The Nursery is open for business

We got a plea from one of the local foster coordinators this week, looking for more foster homes. Kitten season is starting in earnest, it's still quite cold out, and the system is being additionally stressed by people who are losing their homes and turning their pets over to the shelters. So I'm now out of quarantine, and I took in one of the groups needing placement.

Hopefully, it's only part of a group so far. I have two little mostly gray fluff balls born to a feral mom in a warehouse area 4 to 5 weeks ago. The folks at the warehouse were working with one of our rescuers to decide when the optimal time to trap the kittens would be. Ideally, they should be old enough to start weaning, but not so old that they run well. It's a tough balance, because you want them to have maternal care and antibodies in maternal milk and to be properly socialized in their feline family, but you also want them to be young enough to socialize well with humans, which they won't be if they stay with their feral Momma too long.

These are two of five, but the rescuer hopes to catch the other three and also Mom for spaying. Reportedly they were a bit hissy last night, but today they act as though they've been handled since birth. They haven't quite got the idea of lapping out of a dish, but they take syringe feedings well and the boy has tried a little Baby Cat kibble. As far as naming, I've decided to go with the Formerly Feral Fluffy Fancy Pants theme, so these first two are now Finnegan and Fiona.

Here's a little wrestling match to celebrate a warm new home.



Ha ha! I didn't notice the shadow until I watched the movie here on the blog. Guess who that was!








Yup, Uncle John. He's soooo happy to have babies in the Nursery again. I had to let him have a quick visit, but now he has to stay out until the kittens have been vetted and given a clean bill of health.