Why yes, I *am* still alive

Months ago I started working on a year end wrap up for 2023. Since we’re almost halfway through May I think maybe I should give up just move on. So here’s a quick wrap up of the last few months!

We left off with Lola and Rex.

Cali and Riley continued to struggle with issues, especially Cali. Her sneezing continued and even got worse for a while. She was on meds when they were transferred to another foster home and she improved immensely. I don’t know if it was the move, the meds, or her own immune system finally kicking in but she was quickly symptom free and both were adopted soon after.

Toward the end of February I got these two beans:

This is Castro (seven month old tux) and Bear (six month old grey). They are sweet and affectionate. They are also crazy active and curious. Castro is a bit bitey. They’ve been a lot of fun but they also try my patience. I’d feel bad about that but it’s clear they also try Blue’s patience. She tolerates them, but she’s also stepped in a few times with some much needed discipline.

They were returned to TCR because Bear had some soft stool issues. The adopter made it sound much worse than it ever was with me, though it certainly was persistent! He was on special food but it didn’t seem to help. Finally, we did a PCR fecal test. Here’s what came back:

He is positive for Feline Coronavirus and Clostridium perfringens, both common causes of diarrhea in kittens. The Coronavirus just has to run its course, not much we can do but provide supportive care. C perfringes is often found on these diarrhea panels, many normal/healthy cats have C perfringes in their guts, however they measured a pretty high amount in Bears so this could be the current cause for his diarrhea. He was already given Metro, this is the best antibiotic for C perfringens. I also mentioned to Heather trying a high fiber food – the Hills R/D formula is pretty good. 

We put him on the new food. Again, not completely sure it helped but he did improve, so something — maybe just the meds — did. After two weeks of pretty normal stool, he — and Castro — were posted on the website. We had a long, careful debate about whether to list them as bonded or not. I went back and forth. Such a hard decision! But it boiled down to I don’t think Castro cared at all and I think/hope that Bear will be ok with any companion.

Sweet Lola

Lola always seemed to get overlooked. She was undemanding and was never as sick as the others. Whenever she would come to snuggle, Cali would jump up and push her aside.

I finally posted her and, almost immediately, there was interest. An adopter who was already “in the system” working with an adoption counsellor, who had not adopted their first choice. I was a little concerned; not because their first choice hadn’t worked out — it happens — but because they felt their first choice wasn’t “affectionate” enough. I had no way to predict how affectionate Lola would be once away from Cali’s domineering personality. Also, she had a five-year-old and I didn’t know how Lola would be with a child.

But we went ahead with the meet ‘n’ greet. It went well. Lola was adorable and playful. And, of course, she was so, so pretty. 😉 They decided to proceed. I was a little nervous; it felt like they had high expectations and I just couldn’t predict how Lola would react. Clearly, I underestimated her. Two weeks later:

Thanks for checking in, Daisy (formally known as Lola is so great! She’s already become a cuddly lap cat that follows me around the house haha. I couldn’t be happier. 

Photo courtesy her adopter!

Happy life, Rex!

After he was all recovered from his enucleation and subsequent cold, Rex was posted to the website. It’s always hard that I can’t seem to convey personalities as well as I’d like. He’s such a lovely sweet boy. He was on the website for just over a week which felt like ages. Then the email came; a family was interested in him. Parents, two children. I always feel badly when I can’t tell people how the fosters are with children, but his outgoing personality and confidence made me pretty sure he’d be ok.

The (virtual) meet ‘n’ greet was set up. It went well as far as Rex was concerned but was pretty chaotic on the other side. The kids were SO excited. There was a lot of squealing and interrupting. Lol. It was actually the eight-year-old girl who chose him from the website. “He’s special [one eye] and he needs a home!” I wasn’t sure how they felt afterwards; I didn’t feel like I was able to answer all their questions. But an email quickly came that the contract and fee were completed! I got another email asking if they could pick him up on Christmas Eve as a surprise for the kids — they had told them that they might not be able to get him. That other people were interested. 😉

I got another email on the 23rd asking if they could pick him up that night — they were too excited to wait. All went well with the pick up but I got a text that evening that he was “scared”. It surprised me a bit — he’d been so confident at the vet’s office. But still, just the first night. I worried all week and then the email came; all was well and he’d adjusted just fine. She also sent a video of them surprising the kids. It was LOVELY. The eight-year-old cried. The excitement — from all four — came through loud and clear. No wonder the poor boy was overwhelmed. 😉 But clearly, he’s landed in a loving, caring home and I am happy.

Rex in his forever home.

Well …

It’s been quite a few months … both in not writing and in activity.

Blue and I are finally catching our breath and I’ve begun The Big Clean Up. The Quebec gang were quite a slog and were sick — or at least symptomatic — the entire time they were here. Rex was adopted just before Christmas and Lola late in January. Both are lovely stories that I’ll tell later. Cali and Riley, still symptomatic!, were transferred to another foster home just a couple of days ago.

The place, especially the foster room, was due for a big clean up in September! Cali had a terrible bout of sneezing blood and things got very much worse. Living with it has been … wearing. Yesterday I finally got to start. In four hours I got 1/3* of the living room done then crashed. Turns out, I’m sick, too! After laryngitis for most of December, it’s back.

There is a tonne of laundry, washing everything they may have sneezed on, whether I can see anything or not.

The worst part … Blue is alone for the first time in her life and she’s having a hard time of it. Even though she didn’t like them very much — especially Cali! — she missed them even when they were at the vet. Now that they’re gone she cries and cries and cries and demands a lot of my attention. We’ll find her a friend but I need a break first.

Riley, Blue, Cali. As you may be able to tell, Blue and Riley were snuggling and Cali came and plopped herself on top. This is one of the reasons Blue was less than enamoured of her. Lol.

*this included washing all the windows — especially the removable ones — and touching up the scratches in the paint

The big clean up started …

My place has been a disaster. Seven fosters, four of which have the energy of kittens but are full-sized cats! They’ve completely trashed the foster room on more than one occasion.

And with repeated URIs I keep finding snot spray everywhere.

We lived with the cage in the living room for over two months.

But the Edwardians went off to a store and so the big clean up started. I’ve been wanting to give the foster room a really good clean and rearrange. Even though I knew I couldn’t finish, I had to start for my mental well-being! First step was to move the bookshelves and rip up the bit of carpet under them that I didn’t remove when I took the rest of it out — 10.5 years ago. That was a treat.

What happens when there’s no back on the shelves.

The other set of shelves was too disgusting for a photo! Lots of old kibble. 😦

I got the carpet out and cleaned the floor and two snot-covered walls thoroughly. Put the shelves back and started re-organizing and loading them up. Then I cleaned the cage and put it back in the foster room. So nice to have it out of the living room! And life-saving for my poor hanging plants who stayed outside longer than they should have. Hurray for a mild fall!

The rest of the clean up is postponed. Again. The teens are going nowhere for at least another month. I am beyond discouraged and tired. I had such big plans for the holidays and now it’s all off. I chose not to be with my family for the holidays because I needed rest and recuperation. Now I get none of it; no family, no rest. I will be spending my holiday running around collecting medications, buying more food, buying more litter, getting nothing done. The icing on all this cake? I’ve been sick since the beginning of December.

Bits and pieces

As always, I’ve had some funny and/or delightful moments that were not caught on camera.

• I caught Blue disciplining Alwin! He was bullying one of his sisters and when the serious squealing started, Blue went over and whapped him on the head! The next time, he stopped as soon as he saw her but she still went over and tapped him on the head.
• Rex was playing with the curtains — grabbing a corner and trying to run with them. When I looked closer, there was a spring toy caught in the hem!
• Although I’ve been working hard to keep cats off the stove, five is hard to keep up with (yes, Blue still tries!) Before she left I caught Celia up there, playing with the steam coming out of the oven vent!
• Cali and Lola have been merciless in their pursuit of poor Rex. Both have been in heat and they chase him all ’round the apartment
• When Rex would bully the babies, he would get a “time-out” in the bedroom. The other night he was bullying Lola and making her squeal. As soon as I stood up to interfere, he stopped and walked himself into the bedroom!! LOL. (Yes, he still got the time out!)
• The girls regularly trash the foster room (they’re still in there at night and when I’m not home). The latest is they somehow managed to tear the cardboard cover off the heating/cooling vent — in the ceiling!!! (I covered it for the summer because the air-conditioning is too efficient in there for all the babies in the summer.)

And then there was this …

Not really funny but … momentous. That poor mirror has survived 345 fosters in 10.5 years. Notice that in some very fancy footwork they didn’t just knock it over, they spun it around so it landed on its back and almost all the pieces stayed in the frame!

Updates!

It’s been ages since I got an update and if ever I needed one it’s now. And I got two!!

The first was for Muse, adopted by someone at kitten yoga! Here’s what her adopter said:

She is a true bundle of joy and her presence has been truly life-changing! I have never met a cat like her (and I have grown up with many) – she is truly one of a kind. She is extremely smart, cracks puzzles in mere seconds, knows how to fetch, sit and give a paw. She is my best friend and I wanted to thank you again for letting us find each other.

The second was for Cassiopeia. She of the sad birth story. But talk about a happy ending:

We’ve since renamed her Lily, and she’s doing well according to our vet’s check ups. She has gained a bit of weight, but is otherwise happy and healthy.
The original listing stated that “She doesn’t ask for pets” and is “Reserved” in her personality.
However…
She is the absolute biggest cuddle bug and spends 90% of her day on my lap and the other 10% yelling for us to turn on a heating pad for her to relax on.
I’ve included a few pictures in case you’d like to see.
Thank you so much for helping to bring her into our life.

I needed those right now.

Discouraged

This Quebec gang.

They are lovely cats. Fun, affectionate, playful. They’ll make some people very happy. But they are very high energy. VERY. As you saw in Cali’s photo, they literally climb the walls. They are into everything. They eat like horses.

And yet, twice now, Cali and Lola have been “too sick” for spaying. They have had two rounds of antibiotics; Cali’s on her third now. And even though Riley was spayed, she’s on eye meds (again!). So all the teens are here for at least two more weeks. More for Cali and Lola. Even if Riley and Rex are ready in two weeks, we are short of store space, so they likely will stay. To top it off, both are in heat!

Lola trying to entice Rex (after his surgery!)

When I found out the two girls weren’t spayed and Riley was on more meds, I wanted to cry. I did cry — a lot. This kind of thing makes me feel like a failure at fostering. And I don’t understand how they can behave the way they do at home and yet be “too sick” for surgery. They don’t cough. They don’t sneeze. They don’t get winded running around. They are constantly in motion.

My apartment is a disaster zone. I cannot clean up like is needed with five cats running around. Open a cupboard and at least one or two are there, trying to get in. Someone is always checking out what I’m doing, inspecting, “helping”. A couple even play with the vacuum!

The foster room needs a complete overhaul. I have multiple carriers stacked up, waiting to be returned. My bedroom is stacked with stuff that needs to go in the foster room. My living room is overrun with toys and just stuff that should be other places. I can’t do anything — clean, Christmas prep, work — without at least two “helpers”.

I haven’t really had a chance to grieve Murphy, let alone Jones. It’s been too busy around here. Blue and I just need some time on our own. To decompress. To get used to our new reality. I am beyond exhausted. I feel like these cats are never leaving.

Miles

From the very beginning, Miles was a hot mess. He was clearly developmentally behind the others. Although he was an enthusiastic eater, he would get at least half all over himself.

He needed “butt baths” multiple times a day. When they all got diarrhea, his was bad. But he responded well to the panacur and even before the others, he had solid stool. But that same weekend, I saw him struggling to poop. Constipation in kittens that small is unusual, but I reported it to my coordinator. We tried a couple of remedies at home then made an appointment with the vet. No one (even me) could believe how badly constipated he was. I suspect that he was not eliminating fully and then finally got completely blocked. Because he was so tiny, they couldn’t administer any of the usual treatments. They kept him for a day, gently working on him a few times, and then sent him home for the night. He went back the next day and, again, they worked on him a few times and I picked him up after work. The vet had expressed worry that because of his size and their treatment limitations, this could go badly.

I’d been keeping him in a separate crate (with us all in the living room) so I could monitor more carefully what was going in and coming out. He was physically low, but seemed ok and loved being bundled up and held.

The next morning when I got up, he was gone. Everyone was surprised. No one thought he was that bad. The director asked for a necropsy. It turns out he had FIP. 😦 Whether the constipation was part of that we’ll never know. It’s not typically a symptom of FIP. In fact, he had none of the typical symptoms that couldn’t be explained by the constipation; he had no fever, his appetite — right to the end — was good.

He was a sweet little man who loved people. His greatest joy was to be held. The staff at the clinic, when he wasn’t being treated, would carry him around all day. His loss hit me hard, really hard, but at least I knew he knew lots of love — at work, at the clinic, at home — in his last days.

Catit!!

I mentioned an event when I got back from up north, after the Bowlathon. We were delighted to be invited to be the adoption partners at the Catit Playground!

This amazing promotional event, put on by the generous and kind people at Catit Canada. Two days of giveaways and kitten-y fun. There was a large, enclosed table set up with lots of Catit toys. The kittens were turned loose to showcase the fun to be had. My job was “kitten wrangler”; keeping them in the enclosure. It was not a small job! Lol. (I didn’t have any fosters ready for adoption; I’d just days before gotten the Edwardians and the Quebec teens.) We also had an adoption team for the adoptions and a merchandise table.

The people attending were great, enthusiastic; they were lined up three hours before opening! The Catit people were … amazing. They were engaged, solicitous, generous. Their first concern was for the felines, their second, for us! They even supplied lunch. When any of us shopped, we were given their “shelter discount”. At the end, they donated all the open/slightly used toys and equipment to the organization. We left with two VERY full cars!

It was a long two days but we had 28 adoptions (!!!) and a lot of fun and good exposure for the organization.