Day 78
Well, here we are. Today is the day I have NOT been waiting for: 4 of our 11-week-old kittens are moving out. We will bring them to the Pet Smart Adoption Center at Oakville Place this morning and I am NOT looking forward to it.
I know it is time for these kittens and also for Mom. A bit longer and they will be getting onto each other’s nerves and Mitsy will get more adamant about not nursing them. They still do right now, less for the milk itself and mostly for comfort. But at this age, their teeth are fully developed and it might start to hurt her. It is also good for the expansion of their world, which has been pretty small up to now. Born in a safe crate shelter, expanded with a second crate, moving up from the basement to a spare bedroom, and finally living in that room without the crates. The next logical step is to introduce them to a new family and a new house. With a detour to the Pet Smart store, because… how else would they meet that new family?
I think I would feel very different, not so sad, if they would move to that new family today. I hope they will come soon. These 4 are wonderful kittens, very social and beautiful and they will bring lots of love, laughter and joy.
The twins will be staying here (two mini tabbies) and that will be a great source of comfort to both of us and hopefully also to Mitsy. We will continue to walk the socialisation path with them which means introducing them to our resident cat Suzi very slowly and if that goes well, giving them even more space on the upper level of the house. But for now, all I can think about is the upcoming goodbye.
To be continued….
Afternoon update
Everyone knows it is the hardest thing for a foster to pass on their charges. It is. We drove them over this morning and you can probably imagine the pain that came with that. All we can hope for is that their forever home will come soon and that in the meantime the volunteers of Ninth Life Cat Rescue Ontario take good care of them. There are other cats there for them to meet and lots of new people and experiences. However, my heart cringes when I think of their first night in a dark store. I hope it is true that cats live in this moment only and do not dwell on yesterday or tomorrow. May all of their todays be as happy as I want them to be.
Mitsy and the twins
In the meantime it is eerily quiet in the cat room. The only souls there now are Mitsy, Sipke and Stipke, a.k.a. the twins. Only 8 little feet to be heard running around and playing. It is quite the adjustment. I don’t know if I am projecting, but Mitsy seems to realise that something has changed. We hope it is for the good. I got a little glimmer of hope when she participated in play with Stipke and me. This is now possible because the 4 marauders no longer jump on it right away. But in my heart, I just want to drive over and pick them up and bring them back home. It would be a selfish thing to do, depriving these kittens from becoming full-rounded adult cats, that know how to deal with new situations, other cats and other people. So we won’t. Just sit in the grief as it comes and goes and trust that tomorrow we will all feel better. In the meantime I am praying for our guys to be well over there in Oakville, and find their new home soon.
Missing our little ‘fillies’….
