Mom hasn't let me play with them yet but she promised I can, IF I don't get too rowdy. I forget I'm so big and sometimes have gotten too rough with the other foster kittens we've had but after all we've been through with these foster babies, I know I can be gentle and I know I will. I'm sleepy, I'm going back to bed.....Thank you God. Thanks for saving our Fiona! Life is good once again.

Tuesday 6/5/07

Fiona continues to improve. She bounced right back. She looks as if nothing ever happened to her. All the kittens look healthy. Something has been bugging me all day though. I didn't know just the right time to ask mom but thought I needed to spit it out. "Why did God let Fiona live and not Blackie?" I asked. Mom, thinks for a while, tearing up and staring out the window at Blackie's grave she responds...."Your dad read this at his father's funeral. ' To everything there is a season. A time to laugh and a time to cry. A time to live and a time to die.' I'm not sure I fully understand", she continued, "but for now, this is enough." It's enough for me too, I think. I'm just glad Fiona is doing so well. She frolicks by my line of vision but they STILL won't let me play with them. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.

Wednesday 6/6/07

Today was great! I finally got to play with the kittens....for about a minute. I got too carried away and got a time out after I body tackled Fiona. Well...I didn't mean to! I was just playing! Fiona is definitely the bravest one of them all. They were running around the house but only Fiona really explored even after I tackled her! Shrek is the biggest but he's the scarediest cat! He kept running back into the laundry room everytime he heard a little noise. He loves being held but only when he's tired. He doesn't tire easily either! Cinderella, as we named the all black female, is the next largest and has come out of her shell. But she still scares easily. She arches her back and hisses when she's scared. She is very sweet though and loves being held. The small orange tabby is adorable. We've named him Gingie, short for Gingerbread man. He is very sweet but very scared. He purrs at mom,dad, or MK's touch and also loves being held. In case you haven't noticed they've gone with a "Shrek" theme. When I was little they went with an Indian theme, thus my name "Screaming Eagle". The small light gray one with white paws is named "Puss in Boots". As I reported earlier, he was not finding his motor. I'm happy to report, he found it!! Mom was so happy. He finally feels safe and is purring up a storm! He is pretty grumpy though. Mom said if they would have named them after the 7 dwarfs, his name would have definitely been grumpy! He's kind of a loner and doesn't like being held too much. He's coming around though. The big orange tabby is still unnamed. He is very sweet and loves being held. He's usually the first one at the cage door when someone comes to feed them in the morning. He purrs a LOT. We've considered "Donkey" for the small pewter gray male. "Donkey" is so sweet. He loves being held. He plays really well with the others but is spooked easily too. Mom says it's still the trauma they suffered and it'll take time for them to become more secure and less afraid. He's definitely a momma's boy. I'm glad they're doing so well. They are still tiny! Mom says they look like they're 4 or 5 weeks old even though they're 9 weeks old! We'll be keeping them at least until the 16th but probably later than that. They're getting a belly but are still so boney. They're fragile mom says, so I have to be gentle. I'm really going to try next time. I just get TOO excited! Oh well gotta run. More on this later!

Thursday, June 7, 2007

I was so happy I got to play with the kittens again! That is until I slide tackled Shrek and got too rough....again. I kept apologizing to mom as she put me in the cat carrier. She did allow me to watch the kittens....safely behind bars....oh well. They had a lot of fun. They have been allowed to explore the whole house, so they can get used to other noises. I'm not so sure I'm liking this part of the adventure.....I feel like they're taking over my space. Mom has this "cute" thing she does with the kittens. She sings to them in the morning "Good morning to you, good morning to you, you're all in your places, with sun shiny faces, I'm happy to see you, good morning to you!" Eckkkth...truthfully, I think it's sickening how she baby talks them and sings to them. I mean after all, they're just here for a short visit and she is getting just way too attached! And no, I am NOT jealous......well maybe a little.

Shrek is growing big! He almost looks like a normal 9-10 week old kitten. Cinderella has not quite caught up but is getting close. Mom heard Gingie sneezing and is worried. He's one of the smallest kittens and is afraid he will not be able to fight this off. She'll wait and see how he's doing tomorrow. Fiona is doing great! She is the most loving and social kitten and one of the smallest. They have all gained weight but Fiona, Gingie and Puss 'n Boots remain small in size. They are quite the miniatures. Puss is coming out of his shell but still doesn't instantly purr. Mom says his 'motor' has stalled again. Hopefully it'll start up soon. We've decided on a name for the large orange tabby, his name is Merlin. We like that name! We've decided to keep 'Donkey' as the name of the small grey pewter kitten, he has big ears like Donkey, so it's fitting. Well I'm done for today, until tomorrow!

Friday, June 8, 2007

I was so excited mom was going to let the kittens out again. Oooh, I promise to be good, I purr. Mom answered, "I'm SURE you will". Whatever did that mean?....then I understood. I was sent straight to the cat carrier. Not even a chance! I guess she heard what I did when MK and her boyfriend were over.....tattletales!! I only pinned one kitten down.....sheesh..... I got a reputation for one little mistake??? Whatever happened to second chances or third, or fourth??

Mom is worried now about Gingie AND Puss. They're both sneezing. They along with Fiona are the smallest. She's calling Robin tomorrow. She doesn't want this to get out of control. They're too small to be fighting so many illnesses....Oh I hope they'll be ok. They WILL be ok, won't they? I ask. Mom assures me, they'll be fine, don't you worry. But I DO worry. I body slam them when I play but I do love them very much. They all played until they fell asleep. Mom does another 'cute' thing when she gets ready to put them in their cage when they go to bed. She sings "It's time for beddie bye, it's time for beddie bye" and they all come running to her. They wait at her feet, meow, wait to be picked up, get their kisses and go to bed. I'm not so jealous today. They need mom, dad and MK's love and attention right now. I understand. Plus I still get lots of love AND treats! Maybe I can play with them tomorrow...."sweet dreams" I whisper behind the door, "sweet dreams". I sigh, hoping their cold will go away soon.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Mom went out to Friends of Cats to pick up medicine for the kittens. I was so glad. Mom can't understand why they won't take it easily. She says she has to fight them to get the medicine down. It's hard to hold them by the scruff of their necks like their momma did when she carried them because they're still so small and thin. Mom says the medicine is raspberry flavored so they should like it. Well I haven't the heart to tell her that we cats don't like raspberries. Try tuna flavored and they just might like it. Or I'll take lizard flavored....Ok sorry, don't mean to gross you out but it's just common sense. Anyhow, the kittens are sneezing and now Merlin is sneezing too. Looks like we caught it just in time! The kittens got the run of the house again today, I went into the cat carrier after mom 'invited' me in. Oh well. I kept trying to play with them from inside but couldn't reach them with my paws. Maybe when they get bigger.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

The kittens continue to gag on their medicine but are already sneezing a lot less. I'm SO happy, so is mom and dad. Mom is letting them run loose again. Dad laid down and they instantly climbed on him. Shrek started licking him and biting him just like I do. I'm not so fond of this. Dad assures me however that no one is going to replace me. There's only room in our home for one cat and that is ME! Mom is getting too attached but Dad reminds her the kittens have to go back so we can make many people happy with these babies. Yeah mom, listen to dad. "Can't we keep just one?", I hear mom asking dad. "Yeah", MK pipes in, "just one?" "No!" Dad says. "You ask that every time we get a litter. If it were up to you" he continues, "we'd have as many cats as Friends of Cats!". Mom sighs, resigning herself to just having them temporarily. It's hard for mom to pour all her love and time into these babies then have them get adopted by strangers. But, I remind mom, they are well screened by Friends of Cats and these 'strangers' are going to be very happy with their new baby because of all the love and time she gave them. MK and mom are the most attached. Dad is better about letting go, except if they, you know, leave like Blackie did. That's a different letting go and no one in this family is good at that.... Mom took a really cute picture today. They have this kitty condo they play in and today all 7 were asleep on the very top. They were piled one on top of the other. Very cute! Puss n' boots is jump starting his motor again and isn't quite as grumpy. He must have felt bad and is now feeling better. I'm glad! We're all glad.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Mom continues to give them the medicine but their sneezing has stopped! Puss n' Boots definintely feels better because he's playing with the others AND he purrs at mom's touch! COOL! His motor is back on! They love playing with empty cardboard boxes. That's their favorite thing to play with. They started playing with a ball that makes a bird noise but they still kind of freak out at loud or strange noises. All in time. MK found fleas on them and told dad. Dad says they need another bath to get rid of them. They are too small for "Advantage" like I get so they have to get rid of the fleas with baths. I hate to watch because cats and water, they don't mix! Mom doesn't like watching either. She feels sorry for the kittens and even though she has bathed them before, it's definitely dad's job. He bathes me too. I don't mind so much...anymore! These kittens have had so many things happen to them in such a short life. Wow, they are truly survivors and are going to be very good cats. They are loving, social, playful and are developing a healthy immune system because of all the struggles they've had. Mom says she thinks foster kittens make the best cats (probably because of me!) These are so cute they'll get adopted in no time, mom says. MK loves taking pictures of me and the babies. In fact most of the pictures on this blog were taken by her. She's quite good at capturing them on her camera. I've forgiven her for telling on me. I really wasn't THAT mad. Revenge is sweeter anyway....I'm good at opening doors (except the laundry room, where the kittens are kept, darn!). So I go into MK's bedroom, when MK is sure to be sleeping, like 4 a.m. and JUMP on her!! Now THAT'S what I'd like to show the kittens how to do. Ha Ha Ha! Mom wants me to show them how to beg for treats. I just do it for the treats, it's humiliating, I'm NOT showing the kittens THAT trick! "For extra treats?" mom asks. Well extra treats ARE extra treats...I'll think about it...Ok! When do we get started? "It's late, how about tomorrow". She says 'kisses?' to me and I pucker up and let her plant one on my lips. I don't mind sharing their love with the kittens, there's enough love for me too. Shrek, Fiona, Donkey, Merlin, Puss n' Boots, Gingerbread Man and Cinderella also get a kiss and are tucked safely in bed....Good night little ones....