Cat fostering

historyisjunk · February 2023

From what I know about them he doesn't look that much like a Maine Coon, but who knows.
He is exceptionally nice.

WezV · February 2023

Yeah, from the first pics we saw we also doubted it.

Then we met him and it became more obvious.

We do have a full Maine Coon here too. Tate is definitely not 100%, but has a lot of the features and behaviours you would expect.

The only thing he doesn't have is the ear and face shape. At the moment he looks like a small cats head on a big cats body, but even our full Maine Coon went through some awkward looking growth phases.

WezV · May 2023

We lost one of our resident cats last week, D'Arcy. Only 18 months old but she came to us as a PDSA special, after suffering badly from cat flu and being unable to find a home.

She had some massive operations last year to rebuild her ears and sinuses to fix a lot of the cat flu damage, and recovered really well, albeit immunosuppression. My wife's job in a vet referral center came in handy here.

We were just saying how well she was doing, then came home from honeymoon to a very poorly cat. She has picked up pneumonia, lost almost all lung function and had no immune system left to fight it.

The vets tried some strong antibiotics but she didn't make it, but we like to think we gave her the best chance.

So after that we decided not to foster for a while.

That did not go to plan though as this Maine Coon cross (another one!!) and her 3 day old kittens have just arrived.

Kittyfrisk · May 2023

So sad about D'Arcy, but you gave her the best chance you could.
What is it with Maine Coons & crosses where you live? Seems to be a disproportionate amount of them near to you.
Beautiful creatures & I don't know how you can bear to part with them, no matter how impossible it might be to keep them all.

LastMantra · May 2023

DefaultM said:

I got 2 kittens from my neighbour because their cat had a litter and my wife said that if we didn't she was convinced she'd drown them.
She didn't have anything done to the cat after this, it had another litter, but I said we couldn't have any more cats and not to worry as there's no way she'd kill them. Unfortunately I was wrong. Shortly after all the kittens plus the mum cat had gone and she said "Oh yeah, I dunno, they just all died suddenly". Sick bitch.

Unfortunately that's what happens. Can't foster all of them.

CHRISB50 · May 2023

Sorry to hear about D’Arcy.

The new fosters are stunning.

Like @Kittyfrisk said, I don’t think I could part with them.

Our 2 came from a foster mum and I felt awful when she left them with us. She was in bits.

You’re doing a great thing. Really admirable.

WezV · May 2023

Well the black cat (Tate) came from someone who was sold it as a full maine coon. They also said he was overly friendly. He clearly isn't the size of a proper maine coon and doesn't yet have the face, but has the fur, build, temperament and voice* of one.

The girl above (Suzi) was abandoned by someone who moved house, along with her mother who looked more like a full maine coon. Both cats were heavily pregnant at the time. Suzi isn't even a year old, just had 4 kittens. Her mother gave birth to 7 more last night. Hard to tell how much MC is in Suzi as she is still a kitten herself.... she could get big, and has all the features.

*They have pathetic broken meows, and tend to chirp a lot.

WezV · May 2023

The not so fun side of pet ownership this weekend.

Suzi got a bit stressed and developed explosive diarrhoea. At one point she left her crate. Stretched herself out, farted loudly in the process, unfortunately following through on all the kittens behind her.

But we got a massive dog crate, lots of feliway and pet remedy on the blankets and moved her to a gastrointestinal diet.

Now back on track and much happier.

Emp_Fab · May 2023

Is it similar to fostering a dog?

PhilKing · May 2023

Sorry to hear about D'Arcy Wez. All your cats were great when I was there last year and it is sad when you know they have fought through problems and they fall sick again. It's a fantastic thing that you are doing with the cat fostering. Can't wait to see what you have next time I'm there!

WezV · May 2023

PhilKing said:

Sorry to hear about D'Arcy Wez. All your cats were great when I was there last year and it is sad when you know they have fought through problems and they fall sick again. It's a fantastic thing that you are doing with the cat fostering. Can't wait to see what you have next time I'm there!

you will have to let me know when you are back over. The hollowbody is sounding really nice.

PhilKing · May 2023

Should be late September.

Congratulations on the wedding btw.

Do you think there is any chance of the 9-string being ready by then? Can't wait to try the hollowbody and see how the pickups work in it.

WezV · May 2023

I still have some doubts about the stability of the 9 string and think i need to do some serious work on the neck join to solve it. It's been strung for a while and I keep thinking it's resolved, but then the action creeps up again... i have a couple of bigger fixes to try before I give in though

WezV · July 2023

Those kittens are now ready for adoption

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid03663xTa7U9zA3MdkM8sdT6dmrvcjoLkRnFHiCoNpm543QsRbq64C9hUoo48ph11wjl&id=100068121603357&sfnsn=scwspmo

WezV · July 2023

Those 4 went, last 2 today. Mum is still with us a few more weeks before she goes off to live as a pub cat.... once neutered!!

6 more turned up today. These need hand rearing. 8 of them were found in a box, sat in a puddle down a country lane. 2 didn't make it.

3 black, 3 black and white... so these may be with us longer as these colours are notoriously difficult to rehome

CarbonCopy · August 2023

Nice to see a fellow cat fosterer on here! We had 3 kittens which were adopted yesterday. The next lot are arriving this weekend.

WezV · August 2023

They are cute.

Seems it's a busy year. This is the first time doing proper hand rearing for us. So I'm currently exhausted!!!

Benm39 · August 2023

You're my absolute hero for your cat fostering. Rekindles my faith in there being good in this world.

CHRISB50 · August 2023

Benm39 said:

You're my absolute hero for your cat fostering. Rekindles my faith in there being good in this world.

Likewise.

It's a great thing you're doing @WezV and @CarbonCopy ;

Reverend · August 2023

WezV said:

Those 4 went, last 2 today. Mum is still with us a few more weeks before she goes off to live as a pub cat.... once neutered!!

6 more turned up today. These need hand rearing. 8 of them were found in a box, sat in a puddle down a country lane. 2 didn't make it.

3 black, 3 black and white... so these may be with us longer as these colours are notoriously difficult to rehome

I'd love a couple of black cats. or black and white. or just cats in general.

WezV · August 2023

these black and whites have had no interest
https://www.harleyshounds.org/get-involved/animals/richie-and-eddie/
https://www.harleyshounds.org/get-involved/animals/wayne-and-garth/

the last pair we had were paired with a tabby each to increase the chances of them finding a home

Philly_Q · August 2023

WezV said:

these black and whites have had no interest
https://www.harleyshounds.org/get-involved/animals/richie-and-eddie/
https://www.harleyshounds.org/get-involved/animals/wayne-and-garth/

the last pair we had were paired with a tabby each to increase the chances of them finding a home

Goddammit I wish I hadn't looked at that website!

CHRISB50 · August 2023

If I lived closer, I’d take some off you in a heartbeat.

We’re looking at adopting at the moment. We’ve already got 1 new kitten (black and white funnily enough) from our local rescue centre. Just looking for another. Probably a black one as we love black cats.

It’s such a shame some colours of cats are less popular. Black cats are fantastic. And our new black and white one is fantastic too. I’m completely besotted!

Benm39 · August 2023

A post from a friend regarding the love of a black cat...

On March 11, 889 CE, 17-year-old Emperor Uda of Japan wrote:

"On the 6th Day of the 2nd Month of the First Year of the Kampo era. Taking a moment of my free time, I wish to express my joy of the cat. It arrived by boat as a gift to the late Emperor, received from the hands of Minamoto no Kuwashi.

The color of the fur is peerless. None could find the words to describe it, although one said it was reminiscent of the deepest ink. It has an air about it, similar to Kanno. Its length is 5 sun, and its height is 6 sun. I affixed a bow about its neck, but it did not remain for long.

In rebellion, it narrows its eyes and extends its needles. It shows its back.

When it lies down, it curls in a circle like a coin. You cannot see its feet. It's as if it were circular Bi disk. When it stands, its cry expresses profound loneliness, like a black dragon floating above the clouds.

By nature, it likes to stalk birds. It lowers its head and works its tail. It can extend its spine to raise its height by at least 2 sun. Its color allows it to disappear at night. I am convinced it is superior to all other cats."

More on the history of cats in Japan: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/japans-love-hate-relationship-with-cats-180975764

Art: By Day She Made Herself Into A Cat, Arthur Rackham (1920)

PhilKing · August 2023

I have a black cat (one of my 3), and look after a black and white outside cat that is very timid but aggressive with it. We did try to trap him, but he is wise to that one, so we have had a dog cage sat outside for about 2 months, letting him get used to it. The reason we want to catch him is that there is someone who wants him, as they have his sister and used to feed him, before another male cat drove him away.

The kittens are really cute and I never realized that black cats weren't popular (my sister has always had black or black & white cats, she has 2 now).

Really well done to all of you who foster cats.

Power-Beef · August 2023

Bravo to the foster fur parents. I am simple, I see cat, I click. If I lived any closer I would love to invite home permanently any of the black ones, that, and I already live with two that don't exactly get along.

WezV · August 2023

I'm not sure why people don't want them, but it's definitely a thing.

Black cats may be down to a bit of old superstition, but these days I think it might be more to do with them being difficult to capture in pictures for social media.

We probably will keep at least one of this litter as we lost 2 resident black and whites in the last year.

Power-Beef · August 2023

WezV said:

...
https://www.harleyshounds.org/get-involved/animals/richie-and-eddie/
...

OMG!! If I didn't already live with 2 cats, I would be enquiring about them. Gosh, hope these boys find a good home.

WezV · September 2023

WezV said:

Yeah, from the first pics we saw we also doubted it.

Then we met him and it became more obvious.

We do have a full Maine Coon here too. Tate is definitely not 100%, but has a lot of the features and behaviours you would expect.

The only thing he doesn't have is the ear and face shape. At the moment he looks like a small cats head on a big cats body, but even our full Maine Coon went through some awkward looking growth phases.

Tate update.....

He's now bigger than our full Maine Coon, and at least 18 months younger. (Both had hair cuts this year so dont have their full coats)

We kept him as he had already had multiple homes in his first year, with reports of making a mess and being overly friendly. We've had no issues with him at all.

He is still a bit nervous around feet and obviously prefers women to men. When we shaved him to cure some matted fur we sadly found quite a few scars on his body which likely explain his nervousness.

CHRISB50 · September 2023

Beautiful cats. He’s an absolute stunner.

My eldest plans to be a Maine Coon mummy at some point. She loves them.

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