Foster Kitten Friday

Yep, my job is done. The rest of the Yellowstone foster kitty crew - Beth, Dutton, Kaycee, and Monica - have grown up. Doggone it! They’re making their way to the adoption floor, eager to find their forever families. As usual, that makes today a bit sad. But it’s also a happy day as they will soon find someone who will just love them up like we did.  

Goodbye, Beth.

Goodbye, Dutton.

Goodbye, Kaycee.

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

Goodbye, Monica.

Goodbye, lap warmers.

Goodbye, girls.

Foster Kitten Friday

This was the week it happened. After weeks of early morning and late night feedings. Of lengthy supervised play times and short bursts of foster parent-initiated lovings. After weeks of wondering if these foster kitties would ever be ready, willing, and able. 

Well, they now are.

This is the week these little babies, the ones who came from a hoarding situation without having experienced the ever-so-important early positive human interactions, became lap cats.

I wasn’t sure I would be able to get them there, but this week's pictures prove that we all made it.

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

I guess my work is almost done.

Foster Kitten Friday

This week's episode of Yellowstone, the Foster Kitten Edition, is called When I Grow Up.

With brother Rip headed off to his new forever home, the girls are now anxious to get their turn.  Since they aren’t quite big enough to be adopted yet, we instead had some conversations about what they want to be when they grow up. Each little gal shared with me her thoughts - and pictures. 

Beth. Beth tells me she’s been watching enough Dr. Phil to get a good grasp on what is required to open up her own psychology practice.

She already has her first patient. As Dr. Phil says, “Today is going to be a changing day in your life.”

Dutton. Dutton has decided she’s going to star in her own reality show. She’s calling it From Hisser to Kisser. She has experience in that department. When she came to us last month she was a hisser and a scratcher and a lunger. She even had to be wrapped tightly to get eye medicine in.

But Dutton has moved from that hisser to now a kisser. A lover of loves and snuggles and backs of foster parents recliners.

Kaycee. Kaycee is torn between two careers. On one hand she’d really like to be a massage therapist with a focus on backs, necks, and shoulders.

Then on the other hand, she’d really like a career cutting hair. She's particularly strong at both washing and styling.

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

Monica. Monica is planning on going to Boise State, majoring in Sports Medicine.

She might be getting a full ride scholarship for the Women's basketball team. Just look at that vertical leap!

Lucky me getting to spend my days with such great kitties with such great life plans!

Foster Kitten Friday

This week's episode of Yellowstone, the Foster Kitten Edition, is titled Kitties, Kitties, Everywhere. In some instances loving was administered and other times redirection to more appropriate activities (and locations) was required. I'll let you decide which is which.

I think it's best to let the foster kitties do all the talking this week...

Anyone need a book off the shelf?

You don't mind if I rub my scent all over your chair, right?

We've got the toilet paper ready for you, Foster Mama.

Since you're not using the spare bathroom,
can we take a bath?

I can help untie your shoes. Okay with you?

You're only eating salad? Thanks, but no thanks.

I just need to rest a moment on this stool...

before I let sis knock it over.

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

Just checking my makeup.

Come on everyone, let's play Hide and Go Seek!

Did you need something from us?
We're in the middle of a meeting here.

Can I take the picture, please?

Will you hold me like a baby?

Do I really have to go get neutered today?

I have a question for you...

Do you want a wash with your haircut?

Let's go Cubbies!

It was another wild, crazy week with these little ones. With blankets and toys spread throughout the house, and frequent replenishments of food and cleaning of litter, and multiple redirections to more appropriate play, and...and...and... it's starting to feel like a houseful of toddlers live here.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

Foster Kitten Friday

I think our weekly episode of Yellowstone, the Foster Kitty Edition, has now turned into a daily soap opera. Oh. My. Gosh.

Monday: Beth decided to escape and make her Foster Mama go around in circles. It was bedtime and all the kitties were eating their evening snack before bedtime in their two-room tent, but Beth didn't want to go back. She leapt off the couch and decided to instead make a run for it. First she hid under my chair. Then the other chair. Under the dining room table. The couch. Behind the refrigerator. Back under the chair. Other chair. And so on and so on and so on. Round and round we went. By the time she was finally tucked away for the night I'm not sure who was more tired. 

Don't let Beth's sweet little face deceive you. 
She can be a lively one.

Tuesday: The crew had to head back to Simply Cats for some bloodwork. Knowing how hard it was getting them out of the cat carrier when they first came here, I expected going back into the carrier would be just as hard. So I set the carrier on the counter, gingerly opened the door, placed a kitty in, and quickly closed the door. Next kitty. Next kitty. Next kitty. Then, as quick as a flash I saw this:

Now I didn't exactly see this squirrel scene from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation but it was pretty darn close. See that big blob in the middle of the picture? In my case, it was Dutton who flew - yes, FLEW, across the room. From the counter to who-knows-where. Remember, Dutton was the one who was the hisser and lunger and had to be wrapped like a burrito when she first came here. But now she's so sweet and loving. Except when it comes to the carrier, I guess. 

Dutton in my lap on a day without a cat carrier nearby.

Tuesday was also Tutorial Tuesday when I shared how to make a no-sew fleece pet blanket. (You can find the tutorial here.) Kaycee was kind enough to model it for the viewers.

Her nose was a perfect color match for the blanket.

Wednesday: Mr. Ed (as in the husband, not the horse) decided he was going to play cards with the Yellowstone crew.

Beth was all in.

Dutton must have listened to Kenny Rogers ahead of time
because she knew when to fold them and when to walk away.

I think Rip was too busy watching the 
showgirls out on the casino floor.

Kaycee probably shouldn't have stayed up so late playing Roulette.

Monica thinks she can read the dealer's mind (and cards).

Want to help contribute to the work I do with foster kittens? I have an Amazon wish list right here. These are the things I use again and again, year after year. With daily laundry and frequent cleaning, items have to be replaced often. I’d love anything you’d be willing to send my way!

Thursday: While Rip wasn't exactly excited he would be heading to be neutered, he was very excited to be placed on the adoption floor. Next stop, a forever home! But it wasn't meant to be. As they were getting ready to do his surgery, the vet thought he might be getting sick and didn't think it was safe to put him under. I headed back to pick him up and saw this poor sight.

Poor baby.

I got him back in the car and cleaned up his eyes. Gave him a bunch of loving right then and there. I let him explore a bit and he was soon a very happy camper.

Look at his gorgeous coat.

So while he doesn't get to share his looks (and love) with a new family quite yet, he's content to stay right where he is. As are we.

Friday: Up until today, the kitties have had access to the two room tent, the couch, the climbing tree, the bridge (if you haven't seen the clown car video on the bridge you have to watch it here), and a section of the living room floor. But today was the big day. They are now old enough - and well behaved enough - to have run of a big space. Living room. Dining Room. Kitchen. Hallway. And boy, did they use the space.

One little missy tore down the bridge.
See the perpetrator under there?

Some little pink nose got in the way of pictures.

Chairs were discovered. And stolen.

Beth claimed the couch as her own while she cleaned.

Dang, too big to fit under the couch.

What? Foster Mama trying to use the laptop? Guess I should be sorry?

They learned about tunnels made from boxes.

And probably the thing making Mr. Ed most happy.
They became Boise State Bronco fans. Go Big Blue!

Let's hope next Friday we've moved back to a weekly episode. This daily soap opera life is exhausting.