The Kitten Shower...

So, we went to a kitten shower a few days ago and it was amazing. We got to hold kittens and learned about a lot. It was so much fun! I can't wait for the next time, but let's talk about what we learned at the kitten shower. We learned a lot, as you know How to take care of a kitten and all the things they need, which is a LOT! I named one destiny with a blackish grayish coat. I loved that kitten! haha It would mew when it was away from me and it would relax if it was near me. Oh, and did i not tell you, I'm the youngest daughter of the blogger you read, who makes these blogs so well! Well, I'm gonna let the real blogger take over! haha!

Thank you, Anie, for your narration of the kitten shower! She snuck onto my laptop while I was away! ;)

With "Destiny" - 2 weeks old and eyes still are shut!

Were you aware that baby kittens are more needy than infant humans? With my three, I was able to enjoy 3-4 hour stretches of sleep, but kittens? Nope! Twenty-four hours a day, every two hours, begins the cycle of bottle feeding and bathroom time. Litter number determines whether this is a 20 minute thing or over an hour! I had no idea that kittens aren't able to use the bathroom on their own. Mother cats lick the baby's genitals to stimulate the nerves and muscles to urinate and defecate (pee and poop, folks, pee and poop!) So, caregivers to the baby kittens have to do the same; clarification - with a warm, moist tissue! :O Then, they have to be cleaned up afterward. Baby kittens also need specific temperature of warmth and cuddling, as well as extra medical care without the antibodies of their mother's milk. They are prone to digestive issues, respiratory infections, eye infections, etc..

So - why the kitten shower? The local animal shelter hosted a "kitten shower" for the public - open to anyone interested in fostering, adopting, or just curious about kitten care. My aspiring vet girls wanted the education, but also the kitten fix. :) During the class, two litters of kittens were brought into the shelter. The ones my kids were holding (and me, of course) were about 2 weeks old, a litter of five: two mostly black, two gray, and one black and white. The other litter was just shy of a week old, long umbilical cords still attached - a trio a calicos. So - eight cats in less than 2 hours, with twenty-three brought in the day before!!

Kittens apparently do not fare well in shelters - between the germs and the needs, ones without mothers need a foster home until they are old enough to be adopted (around 2 months or 2 lbs, when they can be "altered," aka, spay/neutered). Ones with more serious health issues generally go home with vets, techs, and shelter staff. With cats, there are three types of fosters: 1. Mother and kittens - this is the easiest route and great for first timers. The momma cat takes care of the kittens and the foster's main concern is caring for the momma (food, water, litter, etc.). 2. Weaned kittens - these are generally over one pound and about a month old. They don't need the care every couple of hours like the neonatal ones do. 3. Neonatal kittens, aka baby kittens - these are the ones described above - needing help with everything and the fosters full attention every couple of hours.

So - now that's all of that is out of the way (and if you are still reading and interested), a few more basics of fostering. 1. Limited to no cost to you - shelters pay for all vet bills, medicines, food, formula, etc. They do ask that you bring them in to be checked once a week, something that takes less than twenty minutes. 2. Fosters need to be kept away from all other pets - this means that a spare bathroom, laundry room, etc. are great places to keep them. It is for all the animals protection, as you wouldn't want your precious pets sick from something they might have or the babies from, well, everything that healthy animals have! 3. Shelters are more than ok with take-backs and foster failures. Take-backs are when a foster comes home and realizes they just can't do it - this happens and shelters are ready for it. They are just grateful that the kittens had a day or two of not being in the shelter, exposed! Foster failures are when fosters just don't want to say goodbye to their balls of furry cuteness and end up adopting instead. Again, shelters are very understanding and appreciative!

Before Saturday, my exhaustive understanding, if we shall call it that, was that fostering baby kittens required bottle feedings, personal time, and are for a duration of around a couple of weeks or months. All of this is true, but I was clueless to the facts that can't pee or poop on their own, how poorly they thrive in shelters, and the extent of need for foster families!

This little guy would only eat and pee for Ab!

Evan getting his snuggles in

** NOTE: If you find a litter of stray kittens without a momma nearby, do NOT take the kittens. Watch and see when the momma comes back. Momma cats are like us human mommas - sometimes we just need a break or a snack! Rarely do the mother cats actually abandon their litters. However, bringing in the mother AND her kittens to a shelter is a great idea!

Yes, of course I got my furry fix, too!!

A funny "who's on first" type moment, from when this picture was taken. (Who's on first, what's on second, and I don't know is on third - Abbott and Costello comedy routine)

Evan: Ohhh, mommy, he's asleep!

Me: His eyes haven't opened yet.

Evan: I know, he's sleeping!

Me: No, his eyes haven't opened yet, Evan.

Evan: I know, it's so cute, he's sleeping.

Me: (Sigh) No, his eyes haven't EVER opened yet, he's only about 2 weeks old and baby kittens don't open their eyes until they are older than that.

Evan: Ooooohhhhhhhhhh.

He must have been gazing longingly at the donuts when the vet mentioned that part. ;)