Foster Kitty Update

Followup of my birthday post on pet fostering

Maggie and Max (also affectionately known as Winky and Thumbs) have grown into beautiful, active kittens with very distinct personalities. What a difference a month makes!!

When we first got them, they both weighed less than half an ounce and were fur and bones. Their eyes were terribly infected – all oozy and yechy. They had the sneezes and were not quite weened. Max was the smallest and weakest, but he had an appetite – which is always a good start. Still, with as little and weak as he was, we were warned that he might not make it. Maggie I had to force-feed one drop at a time, and she had the worst eyes. Both kitties were on several medications and eye gel. We kept them in a large carrier with blankets, a warming disk, and a litter box. We had to separate them from the rest of the house so that they wouldn’t infect our permanent pets, though Abby was allowed to help out now and then.

They took right to the dog – of course, she IS the same color! Maggie, especially, seems to have a special relationship with Abby. She will sleep on Abby’s tail for as long as Abby lies still. Abby licks her and roughs up her fur.

Max sprang right to life. He gained weight, fluffed out, and his eyes were better by the end of the first week. He was soon playing with toys and loved to tug on Abby’s ear and tail. He and Maggie both had great attitudes towards all the medicines, drops, and gels. Soon they were eating on their own and both were very good about using the box.

Maggie took a long time to recover, and was surpassed by her brother in size. She’s petite, where he’s quite liony in appearance. It was funny watching them grow OUT first – their little tummies becoming round like balloons, and then it seemed the rest caught up and they both got longer and more proportionate.

Maggie still has a bad eye, and the vet says that it looks like it is permanently deformed – but it sure doesn’t stop her. The eye is a little smaller than her other one, yet she seems to be able to see out of it, and it is getting better every day. Otherwise, she’s quite healthy. She is smaller than her brother, but not by much. This week, she’s discovered toys and has started getting into everything, just like a real kitten. She and Max play together, now, and are quite vocal.

Max is just over 2 lbs and Maggie is just under. Both will be getting fixed next week, and then will be ready for adoption as soon as Maggie’s eye is clear.

That is, if we can let them go…I, for one, and madly in love and want to keep them. Jim is on the fence, but the most recent pix of Max with his pink nose and blue eyes seems to have leaned him towards my camp. Stay tuned…