Bobbin
How patient fostering helped a nervous FIV-positive cat discover life - and love - indoors.
Cats, Rehabilitate, Fostering
Can we turn these feral kittens into pets?
BIG attitude in tiny packages, these 4 kittens of a feral mum, who sadly had died, hiss like little vampires when you pick them up. But our behaviour team have a plan…
Kittens have a very short window where they learn to trust, or not trust, humans. Already 3 weeks old, the race is on to socialise them. It’s near Guy Fawkes Night, and with a nod to their spiciness, we call them the firework kittens – Catherine, Willow, Rocket and Ember.
They have 2 weeks in our cattery where the team talk to them, pick them up, feed them, play them radio, take them to the vet suite. We can see them softening, except for black kitten Ember who remains hissy and guarded.
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Time for our big guns. One of our trusted foster homes has become available, so they are packed off to explore home life. They are exposed to the sounds of the TV, washing machines, people’s daily lives. They’re chasing toys around the lounge and having a ball.
We can already see their personalities. Willow is loving it, adventurous and affectionate, she is first for a lap cuddle. Catherine is a little jumpy at big noises but quickly recovers. Ember is still a little grumpy face but once picked up he likes to be wrapped up warm.
After 2 weeks on foster they are all sociable kittens, even Ember! And we are pleased to say that they are heading to their new homes.
