Five Little Kitties Jumping on the Desk

It’s pretty quiet here at this foster home. That’s the difference between fostering cats and fostering dogs. Dogs require a lot more attention.

But cats, kittens in this case, also require a little attention. Just like puppies, there is a lot of deworming. Plus, for the first few weeks with us, Harper needed to be bathed almost daily because she had not figured out how to take care of herself. Thankfully, she’s finally doing her own grooming. Neither of us enjoyed her baths.

Kittens are much easier to contain than dogs or puppies. As the heat spiraled out of control around here, I had to move the kittens to my office. They are enjoying the space, but I’m learning that, unlike dogs, kittens have the ability to send accidental emails, make unintentional edits, and have a penchant for pens. I’m learning to close my laptop when not in the room and that most pens end up under the guest bed that shares my office.

I’ve also discovered that kittens like file drawers, really any drawer.

And they are noisiest whenever you are on the phone or zoom call. (Do they think I’m talking to them?) I recorded a video about our latest shelter tour and if you watch it, you can probably make out the sound of a kitten crying throughout the video. (I wouldn’t allow her up on the desk where I was recording. I know, I know, torture.)

Unlike dogs and puppies, kittens can easily entertain themselves. They like to be in the room with me, but they don’t need my direct attention. They can play for hours with tangled headphone wires, the wax paper peel from an envelope, a paperclip, and occasionally the ping pong ball toy I bought for them. The hole in my desk where you could (but I don’t) thread wires down through, is endlessly entertaining.

Frustratingly, just today I discovered they like to chew on paper. This might mean I have to actually clean up my desk as the heat isn’t predicted to break for a few more days.

Addie is coming tonight for a quick visit. My office doubles as the guest room, but I think she’ll enjoy her five roommates. They might have to be crated so she can get some sleep though.

Last night, we added another kitten to our mix. Chett is a similar age kitten who is being adopted by the same person who will adopt Poe (if he ever gets big enough to be neutered…that could be weeks. Unlike his siblings he’s not a big eater). The rescue thought it might be a good idea to get the two together and bond them before they go home.

One more seemed like no big deal, but turns out that Chett is a talker. Up until now, with the exception of when I’m on the phone or Zoom, they kittens are relatively quiet (except when they chase something heavier than paper off my desk). I’m hoping that Chett is just introducing himself and complaining about the move, and soon enough he’ll shut up, but the last words of his former foster to me were, “He’s a screamer.” (He’s also very difficult to get a good picture of as he’s in constant motion and has long, fuzzy, waving fur)

I never should have said that kittens are easier than dogs to foster outloud. I think I jinxed myself.3442yu=t11111111111111111111111111111111111111667 (this was Harper’s addition to my post.)

Until Each One Has a Home,

Cara

For information on me, my writing, and books, visit CaraWrites.com.

If you’d like regular updates of all our foster dogs past and present, plus occasional dog care/training tips, and occasional foster cat updates (!) be sure to join the Facebook group, Another Good Dog.

And if you’d like to know where all these dogs come from and how you can help solve the crisis of too many unwanted dogs in our shelters, visit WhoWillLetTheDogsOut.org and subscribe to our blog where we share stories of our travels to shelters, rescues, and dog pounds.

Here is a video recap of our latest trip:

If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs. Or its follow up that takes you to the shelters in the south One Hundred Dogs & Counting: One Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey Into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues.

I love to hear from readers and dog-hearted people! Email me at carasueachterberg@gmail.com.

Many of the pictures on my blog are taken by photographer Nancy Slattery. If you’d like to connect with Nancy to take gorgeous pictures of your pup (or your family), contact: nancyslat@gmail.com.