Refugee Kittens

[Cantab]

A few months ago, my wife and I adopted a lovely black cat, Bria, with a sweet temperament and complete with six four-week-old kittens. We obtained her through a cat rescue organization and fostered the kittens until they were old enough to be adopted and go to their permanent homes. The kittens were born in southern California and immigrated with their mother up to Canada when the kittens were one week old. Someone connected with a rescue organization in southern California drove the family up to Redding in northern California where they were met by a vehicle which had driven down from where I live in Canada. The final part of their journey was a ferry ride over to Vancouver Island.

I've followed Richard's photos on CiC of his rescue Maltese dogs, some of whom I believe have also been from Southern California. Interestingly, I came across the website for a group of private American pilots who do periodic rescue flights from southern California up to the Pacific Northwest states: http://www.wingsofrescue.org.

Neither Bria nor her kittens suffered any lasting ill effects from their travels. We looked after the kittens until they were eight or nine weeks old. Most of the following pictures were taken when they were five or six weeks.

1.

Theo

2.

Dora

3.

Della

4.

another photo of Della

5.

Tammy. The white marks on her fur are the remains of worming medicine which is foul tasting and tended to foam out of the kittens' mouths.

6.

a second photo of Tammy

7.

Danny. This was the only way we could convince him to pose.

8.

Buttons

9.

Bria with four of her kittens

10.

Theo watching the camera.

[Shadowman]

Cute captures.

[Ziggy]

Thank you for taking the time to help. World needs more like you.

BTW: Like the shots.

[Cantab]

Jim and John, thank you for your comments.

I omitted to mention in the original post that I may take similar photos in the future for a local rescue organization's website. Any constructive comments would be greatly appreciated.

[Ziggy]

Jim and John, thank you for your comments.

I omitted to mention in the original post that I may take similar photos in the future for a local rescue organization's website. Any constructive comments would be greatly appreciated.

You have my support.

[Brownbear]

These are absolutely lovely, and so adorable. #3 & #5 are my favourites.

That said you and your wife adopting the mother cat, and caring for the kittens, is the true heart warmer.

[IzzieK]

Sorry, Bruce...I've missed this post. Your kittens are very pretty...I am glad you are involved in rescuing them. Good luck to you and your wife...you are both doing a very good job. And btw, they are all very cute...

[Cantab]

Christina and Izzie, many thanks for your comments. The kittens were a lot of fun but during the first week also a lot of work as they were not completely toilet trained at that point.

Christina, I saw in another thread that work pressures will keep you away from being as active as usual on CiC for awhile. I've really enjoyed your landscape images.

[IzzieK]

If you only got one of them, it is easy to toilet trained them to use the toilet. Really!! My husband's best friend's cat is really and definitely "toilet trained". The husband and wife team just flush it each morning...True story...

Christina and Izzie, many thanks for your comments. The kittens were a lot of fun but during the first week also a lot of work as they were not completely toilet trained at that point.

Christina, I saw in another thread that work pressures will keep you away from being as active as usual on CiC for awhile. I've really enjoyed your landscape images.

[Cantab]

If you only got one of them, it is easy to toilet trained them to use the toilet. Really!! My husband's best friend's cat is really and definitely "toilet trained". The husband and wife team just flush it each morning...True story...

Yes, I once knew of a cat trained to use the toilet. But when I referred to toilet training, I should have said litter box training. When kittens are small, it's best to make sure there are no bodies of water that they could fall into.

[bnnrcn]

They are very cute Bruce, thanks for saving them

[Kris V]

Absolutely adorable. I like all of them - hard to pick a favorite out of the bunch.
Thanks for coming to the rescue and adopting Bria.

[rpcrowe]

I love these kitten shots. However my #1 favorite is the last shot with mom and her kittens and curious little Theo peeping up at the camera. And I love the shot of Bria looking so content laying with her kitties...

Sometimes my wife has to hold an uncooperative puppy, especially one that may be quite young. We often drape a cloth over her hand and then she holds the puppie out a bit to get the bricks as background...



Sometimes she sits in a chair and covers herself with the fleece. I then place the puppy in her hands...

[Cantab]

Richard, many thanks for your response, especially the advice about dealing with kittens or puppies that have to be held (so that rings, fingers, etc. are not front and centre in the photo ).

[rpcrowe]

Last night, I couldn't find an example of a shot we did with my wife sitting in the chair covered with a cloth and holding a puppy in her lap. I found this. She is sitting covered lap to head with an Afghan. However, That is too hot for her and we have reverted to using our fleece that we also use as backgrounds for some shots...

[Cantab]

Thank you to everyone who commented on the photos and the story. The real heroes of this and similar stories are the rescue organizations and individuals who literally rescue cats and dogs from life threatening situations and then find foster and permanent homes for them.