2:36 PM Atticus - the little cuss

This is Atticus.  He's one of my foster babies for now.  Sometimes I look at him and forget he's not Efah, my little black kitten from last year.  He's just as cuddly as Efah was.  Then the "little cuss" will come out and I remember real quick.  Atticus suffers from the eternal fear that he's not going to be fed enough.  So breakfast and dinner times are a bit of a challenge.  Especially since Mariner has now decided that she has to mimic that behavior.  All of that should change, though, if he can score a forever home that will free feed.  And I'm sure he'll end up being a "fat and happy little cuss."

I don't know what it is about my sewing, but all the cats love to interfere with that.  You may recognize that fabric Atticus is on as the fabric I used for my niece's garb.  That's what I was sewing here.  Atticus just decided to plop down on the fabric and try to nap.  Of course, my attempt at removal turned into a game.

So then I decided to try to move the fabric I was working on.

"Oh Noes, it's MINE!"

"You cannot takes mah Fabrics!  I must Hoard dems!"

Yes, Atticus speaks in LOL Cats.

5:44 PM Looking for a new furry family member? How to be prepared. Pt 4 - Is Free really Free?

In previous installments of this series I've discussed purchase vs adoption for acquiring a new pet.  But there is also a 3rd option I'd like to talk about.  The "free" giveaway.

Scenario 1:
You're minding your own business shopping for all those crazy holiday gifts and then you spot a cart full of the cutest puppies on the planet.  Your daughter has been begging for a puppy for the longest time now, but you just weren't sure.  It's Christmas now and you think you're ready to make the plunge, and well, Free puppies means Zero money spent on this particular present!  So you can get a puppy And that Barbie she wanted too.  Win Win!  Right?

Scenario 2:
You want to surprise your significant other with that kitten she's been hinting about.  You've looked at rescues, but their adoption fees are all around $100.  You have been on a tight budget lately and really can't afford that kind of money for a present.  So you look in the paper and on Craigslist and find a few listings giving kittens away.  Wow!  You may be able to get that kitten Plus a gift certificate to DSW!  How is that not a win win situation?

Answer:
While those litters may very well have come from a lovely home who had an "oops" litter and they look beautifully taken care of and may not give you any health problems like a commercial bred pet might, "free" is never "free" in this case.  Pets being given away for free 9 times out of 10 have not been vetted at all.  So remember, you still have to pay for all of that vetting.  Just how much could you be out of pocket?

I've done a small price comparison on various options local to me.  And from what I can see, the cost of fully vetting a new kitten or puppy is going to be just shy of $400 (using the more costly spay surgery scenario) if you use the subsidized SPCA clinic.  Having your vetting performed with a personal vet is going to cost quite a bit more.  When all is said and done, paying for your own vetting can cost you between $495 - $630.  And while you are sure to receive the best possible care that a personal vet can provide, for those who are on a budget and looking for a "free" pet, "free" just got rather expensive.  Even the cheapest method of going through a low cost mobile vet for vaccinations and going to a non-profit group like Kitti Co for the spay or neuter is going to cost you $109.  If the mobile vet does not test for FIV and Leline Leukemia,  you'll need to have that test performed at a vet's office, which will tack on not only a $55 office visit, but another $35 for the test, bringing your total to $199.

So what exactly are you saving if you adopt?  Quite a lot actually.  Average adoption fees for cats in the Dallas area seem to average between $55 and $125.  The same area seems to average between $85 and $285 for dogs.  If you adopt from a rescue that guarantees all the vetting no matter what age you adopt, your out of pocket for vetting will be confined to illness after adoption and the annual boosters.  However, some rescues only pay for the spay/neuter and whatever vaccinations are due at the time of adoption.  In this case, you would be responsible for the rest of the vaccinations due.  Adopting an 8 week old kitten from a rescue may still end up costing you a little in vetting shortly after adoption.  So ask those questions.  Make sure you know what you are getting with your adoption fee.  Even still, with having to cover those last vaccinations on your own, you will come in at well under the cost of a "free" kitten who requires all of its vetting.

9:54 AM Archive Fridays

When I first started fostering pregnant mom's and their kittens, I began a blog over at Live Journal so my fellow fosters and friends could keep up with their progress.  I haven't posted on that particular blog since 1998 because of the confines of the Live Journal commenting rules.  I wanted to expand to a more public space.  Now the time has come to let that old Live Journal account go.  To be honest, I had almost forgotten it existed.

So in honor of my original foster blog, I'll be posting those archived posts over here as I move them over.  I'll post one every Friday until the entire story over there is placed over here.  I hope you'll  join me for my weekly looks down memory lane.

The first installment is here.  Foster Kitty Flo was a great first mama for me.  I adored her babies.  I hope you enjoy the story.

6:35 PM Looking for a new furry family member? How to be prepared. Pt 2 - Adoption

If you read Part 1 of this series, or any of my blog really, you know I am a big fan of adoption.  Growing up, my family raised both cattle dogs as well as AKC show dogs.  Now that I am an adult, I am very involved in animal rescue.  So I've seen both sides of the coin.  And as I got older and started talking with my Mom about Puppy Mills, she's shared with me some of the fraud she saw happen in the dog breeding world that she didn't think I needed to know as a child.  She's right, I wouldn't' have retained that knowledge as a child, but knowing as an adult has must made me even more fervent of a supporter of Adoption.


Now you've done your research and you've decided you want to adopt.  Wonderful!  Now what?

You can go to just about any Veterinarian clinic or Pet Store in town and find flier for pets up for adoption.  Or you may see a rescue set up in the parking lot or store operating an Adopt-a-Pet.  There is absolutely no shortage of animals to adopt.  You may find a shortage of puppies or kittens at some points of the year, but there are always a plethora of animals of just about any age to adopt at any time.  In fact, in some places, like the DFW Metroplex, the sheer number of rescues offering pets for adoption can be dizzying.  But there are plenty of fun and stress-free ways for you to go about finding your perfect pet, so don't let the number of available pets overwhelm you.

• Petfinder is a handy pet search website that allows you to choose what kind of pet you want to adopt and your location and then the program does a lot of the legwork for you.  If you know what kind of pet you are looking for, this service is a great tool to find all the available animals in your area, then all you need to do is call the rescues and set up an appointment to visit.  The search gets even easier if you have an idea of what sex or specific traits you want.  Once you find a pet you like, you can e-mail the rescue right there from the pet's profile page.  Most rescues use Petfinder to list their available pets.  And Petfinder continues to try making the search more accessable for potential adoptors.  There's an App for that.  Really.  Someone developed an iphone app for petfinder searches.  

• Adopt-A-Pet events are many rescues' bread and butter.  Some rescues have shelter facilities they adopt from as well, but many do not and the regular adopt-a-pet events are their sole source for adoptions.  Many rescues increase those events during the Holidays in anticipation of families wanting to adopt  for Christmas so it should be easy to find one in your area.  Just look for any Petsmart or other pet store which does not sell animals and you should find what you are looking for.  And since most rescues operate on sparse volunteer hours, you can bet that you will see pets at each event that are new and never make it to their website or Petfinder.  So if you don't find what you are looking for online, visiting in person may help you find what you are looking for.

• Contacting rescues directly is also a good idea to find what you are looking for.  E-mailing or calling rescues directly will get you the most up to minute information on their roster of pets and you don't have to wait for an event.  If the rescue doesn't have a facility and you do still have to wait for an event to meet the pet, at least you can get your name down as an interested party and you can ask what needs to be done so that the pet isn't adopted before you can meet it.  And sometimes adoption screening can be started over the phone saving you more time when you meet the potential new pet.  If you are at a loss as to who the rescues are in your area, go right back to Petfinder and search for rescues in your area.  If there are rescues in your area using Petfinder, they will pop up on the list with contact information.  And like I mentioned, most rescues use Petfinder as a listing service.

Once you have found a pet that you are interested in adopting, talk to the rescue.  Ask questions.  This pet is coming into your home as a family member, so don't be afraid to ask any and all questions you may have.  Good rescue volunteers wish to make a perfect match just as much as you do.  They are not in this for the money like breeders are.  When you ask questions, volunteers are able to make sure the pet you have chosen is a perfect fit for your home.  Here are some great questions you can ask when you are talking with a rescue:

• Is this pet ok with kids/cats/dogs?  If you have either of these family members in the question, this should be the first question you ask.  Sometimes the adoptable pet will not have been exposed to one or all of the above, but when they are, it is very helpful to know how they reacted.  And even if the potential pet hasn't been exposed, someone should know whether the pet has a risk of reacting adversely to any of those family members in the home.  A dog who can only focus on the flashy squirrel tail in the back yard may not be a good fit for a home with a flighty cat.  A pet of any kind who has food sharing issues may not be appropriate for a home with a small child, or another dog for that matter.

• I have a doggy door, do you allow indoor/outdoor adoptions?  I would say that this is the second question you should ask if you have a pet door or are planning to let your adopted cat go in and out.  There are rescues who will deny adoption based on indoor/outdoor homes unless you meet specific criteria.  I know this sounds harsh, but this is because many people lose their cats every day when they allow them outdoors to play.  Rescues want their pets to live the longest life possible and they don't want to risk a new family losing a cat they have adopted from them.  I suggest you ask this question sooner rather than later so you don't get attached to a pet and then are told at the end of the interview process that you are not approved.  Volunteers don't like telling you that anymore than you like hearing it, so it's best just to get it out of the way early.  But don't give up immediately.  Ask about cat fences.  Some of the rescues who have issues with allowing cats outdoors will approve homes with cat fences.  If you are planning on installing a cat fence, bring the literature with you to show the rescue you are serious about the cat's safety.  Research and honesty goes a long way with volunteers during your adoption interview.  

• Is this pet up to date with it's shots?  Some rescues guarantee all shots upon adoption.  Others only guarantee the minimum required for the city.  A great example of this is the Feline Leukemia vaccination for cats.  Some rescues simply do not have the resources to provide this vaccination.  It is important for you to know what shots have and have not been given.  If you plan to travel with or board your pet this is especially important.  Boarding facilities have differing requirements and they will require shot records to prove what vaccinations your pet has received.  Airlines will likewise require shot records.

• Is this pet spayed/neutered?  Most rescues will already guarantee that the pet is spayed or neutered upon adoption.  Some will allow you to take the pet home if it is too young for such surgery, some will not.  It is important that you know the status of your pet's alteration.  Having a surprise litter when you assumed the pet would be altered is no fun.  And part of the beauty of adopting a pet is that it has already been altered at no cost to you.  It is quite costly to foot the bill for a spay or neuter on your own.  In part 4 of this series, I'll discuss that price comparison further.

• Is this pet microchipped?  Just like certain vaccinations, some rescues do not have the resources to microchip their animals.  But it is such a wonderful bonus if they can.  I suggest that everyone think about getting their pet chipped whether the rescue provides it or not.  We are only human and pets are fast.  As a pet parent who has had a lightning fast cat fly out the door and not be seen for a week, I can say that chipping is one more avenue to ease worry.  Pets can slip their collars when they are out and if a rescuer or animal control officer, or even neighbor doesn't see a collar, a microchip is the only link you have to your lost pet.

• How do I register my microchip?  It is all well and good to adopt a pet with a chip, or to have your pet chipped yourself.  But if you don't register the chip under your name with the chips registry, you may as well have inserted a pebble under the pet's skin for all the good it will do you.  Pets with existing microchips are most often registered to the vet or to the rescue organization.  You need to register the animal under your name with your information.  And don't forget to renew that registration when it expires!

• What food has this pet been eating?  Many people don't realize this, but it is just as important to know this detail as it is to know the shot records of your new pet.  Changing a food cold turkey can cause all kinds of stomach upset.  That includes the dreaded diarrhea and the gas bombs of death!  No matter what your thoughts on food quality and price, always start your new pet on the same food they were eating in the rescue.  You can gradually change the food over time to whatever you want, provided they don't have special dietary needs with special food requirements.

• What Veterinarian can you recommend in my area?  If you don't already have a trusted family Vet, this can be a very important question.  Most rescues have a favorite vet, or even a number of favorite vets.  And if the rescues are using those vets for all of their veterinary needs, then you can be sure there is a continuity of care.  In addition, many rescues have a necessity to use lower cost Vets, so if your rescue has a favorite, you just may be getting the best Vet for the money in the area.

Think you're ready to adopt now?  I hope so!  So many pets need adoptive homes.  It is my hope that one day most people will adopt as well as spay and neuter their pets, so we can bring down this giant number in the pet population.  I can only hope that if we do that the population of pets available will be healthier and happier.  And healthy and happy pets make very good pets.

In Part 3 of this series I will discuss Breeders and what to look for when going about purchasing a puppy from a responsible breeder.

2:32 PM Characters of the Nov 21st Adopt a Pet

Adopt a Pet events are often filled with interesting characters whether they be animal or human.  Some of us fall in love, some of us meet our matches, and there's almost always at least one character who gives us a reason for a good laugh.

Meet Lynx and Lorax.  These two boys are around 4 months old and they are just about the sweetest boys ever.  They've always been together and their foster hopes they can be adopted together.  Every once in a while we have some great kittens who defy logic as to why they are passed over each week for adoption.  Efah was one of those.  These two are our current head scratchers.  We're working on ideas to get them better PR so they can find a home soon.

This funny little face belongs to Nibbles.  Nibbles is quite an interesting story.  First we thought she was a He.  Oops.  Sorry Nibbles.  Then she just decided to stop growing.  She came down with the basic sniffles and worried the bajeezus out of us as she stayed under 2 lbs for quite a long time.  Then all of a sudden she decided she wanted to fight to live after all!  She began fighting the crud.  And she started growing.  She still has sneezy remnants here and there, but otherwise she's bright and happy.  She's also rather inquisitive.  She's quite literally one of our miracle kitties.  When Nibbles gets a home, I think we're going to celebrate.

This is MK, short for Mama Kitty.  She's trouble.  Why is she trouble?  MK is trouble because I adore Torties.  I have two.  If I could possibly have more cats, I'd have another tortie.  Frankly, I'd probably steal MK!  This tortie has a personality to die for.  She is super sweet and calm.  And let's not forget she's beautiful!  She's also a Manx, which means she doesn't have a tail.  She just has a little stub.  MK was very popular at this adopt a pet event.  She charmed three different people to take her home, but none of them were quite ready for a cat.  I hope somebody takes her home very soon because she is far too sweet and dignified to stay in the foster system for long.

Meet Trouble #2.  This is Hurricane.  And from what I'm told, his name fits.  His foster reports that whenever you hear a crash or bang, you can bet Hurricane is standing right next to the problem.  His sister, Cyclone doesn't play with him much, in fact, she often looks on at his hijinx in horror.  But that's not all Hurricane is about.  He is also a purring machine!  And he loves to cuddle.  He needs a family who will play with him a lot and who doesn't mind cleaning up after the storm in between cuddles.

4:23 PM 6/29/06: The Name Game!

The kittens are now 3 days old and we have finally settled on names for the brood.  The theme is constellations for the original litter and moons for the orphans. I messed up on the re-sizing and some aren't the most glorious images, but here they are.



New 6-28-06 pictures of the group


Waking up on 6-29-06

And now for Introductions!


Orion


Lyra - The Squirmy Gal who doesn't like her picture taken.


Draco


Virgo


Nix


Hydra - Also very squirmy.

Ok, so the last two are the orphans. They are named after the newly named twin baby moons of Pluto. I think they fit quite well.

The others we decided to name after constellations so they would compliment the moon names. There were a whole lot of names we went through and a Lot we liked. Especially girl names. But I think these we have settled on are going to do the kittens well. And since they are constellations, I will be posting information on the constellations they are named after at some point.

I'll soon be aquiring a food scale from the shelter, so I should be posting growth progress from time to time soon.

4:16 PM 6/27/06: Kitten Pictures

Anyways, without further ado, here are Foster Kitty Flo's babies:


First one was born at 3:30ish AM. It's a brown tabby. Yes, she's having them on my Carpet! She decided she liked wedging hersef behind my bureau better than actually using the birthing box I made for her.

I'm leaving out the actual Birthing picture of kitten #2 for those weak of stomach for such things. But here are #1 and #2 together. #2 was born about 10 minutes after #1 and it's a brown tabby as well.





My dog, Maizy, checkin' everything out. She was quite the whiny nut during all of this. She easily gets worried and since she's so big I have to be careful that she doesn't get over zealous in checking everything out and hurt anyone.


This is Nabisco guarding the kittens. This is Just after the picture with Maizy. Nabisco allowed Maizy near them for just a few minutes before she whacked her and shooed her away. She guarded that box until Foster Kitty Flow decided it was time to move the kittens to a new place to have the other two kittens.


Here's the final result. Kitten# 3 was born around 4:30am and is white and tabby spotted. Kitten# 4 was born around 5:00am and is a black tabby.

I moved them all back to the birthing box once I removed all the newspaper and made it comfy as you see above. The place she had the other two was too small for her and all the kittens to fit. She kept moving around and sitting on them. I put the box in the same place as her favored bed-Dunbar's bed-and that's just out of reach of Maizy's nose, so I hope she keeps them up there and I don't have to go hunting for them when I get home tonight.

3:40 PM 6/27/06: We have Kittens!!!!

I've already wasted my entire morning on various non-work things so I'll have to find time to post the pics later. And I'll have to get better ones as well once they are more than a couple of hours old. But I was woken up at about 3:30 this morning with the first cries of a teeny kitten and I haven't been to bed since. I tried, but neurotic first kitten birthing me kept having to get up and check on things. Good thing I did and good thing I actually go to sleep at around 10 so I at least got 5 hours of sleep. Two more kittens were born after I had tried to go to bed. After that, they were just too loud to sleep and Maizy was freaking out about it all and whining too.

Anyways, it's gonna be a Looong day today.

But Kittens!!!  Yay!!!

3:38 PM 6/26/06: Still no kittens

Still no kittens. We're closer though. I think her teats are for real growing this time. And she disappeared for a little while several times looking for a nesting place. Trouble is I don't have a good nesting place in my apartment that's closed off for her to use since I live in an open loft. I was hoping that me being home over the weekend would encourage her to have them, but I was wrong. On both her having them and me being home much.

3:37 PM 6/22/06: Again, still no kittens

Yep, still no kittens. Although, I came home yesterday to find Miss Flo all comfey in her whelping box that I had made for her and got all excited, but no luck. Come on kittens! Hurry up!

3:32 PM 6/21/06: Still No Kittens

However, I thought Miss Flo was nesting last night as I woke up to a strange sound and found that she had somehow gotten to the topmost part of my closet and started kneading/shredding the styrofoam inside my Computer speakers box. I took her down immediately as A. I don't think styrofoam is safe for the kittens to be born in and B. that's just too high for me to monitor and I'd have to take her down anyways. I can still feel movement, but I have decided taht she really hasn't filled with milk yet, I was seeing some fat in her tummy instead. Which I didn't recognize as fat. Anyways, the point is I'm not sure when the kittens will come and I think I'm more anxious than she is about it. I mean, everytime she moves I stare at her trying to figure out if it's time. Ahahaha! I'm a dork.

3:25 PM 6/19/06: Pictures of Flo

Little Miss Flo, the un-wed mother:









The last two pictures are examples of what happens when you rub her tummy. Yeah, she's ready to get those things outta there!

9:00 AM Archive Fridays - 1st Post

On Sunday, I had to call Texas Pawprints and tell them that I couldn't help with the Adopt A Pet after all. They informed me that we have quite a few mothers nursing litters as well as mothers about to give birth any day now and the shelter really needs fosters for ALL of them. I'm pretty good at trying to inlist help among my friends, so I took that information and spread the word, as I'm sure they hoped I would. At first, I told them I couldn't take another foster let alone a pregnant mother. But by the end of the day, I wore myself down and decided to go ahead with it. Yep, I caved. I mean, who can resist Kittens???!!!!???? Not me!

I'll be posting pictures of Flo soon. She's already starting to fill her teats a little, so I expect her to deliver any day now. And she's certainly Uncomfortable with that tight belly. She's Really sweet though and I'm sure she'll just be a love to have around the house. This all, of course, really upsets my foster Taquita. My cat Nabisco could care less and my other cat Dunbar is being distant, but Taquita is just really not happy about it at all. So I hope the kittens come soon so she'll realize what's going on and calm down with the hisseyness.