I’m back from hiatus and on the mend. If you missed my last blog post and want to know what happened, check it out here. Now that I’m feeling a bit better and on the road to recovery, I had to update you all on what has been going on with my foster buddies.
Last time I posted about bringing home Sir Penguin Kitty worth.
A special foster that truly touched our hearts
Sir Penguin had quite a unique name. Now in retrospect, I see why. He was one special foster for so many reasons. One of the biggest reasons he was a unique and special foster is because, within the first week of having him home, I remember saying to my husband. “Maybe we should keep this one?” When I said it, I caught myself and my husband off guard. He replied, “Really?” Are we ready for that? I shrugged my shoulders and said, “Maybe…hmm not sure why I just said that.”
It’s been four years since my heart cat Dusty passed away and although I knew in my heart of hearts I’d adopt again in my lifetime, I couldn’t comprehend that thought four years ago when she died. I was devastated. My heart shattered when she passed away.
As time passed I started to heal my heart by participating in activities such as volunteer work, painting, and fostering and blogging. I slowly but surely began to smile and find happiness in my heart once again. This leads me back to our foster Sir Penguin.
Shhh…Sir Peguin Kittyworth is our favorite!
One of the biggest traits about Sir Penguin that really resonated with both my husband and I is how his personality really mimics that of our previous pets. Dusty had a temperament of a puppy in many regards. She would do things like play fetch here and there, wait for you at the door when you came home and also had an overall cheerful and playful disposition.
Also, my husband owned a puppy many years ago, however never got another one since. Having Sir Penguin in the house was refreshing as he loved to play and was very energetic, like a puppy. Sir Penguin was always ready to play, climb and roll around. He got so comfortable with us in such a short amount of time he often would lay on his back belly up and paws up, just like a puppy. My husband loved his personality and he would smile so big remembering how his own puppy would behave the same way.
Click the video clip below to see Sir Penguin in action!
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Sir Penguin gets a new name
After a couple weeks with us we became more attached to Sir Penguin and nicknamed him Tux. Why? Well first, Sir Penguin Kittyworth is a mouthful and second, Tux was short and sweet name and to the point. Tux is short for tuxedo cat.
As much as Tux touched our hearts, the time came when he had to be neutered as he reached the weight requirement for surgery. He would be ready for transport for adoption soon after. His surgery was a success and he recovered well without skipping a beat. Other than being a little tired the first day he was up and playing soon after (supervised of course) like nothing happened.
Time to Say Farewell
Within the same week, we were notified it was time for Sir Penguin to be transported out for adoption so it was time to say farewell. Although we wished we could keep him, the timing and circumstances are just not ideal at this time. Hence, we said our farewells with a pat on the head and some kisses on his nose and sent him off to be transported to the adoption center.
I’m confident Sir Penguin will find his forever home quickly. He’s such a lovable, friendly and energetic little guy sure to be a great addition to any family.
Click the image below to view!
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Ready for another?
Seventy-two hours had not even passed yet when I received another message from People for Animals about needing a fosterer for a new kitten. “Are you ready to foster another?” my text message said. I replied, “Sure!”. I can tell it’s definitely kitten season!
Say Hello to Guinness!
So a few weeks ago, we picked up Guinness from People for Animals to foster. He is an adorable orange tabby cat with big paws. He’s is totally scrumptious and super cute. Well actually… what kittens aren’t cute, eh? I can tell when he grows up, he’ll probably be a big boy.
Guinness has quite the playful personality however it’s in spurts. He is also very chatty too. He demands to be heard. What I have discovered this time around with this foster, he seems to have a bit of separation anxiety.
The first couple of nights when we put him in his crate to go to bed, he would howl and meow a long time before settling down. Then one night at the end of the week, my husband and I were holding and cuddling Guinness when he fell asleep. Ironically, we all fell asleep in bed together. The irony is that everyone was fast asleep through the entire night with no problems.
I realized Guinness definitely would be suited best in a home with owners that can give him a little extra attention or a home with other pets.
Guinness gets settled in
I also happened to notice Guinness experienced a touch of diarrhea shortly after being home. Luckily it was nothing explosive but rather loose stools. I think the food he was given did not agree with him. Trying more dry food over wet didn’t help much either.
So, after notifying my foster coordinator, I was able to get special food that is designed to help this issue. After one day of eating the newly prescribed food, Guinness is doing so much better. No more diarrhea. Now he is also a bit more relaxed and naps a little more. I think he’s also experiencing a growth spurt. He’s still hungry, drinks his water and plays in the morning and evening.
Click image below to see Guinness in action!
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Another week has passed since then and he’s improving with his social skills. He has calmed down a bit. I’ve made an extra effort to give him some intentional hugs, cuddles and kisses on his head to let him feel reassured he’s safe and comfy here. I think it’s working because he’s becoming slightly less needy. What I mean by that is, we can go in one room and he doesn’t necessarily have to follow us everywhere we go. Also, we are now able to put him to bed in his crate without him meowing for a very long time. He is now quiet or meows for a short time before self-soothing himself to sleep.
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So far so good. Guinness is gaining weight and now over two pounds. So that means he will have his surgery next week to get fixed. I anticipate all will go well and will keep you posted on his progress.
FOSTER NEWS UPDATE
Since I wrote this post, I found out Guinness has been adopted!!! While waiting for Guinness to return home from surgery, I received news he was adopted straight away. He has found his forever home with his new mom who is able to spoil him with lots of love and attention. Hooray! Another foster success story!
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Interesting start to Summer
It’s been quite an eventful Summer thus far. I’ve gotten injured, fostered kittens and finally reached a point where I feel ready to adopt once again. I always knew that helping others through volunteer work is rewarding and fulfilling however didn’t realize how impactful fostering would be until I tried it for myself. I’m so glad I took that step last year to try fostering.
I’m very grateful for the experience and knowledge gained since fostering animals. It has brought me much joy. I will continue to do so as long as I can. Most of all, I’m grateful for special fosters like Sir Penguin and Stubby, that help me to remember the happiest of times of my past but in a brand-new way. Time does help to heal those wounds. Fostering has allowed me to find joy and happiness again and presented new opportunities to start a brand-new chapter in my own story. I will continue to share this journey with you.
If you live in the northern New Jersey area and looking to try fostering, volunteering or just want to help and donate, visit People for Animals! This non-profit organization specializes in helping the community by providing low cost spay/neuter and wellness services for cats and dogs.
Did you have a foster pet that really touched your heart? Have you ever been a “foster fail”? Share your experiences below.
Did you like this post? Check out some more of my fostering adventures in the posts below:
My first month as a foster mom and an update on Stubby!
My first time foster success and 7 lessons learned along the way