June through December 1999 - foster animals

Update: (10-12-99) Dulcinea and Anahita are still with us. Since our little cat Jadzia has ringworm we suspect one of these girls brought it in to our house and we are waiting for the culture results. Dulcinea was spayed on 9/30 and is doing great. Anahita just finished her antibiotics for her probable urinary infection. Unfortunately she also started leaving puddles again so we need to recheck her health and maybe deal with a behavioral problem.
(11/8) Anahita had the ringworm. We also had her urine tested and the pH was off so she's been eating prescription food for a few weeks. Dulcie never showed lesions, but her tests for ringworm were positive.

August 28, 1999 - January 25, 2000

#19497 **Dulcinea - Tortoiseshell, adult (mom), F, stray, shorthair.

I went in to the shelter for the first time since I picked up Anahita and found Dulcinea was still there after 6 weeks. I was just heartbroken. So I agreed to take her back and foster her for awhile till there is a spot open at the adoption satellite centers.
Even if it takes her awhile to find a new home she'll get lots of attention there and they are a no-kill portion of the society.
I love having her back. I had an especially hard time taking her back to the shelter, so I jumped at the chance to care for her again. We had really bonded while I was trying to help her over her shyness. This time she is surprisingly playful. When we first had her she didn't play at all!
We ended up having Dulcie a LONG time. She never had lesions but tested positive for ringworm. This combined with a very crowded shelter let us keep her a long time. She ended up really growing attached to our male tabby Maubee. He didn't exactly return her adoration but he put up with her. She is going to the Fitchburg adoption center along with Anahita our other long foster.
Update: Dulcie was adopted on 2/9/00 to a great home with another cat to be her new friend.

July 10, 1999 - (kittens returned September 22, 1999 - Anahita January 25, 2000)

#19934 Anahita - Tortoiseshell, adult (mom), F, rescue, longhair Persian.
#21384 Snowy - flame point, born 7/18/99, M, rescue, longhair.
#21385 Abhi - black, born 7/18/99, F, rescue, longhair.
#21386 Chico - flame point, born 7/18/99, M, rescue, longhair.
#21387 Teddy - blue/seal point?, born 7/18/99, F, rescue, longhair.
#none no name - white, born 7/18/99 died 7/18/99, rescue.

Anahita came to us pregnant and had her babies while we were at church. Anahita continues the trend as our 4rd Tortie colored mama in a row this year. She was rescued from a cat breeder where the conditions must not have been great. She and her sister (who is also a mother tortie and in foster care at another home) both needed to be shaved due to excessive matting. Anita also had a few fleas and a minor URI. Otherwise she seems healthy and very very friendly.

Her babies are adorable with little smushed faces and curly fur. They remind me of tiny labrador puppies. My nephew named the unnamed kittens for me while visiting.

The kittens are walking now and starting to show distinct personalities. So far Chico is shy, Snowy is bold, Abhi is athletic, and Teddy is the thinker. These guys are staying pretty small, but their fluff makes them look bigger than they weigh.

Well I thought they were all boys, but after a recheck it turns out that Teddy and Abhi are girls. They became so very fluffy. They were a big hit at the shelter and everyone already had holds on the second day and were adopted within a week. The boys were adopted together. Mama misses her little ones. Since she seems to have a peeing problem we'll hold onto to her till we figure out if it is a health or a behavior problem.

Update: 11/6/99 Teddy's new home left a picture at the adoption center. They have renamed her Bel and she has a calico sister named Tia. The two girls appear to get along well. Chico and Snowy who were adopted together are now Toby and Ollie respectively. Their new home left a picture as well.
1/25/00 Anahita went to the same adoption center as her kittens. I will miss her hugs and head butts. It was hard to let her go.
2/21/00 Anahita goes home to her new home this afternoon. She loves her new owner and her new owner loves Persians too. May this be the start of many happy healthy years together. We'll always remember you Anita (now called Jilly, short for Jilly Bean).

June 18, 1999 - July 10, 1999

#19497 **Dulcinea - Tortoiseshell, adult (mom), F, stray, shorthair.
Sancho Panza - orange tabby, 8 weeks, M, stray, short hair.
Quixote - black, 8 weeks, M, stray, short hair.
Pedro - buff/orange tabby, 8 weeks, M, stray, short hair.
Aldonza - dilute tortoiseshell, 8 weeks, F, stray, short hair.
The kittens are numbers 19498 to 19501 but I'm not sure which was which.

Dulcinea and her family are struggling with minor URI symptoms. Dulcie is our 3rd Tortie colored mama in a row. This seems to be the spring for orange boys and Tortie girls (mamas and babies). Aldonza is gorgeous. I love those muted/dilute tortie colors. She looks like a mini version of an earlier foster, Emily Rose. Little Quixote is a darling, very active streak of shiny black. Pedro is a big boy and has adorable curly fur on his neck. Sancho is the friendliest of all the kittens but also the most trouble. They are named for the characters in the musical Man of La Mancha, to go along with their mama whom we decided was a Dulcinea.

**See Dulcinea again above.