DOG DAYS

It feels so good to sit down with the critters and relax! Although I need to get up in a minute to give the cats their canned food since I didn't give to them this morning when I usually do! They are demanding! Tiny actually launches himself at my leg and sticks like velcro while I'm dishing all of the food out! I really need to find homes for them. I've just been so damn busy!

My dog-kids are doing well. Slowly driving me insane... but what's new? Jackson takes up the entire bed, Brody obsessively fetches rocks and chases reflections of light, and Lyla just won't stop barking. My house is a house of chaos - but it keeps me alive, I suppose!

I'm going caroling with K9 Justice League for donations on Sunday! Totally not my deal... but I'll do it to help the rescue and the dogs!

DOWN WITH THE VIOLENCE, DOWN WITH THE HATE

Tiny and Happy Feet visited the vet today. Tiny got another vaccination, and Happy Feet was examined. The vet looked at his eye and gave me some medication. He said that we'll just have to keep an eye on it and see how it heals up. I'm shocked at how well Happy is adapting to life indoors! He's extremely sweet and hardly phased at all by his new surroundings.

The office just so happened to have a cat trap! How lucky am I?! Apparently someone never picked it up. So they gave it to me for the rest of the cats! I actually put it out tonight in hopes of catching Gray Kitty. I'm a little worried about catching the neighbor's cat, though! Or squirrels...

I can just hope that I catch her!

I AIN'T GONNA LIVE FOREVER

I should have called my blog "Foster Dog AND CAT Diaries", right?!

Paws and Lyla are both doing well. Driving me nuts, but they are puppies, so what do you expect? They are being really good, though. They very rarely have accidents in the house, and they are behaving well for puppies! It's just a little bit chaotic, you know?

I took Happy Feet the feral cat to PETA today to be neutered. I was also planning on bringing Gray Kitty and Grumpy along. Gray Kitty escaped, though. It was really sad! I'm really upset that she got away. I've had her for a few weeks now, so I'm clearly attached to her. When I was pushing the crate further into the car, though, the door dislodged... and she shot out like a rocket. I didn't even have a split second to do anything. I searched in the general direction that she had run... but didn't see her. How disappointing! I put out a bowl of wet food this afternoon and someone ate it... but I don't know who! For all I know, it was either the neighborhood cat, Gray Kitty, or squirrels. I'll just keep putting food out and hope for the best, I guess. Anyway, Grumpy was too little to be neutered, and they weren't sure if they were going to be able to do Happy's neuter since his immune system was possibly compromised. Happy Feet has terrible ulcers in one of his eyes. They ended up being able to do it, though! Yay! He's recovering happily in a big crate in the room with the other kittens. He's such a sweet boy for a cat that grew up outside and without all that much human contact! The kittens need to put on another 1/2 of a pound before they are neutered.

I'm very grateful for all of the people who have given me monetary donations as well as supplies like bowls, litter, and food! If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be able to do this. I mean, I WOULD do it, but I would have NOTHING in my pocket. Props to all of those rescues out there who stick it out and do what they can for these animals. Rescuing isn't easy!

The hardest part about today was the fact that to get the "feral package" from PETA, I had to sign something that said that the cat could be euthanized if he was positive for FeLV or FIV. I hesitated... but then thought about it for a minute. What am I going to be able to do for a FeLV+ or FIV+ cat? Most feral cats are released back into the wild, so I think that's why they have that policy. Happy Feet, however, is completely capable of becoming a pet, so the decision wasn't an easy one. I was just hoping on my life that he wasn't positive for either! So... I signed my name and left. As I was driving home, I couldn't help from thinking that I had just signed the life of an animal away. I had just given someone permission to kill an animal. Rationally, I knew that I couldn't do anything with a FeLV+ or FIV+ cat, but the other part of me couldn't help from feeling like I had just sentenced Happy Feet to death.

Fortunately for me, he was negative for both, and I didn't have to suffer the guilt that I would have suffered from if he had been positive. I know that I'll lose animals throughout my whole life. I can't save them all. But I wasn't ready to sign the life of a cat away.

POCKETS EMPTY, HEART FULL

Now I remember why I didn't want a puppy again! These 3AM and 6:45AM wake-ups just aren't working for me! She literally gets up at these times on the dot every morning. At 3AM, it's to go potty, and at 6:45AM - well - it's just time to get up. According to her! But I suppose I wouldn't trade these days for the world. That's what being a puppy mother is all about! Lyla has also found her bark and insists on barking at her dog brothers and cat siblings quite often - loud and proud! But so precious! It will be double the fun starting today... since I'm puppy-sitting Lyla's sister, Paws, through Thanksgiving. The more the merrier, right?

As for my kittens, they are doing really well. Elmo, Grumpy, Tiny, Peekaboo, and Grey Kitty are all getting more socialized by the day. Peekaboo is probably he most skittish of the group, then Grey Kitty. Peekaboo actually sliced my finger last night trying to get away! I have to be ointment in his eyes, though, and apparently he's decided that he hates it. Tiny had his stitch taken out on Tuesday, and it looks phenomenal! It looks almost completely normal! I have an appointment at PETA to have one of them spayed or neutered on Sunday. I'm not sure who I'm going to pick to be done. I'll probably take one of the kittens in since I still haven't gotten a trap from Animal Control for the adults. I've just been so busy lately. As always! Unfortunately, though, funds are running low for the feral kitties. I need more donations... which I hate to ask for... but I'm trying to do a good thing for these babies and just don't have the money to do it myself.

Jessica from K9 Justice League sent me pictures of Zoe in her new home! She looked really good and very happy! Definitely makes me feel good that I could give her a place to stay until she found a home. The joys of fostering!

I really need to win the lottery... so I can buy a house with lots of room for the animals. I ought to go tend to the children now. There are cages and litter boxes to clean, dogs to let out, and floors to sweep...

YOUR LOVE IS A SYMPHONY

Where to begin? With the insanity of being so busy, I hardly have time to write!

I actually just got back from a horse show in Lexington, Virginia. I was there for 5 days. Brody went with me, Jackson stayed at my dad's house, and Lyla [formerly known as Sheba] stayed with Cindy. Cindy is Jessica's [from K9 Justice League] mom, and she agreed to watch Lyla while I was gone. Paws is the only other puppy left for adoption. Tiana was adopted while I was gone. Now that girl was sweet! She's going to make someone a great dog. I'm sad that I won't really be able to say "goodbye" to her, but at least I got to see her when I dropped Lyla off.

Two of the kittens have been adopted! Their owners seem to love them, and the babies seem to be doing well with their new people. I still have 4 kittens and an older female that all need to find homes. Tiny, one of the kittens, had to have surgery on his eye to have a mass removed. He was actually neutered, too! So that was exciting! I think that Tiny is having an issue with his eye, though, so I need to take him in in the next couple days and have him looked at. One of the other babies seems to have some eye irritation, too. Hmph. I need more money to take care of these boogers!

Other than being ridiculously busy, all of my critters are thriving. I really just wish that I could do this for a living.

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST WALK AWAY

I now officially have 7 dogs, 9 cats, 2 ferrets, and 1 snake living in my house. The other foster mom for 3 of the puppies returns today, so they will be leaving shortly. That'll be a breath of fresh air! I love having all of the puppies... but it is a lot of work! You think having 1 puppy is hard? Try having 5!

I guess I should explain the mass amount of cats. I now have 6 feral kittens. I've had 4 of them for a week or two now. I just found 2 more today. I think that they are from the same litter, though. Sadly, one of them has a growth/tumor on her eye that is keeping her from opening it at all. The growth will definitely need to be removed. Possibly the entire eye. We have GOT to catch those feral months and having them spayed immediately. I have to wait for Heather to get home, though. She's the one with the money! Yikes! Definitely in over my head with this. All are well-cared for right now, however. They have food, water, litter boxes, toys, etc. I'm trying to socialize them, too. A few of them are coming around. Finally! They spent the first week wanting to eat my face.

Ahhh, the hardships of being an animal lover. I'm poor as anything - but damn if my heart isn't full.

I SPILL MY HEART FOR YOU

Due to my laptop being stolen, updates are lacking.

The puppies are all doing well. Surprisingly, the last two weeks have gone by rather quickly. Sheba, Tiana, and Lush still have accidents in the house, but what do you expect from young puppies? They are totally weaned off of milk and only eating puppy food now! They've grown up so fast! They all weigh over 8lbs now and are ALL puppy! They are actually really good pups, though.

Lush has a home, and she'll be leaving on Thursday. Tiana does not yet. But three of the others from the litter of nine have adopters! Baby steps... They'll all find great homes.

TRYIN' MAKE HIS WAY HOME

My new foster kids have been doing very well! I was initially quite resistant about taking on puppies since I had such a hard time with Brody when he was growing up, but I'll be the first to admit that I'm having fun with these little girls!

Yes, I'm slightly sleep deprived... and I do probably spend a good 2 hours of day cleaning up after them - but those cute faces are totally worth the work!

My boys as nearly excited about the new additions as everyone else is, however. Brody still can't quite figure out what to do with them. It's like he gets frustrated when they don't play with him... so he yaps that annoying yap of his as if they'll play with him if he does it over and over again. For a clumsy boy who is really still a puppy himself, though, I'd say that he's doing pretty well with them. Jackson is portraying the "grumpy old man" side of himself these days. They look weird. They are tiny. And they want to touch him. He wants little to nothing to do with them and retreats to the bedroom as quickly as he can when the pups are out. I saw a glimmer of hope today, however, that he might warm up to them eventually.

Apart from being tired, going through mass amounts of paper towels and Wee Wee Pads, and the smelliness that puppies come with, I'd say that it's going very well. I know it doesn't sound glamorous, but I'm having fun!

TWO'S A COMPANY, THREE'S A CROWD

But I've got six, so what does that mean?! That I have an army? Of dogs?

While I was quite sad about Zoe's departure, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I was a little choked up when I was holding her and saying "goodbye" before handing her over to Jessica. There was a moment of sadness when I went inside and sat down, too. The fact that she went to a good home makes it that much easier, though. There's really no need to worry... and I'm sure to get updates on occasion about her!

As Jessica was leaving, she asked me to let her know when I was ready for another one. I told her that I was already ready! Bring it on!

Instead of one... I got three.

K9 Justice League recently rescued nine Pit Bull puppies. Mama Pit Bull was tied to a tree and starving. Jessica and her own mom have been taking care of all nine of the pups since Mama Pit Bull can't leave the shelter due to legal reasons. Plus, the poor girl wasn't really in great shape to be caring for so many children! When Jessica mentioned fostering two or three of the puppies, I confessed to her that I never wanted to have another puppy again. Brody wore me out... of puppies completely. Looking at them and playing with them is a whole other story than actually caring for one. She told me to think about it... and I did.

Surprise, surprise... I took on the challenge. My three bundles of joy arrived early this afternoon, and they've actually been quite kind to me so far! Sheba, Tiana, and Lush are all sleeping soundly as I type... but that will only last so long! They are all females... and all quite cute!

These pups are Pit Bulls, and I've already had to endure the change of tone when people find out what breed they are. It's like they are enthralled with the fact that they are puppies and "Oooo" and "Ahhh" over them, but when I say that they are Pit Bull pups, you get the "Ohhh..." out of most people. Clearly these four-week-old puppies are blood-thirsty, child-eating, vicious dogs. Can't you tell? It's so irritating that they are so misunderstood. I suppose that all we can do is keep trying to educate the public about the truth and hope that the future holds better plans for these amazing animals.

I'm actually dog-sitting right now, so I've got a whopping six dogs in the house! Jackson wants nothing to do with the puppies. Brody thinks that they are absolutely fascinating and can't understand why they don't really want to play with him. It's not that they don't want to play with him, though. He just so happens to be at least ten times the size of these little pups! Rosie loves them and seems to think that she's their mother. Too cute!

I see a long few weeks ahead of me with these girls, but I'm ready for it. I say that now, right? Let's see what I'm saying in a few days when I've cleaned up endless amounts of messes and haven't slept through the night!

I Don't Believe In Fairytales

I just got a text from the rescue saying that Zoe will be going to her new home tomorrow. I swear my heart skipped a beat when I read it. I'm excited for Zoe and the fact that she will finally have a permanent home. But I'm sad, too.

Long story short, it turned out that the test that said she was HW+ wasn't accurate. The blood work came back negative for HW. Thank goodness! Zoe still met with her potential adopters last Saturday, and they loved her. So... off she goes to her new family tomorrow. They have a couple other Shiba Inus, so they are familiar with the breed and everything.

I knew that the time was coming... but it was still kind a shock when Jessica (from the rescue) told me. I'm going to miss the princess! A lot! But thank goodness that she'll live out the rest of her life with a loving family. Just what she deserves after a rough start to life!

Let's just hope that I can hold it together tomorrow when she leaves. At least until the door shuts. Then I can blubber like a baby in private.

Supressed By All My Childish Fears

I believe that I have had Zoe for almost 3 weeks now. She's doing fabulously! She got micro-chipped a little over a week ago and was just spayed yesterday evening. Zoe was tested for heart worm twice when she first came to the rescue. One test was a weak positive and the second was completely negative. Jessica did another test just to be safe last night - and it came up positive. The did the test twice, and she came up HW+ both times.

The fact that she has HW is a bummer, but the fact that he had potential adopters coming to look at her on Saturday makes it even crappier! They live out of town, so it would be hard for them to adopt her and do the HW treatment through the rescue in our area. Jessica said she'd talk to them and get back to me with the details. She's going to need x-rays to see the severity of it all... and then begin treatment.

Aside from all of that, she's doing well. She's doing great with potty-training, loves my dogs and cats, and is really just a good girl. She was so pathetic after being spayed, though! I felt so bad for her. At least she slept really well! The picture I've included was a couple hours after she was spayed. So... we'll just have to wait and see how all of this pans out.

My Sweetest Friend

Zoe is doing well and certainly settling in after being with me for about a week and a half. She did have a couple accidents in her crate... but I kind of blame myself. She doesn't just go to go. She goes because she has to go. If she doesn't get enough time outside or get to go on a long enough walk, she won't hesitate to go inside. She doesn't do it to be bad, though. She just has to go! When you gotta go, you gotta go!

Everyone at the barn adores her. She's adorable! How could you not?! Even my dad and his wife think that she's just precious. My mom, too! They'd really love her if they got to see how playful and entertaining she is when she feels comfortable! She's kind of like me in that sense. She's a different dog when she's in her "comfort zone". Just like me!

I'll admit that I've had a couple bouts of sadness thinking about giving her up to another family. My purpose, however, is to foster many more dogs in the near and far future, so I have no other choice than to let Zoe move on and bring joy to some other person or family. I think the hardest part about it is that I know how anxious she is at first. She's a completely different dog now than she was the first couple days I had her. But... just like she did with me... she'll surely warm up to someone else just as quickly. Of course I'll miss her... but I know she'll go to someone who is just perfect for her.

Out On The Moonlight Floor

All is well in my household of animals. Zoe is doing SO well! She hasn't had a single accident. House-training is going great! I just let her out often and take her for a couple walks. She hasn't gone in her crate at all either, so I've already added some bedding for her to sleep on. Hopefully all will continue to go smoothly!

She's just so shy. She definitely prefers it to be quiet rather than chaotic. But... who can blame her? She was probably never exposed to much outside of her crate as a youngster. I'm hoping that she'll soon find that this world isn't such a scary place and start to enjoy it a little more. She's happy and everything... just uncertain. Heck if she couldn't be any cuter! She's precious. Simply precious.

I love that she's so good with other dogs and cats. Zoe is so well-behaved around them - even if MY OWN aren't as well-behaved around her!

Look On The Bright Side

It's a girl!

It's official. I am now the foster mom of a 6-month-old Shiba Inu. The rescue, K9 Justice League, sent out a message asking if anyone was willing to foster a dog who is having difficulties with house-training. I have hardwood floors, a backyard, and go to school rather than having a job that keeps me away all day... so I offered to take her.

So far, so good. Apparently Zoe spent much of her early life living in a crate and not getting the proper socialization that puppies need. Apparently that specific breed needs a lot of socialization as puppies because they tend to be wary dogs.

Zoe is a GREAT dog. My dog, Brody, was a puppy from hell. He chewed on everything, woke me up multiple times throughout the night, had to go out ALL of the time, made all sorts of messes, had a "nipping" phase, tortured the cats, and pretty much did everything that you'd think that a naughty puppy would do. He's a year-and-a-half now... but still has A LOT of puppy in him. He's not perfectly behaved... but he's much better! Zoe is a DREAM compared to him when he was a pup. She's quiet, doesn't chew on anything, and is pretty much easy squeezy. She is very shy and reserved. Last night was her first night here, and she'd jump at the slightest of noises. I think she's starting to warm up, though, and seems to be coming out of her shell.

As of yet, I haven't had a problem with her going potty in the house. Then again, I've been letting her out into the backyard over and over again... just in case. Lots of walks and lots of going out into the backyard seems to be doing her well. I haven't left her for more than two hours yet, so we'll just have to wait and see.

I think she'll do well here, though. She's a funny dog. So curious about everything around her... but she really just likes to watch. She'll stand outside like a statue just looking at her surroundings for fifteen minutes at a time. You would never know she was a puppy. She reminds me of an old lady in the body of a puppy.

And so the work begins.

The Night Goes By So Very Slow

Jackson had a blast at my friend's house while I was away. I picked him up on Monday, and he was definitely thrilled to see me! Just plan on institutionalizing me when Jackson passes away. I love that dog so much. More than I can put into words! That's for sure! Brody was a superstar at the horse show. He's turning out to be a very good "horse show dog". Just as I had hoped! The kittens did well at my other friend's house. She actually wants to keep them, but I think she's having some issues with her roommate. I told her she can keep them as long as she wants and see how it all works out. If she has to give them back, I'll take them back. She would like to keep them, however, so she's going to hang onto them for a bit until she figures everything out. I saw the other kittens today. I went with my friend to feed her horse, and we saw 4 of 5 kittens and Mama. They are so cute! I actually touched the black one. They are so skittish. They're going to be hard to catch! I'll probably end up having to set traps. Can you tell me why I'm not a millionaire?! I have so many animals to save! I need millions!

I keep having to stop myself from telling K9 Justice League that I can start fostering now... because I can't yet! I just can't wait until I can! I've got to wait for my roommate and her boyfriend and dog to move out first, though. I'm just so excited about finally doing something proactive!

I'll Fight And Defend

Today is a sad day for me. Happy, too, though. One of my friends is watching the kittens while I'm away at a horse show. I'm dropping them off at her house this evening, and she'll be watching them until I'm able to pick them up on Monday. Joy recently had to have her senior cat put down. She had him for 20 years, I think. Joy is a cat person, through and through. Her roommate is also a cat person. Not only are they cat people, but they are great cat owners - guardians - whatever you want to call it. There's a chance that Gray and Minnie might not be coming back. They might just find their permanent home at Joy's. As I'm typing this, they are sticking their paws in their food bowl and fishing little pieces out... then playing with the pieces of food as if it is the greatest toy known the kitten-kind. Let me mention that there's probably about $25 worth of toys in the room with them right now! Kittens can find joy in the simplest of things. Maybe we need to learn a little something from them?

However, these two do need a home, and I couldn't be happier if Joy chooses to keep them. What a wonderful life they'd live! She already said she knows she's going to fall in love with the black one. They are two peas in a pod. While Gray doesn't like to snuggle, she's very playful and just adores her sister! It would be hard to separate the two.

So, anyway, today is bittersweet, and I might possibly be feeling sad for no reason - because there's a chance that they might not find a home there. Time will only tell. They are pretty irresistible, though! For now, I'm just spending a little quality time with them before I pack up their stuff and send them off. Same with Jackson. One of my friends is watching him, too, while I'm away. Brody is the lucky one. He gets to come with me. He knows the drill unlike Jackson. He grew up going to horse shows. Poor Jackson just can't stand to be apart from me, so it's hard to let him tag along when I need to be riding, working, etc. I hate leaving my animals behind... but at least I know that I have completely capable and loving friends taking care of them while I'm not.

Dreams Be Dreams

I guess that I'll start off by saying that I've always wanted to foster dogs. In the past, not only would my parents not allow it, but I was also sure that I'd never be able to foster a dog and actually give him or her up when it was time to. Over the years, I've come to realize that I won't be "giving up" anything. I'll be giving a dog a chance. Some of these dogs just need time. That's all. By fostering, I can give them those extra weeks or months that they might need to find the perfect home. What could be more gratifying than that? I won't deny that giving up an animal you've bonded with is going to be hard... but it's totally worth the tears. Every single one of them.

Throughout my 23 years here on this earth, I've been known to gravitate towards dogs. It seems like they gravitate towards me, too! I'm a dog person. Through and through. I just get along with them. For the most part, we get each other. As a child, I was always returning lost dogs to their homes... and usually fuming about how their owners were not being careful enough. I still get mad when I bring dogs home and don't get receive the gratefulness that I'd offer if someone returned my dog. Half of the people don't even seem phased that the dog went missing in the first place. I'd be beside myself...

The passion grew even stronger when I attended a boarding school in Costa Rica. It's like a smorgasbord for someone who likes to rescue dogs! They were everywhere... and most of them were extremely malnourished, covered in fleas and ticks, and pretty scared of people. The streets and beaches of the more rural parts of Costa Rica are no place for a stray dog. A lot of people don't treat them very well. Anyway, along with a few other dog lovers, quite a few strays made our school's campus their permanent residency. They were all vaccinated, bathed (many times!), spayed or neutered, and fattened up! When it was time to leave school, each person took "their" dog home. Most of us claimed a certain dog as our own. Jackson was mine. And Jackson is perfect. He's sleeping in my bed right now with his head on the pillow like a little person. There's nothing better than a rescued mutt!

A few months after I lost my childhood dog, Gonzo, Brody came into my life. He was the result of a pregnant stray. Needless to say, I was more than willing to give him a home. I got kicked out of my dad's house because I wouldn't "get rid of the puppy". Although Brody was a little demon puppy, I'm still glad that I didn't budge in my decision of keeping him. He had to go out usually twice an hour. I was up quite a few times throughout the night! I got very little sleep. Sometimes he had these "episodes" and barked and snapped at me and wouldn't let me near him. He chewed on EVERYTHING. Who knew that raising a puppy was so hard?! I had to constantly watch him. It was a rough time... but now he's a really good boy. He still occasionally wreaks havoc, but he's potty-trained to perfection, gets along with dogs and cats, is awesome with kids, super sweet, and really just a character! I wouldn't trade the little rat for the world.

Not long after getting Brody, Princess came into my life. She was a Pit Bull... maybe a mix of some sort... that found her way into the barn where I worked at the time. She was so hungry that she was rummaging through the horses' supplements. She was very thin and covered in fleas... but as sweet as could be. If I could have had another dog at the time, I would have kept her in a heartbeat. She was extremely gentle and sweet. She was great with dogs... even Brody... even though he was only a few months old and tiny. She was very shy when it came to being around men, though. I had to walk each dog separately. Brody was just learning how to walk on a leash, so I couldn't walk him with Jackson. Princess probably had never been walked on a leash before and pulled like a train! One by one, each one got walked. It was like it was time to walk another one by the time I got back with the last! Princess handled walking around in the city quite well. While she was very scared of men, she never once growled or snapped at anyone. After having her for about a week, one of my friends found a home for Princess. She's now fat, spoiled, and happy! She trashed any negative comment anyone should ever have towards a Pit Bull. She was fabulous.

Then there was Benji. Benji's owners were not taking care of him. He pretty much lived inside of a crate... or tied up to tree all day. He wasn't receiving the proper care that a young dog needs. He was getting a can of Alpo a day or something... which is clearly not enough food for a puppy... not to mention the fact that Alpo is probably one of the worst foods you can feed your dogs. My roommate and I took Benji in, got some weight on him, and started searching for a new home for him. We already have 3 dogs, so it was difficult to add another one to the mix. We definitely had our days when we wanted to rip our hair out with 3 very active 6-month-old puppies! But... still... I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. My friend got me in touch with a local dog rescue, K9 Justice League, and they so kindly found Benji a home! We had him for a few months and had no luck with finding him a home. We clearly needed someone who had a little more experience in finding homes for dogs! Benji now has a good home, and I couldn't be happier. My roommate and I cried when we had to part with him, but we were happy that he'd have a good home at the same time.

I've kept in touch with Jessica from the K9 Justice League through Facebook for awhile now. I told her that I could foster, but I ended up not being able to due to not knowing about my living situation. Now, however, I've made it so I have 6 more months in the house I'm in. So... I'm finally ready to offer my home and my heart to a foster dog by the end of August! I'm extremely excited to finally be a part of this. I'm ready for the end of August now...

I'm currently housing two kittens. I already have 3 cats, so I can't keep these two. My friend keeps her horse at her friend's house, and she discovered that there was a mother and two kittens a couple months ago. I went to feed her horse one night and discovered that there are more than two kittens! They are... 5 more... I think. Maybe 4? I'm not sure. I caught two of the kittens. They were sick when I first brought them home, but they are quickly regaining their health! Time to start looking for homes for these two. I'll miss the buggers... but there's no way that I can keep 5 cats! That's 5 too many! No... I'm kidding. I love my cats. But someone else out there needs these little kittens to touch their lives.