Artemis was adopted!

Artemis, my black panther foster cat, was adopted yesterday.  He went home with a wonderful couple who recently lost their black cat named Ziggy.  I first brought home Artie about a year ago, and he's been one of my favorite foster cats.  He also became my husband's favorite cat ever.  We will really miss him, but I know Artie will be happy to go to a new home where he will be loved and spoiled and given all the attention he wants so much. 

And hopefully he will never have to go to another adoption event and have cat litter accidentally dumped on him again...

Oops.

Update on my fosters

Yep, it's time for another update.  Sort of like introducing the starting line-up of a sports team... or not. 

First up, the dogs. 

Zara - 16 week pit bull mix puppy, sister to Ziggy, very sweet, very friendly, extra-large ears, no manners whatsoever but listens well.  Cute brown spots on her back.  I'm hoping she turns out to be smart and learns quickly.  Time will tell.  Did I mention the giant ears?

Ziggy - 16 week old pit bull mix puppy, brother to Zara, deaf, full of energy and enthusiasm, loves attention, no manners whatsoever, eager to communicate.  That's a code term for either "barks a lot" or "very demanding".  Or maybe both - I'm not telling.  Has a short attention span and a love for his sister, all humans, and food.  Not necessarily in that order.

That's it for the dogs.  I still have a few on a "waiting list" but for one reason or another the time hasn't been right to bring them home just yet.  I'm hoping to not bring in any new dogs until at least sometime after Christmas.  Which is less than a week away.  Yikes - I really should start my Christmas shopping soon. 

Now for the cats...

Scribbles - Good news - Scribbles is improving!  I now can leave her door open all of the time, and she often comes into the other rooms when the dogs aren't around.  And if she sees them, she's not outright attacking them, unless they get too close.  This also means she's living with several other cats (who apparently like her room better than their own) and she is doing fine with them as well.  She still spends most of her time in her room, but she does come out for some extra petting and attention every day. 

Artemis - Unfortunately Artie has been moved temporarily to solitary confinement.  I am pretty sure he's the one who seems to have forgotten his litterbox manners lately.  I'm not sure if its because of the stress of meeting new cats, or something else.  But the first step is to segregate him and make sure he is the guilty party.  Figuring out which cat isn't using the litterbox and WHY is not easy. Someone please remind me of this next time I say "I'll foster that cat!" 

Orca - She is the sweetest little cat.  She is my almost-constant companion at home.  She likes to sleep under the covers, and she settles on my lap every night and just purrs even if I don't pet her.  She gets along with all the other dogs and cats - although occasionally she meets a cat she doesn't know and if she feels threatened she starts growling like a dog.  Her brother Penguin did the same thing - it's very cute coming from such a little cat.  I wonder if her sister Puffin ever does that.

Gandalf - This guy is settled right into the old routine.  He is buddies with my cat Merlin, and I'm constantly seeing an orange cat and calling him Merlin when its really Gandalf, or vice-versa.  I'll be putting him back on the website in the next few days and he'll be ready to once again try to find a forever home.

Simon and Sampson - The Salmon brothers are still happily hanging out in the sink, although they do come into the bedroom to sleep at night.  One of them, or maybe both, spends his day by carrying stuffed animals from a shelf in my bedroom to the bathroom.  So far I've found a stuffed dog in the cat crate, a stuffed monkey in the middle of the floor, a stuffed buffalo in the cat bed, and another stuffed dog in the shower.  Seriously, I've never had a cat do something like this before.  It's very intriguing. 

And that is it for cats!  Hopefully I will have no recent returns, and will be able to get a cat adopted eventually - it's been awhile.  Not that I'm complaining - I've had phenomenal success with dog adoptions lately, and I really like all of the cats I have right now.  Yes, even Artemis. 

Oh, in case you're wondering, Blitzen and Comet, my two adorable orange kittens, went back to the St. Charles Pet Adoption Center, who I was fostering them for, when they were old enough to be adopted.  They have a big adoption event today, so if they haven't been adopted yet, they probably will be very soon! 

Gandalf was adopted!

Gandalf, my orange kitten, found a new home on Halloween.  He went home with a very nice couple and their son, and he's going to love being in a home where he gets all the attention and doesn't have to share with so many other pets.   




Several of my other foster pets got some interest on Saturday, although none of the rest were adopted.  I'm hopeful that some of the people who expressed interest will be contacting me later this week.  Since it was Halloween, I took some candy to give out, and would have loved to dress up my fosters in costumes but they're expensive!  So I decided since most of them were orange or black anyway, it was good enough.  I had Gandalf the orange cat, Chenille the orange Pomeranian, Dodger the white Poodle/Daschund mix (his fur is kind of tan/orange in places, so I guess that counts), Orca and Penguin the black/white kittens, Lizzy the black dog, and Artemis the black cat.  I was mostly surprised that Orca and Penguin didn't get any applications on them since they're so small and cute.  Plus they had no other black cats to compete with!  Many rescue people prefer to leave their black cats or black/white cats at home on Halloween, or in some cases for the entire month of October.  They're just looking out for the cats, because they fear someone will try to harm the cat or adopt it for nefarious purposes.  Personally I tend to agree with the school of thought that people who want black cats for nefarious purposes will be more likely to grab one off the street or get one from someone giving away free cats through the paper or craigslist.  They don't really need to pay to get a fully vetted, spayed/neutered cat that requires a long adoption application if they aren't planning to keep the cat very long.  Unfortunately its relatively easy to get a free black cat around Halloween, or any other time, without a problem.  Since I don't want my cats to miss an adoption event where they might find a home, I just screen extra-carefully and if I had any concerns I would just hold the cat until after Halloween, so they still had a chance to get adopted.  This year it may have paid off bringing my black cats on Halloween since I did have two people interested in Artemis and someone is coming back next week to see the kittens again.   I'm hoping for a good week, and I'm already looking forward to next Saturday where my foster pets will get another chance to find a permanent home with a family who will love them.

Update on my fosters - Part 2

As promised, here is the update on the cats currently living in my house. 

Merlin - My orange tabby cat - I still think he's the best cat in the world. Sometimes he comes in my room at night and sleeps on my pillow, and sometimes he doesn't, and I really miss him on the nights that he finds better things to do. I found out he's afraid of children. So he has something in common with Lizzy. The only difference is when he sees children, he runs away and hides, whereas Lizzy, well, Lizzy doesn't.

Gandalf - Another orange tabby cat. He looks like Merlin, but he's not Merlin. He's very affectionate though, and he likes to stand on my keyboard and nudge my face so I can't breathe, until I pet him. If you ever get an e-mail with something like this in the text: ae;oq12a f, that was most likely Gandalf's fault.

Artemis - A gorgeous black cat. Artie is doing very well - he's finally used to all the dogs, and comes upstairs to hang out all the time. He still likes to sleep in his "cat area" downstairs though. He is the only cat I've had that my husband actually likes. I caught my husband Dave petting Artie the other day, and Dave said "Why couldn't you adopt this one instead of that other one." And it was obvious from the tone of his voice what he thought of "that other one" (Merlin).

Scribbles - My crabby cat has been getting braver lately. I feel so sorry for her in solitary confinement that I've started leaving her door open recently. So she comes out and hisses at the puppies, and then runs back to the safety of her room. The puppies are safe from her in their ex-pen - lucky for them. I never heard from the people who inquired about her, so I guess she's still waiting for someone to want her.

Orca, Penguin and Puffin - The little tuxedo kittens just don't want to grow. They have to be two pounds before they can get spayed/neutered at the vet, and last night I weighed Puffin and she was 1.91 pounds. She's so close! I've been giving them canned food every day, and they always have dry food out, so I don't know what else I can do. Well, someone suggested tying little fishing weights to their collars - but I thought that might be cheating.

 
So that's the story on my animals.  For now.  I have plenty of cats, a few too many dogs, and no space for emergency returns.  But Artemis and Dodger should be moving on to other foster homes soon, and hopefully the puppies will be ready for adoption by next week, so that will help.  I will be taking Lizzy, Dodger, Gandalf and Artemis to adoptions this weekend.  I don't have high hopes for any of them getting adopted, but stranger things have happened, and it's worth a try to find them their very own homes.

Foster Pet Updates

I thought it was time for another update on my foster pets.  Today I'm taking a vacation day from work so I can go with my nephew to the Zoo, and in addition I managed to fit in three vet appointments on the same day.  This may sound like no big deal, until you realize that these three vet appointments are with three different vets!  Impressive, isn't it? :-)  I have to take advantage of my days off work when I can get them! 

Tessa - She's turned out to be such a wonderful dog.  She does whatever I ask of her, even when its difficult.  Like when she's trying to eat Noelle's food, and I call her to come, she listens even though she doesn't want to.  She's better behaved than my own two dogs.  She's started sleeping next to my bed, and no matter where I go, she always follows me. She's awesome. 

Artemis - Artie is back at my house after a short stay at PetSmart and he's doing well.  He's getting braver around the dogs every day, but he still prefers to spend most of his time in his own area where the dogs can't bother him.  He always comes out to give me a hug when I ask though.   

Scribbles - She purrs!  It's been so long since I've heard her purr.  She didn't purr much (if ever) while she was at PetSmart.  Now she's back and as soon as I pet her she starts up with this low growly purr sound that when I first heard it I mistook for a far-away motorcycle.  I like it.
Neo - I finally saw Neo looking excited.  And happy.  I didn't know he had it in him.  The excited look came first, when I introduced him to one of the cats.  He acted like a puppy, running all over and trying to play with the cat.  At least I think he wanted to play.  I didn't want to let him get too close in case he wanted to turn the cat into a snack.  Suffiice it to say he really likes cats.  And then later, when I took him outside and just spent some time petting him, I saw him act happy for the first time.  He is starting to adjust to life without his family, and starting to settle into his foster home.  He still does the loud mournful howl from time to time that makes me sad, but he's doing it less and less. 

Princess - She needs a home with kids who will play with her, or at least with adults who will give her a lot of attention.  She just loves people.  She does well with other cats too, so hopefully it won't take her long to find her very own family.  This will be my last update on Princess since next week she's going on to another foster home.  I will miss this sweet affectionate cat.  

Merlin - I am in love with this cat.  He's so cute and friendly and funny to watch.  He's not very brave though.  In fact, he runs away from scary things on a regular basis.  He also finds himself getting stuck a lot, since he'll climb up somewhere high (like the top of a dog crate) and then not be able to climb back down.  Every other kitten or cat I've ever had would've just jumped down, but not Merlin.  Did I mention he's not very brave?  But that's okay, he doesn't need to jump, because all he has to do is give his quiet pathetic little "meow" and I come running and carefully lift him into my arms and cuddle him, then set him back on the floor.  I never get tired of rescuing him. 

My foster pets are lucky.  And your pets, they're even luckier.  There are nine white pit bull puppies at a local shelter right now.  I desparately want to save them, but I can't.  They look a lot like the picture on the right.  That's a picture of Boo, a previous foster dog I had.  These nine puppies are even smaller than Boo was, and are only 5 or 6 weeks old.  They're going to be put down in a few days unless a rescue steps up and takes them. But many rescue groups are scared to rescue pit bull puppies, because of their breed.  They have to worry about liability and breed specific legislation and finding good adoptive homes.  So chances are very good that these puppies will die, less than two months after being born, for no fault of their own.  That's why the very few we're able to rescue, and those pets who are loved and cared for by their owners, are the lucky ones.  And that's why when you hear people preaching about spaying and neutering, it's easy to understand why.  They've seen the litters of puppies and kittens and adult pets being put down simply because there is no one to step forward and rescue them.  It happens every day and its heartbreaking to walk away from those animals, knowing their fate.  So give your pets an extra treat today and remind them how lucky they are.

Missing Cat

I lost a cat.  Don't worry, she's not in any danger.  She's somewhere in my house.  I just can't find her.  She can't have gone far, and by the time you read this I'm sure she'll have turned up.  But I felt that it was important for those of you who only have dogs to realize how different cats are. I tend to lose cats on a regular basis.  In fact some cat fosters claim that their cats know the days of the week and on weekend mornings when its time to load up in the cat carriers for adoption events, they always know to disappear. 

As a dog lover, I have trouble with the independent attitude of cats.  I am used to never having to look for dogs.  They're almost always sitting at my feet, or in my lap.  I can't even go into the bathroom without them insisting on following me.  If a dog ever wanders away it only takes one word from me, like "Hello?" to send them scrambling to get back to me and see what they're missing.  Dogs are loyal like that.  Cats on the other hand, have selective hearing.  In fact, I often don't see a lot of difference in the cats who can hear and Marco, my previous foster cat who was deaf.  They pretty much all ignore me when I talk to them.  Oh, it doesn't stop me from talking to them.  Or from going from room to room calling their name, and expecting them to come running.  I am a dog person, and this is what I expect.  But time and time again, cats disappoint me.  They're independent, and they prefer to do just about anything rather than come running everytime I call.  Except this guy. 

Artemis doesn't know he's supposed to be standoffish.  He is happy to come running when I call him.  Unless he's sleeping and really really comfortable - but I can't count that against him. I feel like that most mornings when my alarm goes off.  Please don't tell Artemis that he's not acting like a proper cat.  I like him just the way he is. 

The story of the Pesky Fly

I stopped at my local PetSmart store last night to visit my foster cats who are staying up there and hoping to find homes. So of course I had to take some pictures. I'm sorry you're being subjected to so many bad photos, but I can't seem to stop posting, even when the background is terrible and the pictures are blurry. They still tell a story, and here it is.

The Pesky Fly

It all started so innocently. I was just minding my own business, relaxing on the nice cool concrete. I'm the gray and white kitten in the picture to the right. My name is Caboose, but my foster mom insists on calling me Cabbie - she thinks its cute. So there I was, not causing any trouble, when suddenly, I heard a buzzing noise. I looked up, and there was a FLY, harrassing my neighbor cats. Well I wasn't about to let the fly get away with that! So here's what I did.
First, I brought the fly to the attention of my roommate Cinderella. She was shocked and appalled to hear there was a fly tormenting our neighbors, and she immediately sprang into action. I was right behind her, ensuring the fly would NOT escape from the two of us.












Unfortunately, the fly soon landed on my sister Cilla's head, and, well, you can see what happened next. But the fly got away, and Cilla joined in the chase.





Cilla was concerned about our neighbor cats, so we each took a moment to check on them and make sure they were doing okay.






Scribbles said "Excuse me, but what is all this fuss about? You're disturbing my nap!"

Just then, the fly made the mistake of flying too close to Artemis (he prefers to go by Artie), and in one gulp, Artie eliminated the problem for good. Way to go, Artie!

And the winner is....

For those of you who entered the contest to see which of my cat fosters would be adopted next, we have a three-way tie! Since they were all three adopted on the same day, and I wasn't there so I'm not sure who actually filled out the paperwork first, I'm declaring that if you voted for Mercury, Solara or Capri, you get bragging rights! So go ahead, leave a comment and brag about how you KNEW who would go next, and why! And if you actually adopted Mercury, Capri or Solara, you get extra bragging rights! :-)

So now my Disney litter is adopted, and my Solar System litter is adopted, and I only have three kittens from my Sea Litter and a few adults left. If you liked the last game and want to play again, just vote again for whomever you think will be adopted next! Here's a hint about the cats/kittens that I am still fostering:

Scribbles - Unless you're planning to adopt her or know someone who is, you should consider this the long shot. She's not good at PetSmart (she gets stressed out and hisses at people) so unless someone sees her online and applies for her, she doesn't have such a good chance of being adopted.

Artemis - Another adult, and a black cat at that - his odds would normally be lower as well. (Is it wrong to talk about adopting cats in terms of odds? Lighten up, its all in fun) :-) Artemis might have a secret advantage though, like Solara did. He might get to go stay at PetSmart someday soon and then people would be able to see him all during the week instead of just on Saturdays. Also, he gives hugs, and how many cats do you know who give really good hugs? Seriously, his hugs are better than most cats who give hugs, so if you don't believe me come visit him at PetSmart on Saturday and hug him for yourself!

Marco & Polo - I thought these guys would be adopted quick - they're gorgeous, all white, long-haired, front declawed cats. They're also affectionate and sweet. But they're a little older (seven years) and for whatever reason, they're taking awhile to find a home. They're ready to start coming to PetSmart again too though and should be there on Saturday, so maybe they'll be the ones to go next.

Chessie - She's the comical relief around my house - well, her and Noelle. She's always doing something to entertain people, and she loves to play. She's also pretty cute!

Cabbie - Adorable kitten with a racing stripe down his back (really! Julie saw it). He loves everyone and is very easy-going and friendly.

Cilla - Easiest kitten ever - she's the most laid-back, lazy, easy-going, affectionate kitten I've ever had - she's a bit shy around big dogs or scary situations but she's super sweet.

Pip was adopted!, Reintroducing Artemis

My little beagle puppy Pip was adopted! I knew he wouldn't take long to find a home, he's just too cute. A previous Heartland adopter actually saw him on my blog and asked to meet him when he was ready for adoption, so we did a home visit and Pip and his dog J.D. got along great. I miss my little guy, but I'm glad that he's in such good hands now.

If you've been reading this blog for awhile, or visiting Heartland at PetSmart, you may remember Artemis, the black cat who looked like a panther. He was my foster cat, adopted out in March. Unfortunately he has had some trouble adjusting to the other male cat in the household and had to be returned. Artemis (or Artie for short) still looks kind of like a panther... just a little fatter than most panthers. :-) I'll hold onto him for awhile for evaluation to make sure he doesn't have any new behavior issues, and then try to find him another home without another male cat. Here's his picture from when I had him in March:

Artemis was adopted!; Introducing Ariel, Anastasia, Aurora & Aladdin

I didn't post it earlier, but my foster cat Artie was adopted a couple weeks ago. I visited him in his new home a few days ago, and he is doing great! He has a wonderful family, and another cat named Louie to play with. He has been renamed Luckee, and I think it fits him, since he was lucky to find such a great family.

With the help of some other Heartland volunteers, I've named my new kittens after Disney princesses and princes. Here are some pictures of my newest fosters:

Aurora is a tortoiseshell. I joke about how I am not a fan of tortie's, due to some of them being known for a "tortie attitude", but so far I have to admit that Aurora is my favorite of the bunch!

Ariel is a gray tabby with a white face. She is usually the first one to find the food dish. All of the kittens are eating very well now - they are incredibly messy, but oh so cute!

This is Anastasia - she is the only one that dives headfirst into the food dish and lays in it while she eats. Yuck!

The only boy in the group - this is Aladdin. He is the climber of the bunch - he is the first to climb up to the top of the cat playpen, and often the only one to go up there and sleep on the top shelf while his sisters stay safely on the bottom floor.

Once the kittens are done making such a huge mess while they eat, Lucy, one of my foster dogs, is happy to step in and help with the cleanup. She'll lick the kittens faces through the bars, and they'll push their faces against her tongue to make sure they get all clean. Then everyone is happy!

Introducing Lucy; Pictures of other fosters

I haven't posted in awhile because I haven't had much to report! After the puppies were all adopted, I was sort of taking a little break, but break time is over. I went with two friends to a shelter yesterday and we ended up coming home with four dogs! I am only fostering one of them - the other three went to other foster homes. The one I took is a yellow lab mix, and I've named her Lucy. I saw her at the shelter last week and fell in love with her when she kept trying to lick my hand through the bars of her cage. I was out of town this past weekend so I couldn't get her right away, but I thought about her all weekend and was very excited to bring her home last night. I snapped a few quick photos of her this morning... this is Lucy:


She is very sweet, and so happy to be out of the shelter and be able to run and play! She is probably around a year old. It's too early to tell what she'll be like once she settles down, but right now she is just this hyper whirlwind of energy running around the yard. I guess I would be too, if I'd been stuck inside a small steel cage for 3 weeks and hadn't been outside in all that time! Still she is most likely to run in circles - she doesn't seem to want to get too far from me. And everytime I call her, she runs to me and leans against me to get a belly rub. She does fine with other dogs and cats so I am hoping she will be an easy dog to find a home for!

Here are pictures of two of the other dogs we took. Both are cute chihuahuas, under 10 pounds, approx 1 year old, and very sweet. They are not related - they just happened to have two chihuahuas there at the same time!

And I finally got a picture of my black cat Artemis. I call him Artie, and I love him more every day. He is very affectionate, and always eager for me to come home from work! I was worried about how he'd do with the other animals since he's been an "only pet" for his whole life so far, but he has fit in great and is doing really well with Kiwi (my only foster cat at home right now), and he also is starting to get more comfortable around the dogs.

Puppy adoptions; Introducing Artemis

Taking care of 9 puppies keeps a person busy! But I'm happy to report that two of the nine puppies were adopted on Saturday. Keebler and Clover both found new homes. Tonight, Amos is supposed to be adopted, and I have a couple more pre-arranged adoptions for this weekend. At times I think anyone who adopts a puppy is crazy - especially if they work full time. Puppies are soooo much work. But then at other times I think about keeping one of the puppies for myself. Oh, I know I can't (my husband wouldn't let me, for one thing) but they are just so darn cute. It would be fun to watch them grow up, and be able to train them and not have to give them up. So in the end, I do understand the attraction of getting a puppy, even if they ARE a lot of work. For now I'm just enjoying playing with them, and looking forward to the day that I only have one or two left, and I can stop spending all my free time changing puppy paper! :-)

Since I have no room left to bring in new dogs (or puppies), I brought home another cat on Saturday. I know, I know.... but this cat needed me. Black cats are the hardest to find homes for, and a family who was moving couldn't take their all-black cat, and was unable to find a home for him. I agreed to take him sight-unseen, which is always a little scary. The family might say he's affectionate and a great cat, but what if he turns out to be really mean? Still, he had nowhere else to go, so I said I'd take him. His name is Artemis, and I must admit, from the second I saw him, I fell in love. He is quite possibly the most beautiful cat I've ever seen. He has this shiny, beautiful black coat, and bright yellow eyes, and he looks like a black panther. AND, he's sooo friendly. I am very happy to be fostering Artemis, and I will try to take some pictures and post them soon.

As an update on my other fosters, here's the news:

Whisper (tortie cat) has moved up to PetSmart, and has settled in very well. We weren't too sure how she would do, since sometimes she can have a bit of an attitude, but so far she's doing fine. Now if someone will just fall in love with her, we'll be set.

Tulsa (deaf Blue Heeler dog) is also doing well. Since I had the puppies I didn't take her to adoptions on Saturday, so she got another week off. She is driving my husband crazy by barking at the cats whenever she sees them behind the baby gate that blocks the hallway. Scribbles likes to sit there and hiss at her.

Noelle (deaf Pit Bull Terrier mix) has finished her first month of treatment for mange. She will be going back to the vet to get rechecked this week, and maybe she'll be able to start going to adoption events again soon! She's as sweet as ever - the best cuddler I know.

Scribbles (tortieco cat) is another cat with an attitude. She is the sweetest most affectionate lap cat when we're alone, but if any other cats are around, she hisses at them. And if there are dogs around - well, I even avoid her then, because she is downright scary. She spits and growls and hisses and attacks, and I have to protect the dogs from her. I'm possibly going to move her to PetSmart just so she can get away from the dogs, and I think everyone (but especially Scribbles) will be much happier then.

Kiwi (torbie cat) is my friendly, perfect, highly adoptable cat, except that she vomits occasionally. This cat is one of the best cats I've had - everyone who meets her loves her. She is friendly, gets along with everyone and everything, and would probably be adopted right away if she were healthy. However since I got her she's been vomiting every few days, so the vet checked her out and suggested a change in diet to a special prescription food. I'm going to try that and see how she does - hopefully the new food will do the trick.

Boo (American Pit Bull Terrier puppy) is growing so fast! She's so cute, and her ears seem to be growing at a faster rate than the rest of her body. She still has more energy than she knows what to do with, and has become adept at climbing baby gates and fences to get to where she wants to be.