Happiness is Yours!

I’ve started fostering kittens for the ASPCA and I currently have two sweet girls who were born August 4th. They are very affectionate, and were curled up and sleeping on my chest just moments ago. When I come into the room they always immediately run up to me, they’re such a joy to have around. Everything is just better with pets in the house.

If I didn’t have three cats already I’d keep them. One of them is big enough to go to Adoptions, but the other needs another week to grow. I’d love to keep them together. Does anyone have any interest? I can’t post pictures publicly, but I can show pictures privately.

Below is one of my cats when they were teeny, and they were a little ratty looking at the time. I loved them for other reasons. Jazz and Jingle, the ones I have who will be up for adoption soon, are much prettier. It’s okay boys, you are gorgeous now.

Which reminds me, Jazz and Jingle are girls and I’ve never had girl cats before. They are phenomenally sweet, although just as feisty when they play. Has anyone noticed any behavioral differences between boy and girl cats? I haven’t while working with them at the ASPCA.

Kitty in the Sunlight

An actual song I sing to my cats when I find them like this.

Kitty in the sunlight,
do-tah-do-tah-do.
Kitty in the sunlight,
I’m so in love with you!

This is Bleecker in the sunlight. I so wish I could post pictures of my foster kittens, Jazz and Jingle, who are currently cloistered in the bedroom. They’re being treated for colds, but since I started them on doxycycline, they are bounding around like normal ferocious beasts, and gaining weight. This is great news, but it means they’ll be going to adoptions soonish. This is also good news of course, but bittersweet. I’ll just have to get more kittens.

Fostering Jingle and Jazz

I’m fostering kittens for the ASPCA. The ASPCA asks fosters not to post pictures of the animals (aka the most precious creatures in the whole wide world, which is what I have explained to Jazz and Jingle, who were very happy to learn that they have won the most precious contest, tied with Bleecker, Bali and Bodhi, of course, and really, if we’re being honest, tied with all the other creatures of the world).

But here is evidence of their existence, in my bedroom. I have them separated here because they were dealing with a bout of conjunctivitis and colds. I didn’t want my cats to catch anything, but I also need to keep them separate until I can make proper introductions and make sure that they are safe to be left alone with the big guys.

These are girls, by the way. I’ve never had girl cats! I wonder if there will be any difficulties with them making friend with my (neutered) boys?

I went to see Elizabeth Warren speak!

I went to Washington Square Park Monday night to hear Elizabeth Warren speak. She gave the most moving speech I’ve heard since the Obama days. I wish I could remember the whole arc of her speech (you can look for it and listen) but she began and ended with the story of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. By showing just how big structural change has happened before and how it took place in the face of as much if not more opposition that we have today, she made me believe we can do it again. I don’t know if she’s ever going to tell this story again, and in this way, but I would love to email her team a couple of historical details that could be added and would tie the points she was making into her plan to make the criminal justice system more just.

I got there too late to actually see her, but I heard her and I teared up several times. Here’s a shot and a very brief video.