January through May 1998 - foster animals

March 9, 1998 - June 6, 1998
#12118 Mimosa - Grey Tabby with white, stray, adult (mama), F, longhair.
#none Minka - Grey Tabby with white, kitten, born 4/4/98 (died 4/17/98), F, shorthair.
#12157 Just Bob - Brown Tabby with white, kitten, born 4/4/98, M, shorthair.
#12158 Torbjorn - Brown Tabby w/ white toes, kitten, born 4/4/98, M, shorthair.
#12159 Pumba - Brown Tabby, kitten, born 4/4/98, M, shorthair.

This is the first set of fosters that I have overlapped. (And so far the youngest fosters by quite a lot!) We happened to visit the shelter on a sunny Saturday and a shelter worker mentioned this mama cat who had just had her kittens and would need a foster home. Even though Cricket and Clover were getting better they had lingering symptoms, but we decided we could handle this mama and her babies too. We had to wait several days for them to treat a wound on Mimosa's stomach from a chain and to see how one of her 5 kittens would do. It fell out of the cage that first night and that kitten ended up dying. Mimosa was also covered with mats and had tapeworms, both problems I took care of.

Mimosa did well, but was so small. She had a URI which 2 of the kittens (both tabbies with lots of white) were struggling with. Since they were stuffed and could not smell to locate mama's milk we had to hand feed these two.

The female I named Minka (means resolute and strong). She got the URI soonest and worst. She did ok with us tube feeding her for a while, but died on Friday April 17th (only 13 days old, the little angel). Poor little baby. She would have looked just like her mama had she survived.

The 2 darker boys were healthy and vigorous all along but Just Bob had trouble with his eyes and lagged behind his brothers in development. He eventually caught up. Bob is a mama's boy and he looked so cute toddling after her, since his pattern is the same (Minka was even closer with the same coloring). He also will give little kitten headbutts! Torbjorn was the first out of the carrier, but then turned out to be afraid of his own shadow. Once he got used to everything he was always looking for adventure and/or trouble. Pumba was huge and lovable with big mitts for paws. He was at one time twice as big as Bob. He likes to snuggle and loves our cat Maubee (they look alike too).

Epilogue: Mimosa is now a part of our family. We fell in love with her and adopted her on 6/9/98.
Bob was likely adopted by some very nice people that I met when I brought the kittens back to the shelter...a family with 2 cute, gentle and very well behaved little girls.
Pumba and Torby were still at the shelter on 6/9/98 when I went to sign Mimi's paperwork. But Torby had a hold and Pumba is so adorable, right up at the front of the cage... He'll find a home soon.

March 21, 1998 - April 18, 1998
#11830 Cricket - Brown Tabby, stray kitten, 6 months old, F, shorthair.
#11831 Clover - Grey Tabby, stray kitten, 6 months old, F, shorthair.

I am delighted that I got more foster kitties. I thought I would come home empty handed Saturday when dropping off Annie, but I got 2 kittens! These girls are very sweet, and so friendly (a big change from sweet but shy little annie apple).
They are pretty clumsy for kittens of this age. The brown tabby jumps way up when jumping up somewhere, including my lap, that's one reason I named her Cricket. They get better with each session with the laser mouse, but still are awkward (even just walking!).

(The shelter called to say these kittens went together to a very good home. Good luck girls...be happy.)

March 10, 1998 - March 21, 1998
#11610 Annie Apple- Orange Tabby, stray young adult, F, shorthair.

Poor little Annie was terrified when I first brought her home, even though she had already been in the shelter for over 2 weeks. She would hiss at me and run if I even looked at her. But we tried to teach her that hands are friendly and she loved to be petted and scratched after 1 night. Annie Apple was stellar at hiding. The best way to find her was to let Maubee out since she loved cats and would come trotting out to greet him.
Annie was very small, only 4.5 pounds. She had tapeworms (but no fleas) and surprisingly didn't go into heat.

February 11, 1998 - March 10, 1998
#11217 Kiera - brown tabby, adult, F, shorthair.
#11218 B.B. - black, 3 months, M, shorthair. (Kiera's son)

B.B. had a hold on for an adoption. But he and Kiera took so long to get well that I'm sure they gave up. He is adorable, but full of trouble. Quick, athletic and graceful he bounces all over the room (the URI didn't even slow this little guy down). B.B. stands for Black Boy, Baby Boy or the quite appropriate Bush Baby.

Kiera is long lean and elegant. She definately has some oriental blood. She is shy (and reminds me of my own Megan) and is dominated by her not much smaller son. Any time I get Kiera in my lap B.B. has to come and play with her tail or bite her and she can hardly eat or drink without B.B. coming over and sticking his head in the bowl.

These cats are slow to recover, even with antibiotics. We need a second dosage. Kiera had dandruff but has mostly gotten over that. Kiera went into heat the last weekend (not a big surprise to us anymore) but she was so quiet and reserved about it we could hardly be sure she was in heat for the 1st few days.

January 23, 1998 - February 11, 1998
#11065 Darla - brown tabby, adult, F, shorthair.

Darla is very friendly and lonely. She was just over treatment for an abcess on her rear left when she caught a URI. She wouldn't eat for about a day, but then wouldn't stop eating! Turns out she had tapeworms, even though a fecal found nothing and she doesn't have fleas. She is a real lap warmer, but is becoming more playful as she is recovering. She also has gone into heat.

January 9, 1998 - January 23, 1998
#10685 Calvin - stray grey tuxedo, about 6months, M, shorthair.

Also very friendly and lonely, Calvin loves water. A quiet little fellow and very well behaved. He also had already been at the shelter for 2 weeks with a bad URI and a bloody nose that made him need lots of grooming. He made a remarkable recovery since coming home with us. This was my shortest fostering in a long time.
Update: Calvin is listed on the adoption autograph wall (Mounds Fitchburg) as being adopted on 2-6-98 by 'Mike, Rose, Jean & Kyle'.