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Once again I was eager to have foster kittens in my daily life. Every winter is torture while I wait for "kitten season" to start. I am that addicted to these cute little helpless babies that have to be fed with a tiny bottle. You have to admit, whether you like cats or not, that a baby kitten is adorable.
Duffy was only 3 days old when I picked him up. Even though he was found alone and turned in to the Humane Society, he looked exceptionally healthy. His eyes were still closed, and he still had a section of umbilical cord attached. Like I said, very tiny.
Starting out as the perfect foster kitten, he slept all night the very first night. Now, I am pretty good at getting tiny kittens to sleep all night, but you don't normally expect it at that age. Duffy liked to eat, purred whenever I held him, and was as cute as can be. He was also pretty photogenic. Rather than squirming and moving around, he liked to stare at me while I took photos. I wonder what he was thinking?
Duffy was only 3 days old when I picked him up. Even though he was found alone and turned in to the Humane Society, he looked exceptionally healthy. His eyes were still closed, and he still had a section of umbilical cord attached. Like I said, very tiny.
Starting out as the perfect foster kitten, he slept all night the very first night. Now, I am pretty good at getting tiny kittens to sleep all night, but you don't normally expect it at that age. Duffy liked to eat, purred whenever I held him, and was as cute as can be. He was also pretty photogenic. Rather than squirming and moving around, he liked to stare at me while I took photos. I wonder what he was thinking?
Duffy at less than a week old. His eyes are still closed, and he tended to fall asleep when eating. Awww.
Moms are also good for practicing climbing, so eating time usually turned into climbing time.
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Here Duffy is showing off how good he is at drinking from a bottle! The bottle only holds about 4 tablespoons of kitten formula but gets the job done.
Another playtime favorite was watching me while I worked. I have no idea why he is staring at me.
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So, Duffy got to go with me everywhere. He went with me to work, meetings, restaurants, shopping, and family outings. I own this great cat carrier designed for airline travel, and so no one realizes I have a kitten with me. As you can imagine, if I ever do tell people about the kitten, there was usually a very noisy exchange of kitten and people love.
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Of all the things that Duffy had to learn, walking steady was probably the most entertaining. The video shows how adventuresome he wants to be, but he needs to get older to do things well. It reminds me a lot of a toddler who wants to play with the big kids and can't quite pull it off.
Safety is always number one, and you will see in the video we had our hands full with Duffy. You will notice he peeks over the edge and stays safe. Good Duffy! |
I have a large kitten playpen with lots of fun things to
do. As Duffy got older, he found baskets fun to climb
up. Good practice too.
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How sweet Duffy looks here (not!). He is actually climbing up the side of the kitten playpen with the hope of getting out. Cute photo opportunity.
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I am happy to report that at 8 weeks old, Duffy reached the goal weight of 2 pounds. He had his neuter surgery and was adopted the next day. Loved this little guy, but I know he is an exceptional kitten and his new family will love him. Happy trails Duffy!
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No kitten foster is complete without a family photo just before turning him in to be adopted. A bittersweet day. Here we are daringly outside just long enough for a photo in front of my favorite roses "4th of July." Beautiful roses, and since my birthday is on July 5th, perfect for me. Oh yes, of course I thought the holiday was for me when I was a kid! |
COMMENTS:
Libby says:
Bless you Ann! We went to Alisal together....and I also live in Northern California (Mendocino County). I love cats, and have 11 at the moment. Never saw a kitten I could turn away. And I usually end up keeping the ones that I find or that find me! All my cats are spayed, most are indoor/outdoor with a cat door they use to sleep in my master bathroom. Never can take a pee in private you know!
Bless you Ann! We went to Alisal together....and I also live in Northern California (Mendocino County). I love cats, and have 11 at the moment. Never saw a kitten I could turn away. And I usually end up keeping the ones that I find or that find me! All my cats are spayed, most are indoor/outdoor with a cat door they use to sleep in my master bathroom. Never can take a pee in private you know!
AnimalCoin-Ann Nolen says
Libby, I love hearing about people who care enough to bring in animals that need a home. That is a lot of love in your house! I totally relate to the privacy in the bathroom issue...often I have my cats and dogs sitting there staring at me like they have nothing better to do. I sure wonder what they are thinking!
Libby, I love hearing about people who care enough to bring in animals that need a home. That is a lot of love in your house! I totally relate to the privacy in the bathroom issue...often I have my cats and dogs sitting there staring at me like they have nothing better to do. I sure wonder what they are thinking!
