Weeks with current fosters: 14, 8
Days without being hissed at: Plenty! Gonna phase this one out, Buster is totally mellow
Days without being sneezed on: 0, forever 0
Remember when I said these kittens hadn’t shown any interest in our little tree?
I spoke too soon. Hi, Royal. He just can’t keep out of there. Naughty boy. Just like Piper last year, the man’s gotta climb.
The kittens have also discovered Jenny’s wheel. If I could upload videos here, it’d be a very exciting time for you, getting to watch kittens run on the cat wheel. Instead I’ll point you to this Instagram, in which Indiana makes the Big Leap and conquers the skyway. She’s unstoppable now, tiny and truly mighty. There’ll be actual videos of kittens on wheels soon, I promise. For now, this photo must suffice.
It’s exciting to see them progress. They were so tiny and sickly when they arrived, all gunky-eyed and scraggly and sneezy and underweight. Eight weeks later, they’re practically giants, racing and leaping about the apartment, running on the wheel and leaping across the shelves and sneezing and eating and eating and pooping and eating. To say they are exhausting is an understatement, but I guess that’s a good thing, that they’re in such rude health they tire us all out. Even with the sneezing, which really isn’t anywhere near where it was eight weeks ago. Everyone’s breathing normally now; even Sidney can finally smell things. A real Christmas miracle, that.
Buster’s been encouraging them to take the Big Leap on the skyway. He comes bounding in, chirping and meowing, and sort of demonstrates how to do it to whoever pays attention to him. So far only Indiana has followed in his footsteps, but it’s only a matter of time with the other four, and then, well, then they rule the house. Jenny and Clem will not be pleased. They already act like they’re under siege, which I can respect, and which makes me feel real motivated to get these kittens adopted and out of here. They’ve got to go before they take over everything. So, you know, anyone want a couple of kittens? Or just one Buster, if you’ve got a lonely cat who wants a best friend?
I remember this time last year feeling a bit overwhelmed with the four extra animals we were fostering. This year we’ve got five, and I’m feeling quite overwhelmed. Foster burnout is real, and I think we’re facing it. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to give these guys our best, it’s just harder and harder work to do that. Part of that is definitely attributable to my changing medication regimens; I’m fatigued more easily and more often — I crashed at 9 last night, then was up at 5:30, and now I’m fighting exhaustion again — and until things normalize, I’m definitely unable to match these kittens’ absolutely boundless energy. They’re either asleep or they’re on HIGH ALERT LET’S PLAY I’M GOING TO DESTROY THIS PIECE OF ROPE AND THEN BITE YOUR HAND AND THEN RAPTOR THAT FISH AHHHHHHHHH!
Right now I muchly prefer a cuddle puddle to five kittens just GOING.
But you don’t get to choose how they behave. You just have to love them exactly the way they are, and hope you can give enough back that they learn to become good feline citizens, I guess. So when Marlo leaps on you from the floor, making her way up your leg and torso to nestle on your shoulder, you adjust her so her claws aren’t digging into your neck and you try to wash the dishes anyway. When Royal climbs the Christmas tree, you make sure he isn’t tangled up in the lights, and you just let him hang out there till he gets bored. When Buster comes up all friendly-like and wants to rub up against you, you give him your hand and let him rub until he’s done being friendly and bounds away, and you don’t get your feelings hurt because he didn’t want to stay. When Sidney snuffles over, sticks her face in your face for a good sniff and maybe a sneeze, then drapes herself across your lap, you wipe your face and you make room. When Indiana wants to bite you and then lick you and then climb on your shoulder and play with your hair, you gently remove her paws from your ears and let her stay up there until she gets bored and leaps off. They’ve all got their own personalities, and it’s up to us to learn them, adjust to them, keep them safe and happy and warm and fed until their forever families find them. (You can find the four young’uns at Little Wanderers and Buster at Flatbush Cats. Neither is affiliated with the other, we just happen to be fostering for both organizations.)
As ever, thank you to the people who’ve sent donations via our Amazon Wishlist. We really appreciate the support, as do the kittens, of course. Oh, how they eat. You can follow their adventures more closely on our Instagram. And if you know anyone in the New York area who’s looking for a kitten or two, we’ve got two pair and a spare all ready and waiting for you.