Update

I failed to blog about the last part of Matilda and her litter's stay in my home, but everything went well. The kittens were almost eleven weeks old when they all reached the two pound mark required before they could be spayed and neutered. I brought them back to the ASPCA, where they were all adopted within a week (by mid-June). The two male kittens even got adopted together, so hopefully they are being good brothers to each other.
Matilda had to wait a while to become available for adoption, first to stop producing milk, then to recover from being spayed, and then a little while longer until space opened up in the appropriate adoptions room. It turns out Matilda does not like other cats at all, and would get agitated if you took her out of her "cat condo" to play with her since she would see all the other cats behind the clear doors. I thought this kind of anti-social behavior would be detrimental to her getting adopted, but once she was made available, she was only there for about two weeks. On July 22nd, Matilda was adopted! Yes, it was bittersweet to part with them, but that's six cats that I was able to save just by opening up my home to them for a few months. I believe they are being loved and cared for by their humans, and in turn they are bringing much joy and fluffiness to their families.
I am taking a break from fostering right now as I get my home a little bit more organized, but hopefully by winter break I can be a foster mom again.

The kittens are 6 weeks old tomorrow!

I took the kittens in for their first exam (and their first journey outside the apartment) last weekend, and they were deemed healthy by the veterinarian. One of the vet techs saw them in the carrier and said they were "perfect". She said that they surely would have gotten sick had Matilda stayed at the ASPCA and had them in the shelter environment and not in a home. That made me feel really good about fostering Matilda and her litter. They are due back to the A in another week for more immunizations, and then I have them until they are two pounds, at which point they will be ready to be spayed or neutered, and then put up for adoption.

Inside the cattery

Robin likes that corner behind the litter box

Sometimes they fall asleep in funny positions

Robin and Lilly share some solid kitten food with MamaMatilda.
Marshall eats solid food now, too, but the other two are still resisting.
They all still nurse.

A month and change

At a month and a few days old, Matilda's kittens are strong enough to climb the walls of the cattery. I had it rigged so Matilda could go in and out as she pleased through the top door, but then four of the five kittens made it out right after their one month birthday, so now I have to either lock Matilda in there with them, or supervise the feeding times. Matilda does not like being stuck in the cattery with her kittens, and I don't blame her, especially now that they are getting to be quite active and rambunctious. She tolerates a lot from them. They are still nursing for the most part, but I have witnessed one of them, Robin, eat solid kitten food. When I am home and able to pay attention, I let them roam around the room, exploring nooks and crannies. They seem to be partial to the floor of the clothing closet.

This weekend, I will have to take them in to the ASPCA for their first medical exam. It is actually the first time they will leave my apartment. I am a little anxious, like my worth as a foster mom will be determined by this physical checkup. What if the kittens are not at the right weight? What if one of them has some kind of disease? They seem fine to me, but what do I know? At the same time, I am excited to know how the kittens are progressing according to standards, and I will have a better idea of how much longer I will be fostering all of the cats, so it will help with planning. As I discover their individual "feline"-alities, I am getting very excited about their future homes and the kinds of adoptive parents they will have. They have a bit more learning to do first, though. I'm not quite ready to give them up just yet.

The kittens at three and a half weeks

Matilda and her kittens are thriving. Almost a month old, the kittens are wobbly but learning how to walk; they have teeth; they love to play with each other, chewing on each others' ears and tails; but mostly spend their time sleeping in a cozy heap. Matilda has been nursing them diligently, even as their teeth have grown in, and is still a wonderfully sweet cat that likes to hang out with us in the living room when she's not taking care of her kittens. She also likes human food and I have to keep on eye on her whenever we are eating. It can be spicy or hot, and she doesn't seem to care. I think she is sick of all the kitten food I've been feeding her. I try to give her a variety of things, but she is so hungry all the time.
There are some videos of the kittens on my YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Tsujimonster
Here are more pictures:

Lilly

Robin

Barney

Marshall

Theodora (Ted)

Week-old Kittens

April 12th, Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Matilda's five adorable kittens. Yes, five. They seem to be healthy and Matilda is exhausted but taking care of them pretty well. It has been quite a day!
Last night, I guessed Matilda was about to go into labor because she stopped eating, she started grooming herself much more frequently, and she was going in and out of the recycling bin I set up for her as a safe nesting site. She did not vocalize or sound like she was purring any more than she usually does, and after a few hours of waiting, I went to sleep around 1am. Matilda was lying on the living room floor, just hanging out. I don't know when she made her way into the bin in the bedroom, but at about 3am I was woken up by a small mew. I was awake in a flash and went to check the bin. Sure enough, Matilda was licking the first kitten. The second kitten came shortly thereafter -- a big visible contraction down the body, a gooey amniotic sac expelled with kitten inside... Matilda licked it free and then waited for the placenta to come out, another big contraction. She ate the placenta and chewed off the umbilical cord. Thus began a frustratingly long hunt for a teat on the part of the newborn kitten. Both the first and second kittens were trying to get milk, and I must admit I tried to help them get to a source, but with their eyes shut and probably some leftover mucous on their noses, they were having a hard time of it.
The third and fourth kittens were born pretty much in the same fashion, no complications. The third one had the hardest time finding a nipple, but the fourth one found one pretty quickly and did not let go for dear life. At one point the third one was trying to suckle on Matilda's paws.
Matilda didn't yowl at all but she did purr very rhythmically and loudly while she was in labor. The fourth kitten was born around 5am, and since the sonogram showed only four kittens, I went back to sleep after cleaning the bin a little and making sure all four kittens were nursing.
I had to leave for work by 7am, so I left Matilda's water and food right by the bin and checked up on the kittens. They seemed ok, no signs of URI, just rolypoly helpless things with tiny paws.
I returned home a little after 4pm, and noticed a little bit of blood on the towel I had laid in the bin after the fourth kitten had been born. I figured this was normal, for Matilda to have some discharge even after being done with the birthing process, but then when I went to check on each individual kitten (remembering their birth order by coloring), I realized there were five, not four. In retrospect I remembered thinking that Matilda's breathing had remained labored and I did feel what I had thought to be a fetus still in her body, but figured maybe it was some organ since I was only expecting four babies. Matilda was still purring heavily, so I was afraid maybe there were more, but soon after I changed the towel again, I noticed new blood and a placenta at the bottom of the bin. It must have been the last one, suggesting that Matilda was in labor for about 14 hours or more. I presented the placenta to Matilda, who had snuck away from her kittens to groom herself. She ate it right away, then proceeded to eat pretty much a whole can of kitten food and drank up a lot of water. Poor Mama, she must have been so exhausted.
Right now, Matilda has actually left her litter and has taken refuge on the bed. She is a skinny little thing! I am a little nervous that she has left her kittens for something other than food, water, or the litter box, but I know she must be a little overwhelmed. I miss Matilda the Pregnacat, with her own distinct "feline"-ality. Now she is bound by motherhood, at least for the few weeks while her kittens are helpless without her. I am struck by how things are different now that the kittens have been born. They've been in my home for two weeks now, but inside the womb, not outside clinging to Matilda's teats. We mammals are pretty crazy like that. It's nice to finally meet the crew.
Heheh, Matilda just went back into the bin, where her kittens were in a pile in the corner, trying to stay warm on their own. She lay down to nurse them but in the wrong direction, so she ended up sitting on them. They complained, for sure, and she switched positions right away.
Photos for you:

First-born

Second

Third

Fourth

Last! So glad you could join us!

April 11th, No kittens, but more photos

More photos of Matilda:

April 10th, Back home still waiting

I took Matilda to the ASPCA for a sonogram. They saw four kitties, all viable, and told me they are ready to be born any day now. I am relieved that everything is ok and that I didn't have to leave her overnight. She is now back in the apartment, eating, sleeping, and purring, like she has been for the past two weeks.
While Matilda was getting her sonogram, I went to work with some shelter dogs. One of the dog behaviorists told me that Romeo had been adopted by a lovely couple who has bought him in several times for puppy kindergarten and to see the vet, so she has seen him a few times since he's been adopted. I am glad Romeo went to a great family that is serious about training him and giving him the best life possible. So good news all around.

April 9th, NO KITTENS

I have to take Matilda back to the ASPCA tomorrow to get a sonogram to make sure everything is ok, because she still hasn't given birth and the medical staff is concerned. I am thinking that there isn't anything wrong, because she is getting bigger and doesn't seem to be in any discomfort, and her behavior hasn't changed except now she is jumping up on the windowsill more often to look out the window. She is still eating a lot of food, and her URI symptoms seems to have gone away. I'm worried, though. I really hope she is okay and that I can bring her back soon once she gets checked out.

April 1st, midday (no kittens yet!)

Matilda has been staying with me almost a week now, with no signs of labor. She seems content and comfortable, and having her around has been great. She sleeps pretty much all the time, except she eats about once every hour. She consumes about three cans of cat food a day, plus two jars of baby food. I sit with her and nudge the food around in her bowl with my finger, sculpting mountain ranges so she can eat more easily. I've gotten really good at giving her the liquid antibiotic; she's done with her other pills that were to stimulate her appetite.
Matilda continues to be a big sweetheart. Here are more pictures:

March 27th, midday

Asleep!

Awake.

Matilda is such a nice cat. It is strange to make her acquaintance at this stage, when she is just about to give birth, because in my mind, I cannot separate her identity from her pregnancy. I also have no idea about her background before she was handed over to me in a carrier just yesterday afternoon. I relish however long I have with her before her kittens are born, though, because eventually, once her kittens are old enough to strike it out on their own (and they will get adopted as soon as they are made available for adoption), Matilda will get spayed and get adopted separately into her own home. I don't know how much of her behavior can be attributed to her being pregnant, or even her upper respiratory infection, but she has been just lovely so far.
She sleeps a lot, obviously, but in different places, preferably in the same room as me, it seems. She is curious enough and when she is active, she just walks around the apartment sniffing things and seeing if she can fit into certain spaces, which she can't, and I don't let her anyway because I don't want her having her babies under the couch or something.
She lets me handle her without any complaint. I can rub her belly and she just purrs and purrs. The only time she struggles is when I try to give her the URI medication, which is antibiotics in liquid form. I think it probably tastes really bad, so I don't blame her, but it does get frustrating because she has to get her full dose. Also, when she eats, I mix her canned food with warm water to make it easier for her to lap up. She grunts because of her congestion and smacks her lips, so she sounds like a little piggy when she eats. Her congestion sounds a lot better already compared to yesterday, but she still sneezes a lot.
No sign of kittens yet! I have to go out this evening (C will be home, though) so I hope she doesn't have them while I'm away.

March 26th, afternoon

I went to check up on Romeo again today, probably for the last time because he is available for adoption. He won't last the weekend; he'll be adopted in no time at all, I am sure.
Even though I told myself I wouldn't take another foster for a while, I did get in touch with the people in charge of the foster program to make sure they had my info in case a pregnant cat needed a foster home -- and lo! I ended up taking home Matilda, a very pregnant cat with URI to boot.
She is very sweet and loves my bed, just as Romeo did, though she likes to readjust a lot (it can't be very comfortable being pregnant AND congested!). She has some medication I have to give her, but otherwise mama cat will probably be a very nice house guest. I won't know about the kittens until she has them, but I'm sure they will be a handful!

She is very pregnant!

Cone of Shame

Romeo got neutered. He should be up for adoption today or tomorrow, depending on his recovery and whether he's in the clear for the other health stuff. This is him yesterday with his "cone of shame".

Stay, Romeo!

Looking for validation?

Lick!

Happiest in someone's lap!

March 21st, afternoon

I returned the x-pen and crate to the A today, and found Romeo back in the office cubicle by himself. I guess he didn't get along with the other pups, or at least they decided it was better for him to be in the cubicle. It's Sunday so it was quiet, not many people walking by. He was happy to see me, and I picked him up to say hello for a little bit. Once I put him back in his pen, he started barking and I had to leave a way he couldn't see me. I hope his medical stuff gets taken care of soon. I know during the week he will get lots more love from staff and volunteers stopping to socialize with him.

March 20th, evening

I took Romeo back to the ASPCA today. He has to get a follow-up for his rat poison situation, get his last vaccination, and get neutered, then he will be up for adoption. I put him in his carrier bag and took him on the subway, then we walked about ten blocks in the beautiful spring weather. It is exciting to think that soon he'll be able to actually walk on the street or in the park in such nice weather -- I think he will enjoy is immensely.
I handed him over to the staff at the shelter, and since the medical staff were swamped and couldn't see him immediately, he was put in with three other puppies in the adoption area. They were black retriever mixes that were a little bigger than Romeo, and he looked kind of overwhelmed. I know he likes other dogs, so he is probably fine by now, but it was still sad to see him recognize me from inside the kennel, not understanding how he had gone from having his own apartment to sharing a pen with three other rambunctious puppies.
It is for the best, though, as I am sure he will go to a wonderful home and he will be pampered appropriately.

I returned home and had some stomach trouble. As a result, I didn't get to do the cleaning I had planned. It will take at least another day to get rid of evidence of Romeo's stay at the apartment. (Oh, and the ripped up carpet will take a little longer to repair.) It is definitely lonelier without him -- there are few things in life more awesome than a puppy bounding towards you when you call him.

I need some time to catch up on some things that have fallen to the wayside during this first fostering stint, but I do look forward to more opportunities in the future.

Romeo with Merengue

My friend Rachel once gave me a cat plush many years ago. I named it Merengue. Romeo loves Merengue, too!

Romeo with Monstah

Last year, my sister sent me a Monstah plush made by her friend. With Romeo, Monstah finally has a friend!

March 14th, afternoon

Romeo behaved very well yesterday since basically C and I both stayed home the whole day during the crazy rainstorm. He sleeps a lot during the morning, then gets rowdy in the evening, wanting to play with every toy and chew up every piece of paper he can find. He barks and gets excited if you leave and come back, even if it's only after a few minutes. When he gets riled up, he follows me around, running into my legs. He doesn't nip at my ankles, but he does try to bite my pant legs if I'm wearing any. We will have to work on those two things this week, the barking when I come back from outside, and the pant leg chasing.

March 13th, morning

Last night C and I went out for a couple of hours. Unlike last weekend, which went fine, Romeo managed to get out of his pen and ripped up the carpet by the bedroom door, I guess trying to burrow out. He seems fine, though the carpet is not. Luckily, for the remaining week he will be here, I can't foresee him being alone for more than an hour or so at a time, so he can be crated.
Otherwise, Romeo seems to be enjoying himself. He is eating well (Cesar and Kibble, and cheese and peanut butter as treats to give him his pills), playing well (he loves his toys!), and sleeping on the bed or under the couch.

March 11th, evening

Romeo is doing well. Here are some more photos:

March 10th, morning

Romeo is doing well. Yesterday, I stopped by the A to get more of the food he actually likes and to retrieve his doggy bed in the hopes he would bark less if he had a bed he liked. That was not the case. Apparently he also learned how to get out of the x-pen, so we have to crate him when we are both away, and have him out anytime else. He is getting very intrepid all around the apartment, and seems to feel at home. Today I can come home right after school, so we will take another nice walk outside.

March 8th, midday

Yesterday was a fun day for Romeo. We went outside on several "walks", including a long time on a park bench in the sunshine, complete with a Mr. Softee truck jingling from down the block. C's friend RJ also came by the house and Romeo was so excited! The boys played their acoustic guitars and Romeo lay down right between them to be serenaded. Although he did bark a lot as C and I left the house to go out to dinner, he was quiet throughout the night.
Romeo knows to go on the wee-wee pad I put down in his x-pen opposite his crate, but if I take him to the bathroom, he goes in there as well, which is quite convenient, since I can just stick a wad of toilet paper under him and then flush the whole thing down the toilet. Very easy.
This morning I gave him his vitamin K and some Pedigree, which he definitely does not like as much as the Cesar. He barked a lot while I was getting ready, so I had to wake up Cameron and let Romeo onto the bed with him to calm down. I can't wait to get back from work, walk him outside, and take a nap!

March 7th, morning

Romeo did great sleeping last night until C came home again around 3am. It's his birthday weekend, so he's been going out with some friends. Romeo woke up immediately and was UP again. He greeted C by licking him all over his face, including up his nose. He was rather persistent, and this lasted quite a while, Romeo romping around on our bed trying to lick C's face and C trying to reciprocate the affection without drowning in puppy tongue. Finally, I put Romeo back into his x-pen and played tug and fetch with him to get some energy out.When he had gotten tired and started lying down, I stopped playing with him and got ready to go back to sleep. He got back up and started barking intermittently, pacing around the pen and moving his toys back and forth. He went in and out of his crate, still barking. I was afraid he was getting too riled up and was going to hurt himself, so I waited until he was back in the crate, and then closed the door. He calmed down almost immediately and stayed quiet until morning.
I gave him some Pedigree, which he ate last night, but this time he didn't eat it all right away. I gave him his vitamin K with a little cheese and he ate it right up. Today I'm going to leave him alone in the house to go out with C (just for a little bit) so I plan to get him super tired before we leave.

March 6th, night

I had to leave the house for a couple of hours, and I'm sure there was barking but C said Romeo was ok. C had left already when I got home, so Romeo was by himself for a little bit. He started barking from the bedroom as soon as he heard me open the door. I fed him (he scarfed down more Cesar) and then took him for a "walk" outside. Although he is too young to walk on the ground, it is still a good idea to carry him around so he gets used to outside sounds like cars, bikes, sirens, and crazy people. I just walked around for a couple of minutes in the afternoon sun. There were a lot of kids playing in the school playground and the grassy area by the Parkway. Romeo was spooked by a skateboarder coming right at us down a hill, and he almost jumped out of my arms, but I was prepared for such a reaction and just held tight.
I had him on two leashes, one on his collar and one on his harness, just in case. It's shelter protocol, and extends to fosters. People on the street can't socialize with Romeo, and certainly no other dogs.
We got home and played a little, but then took a nap. It was dark when I woke up, and I was afraid it was really late but it was only 8pm. I fed him again and played with him a little. I am keeping him by my side now but he is tired and keeps falling asleep. I hope he sleeps through the night this time, but we'll see.

March 6th, morning

Last night, Romeo and I fell asleep early but we both woke up around 2a.m. for unknown reasons. Romeo was then UP. He pooped and peed on his wee-wee pad (good job!), but then he wanted me to play with him and was not having it in his x-pen by himself. He barks really loudly for a little dog! I didn't want to reward demand barking, so I turned off the lights and just ignored him. After a while, he stopped and lay down in his crate. Not ten minutes later, C came home from a night out with the boys and we had to start all over again. I don't think the neighbors appreciated it, but oh well.
We woke up at 7 and I gave him his pills with some peanut butter. He's supposedly a picky eater, but he must have been really hungry because he wolfed down the Cesar mixed with kibble I gave him. He still seemed hungry so I put some more food in a Kong but he is not interested so far.

Now he is romping around on the bed trying to interact with a sleeping C . I have to get some of that energy out quickly so he will leave me alone long enough to get some work done.

March 5th, evening

My first foster has arrived at my home. He is an adorable puppy named Romeo! So far, he seems wee-wee pad-trained, which is good news because he is too young to be walked outside. He likes to play but is exhausted right now from his trip from the shelter. He's supposedly shy with strangers but he did okay with four loud men who came to visit. He whined and barked a little when I wasn't giving him the attention he wanted, but now he is fast asleep on his back.
I have him for two weeks while he recovers from having eaten rat poison. There will be much learning and fun! Welcome to your temporary home, little buddy!

March 5th, early AM

I am exhausted but still too excited to sleep. Today I am scheduled to bring home my first foster animal. I have already set up an x-pen with some bogus paper in the bedroom in anticipation of the little guy. I am hoping that this will be the first of many foster experiences through the ASPCA, where I have been a volunteer for two and a half years.
There were many steps that came before I could get to this point: I had to arrange a living situation where I was allowed to bring pets into the apartment, have enough free time to devote to undersocialized animals, and take a slew of training classes. Then I had to wait for the right animal for my particular situation -- there are many reasons why a shelter animal may need a foster home, and some have needs that I cannot meet right now. My boyfriend also had to agree to my bringing a houseguest into our home, although he is not officially part of the foster program. He loves cats and dogs as much as I do, but is concerned he might get too attached to our visitors. I am so grateful that he is supporting me in this adventure. I feel on the verge of something wonderful.
Today is going to be a great day.