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Awakening
-Helen Morrison
Here in Central Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom, life is awakening from a deep winter sleep, reaching out toward the warmth of the sun. The snowdrops peeked out of the snow several weeks ago. Crocuses are coming up, adding dashes of white, yellow, and purple to a brown landscape. Daffodils are pushing up through last year’s dried leaves and grasses. And some fields are becoming carpets of green, almost as one watches.
It is a time to cherish the old yet open up to the new.
One of the lovely awakenings that happens for the Shelter is when good-hearted souls decide that they would like to open their hearts and homes to fostering cats and kittens. We have wonderful fosters, so skilled at caring and bringing around some of our shyer cats to be ready for adoption to their forever homes: Nancy Pellegrino, Pat Coe, Andrea Chiesa, Jennifer Smith, Melora Hunt, Dana Reynolds, Carolyn Morrison, Kelsi Reese, the Julia Tucker Family, Sophie Patenaude, Brenda Sattelburger. All of these fosters are either in it for the long haul, fostering group after group that then go home, or they helped us out during the early days of the pandemic when we needed to put all the Shelter cats in foster for a while. We are forever grateful. The number of Kingdom cats and kittens that have been adopted out of their foster homes is jaw-dropping.
I would like to introduce you to three of our fosters, one of whom is a long-time foster, one who is relatively new, and one who just began. I asked them to write a bit about what it means to them to foster, why they decided to do it, and what they learned from doing it.
We hope to continue to spotlight more fosters in the coming months.
Awakening
-Helen Morrison
Here in Central Vermont and the Northeast Kingdom, life is awakening from a deep winter sleep, reaching out toward the warmth of the sun. The snowdrops peeked out of the snow several weeks ago. Crocuses are coming up, adding dashes of white, yellow, and purple to a brown landscape. Daffodils are pushing up through last year’s dried leaves and grasses. And some fields are becoming carpets of green, almost as one watches.
It is a time to cherish the old yet open up to the new.
One of the lovely awakenings that happens for the Shelter is when good-hearted souls decide that they would like to open their hearts and homes to fostering cats and kittens. We have wonderful fosters, so skilled at caring and bringing around some of our shyer cats to be ready for adoption to their forever homes: Nancy Pellegrino, Pat Coe, Andrea Chiesa, Jennifer Smith, Melora Hunt, Dana Reynolds, Carolyn Morrison, Kelsi Reese, the Julia Tucker Family, Sophie Patenaude, Brenda Sattelburger. All of these fosters are either in it for the long haul, fostering group after group that then go home, or they helped us out during the early days of the pandemic when we needed to put all the Shelter cats in foster for a while. We are forever grateful. The number of Kingdom cats and kittens that have been adopted out of their foster homes is jaw-dropping.
I would like to introduce you to three of our fosters, one of whom is a long-time foster, one who is relatively new, and one who just began. I asked them to write a bit about what it means to them to foster, why they decided to do it, and what they learned from doing it.
We hope to continue to spotlight more fosters in the coming months.
Julie Hall and Family
I freaking love cats - it’s true! Ever since I can remember I’ve had this connection and love for the feline fuzzy friends. Growing up, I had a Siamese cat named Kimmy. She went everywhere with me. She followed me to the bathroom, she followed me to the kitchen (I suspect to receive some sort of treat) and every night she would come to bed with me. I’d hold the blankets up and she would get under them and rest her head on my arm. I’d say that she was my soulmate growing up. She would wait for me to return home from school and would rub her wet nose on my cheek like she was trying to tell me that she was so happy I had come home. She was about 12 when I noticed a large lump on her neck. We took her to the vet and found out she had cancer that had metastasized and would soon restrict her ability to eat and then breathe. The decision was to euthanize her. I was devastated. My heart felt like it was broken. I never thought I would get over it. Actually now that I think back, I’m still sad for that lost friendship. So our decision to become a foster family to the local animal shelter was mostly mine, but fortunately the rest of the family were onboard too. I mean who doesn’t want to just enjoy the kitten stage. Not a lot of forethought went into our decision and how hard it would be every time we had to say goodbye to our little tykes, but knowing they were going to good homes sure helped and I get the occasional update along with pictures of how they have grown. So every summer our house usually has at least 2 litters of kittens (not at once thank you very much) that we get to socialize, feed, snuggle and love! Each batch comes with their own set of issues and some with none. But we are the part in their lives that make or break if they will be adoptable! I’m proud of my family for helping with this pretty awesome job! My children have witnessed several births, many different personalities and have even been surrogates for 5 babies who were abandoned because their mom had been hit by a car. The life of a foster family is the most rewarding work I know I’ll ever do. I’ve touched countless kittens’ lives and in return they have formed bonds and touched the lives of their new families. Like I said, I freaking love cats!
Kittens the Halls have fostered:
Johnny Cat, Franklin, Abigail, Bailey, Chance, Archie, Sassy, Simon, Diego, Evie, Fonzie, Nala, Dottie, Batman, Blue, Boots, Beans, Turkey, Princess Fluffy Pants, Violet, Pink, Apple,
Rickie, Punky, Paisley, Annie, Panda, Pete, Tips, Bob, Lucy, Toby, Fiona, Jack, Fern, Ivy, Charlie, Master Splinter, and Gigi
I freaking love cats - it’s true! Ever since I can remember I’ve had this connection and love for the feline fuzzy friends. Growing up, I had a Siamese cat named Kimmy. She went everywhere with me. She followed me to the bathroom, she followed me to the kitchen (I suspect to receive some sort of treat) and every night she would come to bed with me. I’d hold the blankets up and she would get under them and rest her head on my arm. I’d say that she was my soulmate growing up. She would wait for me to return home from school and would rub her wet nose on my cheek like she was trying to tell me that she was so happy I had come home. She was about 12 when I noticed a large lump on her neck. We took her to the vet and found out she had cancer that had metastasized and would soon restrict her ability to eat and then breathe. The decision was to euthanize her. I was devastated. My heart felt like it was broken. I never thought I would get over it. Actually now that I think back, I’m still sad for that lost friendship. So our decision to become a foster family to the local animal shelter was mostly mine, but fortunately the rest of the family were onboard too. I mean who doesn’t want to just enjoy the kitten stage. Not a lot of forethought went into our decision and how hard it would be every time we had to say goodbye to our little tykes, but knowing they were going to good homes sure helped and I get the occasional update along with pictures of how they have grown. So every summer our house usually has at least 2 litters of kittens (not at once thank you very much) that we get to socialize, feed, snuggle and love! Each batch comes with their own set of issues and some with none. But we are the part in their lives that make or break if they will be adoptable! I’m proud of my family for helping with this pretty awesome job! My children have witnessed several births, many different personalities and have even been surrogates for 5 babies who were abandoned because their mom had been hit by a car. The life of a foster family is the most rewarding work I know I’ll ever do. I’ve touched countless kittens’ lives and in return they have formed bonds and touched the lives of their new families. Like I said, I freaking love cats!
Kittens the Halls have fostered:
Johnny Cat, Franklin, Abigail, Bailey, Chance, Archie, Sassy, Simon, Diego, Evie, Fonzie, Nala, Dottie, Batman, Blue, Boots, Beans, Turkey, Princess Fluffy Pants, Violet, Pink, Apple,
Rickie, Punky, Paisley, Annie, Panda, Pete, Tips, Bob, Lucy, Toby, Fiona, Jack, Fern, Ivy, Charlie, Master Splinter, and Gigi
Kathy Pearl and Family
Pictured above:
Left: Little Big Al, Lucas, Dolly, Hemi, Ernie, Mack, Bear Cub, Noelle
Middle: Marvel
Right: Prince Hugo
Left: Little Big Al, Lucas, Dolly, Hemi, Ernie, Mack, Bear Cub, Noelle
Middle: Marvel
Right: Prince Hugo
I had the opportunity to meet Rod at a private care provider's home where his mother and my mother were living. The provider was fostering kittens at that time and the first question I had for her was "can I foster too?"...she told me about Rod being part of the shelter and that's how I began fostering. There isn't a fitting word to describe my joy in fostering, I fall in love with each kitten/cat. I have 14 grandkids that have experienced playing and caring for the kittens and watching them develop their own unique personalities. We had one kitten that was extremely shy, he would hide and spit if you tried to get near him. I explained to the first 3 grandkids that arrived to just sit on the floor and wait for the kittens to come around; well, my 5 year old granddaughter looked at me and said ok, then proceeded to go where the kittens were and she walks right up to the shy kitten and picks him up and starts loving him! She has a natural knack for loving kittens. I admit when I have kittens the grandkids run in to see them first and me second! I have always rocked my grandbabies now I rock my kittens. I always get questioned how can you let them go and not keep them; and I explain it's my choice to foster, I am blessed to have kittens in my life to love, enjoy and to make memories and I know they are going to a wonderful forever home to people that want them to love; it's about the kittens, not about me. We live in Florida part of the year and when I'm home in Vermont it is my fostering time. I feel so blessed to experience such joy.
Cats the Pearl's Have Fostered:
Timid Timmy (was the shy one!), Olivia, Mother, Prince Hugo, Mookie, Nala, Simmie, Olive
Bishop, Vivvie, Ellie, Chip, Timmy, Marvel, Sasha, Bear, Dolly, Ernie, Little Big Al, Mack, Hemi, Lucy, Noelle, Chloe, and Piper
Dee and Den McDowell
Pictured above:
Left: Blitzen and Dimitri
Right: Domino and Donatello
Left: Blitzen and Dimitri
Right: Domino and Donatello
Our first fosters were Blitzen and Dimitri, who we picked up from the KAS soon after applying and being accepted for fostering. It took the kitties a couple of days to settle into our home but once they had, they became a wonderful part of our lives, bringing much fun and amusement to us both. I would often wake up with Blitzen asleep, tucked under my chin. The pair of them loved chasing after the laser pointer light, and their antics trying to catch ‘the red spot’ made us laugh so much. Dimitri would walk along with either one of us as we went around the house, but he insisted on walking in between our feet, making us walk very slowly and carefully. They stayed with us about 5 or 6 weeks and after they had gone to their forever home, we both missed them terribly. Our home now felt a huge part of it was missing, and we were both rather sad without them. However, Helen soon had another pair of kitties for us to foster.
Domino and Donatello arrived with us and like Blitzen and Dimitri, took a few days to begin to settle in with us. They had been through a rather scary time before they were removed from the wild and we were constantly aware of their reluctance to get close to us. Even now, they are still very wary of us both at times although they have come much closer and friendlier. We assume that this wariness has been caused by their previous scares. So, because of this, we were very reluctant to put them through another ‘settling-in period’ with new parents and decided to adopt them.
Like Blitzen and Dimitri, Domino and Donatello give us so much to watch and listen to. Domino actually speaks back, having a conversation particularly with Dee, changing his sound to make sure we understand. Donatello however does not make any sound at all, but purrs loudly when happy. One morning we were awoken at 4.00 am to the sound of the vacuum cleaner running...somehow one of the ‘dynamic duo’ had managed to turn the machine on! They wrestle with each other several times each day, and then calmly sit next to each other whilst they watch the birds through the sliding glass doors out to the deck. In the night, they also love to run up and down the stairs, chasing and racing each other, it seems, before they jump up on the bed and cuddle up between us.
All four cats have been wonderful, and they have, and are, giving us much amusement and happiness.
Interested in fostering? Click here for more information.