Fostering

Being international students forces us to live in a semi-temporary arrangement. We refrain ourselves from getting anything too permanent, since we don't know how long we'll live here. That includes nice expensive furniture, records, books and pets.

I miss having cats around. A lot. I like their company, playing with them and having something to take care of, but cats do live a long time and we're not one of those people (and there are many!) that move out and leave their pets behind.

Last weekend we finally decided to contact VOKRA to become volunteers. The Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association is a non-profit association that rescues cats in the Lower Mainland and does not have a central shelter. They rely on volunteer foster homes (like ours!) that help on keeping the cats safe, tame and socialized, making it a lot easier for them to be adopted later on. It is the perfect solution for us! It allows us to have a cat, help out and hopefully keep the mice away!

After filling an application and a few phone calls, our first foster cat arrived 3 days ago! They brought her together with canned and dry food, a litter box and wood pellets to use as litter.

Her name is Katrina and she's 14 months old and a real sweetie! She has spent the first day behind the bathtub (that's why she's so dusty) and so far has chosen the bathroom as her HQ. She's a talker and meows a lot every time we stand up because she wants us to keep her company by the toilet, where she feels safe.

But little by little she'll get used to the rest of the house and today she even played a bit with a string in the living room.

When we feel like she's ready, calmer and socialized, we'll right a short bio about her, take pretty pictures and try to get her adopted through Vokra. We get to choose who adopts her, since we will be the ones who know her better. I'll sure cry a lot and then get another foster cat to start it all over again.