Do you weigh them every day? What growing landmarks do you recognize: weight? Ability to play & mix in with the rest? What do you monitor? They look like they are thriving!
I weigh them every day when I first get them or if I worry that they’re not gaining as they should. Once they have been consistently gaining weight every day for a couple of weeks, I weigh them less often (right now it’s every 2 or 3 days.) I mostly keep an eye on how they’re acting, if they’re playing, if they’re eating. If a kitten doesn’t run for the food plate when I bring it in first thing in the morning BUT they’re playing as usual then I don’t worry. If they don’t eat and also seem quiet or sleepy or something else is going on, they get their name written down on my daily watch list. (Wednesday’s watch list: Constance with goopy eyes and Aramis with one squinty eye. A round of ointment in their eyes fixed them and they were fine yesterday morning. There were no names on yesterday’s watch list, which is true more often than not lately.) I also note what’s going on in the litter box (13 year old Robyn would NOT HAVE BELIEVED the amount of time 52 year old Robyn spends looking at and discussing poop) and if things aren’t as they should be, I keep an eye on it (and the kittens.) This group is very healthy, though they’re all smaller than kittens this age generally are and aren’t gaining quite as fast as I’m accustomed to – but it’s entirely possible that they’re just small. None of them are bony, their spines aren’t prominent, and they all eat and drink very well and have a ton of energy. They may suddenly go through growth spurts or they may just take their time to gain weight, we’ll wait and see.
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What is the Rescue spray you use? I’m familiar with Rescue Remedy but don’t think of it as a cleaning solution. Thanks.
This stuff – Amazon link for reference though it’s out of stock at Amazon – it looks like it’s available at Revival. I buy the gallon of concentrate, and it lasts a good long time (last time I bought it was 2 years ago and the container is about half full still.)
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Princess Constance.
Lookin’ kinda guilty there, Porthos.
Athos the space cadet.
“Shhhhh.”
Sleepy Rochefort.
I guess this is one way to get all 8 in one picture. Winter at the water bowl, almost everyone else at the plate, and Rochefort trying to decide whether the plate or the bowl of kibble looks better.
Planchet and Aramis have a snuggle.
Did I mention that this is Winter’s favorite place to snooze?
I’ve been calling this “The Mouse Cave,” but as it turns out that’s a fish dangling from the mouth of the cave, not a mouse. Sometimes I am less than observant. Athos is all “And you called ME a space cadet, lady.”
D’Artagnan can’t get over how CUTE he is. That makes two of us!
If I have one complaint about the foster room it’s that the washer and dryer are right there in the room (behind folding doors.) It’s convenient when kittens are tiny and I have 7 million loads of laundry every day, but when they get older and are big enough to leap into the dryer, it’s a pain. Every load of laundry goes like: open the folding doors, unload the dryer, put wet laundry in dryer, count kittens. Put load of laundry in the washer, close the top, count kittens. Close the folding doors, count kittens. Count kittens one more time, just to be safe. Haven’t washed or dried a kitten yet (at least not in the washer and dryer), so it’s working!
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Sunny yoga with Alice Mo.
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Previously
2019: At this point, the kittens are all OVER the room.
2018: “She tried to give me a BATH, but I was all POW-POW-POW YOU AIN’T GONNA BATHE ME, LADY!”
2017: “Um, lady, where are my earses?”
2016: I love the way Privet is looking at Hemlock like “Dude. Seriously. Have some dignity.”
2015: These kittens, so stressed.
2014: Chomping on one of the spring toys they love to carry around.
2013: Even mostly asleep, Scorch has something to contribute to the conversation.
2012: However, lest you think that he is simply an athlete, he would like you to know that he is also a scholar.
2011: No entry.
2010: No entry.
2009: Sam and his Paw of I’m the Boss.
2008: Kara & babies.
2007: ::licka::licka::licka::
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Happy Friday!!!! Long time follower, sometimes commenter – – but today!!! Today, I have to say…. “52 year old Robyn….” We are the same age! After following L&H for so long, and ‘getting’ your (and Fred’s) references / humor / etc., I kinda figured we were around the same age…. but the exact same age?!?! Sorry, maybe it’s quarantine, maybe it’s because L&H started my fascination w/internet cats .. it is from L&H that I found CuteOverload (gosh I miss them!) and your long ago blog there was a mention of a guy in Washington State livestreaming his foster kittens, then a follower of his in Canada set up a livestream of her tinykitten fosters (see what I did there?!?) and Tails from the Foster Kittens… on and on. Sorry, Robyn, how’s it feel to be famous and have a fan geek out for you? Hope this comes across as genuine as I mean – and not creepy or onerous. PS: Each litter gets cuter and cuter!!! Coffee, L&H, start the day…. repeat
Gotta agree! my routine; clock in, growl at the boss’s emails, pause to read L&H and wait for it’s calming effect. (haven’t gotten fired yet for snotty email response to mgmt so I have L&H to thank for a regular paycheck!)
I do not find it creepy at all! 🙂 (Also I’m glad I’m the one responsible for introducing a whole world of fostering blogs and livestreams to you!!)
Of all the litters I have seen you care for, I have never wanted to snuggle a kitten more than Rochefort. So adorable!
I can just imagine the PITA you have with the dryer in that location. My Siamese is bad enough, can’t imagine that times kittens
Counting and discussing poop- I am rolling with laughter and my kitties are staring at me like I ma loco. The Aramis/Athos cuddle makes me want to join them
Since I kind of doubt that the kitten room was designed to be a kitten room, do you have any idea why the washer and dryer are there? If the room were a bedroom or office, that seems odd.
Also, both my furnace closet and w/d closet (which are next to each other in my hallway) have folding doors and Allie Cat opens them with great dexterity! She’s too big to get between or behind the washer or dryer, but I worry more about her getting behind the furnace or hot water heater!
I think it was meant to be a rec room kind of room – when we first saw the house, this room was set up as half office (the desk side) and half TV room (the built-in cabinet side), so maybe they didn’t have anywhere else to put the washer and dryer. I would expect, though, in a house this size, for there to be a separate laundry room. When we first turned that room into a kitten room, I did think to block off the spaces on either side (and between) the washer and dryer with cardboard, so at least the kittens can’t get BEHIND the washer and dryer. Just the thought stresses me out!
Yeah, when Malcolm was a baby he used to love climbing into the still warm dryer. I was more worried about closing him inside though…
May I ask you why there’s no banner with the lovely unforgettable Sheriff Mama. Thanks for your wonderful blog. Love from Italy
There are a lot of fosters I’ve never made banners for (and except for one of Sugarbutt, I don’t think any of the banners feature permanent residents, though I could be wrong.)