How Do We Ever Get Anything Done???

It's not unusual to find this question among the comments of blogs of those of us who foster kittens: "How do you ever get anything done with all of those cute kittens in the house?"  

Because, seriously... how could we stand not being able to snorgle those spotted bellies all day long?

"She drops everything and cuddles and kisses me and huffs on my belly whenever I tell her to.  The Lady... she's easy."

There is truth to the statement that I get much less done with adorable kittens around the house... especially when in the foster room.  It's not for a lack of trying, though.  Take any average household task, add a kitten to the equation, and the job becomes 10,000 times more difficult to accomplish.  See "shoe tying"

Cleaning the litter box takes just a few minutes on a normal day.  Add kitten and it could take you an hour (I swear to you that the box is clean and I took the following pictures AFTER the job was finished!)

Producing a scoop for the litter box provokes that whirling dervish Henry.  He swoops into the box, attacks the scoop, rolls in the litter, and sometimes tries to jump in the bag with the waste in order to "reclaim" it.  What used to be a simple scoop and dump maneuver has become a bit more complicated with the following steps:

                                       1.  Scoop

                                       2.  Remove kitten from box

                                       3.  Dump refuse in bag

                                       4.  Remove kitten from box

                                       5.  Move kitten aside 

                                       6.  Wrestle scoop from kitten

                                       7.  Scoop

                                       8.  Dump refuse in bag

                                       9.  Unbury kitten from his burrow in the litter box

                                      10.  Shake off litter covered kitten

                                      11.  Repeat steps 1-10 until box is clean, 2-3 times per day

"You see, Porter?  You see how the monstrous scoop invades our territory and takes our stuff?  You know what they say... If  you give them an inch, they'll take a mile.  If we let them have our clumps, what will they take next????"

After I finish cleaning the box (approximately 19.7 minutes later), I sweep the floor and tidy the room.  It's a nice size room, not enormous.  There are carpet scraps and a bit of furniture in there.  3-4 minutes, tops... right?  Well let me ask you... Have YOU ever tried sweeping with kittens around??

Eloise, Porter, and Henry... the Inspection Squad.

Satisfied that I know what I am doing, Eloise and Porter return to their business.  Henry, however, has other ideas.  Henry's ideas include sitting in the sweep piles, rolling in the sweep piles, and...

Attacking the broom (SURPRISE!!)

I love my little Washington family.  I'm glad they're here.  But by the time I've finished the most routine tasks, I'm ready for a nap.  Good thing there's kittens around to snuggle with :-)

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Penny Update

Penny is healing beautifully.  Now that she is vaccinated and feeling better following her pseudo-spay surgery, it's time to introduce her to the rest of the not-so-teeny-tinys and evaluate her temperament.  She met Charlie, the goofball Chocolate Lab, a couple days ago.  She did not poof, did not floof, did not hiss.  She walked up to the dog and sniffed him while he sniffed her.  He laid down on the floor and she laid down on the floor.  I think she's met a dog or two before.

On Tuesday, I decided to open the door to Penny's room and see what happened.  She stayed in her room.  About an hour later, I went upstairs and invited her downstairs with the rest of us.  She sat at the top of the stairs for about 20 minutes watching us from above.  She came down the stairs, hissed lightly at Simba when he hissed at her.  She walked around the living room, looked out the window, sat on the sofa for about 30 seconds, and went back upstairs and meowed for me to close her door.  Rather uneventful... the hissing was small and non-aggressive.  None of the boys came within two feet of her.  We'll try it again on Wednesday and see what happens, but I'm pretty sure we can tell potential adopters that Penny will do well with all other animals (which just might help her find a forever home quicker!)

"I don't know why I'm in this room.  I have a perfectly lovely room upstairs.  It has a door and everything."