Ron says he's the only thing standing between me and my becoming a "crazy cat lady". It's true I'm afraid. I'd have a dozen if I could. But since our dear French cat of 10 years, Domino, died last year, I've been catless. So I decided to be a temporay keeper of kittens, of the unwanted, abandoned kind. I've fostered 15 or so in the last few months, 2 or 3 at a time. Some need socialization if they are feral, and some just need a temporary home until they are adopted.
Unfortunately, there are quite a few French country folks who think that a) sterilizing cats is against nature or b) cats should be left to run wild (and uncared for) so they can kill mice in the barn, etc. So feral cats in the countryside run rampant, unless someone in each village is supervigilant and sterilizes the strays.
Keeping kittens is fun, but taming the feral babies is sad. They are timid, wild animals, terrified of humans, of touch, of noises, of everything, as they've been unprotected and unloved. Taming them means restraining them in a large comfy cage, and gradually gaining their trust until they're calm and playful enough to be let loose in a closed room for a while, then to be adopted. After all, almost no one has the patience to adopt a scared kitten who hisses and scratches.
After we've socialized them, it's so rewarding to see them adopted out to loving homes. I recommend fostering cats or dogs, whether socializing or just housing them, to any animal lover with time and love to give.
In this year's batch, there was one kitten early on that was different from the rest. Sociable and fearless, and absolutely manic: when he played he somersaulted, careened, tumbled, and lept joyously and with abandon, right into our hearts. He didn't get adopted right away, and then somehow before we realized it he was cuddled in our laps, nestled between us when we went to sleep, and had his own personal food bowl and toys. Christened 'Vino the Bambino', we now seem to have a permanent cat. Umm, I forgot to tell you the main drawback of fostering–there always seems to be one that sticks around!
Now get ready for some kitten porn! Here are some of my "fosterees":
Nougat (the white one) was tame, but Tino was not. Both went to wonderful homes.
Black cats are hard to adopt out–some folks are superstitious. The buff beauties below went quickly. But in the end we found homes for all.
3 Charmers (had a hard time parting with these babies!):
Mimi got lucky: monsieur who adopted her, a châtelain, had a large dog who needed a companion. She is now the queen of the château and, of course, the boss of the dog.
3 peas in a pod
Goldie was so feral and aggressive (and a bit older, so harder to tame), we thought we'd have to put her down. But we hung in there with her, and she surprised us. She's very loving and on the road to becoming a great cat for someone. And isn't she a pretty girl?
This one started out as an adorable foster kitten (first photo) and grew up to be our cat, Vino the Bambino. He's 6 months old now.
In the COMMENTS: Jan and Jane have been to Guernsey, thanks for your review. Tom, good luck in your move to France, we look forward to hearing more about your adventures. Nathalia, what a story about Jersey—hope you find that book. Dick, have a good cruise and we will see you soon at Moise Island. Libby has visited the Isle of Wight, here’s one of her posts on that trip, at her blog An Eye for Detail.
14 thoughts on “On Being a French Foster Mom”
Bless you for fostering the sweet kitties.
Goldie is a beauty. Such contrast between the stripes and her background color.
I understand that there are few things cuter than a kitten. Also, as a dog fosterer who wound up keeping one of my “clients”, there is nothing more rewarding than helping an animal in need. That being said, I still need to speak out about “outdoor” cats. Many people argue that it is “natural” to let cats roam free and that, even their domesticated cats become most unhappy when cooped up in the house.
Our village wound up with a real “cat fight” over this issue when it was designated a “Bird City” and some residents complained to the organization that a municipality that permits cats to run free is not a friendly place for birds. We assembled a panel that included a veterinarian and wildlife biologists (who were both cat owners) as well as the founder of “Friends of Ferrals”. Surprisingly, all three argued against letting domestic cats run free. The Friends of Ferrals president’s reason was that domestic cats risk injury from cars and coyotes. The vet and biologists pointed out the millions of songbirds killed by cats each year (Just google bird deaths due to cat predation and you will be amazed!). The vet also spoke about the diseases spread by outdoor cats such as toxoplasmosis and intestinal parasites. Additionally cats are an invasive species in most parts of the world. While they provide the important service of rodent control in barns, they also compete with raptors such as hawks and owls who depend on small mammals to feed their young and survive the winter.
The solution for cat lovers is to keep their cats indoors and provide them with toys and structures to keep them amused. Another innovation is the “catio”, a screened in outdoor space specifically designed for cats. I know these ideas won’t be popular with many cat lovers but, in the interests of public health, wildlife ecology, and the health of a cherishished cat, it is really a necessity.
Our two cats arrived two days before leaving for a four-week trip to Europe with our younger two boys who had been sent to the pet store to get food for the three cats at home. Before I left work, the younger of the two (of course, seemingly more innocent) called me at the office to ask “hypothetically, what would you think about two kittens?” I knew I was in trouble then. So I spent the next day attending to the kittens (deworming, flea treatment, health check-up) so that I could leave them in the care of my older son who was not any happier than I about the expanded brood. They are the only two left, a male sibling pair, and we cannot adore them more. They are wonderful cats–affectionate, never bite, never scratch, never ornery. I totally understand your feelings and am sure you’ll enjoy Vino for years to come.
Oh how adorable. Hoping we can foster kittens in the years ahead. Thanks for all of the smiles your post brought today. Vino is a lucky kitty. Enjoy.
Thank you, Lynn! I expect to make the move in January (barring surgery for a cervical disc about which I will know more October 4). Accompanying me will be my rescue kitty found here in Atlanta four years ago. She was feral, estimated to be about 6 months old and living in a dumpster near a favorite restaurant. When they told me they were going to capture her and take her to the Humane Society, I put my hand up. She is still somewhat timid and won’t allow me to hold her though I can pet her. And she is TERRIFIED of cages! Taking her to the vet requires sedation. So this is the only part of the move that I am not looking forward to. Keep up the good work! Our furry friends need us.
Oh,Lynn,congratulations on your newest ADORABLE addition to your family!Vino just steals your heart and then runs away with it!!What could possibly be more joyful than to know what it is to have such a bond between you and an innocent,devoted animal for as many days as God grants(?)We wish you,Ron,and Vino the Bambino a long and blessed life together!
I especially applaud you for all your help with these kitties because I know how challenging it can be.My wonderful mother rescued kittens and cats;finding forever homes for everyone was anything but easy(and,I have to be honest,more times than not we ending up adopting the ones who weren’t wanted).
Another book suggestion!The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton.!1600’s Amsterdam,a new bride is,as a wedding gift from husband,given a miniature replica of their home–she then discovers a miniaturist to make her minatures to fill it,eerily so because everything resembles all the people and furniture in her new existence. The public channel here is running a series featuring this.I got interested in it,and then our cable conked out and I wanted to know how it ended.Not to be left hanging, I bought the book!
So cute! And good on you for doing this. I would love to foster but my place is such that it would be hard to keep them isolated from my own cat, plus I work out of the home and for long hours. Maybe someday! Also I’m actually allergic to cats and have asthma—which I somehow developed even though I’ve had cats for my whole life. I’ve invested a lot in shots and medication! That’s probably what keeps me from being a crazy cat lady. Love your blog!
As an animal lover, with preference for cats, I really enjoyed this SFF. Thanks, Lynn for doing this. One of my neighbors here fostered cats from the local animal shelter. I had to resist the temptation to adopt one. I have one, and for me one is enough, but yeah, given more energy, a big house, and a servant or two, I can see myself being a cat lady. Dogs too.
My Sassy has been a bit under the weather. Doc has her on prednisone. So if any of you are so inclined, say a prayer for my sweetest cat ever, a black tabby.
Lynn,
Love the cats, it is amazing that these stray cats are s beautiful and healthy!
We have a gaggle in our neighborhood since Katrina, all solid black. And yes, my good friend ,Kathy, is the Cat Lady. She has them all spayed and neutered and the group is dwindling. She is the only person I know who hires a pet sitter to feed the strays when she leaves town!! xoxo,a.
Lynn: I just happened to now look at my stats and saw all the traffic coming from your blog! Thank you, again, for the shout out!! I appreciate it. And, more people need to know about Isle of Wight: very worthwhile place to visit.
And I have now read two of the Bannalac books and love them: perfect reading for those long airport waits… (off to London next week)
A bientôt!
Those who care about helpless and homeless cats and dogs will have a special place in heaven, I know! I am down to one (indoor) cat now but am trying to win over a feral feline who gave birth to 3 kittens in our woodpile last fall. I found homes for the kittens and had momma neutered. I feed her, have named her and she comes when I call but won’t get near me. I love that you are a foster mom and I think I’ll give it a try. In a town with a large (34,000+) university, you can imagine that we have a large population of animals that students abandon when they leave town. Love your uplifting post today!
Bravo et mille mercis à vous, Lynn. Les gens de la campagne sont durs vis-à-vis des chats.
Et pas mal de personnes ne veulent pas dépenser un sou pour faire stériliser un animal.
Il y aura bientôt un an que Chocolat, mon chat arrivé un soir de l’hiver 2013, est mort. Dans mes bras.
Pendant des mois, il venait manger, boire et dormir mais ne se laissait pas approcher. Puis un jour, il a eu un problème à l’oeil et il s’est laissé prendre. Nous sommes allés chez le vétérinaire qui a soigné l’abcès et ensuite, Chocolat a eu pleinement confiance en moi. Je suis heureuse qu’il ait fini sa vie dans la sécurité et le confort d’une maison, avec une profusion de câlins.
Bien à vous,
Ralphe
I should consider fostering kittens. I haven’t done so because I know I’ll never want to give them up. We already are 3 humans, 3 dogs, and 3 cats in our house. My daughter says each one of us has his/her personal dog and cat. Mine is a tuxedo male who I adore. I have had 3 tuxedo kitties over the years. They are just the best. Your sweet little Vino looks like a gray and white tuxedo. I am happy that you got to keep him. Just the other day I was thinking about the last time we had a kitty pass away. It’s been a really long time since that happened, although, living way out in the country it’s impossible to safeguard them all the time. Quite a long time ago, THREE cats went out into our woods (separately) and never came back. It’s bobcats, I believe, or coyotes who get them. I just cannot keep the cats in the house forever. I have to be the doorman, and let them in and out all day. Our precious three who we have had for almost 10 years, all come back about 8pm at night and spend the night indoors. I cannot imagine a life without cats!