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.