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Friday, June 28, 2013

Fostering ...for me, that's a hard one.

(only 6 days old here)

Yes, this is her at 7 weeks. On the back of this picture it says 'Audrey at 7 weeks. Will be ready to adopt in 3 weeks to a loving home. HA! I was doomed.
She stayed along with her mom.
Boy, did she 'work it'.
This is the day the adoption papers were signed at 12 weeks.


That was the end of my 'fostering' for the animal shelter for awhile.

Cat-tip-for-the-day =^..^= Let's save some money.
Have I got a great cat-tip for you today.
We all want to save money, right? I know I do. 
Dry cat food is cheapest in the largest bags available. Smaller bags are purchased because the owner does not want the food to go stale before the cat can finish it. I also think that we just get used to buying smaller bags and boxes of products and don't even look at the difference in price of the larger bags. Just divide the large bag into smaller portions in tupperware or any type of well-sealed plastic containers and freeze the remaining containers. Your food will not go stale like it would just sitting in the bag and each container is as fresh as a brand new bag for kitty.
My cats love when I open a new bag of kibble. I guess it's like me and my new box of ritz crackers. Oh yum! Crunch..crunch. By freezing their food, each container is like a freshly opened bag. 
You will save money.
Many of my clients do this and I think it's great.
I, as a cat-sitter, know for sure that kitty will not run out of food while on my clock, either.

Please note though that I do recommend soft food for cats over the dry. Nothing puts weight on cats quicker than an all dry cat food diet. Speak to your vet about this.

A rainy weekend ahead. I'll be house-cleaning and cat-sitting.
Have a good one.

I'm joining Camera Critters at  http://camera-critters.blogspot.ca/

                                                                               
hugs, Deb

34 comments:

  1. I just love your photographs. I can sure see why you fell for Annie and Audry. I think it would be hard to give up foster animals but knowing that you have helped them find their forever home would make it easier. My son and daughter-in-law foster senior and terminally ill animals. It is tough on them when pass so soon but they say they just can't bear to see these older and ill animals spend the rest of their lives "in jail" and people just don't adopt them. They were both paramedics so it is a perfect fit for them. I am so proud of them for stepping up and taking action. JudyMae

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    1. Both of my cats were "hard to adopt" and adult animals. Kudos to your son and DIL for fostering these animals. The cats deserve a home and all the love they can get.

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  2. Okay, with a face like that, how could you resist? She really is a sweetie... ;)

    Hope the rain stops for Canada Day Deb!

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  3. It's why I don't foster dogs.....I have a house full.
    I couldn't do it.

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  4. What a fabulous post.
    First, I know exactly why you don't foster any more. I would have a hard time letting any cat go. Look what happened when Polly had her 4, they all stayed. lol
    The food idea is great. We only buy the 2kg bags because as you say, they seem to lose the flavour and they all seem to go off the last of the bag. I would never have thought of freezing them but will give it a try.
    Thanks Deb
    Briony
    x

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  5. We do that for both Our Harley and Miggs bulk is cheaper ! I would have soo many if I fostered oh my I would have lots , I being raised on a farm and loving nature I get to attached . Thanks for sharing . Have a good long weekend and Happy Canada Day !

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  6. I could not foster ...too hard to give them up ...I admire those who can.
    The problem I have is that our vets over here do not like cats to be on a kibble only diet ....especially males ....as they can have a problem with crystals forming in the bladder. We lost one to this and two have medication on and off if I sence a problem. Only one of ours is a kibble only ...flatly refused wet food from the moment we tried at 5 weeks. We had to make a porrage of the biscuits!!!! I recently realized the price difference and have a couple of big boxes now. I also monitered how long they lasted ...on every 10kg bag we gain an extra 5% meal wise ...???
    Thank you for you kind words about China ...it never gets easier to loose a furry friend. xx

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  7. No way could I foster, because none of them would ever leave!! Still, you done good with Annie and Audrey. Lovely cats!!

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  8. How wonderful - a tiny Audrey! How nice that you have those pictures and that you have known her all of this time. I fostered for many years and found it heart breaking. Some of the little souls who I had to let go, just trusting they would be loved by new people, still haunt me today. x

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  9. How sweet Ms. Audrey was -- and is! Yes, I've been asked to foster. I've said no because I know what would happen.

    Lizzie is a wet-dry girl. My vet would like her eating people food (meats,etc.) but she'll have none of it. Much pickier than Mr. Gyps was.

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  10. Yep!!! That's why I couldn't pick up those cute little kittens in the pet shop window the other day!!! Too easy to get attached and take one home!!! Sadie and Cleo would be a bit miffed if I brought another one home...didn't work with my mom-in-laws kitty we tried to adopt!!!

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  11. Wonderful post, Deb. Audrey was such an adorable, pretty kittie! I too cannot foster, because I give my heart to each one and could never give them up.
    Never has it occurred to me buy the big bags and freeze. That is a hand to the forehead revelation! Thanks for the super idea.
    Maybe there will be some sunshine this weekend. The forecasters are seldom correct.

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  12. Very true: buy in bulk when you can. I always do. And you're right about the soft food. It not only provides nutrients (if the food is of the right variety) and doesn't add as much weight to the cats, but provides much moisture; cats never drink enough water.

    And I've lost the battle against giving up foster-cats twice. If I could afford it, I would lose more battles...

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  13. Because our kitties ate mostly wet food, even the smaller bags would be around too long to not become little stale. We started vacuum packing very small amounts with a seal-a-meal! The kitties could really tell the difference! Like you said – like a new bag!
    One thing about feeding dry food over wet. Vets.sometimes say that without dry food a cat's teeth will have more problems. That is not doubt true but dry food can cause kidney problems later in life. I figure that we can get our cat's teeth clean every year and they can survive any dentil problems. That is not true of kidney problems! So, we try to feed mostly the wet and feel best about that.
    Thanks for the post,
    Lily, WA, USA

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  14. You should store dry food in the bag because the inside of food bags are coated with vitamin E which is a natural preservative.
    Jane x

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  15. I kinda knew you were doomed when you took the mama and those babies in to foster! Still you didn't adopt ALL of them!!! Oh and that Audrey, wouldn't life be boring without her?? I like the putting cat food in the freezer...great tip! Hugs, Linda

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  16. Hi Deb, I have a question for you....could I use Ziploc freezer bags instead of containers? I have a new kitty who doesn't eat much and even the small bag of dry good seems too much. And yes, dry kibble only is not good, its like carbs to cats. They need the moisture from canned food and the meat. I just love your blog, cant wait to check it out every day. your photo's are great!!
    Jill from NY

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  17. Audrey is a very Beautiful kitty as a baby and grown, it's no wonder you could not say "Good Bye". I have had to do it, when Sunny's momma gave birth to another litter (of 8) before I was able to get her spayed. One which was the only other Ginger baby she had, the Vet wanted, even bringing him (his name is Weezer) to the Vet I had tears in my eyes when I handed him over. It's hard to do. The 7 others, I managed to get 2 different no kill shelters to take them , and I worried for them, for weeks, and still time to time think of them and hope they had Good homes & lives. That was 15 years ago.......
    Everyone has a different calling :)
    Audrey is a Beauty! :)

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  18. Sometimes kitties are meant to be, I remember reading those Audrey posts...and wondering if you would keep her...knowing in the back of my mind that most likely you would. And I am so glad that you did.

    Great cat tip, thanks, we buy the largest bag possible of Boo's very expensive food from the vet, but have not frozen the left overs...will do that promptly.

    Jen

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  19. I'd be no good at fostering cats either. I hate good byes, and giving up little kittens to strangers would break my heart.

    Enjoy your weekend.

    Julie and Poppy Q
    xxx

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  20. No wonder she captivated your heart. She is such a beauty.

    My Camera Critters is at:

    http://rnsane.blogspot.in/2013/06/camera-critters-273-cat-nap-june-29-2013.html

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  21. Awwwwwwwwww, I can understand totally why Audrey stuck around. She is PURRecious!

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  22. That is a cute face...how could anyone resist, XOXO

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  23. Adorable photos of a real cutie ~ must be so hard to surrender the kitty to a new home ~ Bless you.

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  24. Hard to say which photo is the cutest.

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  25. That has to be one of the cutest baby-cat pictures I've ever seen!
    You had no chance :) And Audrey is pretty darn cute as an adult, as well.

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  26. Adorable kitten and photos. Thanks for sharing the tips! Have a happy weekend!

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  27. I'd want to keep all the foster babies too. She is sweet, and a pretty colour.
    Judith

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  28. Adorable kitten! They are so hard to resist when they're young.

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  29. Yep, that's how I got my Percy. He "worked it" as you mentioned in your post. I was an epic fail at fostering.

    Your new baby is beautiful!

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  30. Oh, was she a sweetie! Still is, of course....

    My parents would typically transfer the contents of a large bag to larger containers. It kept it fresh.

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