About a month ago, I made a random FB find of a local cat rescue group called Cause 4 Paws. After considerable agonizing (kitties need homes! but I have my own to consider as well), I decided to contact them to volunteer as a foster.
Fast forward to very early last Tuesday morning. I get an email from Cause 4 Paws asking if I'm still available for fostering, and would I be willing to take on Jasper if the lady feeding him can manage to capture him. "Of course" I reply, and I start getting everything set up for my new incoming house guest.
Fast forward to about 10ish that night. I'm flopped on my couch, 1/2 passing out while watching a movie, when Kitty starts singing at the glass doors - his way of telling me there is a cat outside. I got up to check in the hopes that perhaps the injured cat who showed up out there a week ago might have returned. What I saw was a teeny little kitten peering in through the glass. I got some food and opened the door to put it out for her, figuring that she would dart away as most of the neighbourhood cats do. But no.... bold thing that she is, she just walked right inside.
Well, %&*#.
Those of you that know me well know that I am categorically unable to send a cat back outdoors, especially in the middle of winter. It's just not in my nature. That's how I ended up with Gypsy. I brought her inside, believing she belonged to a friend (she's followed me home from a friend's place), but when that turned out not to be the case, I was incapable of sending her back out into the streets.
So now I have this sweet little Tortoiseshell girl kitten whom I have named Gamine. Not sure if she's an escaped pet or an abandoned one. She's pretty well socialized and seems to enjoy being picked up and snuggled.
Gamine is a sweet little bundle of fluff and love. She follows both Gypsy and I around endlessly and seems to feel safest when we're both near.
She's a little afraid of Kitty. And Kitty is thoroughly unimpressed with her. He has been sulking in the bedroom since her arrival. But I know my boy.... he just needs time to get used to new things.
Jasper, the foster cat, arrived last night and is thoroughly traumatized by his experiences yesterday. He spends most of his time hiding at the very back of his kennel. Which, given his story, I can't say I blame him.
Jasper was previously a 'catch and release'. Meaning he was caught, sterilized and released again due to lack of available foster space. And although it was done kindly, humanely and with his best interests at heart, seen from his eyes, his experiences with humans have been confusing at best, and traumatizing at worst. So we (I) have a long long way to go in teaching this boy to trust. But I'm positive it can be done with time and love and patience. :D
