How to Be a Foster Failure

Molly explains it all.

Maybe you'll come into a house as a mama cat with kittens. You'll be scared and too shy to interact with people.

Your strategy should be to hide, whenever possible. Be camera shy. When people come to pet the kittens, flee. Almost no one will know the kittens even HAVE a mother.

Where's Molly?

 People will try to pet you. Don't allow this behavior. Run away. Hide. At some point they will take you to the vet. This is horrible. When you get back, burrow deep into the walls, behind the insulation, where no one can find you. The humans will be worried. Let them worry. They deserve it.

Eventually, come out from behind the walls. There is food here. There is a big, handsome orange cat here. Maybe you can find a place here. Sometimes there is butter. Maybe being a house cat is not so bad. Eventually, the humans will realize that you are here to stay.

Molly + Ian, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.

Or maybe you'll be an outdoor cat, roaming the neighborhood, getting belly rubs and food wherever you can. A "six-dinner Sid."

Those indoor cats will look at you from behind the door and hiss. Those pampered indoor cats. Who needs them?

Keep coming around. Soon you'll be a fixture at dinnertime. Then it will start getting cold. Sometimes the humans will leave the garage door open for you. Then there will be a box with a bed in it. Not bad, you think. Not bad at all.

I own this chair.

Then it will get colder. There will be a room inside with an open window, and a soft chair, and a warm blanket. A safe place to sleep. And that's where you'll stay.

Just for a while, the humans say. Until you find a forever home.

But you know better. You know that eventually the other cats will stop hissing at you. That they'll start to realize you're part of the family. And you will notice that the humans have stopped calling you a "foster cat." Now they call you a "foster failure."

But you know there's no success like failure. You know you are a most successful cat.

I am Clark Gable, and yes, I AM fabulous.

Clark Gable, Feline Star

Meet our newest foster cat, Clark Gable. This dapper, tuxedo-wearing fellow sports half a 'stache and has a sweet and mellow personality--a true gentleman.

Mmmraow! 

Clark Gable, as we've named this elegant boy, was often seen around the neighborhood. We checked with different neighbors, and it seems he was visiting various houses for food (like the cat in the children's book Six-Dinner Sid), but he had no home. Although he was living outside for as long as a year, Clark's gentle personality made us think he'd lived with people at some point.

 This summer, while we were fostering kittens, Clark often came to the front door for dinner. As the weather got crisper, we started feeding him inside the garage, and set up a cardboard box with a blanket in it. He soon adopted this as his bed.

Clark at the vet, making himself at home.

Around Thanksgiving, when the weather got colder, Clark started coming inside for little visits. He was initially timid about being in enclosed spaces, but once he knew he could get out if he wanted to, he relaxed. He decided having a soft bed and a warm place to sleep was a good thing. And now, he's very content to be a well-fed, much-admired indoor kitty.

Clark went to the vet, where he was a model patient. He is FIV and FeLV negative, has all his shots (he's going back for a booster soon), is neutered, and seems to be about three years old. He is super-friendly with people and he's not at all aggressive with other cats. So far, our cats haven't been very friendly toward him, but we're still hoping to integrate them if we can't find him another home.

If you're interested in adopting Clark Gable, send an email to mirishouse (at) gmail.com.

A star of the silver screen!

The CATcher in the Rye

So a few things happened in Kittyland this week ...

Sweet, playful Nimbus, the kitten who was rescued from outside, went to his forever home with some wonderful friends who are also great cat people. We will miss him, but we know he will be happy and loved in his new home, and he'll even have a kitty near his own age who will match his energy level and play with him to his heart's content. Happy tails, Nimbus!

Nimbus surveying his new kingdom

In other ways, it was a tough week. Ian, our resident "ambassador cat," who's usually the first cat to help socialize the foster kittens, developed an abscess, perhaps from a scratch from roughhousing with Nimbus or another cat. One more vet visit we can't afford. :-(  Ian is on antibiotics now, and we're hoping he's back to his usual happy and healthy self soon.

Feel better, Ian!

The kittens enjoyed a few visits from admirers and adopters, and it looks like Mama Opal and Galena will be going home together! We love it when that happens.

Sleepy Jasper

Meanwhile, Jasper and Onyx have also been spoken for, and their adopters are planning to each take another kitten, so we may have only one kitten left for adoption!

What about me, and my cute little bean toes?

But that won't be until mid-September. In the meantime, they still have lots of growing up to do. We just introduced a mini litter box (actually, a cardboard cat food box) for them to try out. At last look, it seemed to have been used, so they're learning! Next we'll try to get them interested in solid food. Right now, Mama is still nursing six kittens, which means she's eating as many as 7-8 cans of cat food per day, plus dry food. In fact, we were getting worried because we were almost out of food (and funds), when an Amazon package of Fancy Feast came in from an anonymous donor.

A box! YAY!

The kittens are too young to enjoy the food, but they definitely loved the box it came in! And we always appreciate donations, either through our Amazon wish list, PayPal, or our GoFundMe page.

So, this morning I went in to the kitten room to feed Mama and check on the kitties. I found Jasper and Onyx playing together in the kitten drawer, while the other four kitties had climbed out and were sleeping in the cat bed. After Mama ate, I brought them up on the bed to play with their new box and other toys, and soon enough they gathered around Opal to nurse. She lay right at the edge of the bed, so I curled my arm around her back to keep her from falling off, and there I sat, holding Opal, watching the kittens nursing and kneading, hearing them purr, hearing Mama purr, and she looked at me and gave a slow blink of contentment and trust, as if to say, "I know you won't let me fall. I know you'll take care of me and my babies, no matter what."

And suddenly it occurred to me: I'm the catcher in the rye. I can't end all war, stop discrimination everywhere, end world hunger. But I can do what I can, in a small way, in my own small corner of the world, to keep a few little lives from falling off the edge. A catcher in the rye, for cats.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Six Kits!

Mama Opal's six kittens are one week old today, and they're busy growing up and growing strong.  They really are an adorable bunch, each with unique coloring. And just in time for their birthday, we received some wonderful surprise packages from Amazon.

From Suzanne Fortier: a case of canned cat food, a bag of kitten food, AND a soft cat bed! Thank you, Suzanne!

And from Cheryl Hablanian, a kitten-sized scale, which we used immediately to check everyone's weight. Thank you, Cheryl!

Now that the kittens are starting to toddle around, open their eyes, and develop their own personalities, we think it's about time they had names of their own. In keeping with Opal's lovely and old-fashioned name, we're giving the kittens gemstone and mineral names.

So here  are their names and vital statistics:

Jasper--dark orange--8.1 oz.

Mama keeping a careful eye on Jasper, who's fleeing the scale

Sandstone--light orange/buff--8.4 oz.

Curious Sandstone--eyes open and ready to explore!

Sunstone--light orange/buff and white--7.6 oz

What a cute little Creamsicle!

Onyx--black with white markings--8.5oz

Look at those eyes!

Mica--grey and white--7.8 oz

Those little pink feet!

Galena--dilute calico--6.9 oz

So sweet and so petite!

Mama was a little worried that we took the kittens out of their under-the-bed drawer to weigh them, but once we had everyone back safe and sound, she took a play break.

Thanks again to everyone who has helped us care for this beautiful little family.

Six Plus One!

Mama Opal had her kittens. Seven of them. That's a big litter for a little mama!

Sadly, one of the kittens--who we named Star--was stillborn. Goodbye, Little Star. You were loved, however briefly, and will be remembered.

Mama and the other six kittens seem to be doing well. They're quite the multicolored bunch: black with white accents, dilute calico, light ginger, dark ginger, grey-and-white, and ginger-and-white.

Oh, and adorable--needless to say.

Meanwhile, outdoor rescue Nimbus is getting more and more social every day. When he's not zooming around a room, chasing the grownup cats, he likes to cuddle and purr.

So: six baby kittens, one crazy toddler kitten, one mama cat, and three very patient resident cats. It's a 44-paw household!

Thanks to all our wonderful donors for your support. We could never do it without you!

Kitten Season!

It's summer, and that means KITTENS EVERYWHERE! Including at Miri's House. Because, even though we were trying to take a break from fostering to give our older kitties a little rest, sometimes homeless cats find a way.

Like this little kitten who was born outside, and whose feral mama just gave birth to yet another litter of kittens.

Nimbus, age 12 weeks, learning to love a safe indoor life.

And this pregnant mama who turned up on somebody's doorstep, as hungry for attention as she was for food.

Opal, a sweet and very pregnant kitty.

Right now, we've got a full house--with more to come, because Mama Opal, the beautiful calico, is due to give birth any day now.

We named the gray and white kitten Nimbus, thanks to a suggestion from one of our adopters, and named his mother Stormcloud. When he first came into rescue, he hid and hissed at anyone who got near him. He wasn't sure about being picked up and cuddled at first, but now he immediately starts up his little purr motorboat when you hold him.

Stormcloud (L) and Nimbus (R), in their outdoor days.

And we've just learned that he has more siblings his own age. We are concerned about them, and about Nimbus's mother, Stormcloud, and her new litter of kittens who remain hidden somewhere outside. Our neighbor has been feeding the outdoor kitties, and was able to capture Stormcloud--but she managed to rip her way through a window screen and escaped outside.

Then there's a sleek, dark-gray cat who we think is the father of all these litters. He keeps turning up on porches, looking for a home.

The number of cats who need help can feel overwhelming. We can't rescue them all, but we hope to find some help to rescue all the kittens, find them homes, and, if we can't find homes for the older outside kitties, at least get them fixed.

Nimbus has had his first set of shots and is due to be fixed in a few weeks. Mama Opal and her kittens will also need medical attention soon.

Can you help? Here is our wish list:
--Funds for veterinary care and spay/neuter for all current fosters and strays (click our "Feed the Kitties" PayPal link)
--Foster caregivers for the outdoor kitties (all you need is love--and a spare room)
--Kitten food and cat litter (we have an Amazon Wish List for those wishing to donate that way)
--Pet-proof window screens, and someone to install them, to keep foster kitties safe

If you can help with any of these, please donate through our PayPal link on this blog's main page or email mirishouse(at)gmail.com.

Thank mew!

Mama Stormcloud--still outside; desperately seeking foster home for her and her kittens.

Ian, the Ambassador Cat

When foster kittens get past the baby age, it's important for them to meet other cats so they learn social skills. At Miri's House, we have three resident cats--Duncan, Ian, and Molly--who help kittens in training extend their social circle beyond Mom.

Duncan doesn't usually mind the little visitors, as long as they don't go near his food.

Molly can take them or leave them, but generally prefers to leave them. (Molly, by the way, is a foster failure.)

But Ian--Ian is the Ambassador Cat.

Former foster kitty Luna with Ian

He's always the first to greet kittens with a friendly nose-bump, and he doesn't mind if they take a curious sniff of him, or even his food dish.

Thanks, Ian! You are patient, mellow, and friendly, the perfect feline role model.

A Little Visit with the Kits

The girls at play. 

Ember and Moondust, winding down. 

Moondust and Ember entertained a few young visitors yesterday and enjoyed their play session. They followed all the jumping, chasing, running action with a nice Sunday afternoon nap.

Moondust, taking five. 

It looks like Moondust may be getting adopted soon, and that this may be the week for both the girls to get fixed. We will be calling the vet to make arrangements. In the meantime, we're enjoying their cute, playful personalities as well as the gentler moments when they curl up for some well-deserved sleep. Here's a wish that all of you--Mama Emily, Ember, and Moondust--find the best homes ever! 

Mama and her lovely tortie girl enjoying the lamplight. 

A Little Family That Needs a Home for the Holidays

Now that Shadow has a forever home, we'd like to see Mama Emily, Ember, and Moondust find homes too--maybe even together.

Ember is an adorable female tortie kitten with a sweet personality. She is three months old, has had her first and second set of shots, and is FIV/FeLV negative. She's ready to snuggle her way into your heart!

Moondust is a beautiful and playful three-month-old white kitten with calico markings. She has unusual bi-colored eyes (hazel and blue) and a fun-loving personality. Like her sister, she is up to date on her shots, has tested negative for FIV and FeLV, and is ready for a home of her own! Moondust and her sister, Ember, get along well with kids, adults, and other cats.

Mama Emily is a petite (only 7 1/2 pounds), lovely all-black cat who was found living on her own. We think she is about a year old. She is an excellent mom to her kittens and an elegant, sweet, and clean little lady who would love a gentle, affectionate home. Emily has shown aggression with other cats, so we recommend that she go to a home where she can be the only resident feline (unless she is adopted with one of her kittens). Emily is spayed, FIV/FeLV negative and up to date on her shots. She'd love to keep you company!

If you are interested in adopting one, two, or all three of these cute cats and kittens, please email mirishouse (at) gmail.com or send a message to us on our Facebook page.

The Whole Furry Family!

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Clockwise from top: Ember, Emily, Shadow, and Moondust.

The Three Little Kittens

Ember, Shadow, and Moondust were some of the tiniest kittens we've ever seen ... and now, approaching their two-month birthday, they're still pretty tiny.

Left to right: Shadow, Ember, and Moondust

They are still not so sure about solid food, though they're happy to lap up KMR (kitten milk replacement formula) and have started sampling a mixture of that and wet food. They're learning to use the litter box, but they still have accidents sometimes, like any toddlers. In short, they look and act more like 5-week-old kittens than almost 8-week-olds.

But Mama Emily, herself, is a tiny cat, and probably not more than seven months old. She was living in an abandoned house when she was rescued, so she probably didn't get the greatest nutrition during most of her pregnancy. We think the kittens were premature--so, like all preemies, they may not hit the developmental marks on the same timetable as others their age.

A box of Moondust!

 But the good news is, they're healthy, active, and playful as all get-out. It may take them a little longer to start looking and behaving like big cats, but what's wrong with that? We get to enjoy their kittenhood a little bit longer--and it's hard to find anything cuter than little kittens.

A catnap for Ember

She Likes It! Hey, Moondust!

Ember (on scratcher ramp), Moondust (in scratcher ramp), and Shadow (on track). 

Okay, a kitten taking her first taste of non-Mom food may not seem like a huge deal, but since we've been worrying for weeks about the kittens not wanting to eat, it's a pretty big deal around here.


The kittens are six weeks old, and still not weaned. Most other litters we've fostered have shown interest in food by around four weeks.

"What's this stuff?"

Of course, all kittens develop at different rates, and our current crew--Shadow, Ember, and Moondust--were smaller than usual at birth, with a very young mama cat. We even think they might have been slightly premature. One kitten in the litter, little Dusk, only lived one day.


But they are growing well, and they are beyond any doubt active, playful, and healthy. Still, we couldn't help worrying: were these kittens ever going to eat?

"She likes it! Hey, Moondust!" 

Today, Moondust, the smallest of the three, took the plunge. She came out from her new favorite hidey-hole in the scratching ramp to investigate a dish of KMR (Kitten Milk Replacement)--and she decided it was worth a taste. Once she got started, she licked up nearly the whole dish!

We're hoping her litter-mates follow suit. And we're pretty sure Mama hopes so, too!

Official Kitties!

Cute little tortie Ember

Great news! Miri's House Cat & Kitten Rescue, Inc., is now an official nonprofit corporation in Massachusetts. Thanks to everyone who supported our GoFundMe drive so we could file for nonprofit status, and a special shout-out of thanks to Lori Bradley of iAnimal Southcoast Pet Rescue, Inc., whose work for animal welfare is a huge inspiration.

We've been really fortunate this year to receive donations of kitten food, a cat carrier, and several scratching posts and toys. High on our wish list: some cat trees to create more vertical space for both our fosters and our resident cats and a screened porch to give the kitties a chance to get some fresh air in a safe enclosure. We're hoping that someone will offer to donate materials and labor to help us build one.

Sweet tortie Shadow

In the meantime, our current crop of kittens are growing up and will soon be ready for their first set of shots. They will be meeting some potential adopters this weekend, and should be ready to go to their new homes after their second set of shots in October. Mama will need to be spayed, and we hope that we can find her a great home as well. She has done a wonderful job raising her girls.

It's amazing how quickly these little kittens grow up--and how cute they are in the process!

Kitty photobomb: white calico Moondust with a guest appearance by Ember! 

Learning to Play

Happy birthday, kittens! They are one month old and learning to play. 

They're starting to understand what toys are for--but they know a sibling is just as fun.

Kittens are rolling, wrestling, and chasing. 

And then stopping to pose adorably, just because they can. 

Ember

Shadow

Moondust

You can sponsor one of our kittens or Mama Cat! Your donation of $15 will feed this little family for a week. Additional donations will help with litter, toys, and the first shots they will need very soon. Thanks for following and for helping our rescue!