Naughty torties here and there…naughty torties everywhere…! And KITTENS!

Belly Belle has finally popped! She went into labour late yesterday evening – on Kendall’s bed…wanting Kendall as close as possible the whole time.
One ginger kitten, three ginger-and-white kittens and one dark tortie. Utterly beautiful. Well done, Belle! And well done, Kendall, for staying up through the night to look after the new little family.
Name suggestions have started …but the cheese-themed ones have had me laughing the loudest. Cam and Bert! Well done, Mel!!
Been a big week for Gina and Flora too. Flora came into season late last week, confusing my big (neutered) male, Oscar, no end. He doesn’t appear to be popular with any of my fosters…or even my resident female, Freya. And he suddenly found himself on the receiving end of the affections of a very ardent little cat. I separated them more for Oscar’s safety than Flora’s – and she shouted the house down in protest.
So off to the vet with them for their spay and chip. Little Gina tipped the scales at a respectable 2.16kilos. So proud of her. It’s only been a month since she came in reeking of her own filth and nothing but skin and bones. Now, she’s poofed up beautifully. As has Flora….!
Took them in on Tuesday and expected a pair of sore, groggy girls to come home. Well, they were groggy for about two hours, woofed down a bunch of food and went for a nap. By evening-time, they were back to their mischievous selves, scampering around their bedroom – chasing each other and their various toys, hopping up and down off window ledges, chairs and tables. “Girls!!” I protested, “Your stitches! Be careful of your stitches!” Fell on deaf ears as they larked about.
And, last night, they also got their heads around the fact that their world is a little bigger than it had been in their earlier circumstances and they are stretching…SUPER STRETCHING… their little legs…dashing around the house and up and down the stairs. I’d been worried they might always be a little agoraphobic. Wouldn’t be a problem, as such – but it would be something we would have to consider when it came time to re-homing them. We’d need to advertise them as indoor cats.
It’s now about time to start thinking about and looking for their new home. They’ve gained enough weight, they’re chipped and neutered, and they’ve lost enough of their initial terror. And that’s the squeezy-hearty thing about fostering. Seeing your wards ready to go. And getting ready to say goodbye. But, at the same time being SO PROUD of how far these terrified, under-nourished little cats have come…how very strong and brave they’ve been.
I feel they should go as a pair. They weren’t particularly bonded when they arrived – just super-scared together. But they’ve grown as a pair….they chirrup away at each other. Usually, Gina telling Flora off (Flora doesn’t just LOOK like a little bandit, she IS a little bandit!) …or Flora egging Gina on for a game…they’re very chatty girls. And incredibly affectionate. That’s the thing I’ll miss the most about them. Who wouldn’t love the very big greeting I get EVERY TIME I open their door?!
The amazing thing about the team is that I’ll be totally involved in their re-homing. They are a truly fabulous team. I’ll get to talk to the interested parties and invite them over for a visit of the girls if they’re keen.
And before long they’ll be on their way. There will be tears. There’s always tears. Even with the couple of fosters that have only spent a few days with me.
I’ve started a little notebook with pictures and a few notes on each cat. I’d hate to forget any of them – they’re all so wonderfully special.
In the meantime, until their new home is found, there will be a fair bit of noisy chaos here. Currently, at the time of writing this, Flora is shouting noisily at the top of the stairs whilst Gina is racing from my room to their room and back again. Both Oscar and Freya are sitting in the conservatory wondering when it’s safe to come in….!
Believe it or not, this racket makes me wonderfully happy!