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| Hello, World! |
It's September. That time of year when the temperature turns from hot and humid to cooler and crisper (soon, we hope!) and when those cute "first day of school" pictures start showing up all over social media. It's the start of something exciting and new--but also, for parents, a little bittersweet, as they watch their babies pass each new milestone on the way to growing up.
It's like that with each new litter of foster kittens. Somehow, seeing them start out as tiny, helpless fuzzballs, it's always hard to believe they will ever grow up to be fully grown, independent cats, but it happens every time.
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| Put your paws in the air! |
We can see it happening now, with Opal's kittens. They're still clearly kittens, and ridiculously adorable kittens at that, but they're starting to look less like babies and more like little cats. They've lost that wobbly, tentative walk. Now they're racing wildly around the room, leaping fearlessly from the backs of chairs to the floor, and scaling cardboard boxes with ease. Even the most reluctant holdouts, our mama's boys Onyx and Jasper, now come running for cat food instead of demanding mom-serve. They're mastering the litter box, too.
There are other signs. They no longer sleep in one big kitten pile. Now we find them here and there, paired off or sleeping solo. They no longer cry when you pick them up, and some of them are even considering future careers as lap cats.
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| Sunstone, just chillin'. |
Today, Opal and her kittens were separated for several hours as the kittens went for their first vet visit. (All six are healthy and thriving!) They all handled the separation well, and the kittens took their first car ride without crying. Instead, they just seemed curious--waiting for the next step, when they join their new families and take their first look at a new, wider world.
The good news is: all the kittens AND Mama Opal have already found great homes. :-)
And the bad news is: that means they'll be leaving soon. :-(
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| Dinner, family style. |
During the kittens' last few weeks, we are still in need of donations. In addition to their vet exam and immunizations, which were nearly $300, there are the regular weekly expenses of food, litter, and other supplies, which are growing with the kittens. If you can, please consider making a donation of any amount or sending a gift from our Amazon wish list. Thanks from Opal, Onyx, Jasper, Sandstone, Sunstone, Mica, and Galena!
You can also go to PayPal and send a donation of any amount to mirishouse@gmail.com. If you'd prefer to mail a check, please email us for our address.
