Calvin and Hobbes and Cilla were adopted!

Calvin and Hobbes, the Basset/Lab mix puppies, were adopted yesterday.  Calvin's new name is Dexter, and he went home with a very nice couple and several children who will hopefully be able to keep him busy and give him all the attention he seeks.  Hobbes is now named Red, and he is now being spoiled rotten by his new mom and dad.  I'm very excited for both puppies to have found such great homes.

Also, Cilla, my last kitten from the Sea Litter, was adopted this morning.  Cilla will have a great time with her new mom and dad and kids and a Chocolate Lab to give her a lot of love.  She is also a very lucky kitten.

Yesterday I brought home a very special new foster.  His name is Neo.  Stay tuned and I'll post all about him tomorrow.

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.

New pictures!

Here are some new pictures of my Sea Litter kittens. First is Cabbie. He's not only adorable but also so affectionate. I love his laid-back personality.



Next is Cabbie's sister - Cilla. She is stalking one of the dogs in this first picture which is why her tail is straight up in the air and very fluffy!

Third is Chessie. She's the high energy kitten of the group - always on the go, and always getting into trouble. She's so friendly and cute and good at making me laugh.



Last but not least is Capri. She's become my all-time favorite cat foster ever. I have never been so attached to any other foster cat - she's kind of the feline version of Coal for me. Coal was the first foster dog I fell in love with when I started fostering, and until Noelle there's never been another dog that I've connected with in the same way. It was really hard to adopt out Coal, but I was very fortunate that the family who adopted him not only gave him a good home but has done an awesome job of keeping me updated on him and bringing him to PetSmart so I can visit with him! I can only hope I am so lucky in finding a similar situation for Capri (hey Bernice, want another cat?) :-D

This weekend I'll be taking Kai, Mercury and Solara to PetSmart to try to find homes for them. Oh, I have exciting news! Angie, the volunteer who found Andy the beagle, came over last night and we walked dogs, and Kai made it ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BLOCK!!! I was so excited. :-) We tried using a harness instead of a regular collar, and that seems to have helped. She's now officially no longer a shy scaredy-dog, and while we'll keep working on walks on leash, she's able to start on the regular obedience training - no jumping on people or counter-surfing, learning to sit/stay, and so on. She now loves to greet new people and new dogs, and has no fear of anything at my house, so I'm very proud of her.

Sedna was adopted!; Update on my fosters

It was a busy weekend for Heartland volunteers. In addition to our regular adoptions at PetSmart, we had two other events going on. Some of our volunteers went to a special off-site adoption event, and they were nice enough to take a couple of my foster cats for me. One of the cats, Sedna, found a new home at the event. Thanks to Julie, Ashley, Sue and Lisa for volunteering at this event! Other volunteers held a bake sale fundraiser at Dierberg's. They did a great job raising money for Heartland! Thanks to Brenda, Erin, Becky, Teresa, Lisa, and Michael, and all the volunteers who donated baked goods for the event.

Here's an update on my fosters. I started this blog so I could write about my foster pets and go back later to read it and remember them and things about them, so I want to write a bit about everyone I have right now (no counting please).

Noelle - She turned one year old this week! Happy Birthday my girl. Noelle is the longest term foster I've had, and the favorite foster I've had. She gets so excited to see me every time, and just comes flying at me wagging her tail as fast as she can. She had a home visit with a family this week that sounded like a perfect fit, and I was scared I would lose her - but she attacked their dog and so she came back home with me. Last night I gave her a donated stuffed animal, and she got to engage in her favorite pastime - destuffing! Tonight after work I get to go home and pick up stuffing that is spread all over the bedroom. She's worth the extra work though. :-)

Kai - Kai is a temporary foster dog that I've had a hard time letting go. Her foster mom finally convinced me she should come back to her, so later this week she'll go back to her original foster home. She's such a good dog - rather timid and shy, but she's improved so much in the past few weeks. Her favorite thing to do is to sit by the baby gate that blocks the hallway to the back rooms where the kittens are. She LOVES the kittens - a little too much. She will sit at that gate for hours, waiting for a glimpse of the kittens. Even when I have the bedroom doors shut so no kittens could possibly come out, she still sits there staring down the hall, looking for them.

Gator - Gator has improved a lot in the past couple of weeks - he no longer bites my shoes or feet or legs every second that he can. Now he only does it once every 10 or 15 seconds! He has the cutest puppy gallop, and when I call the dogs and they all come running, he is so cute always lagging behind everyone else because he's too little to keep up. I was hoping that Gator would be adopted this weekend, since he's such an adorable puppy, but he was not. I recently received an e-mail from another Heartland volunteer who's neighbor brought her a puppy that she didn't want. So in order for me to take in that puppy, another Heartland volunteer offered to take Gator and foster him. So tonight Gator goes to a new home. He's already been there to be "dog-sat" for a few hours, so I'm sure he'll do fine - actually he'll be spoiled rotten - first time foster homes are usually awesome at that. :-)

Pip - Pip is a very small beagle mix who is living in my daughter's room with some kittens. He acts JUST like a kitten - I'm a little concerned that he doesn't know how to be a dog. It would be good for him to be around other puppies or dogs right now, but he's so little that he'll get hurt playing with any of my other dogs, so he just has me and the kittens to play with. He likes to climb up on my shoulder when I hold him, and he likes to play with feather toys, and he loves to wrestle with the kittens. He sleeps in a cat bed too.

Rowdy - Rowdy hasn't been properly introduced yet, but I'll introduce him and post his picture soon. Rowdy is, well, he's the opposite of rowdy. He's very laid back for the most part. He loves to go outside and roll in the grass. He doesn't appear to care for bones or most treats. He doesn't want to play with most toys. He mostly wants to sit in your lap and be petted. Then maybe go for a walk, then straight back into the air conditioning for some more petting.

Scribbles - My foster cat who is living at PetSmart. She's kind of taken Whisper's place as the "cat with an attitude" at PetSmart now that Whisper is adopted. I hope Scribbles gets a home soon too - she is such a sweet cat when she's not at PetSmart or around other animals, but no one has been able to see that since she's kind of mean while she's there.

Marco & Polo - These guys are also living at PetSmart temporarily, and they get a lot of attention up there. They're my most laid-back cats I've had in a long time. Although that could just be because I'm used to hyper kittens all the time now. :-)

Anastasia - The last of the Disney litter, Stasi is living up at PetSmart temporarily and hopefully will be adopted quickly. She's my little complainer - she is very vocal and quick to complain if she's unhappy, but she's also quick to purr if she's happy.

Mercury & Venus - The last two of the Solar System litter - they're doing great. Both of them constantly try to sneak out of the bedroom they're in and join the rest of the house, even though Kai is stalking them on the other side of the gate. They are super affectionate and friendly and purr everytime I pick them up. These kittens are going to be big - they're about double the size of the Disney litter at the same age.

Chessie - She's the most playful of all the kittens I have. She's constantly running or climbing or jumping.

Capri - I never particularly wanted a Siamese cat - I've never been drawn to their looks, and was surprised they are always in such high demand. But I think if I adopted a cat of my own, it might be Capri. She's a Siamese mix - cream with chocolate points, and blue eyes, and she's so affectionate. I can't figure out what it is about her that makes me want to keep her so much, but I am considering the idea of adopting her.

Cabbie & Cilla - These two kittens are so funny - they're roly-poly kittens who are probably a week or two younger than Capri and Chessie. Cabbie has a cold right now, and Cilla has some missing hair so they're both quarantined from the rest of the kittens while they undergo treatment. They don't seem to mind so much though - they are playful but not as much as Chessie - and they're affectionate but not as much as Capri. They're mostly happy with each other, a few toys, someplace comfortable to sleep, and lots of canned kitten food.

Introducing Capri, Cilla, Chessie & Caboose

I went to an area shelter a few weeks ago to rescue a litter of kittens. This shelter gets in so many animals every day, and doesn't do many adoptions. They actually euthanize the animals there three times a week because they get so many in. It's very hard to go to this shelter and walk out knowing how many of the puppies, adult dogs, cats and kittens will be killed. Some of the dogs look at me, and they just know. They sit there looking so depressed that it breaks my heart. But the ones that make me cry are the ones that look so happy. This last time there was one dog in particular - a black dog, around 50 pounds, that looked at me with this big smile, tongue hanging out, looking so hopeful that I would pet her or play with her. And I couldn't touch her for fear of spreading disease, and I couldn't take her away since I have no more room, and I couldn't do anything but turn my back and walk away, knowing that because she's a big black dog, a mutt, she has almost no chance of being saved. Someone, somewhere thought it was too expensive to get their dog spayed, or it would be fun to have a litter of puppies, or they just didn't want to bother with it. So another unwanted dog was born and ended up in a shelter, alone, waiting to die.

I didn't mean to make this post so depressing - maybe it just helps that other people know how hard it is to go there and see that. The reason I go back, time after time, is because I can make a difference. Whenever animals come into that shelter they are assigned a tag with a number on it. When rescuers go to pull animals, they write down the tag numbers of the animals they think they may be able to help, and then the shelter workers check to see if those animals are available. Unless an owner comes in to the shelter and turns over an animal, agreeing it can be immediately euthanized, all the rest of the dogs and cats must be held for at least 5 business days in case an owner claims them. So when I went in, I wrote down the tag numbers of several kittens, to find out which ones had been held the required time and would be available to go. As I inquired about their status, I learned that fourteen of the kittens I had inquired about were scheduled to be euthanized the next morning. I had no way I could take so many kittens, but I couldn't bear to leave them behind either. It's hard enough to walk out of there knowing that the ones I leave behind have such a slim chance for adoption - it's impossible to walk out knowing that they have NO chance. So I began making phone calls, and fortunately several Heartland volunteers stepped forward to help. I was on my lunch hour and had to go back to work, so Cindy, one of our volunteers, actually went to the shelter and pulled all fourteen kittens! She kept them at her house, got them all dewormed and started on medication, and held onto all fourteen of them for several weeks. That's quite a sacrifice to make on top of all her other fosters she is already caring for - and these kittens wouldn't be alive without her. After that, six of the kittens went to another volunteer (thanks Barb!) and just recently four of the kittens came to my house. The last four kittens are still at Cindy's house and I will get them in another week or two. So all of that, just to introduce my four newest kittens!

This cutie is named Caboose (Cabbie for short). He's got the funniest coloring, and he has this weird double stripe down his back, which you can see in the picture.


This is Cabbie's sister, named Cilla. She is such a little roly-poly kitten and she loves to eat!

The other two kittens in this "litter" are not related to Cabbie and Cilla, but they've become instant friends and are sharing living quarters. They were each "singles" - we don't know what happened to the rest of their litters. Here is Capri. She's my first Siamese mix, and she's the most affectionate of the bunch!

And here's Chessie - she's an adorable Torbie (tabby with brown patches).

All four kittens are doing great, and go to the vet next week to get checked out and spayed/neutered.