We're not just "dogs" anymore

We have kittens! Very young kittens! They're little more than a few weeks old at the most, as their eyes just opened last week and they're still figuring out how to walk. Most of the time they sleep and eat, but now and then they wake up enough to get curious about their surroundings. And then they totter about the bathroom like a bunch of fuzzy, geriatric space aliens, mewling piteously, and bumping into things.

Their mother is with them too, of course. She can't be much more than a year old herself, but she is doing a fabulous job. She's very protective and attentive, even though she dearly loves any bit of attention we can spare her.

This time of year the shelter is overrun with kittens. People who could never bring themselves to spay or neuter their cats--especially their outdoor cats--should be required to work a few weeks at the shelter during this yearly surge of unwanted families. There are literally hundreds of cats, with entire families crammed into a single 2'x1.5'x3' cage.

Grace was having a difficult time raising her kittens under those circumstances, and so a desperate call for help was sent out to all foster homes. We decided to give it a try, as the kids have been desperate to earn some pocket money lately and we're trying to teach them responsibility. They take care of Grace and her kittens for a little bit of money each day. If Grace and the kittens are to have any hope of getting adopted when the kittens are old enough they all need to be used to humans--and especially kids.

So far so good, though the kids have been a bit disappointed so far that the kittens don't do much or want to play yet. But in the mean time they've already given them names: Grace, for the mother, and then Timmy, Buddy, Rosie, and Zamzows (poor thing!). Don't worry, these names aren't permanent.

We'll have them for another seven weeks before the kittens are old enough to be adopted out. We only hope they'll be able to find good homes. Grace is a real sweetheart with striking green eyes, beautiful white and gray markings, and a very pleasant, affectionate personality. The kittens are all varying shades of gray at present, though already some of them are showing signs of having longer fur than the others. Timmy seems to be the most inquisitive of the group so far.

More details as their personalities develop. It should be an interesting place around here for awhile.