New foster kittens

I have two new babies to add to my ever-increasing flock of cats...I'm not sure that is the correct use of the term 'flock', but it sure feels like a farm around our house some days! Eric is so tolerant; he lets me invade the house with sweet little fuzzy tummies, until I start getting attached and saying things like, 'keep' and 'permanent' and 'forever' - then out they go to adopted homes! Its a pretty flawless system, can't you tell?

Well one night about 2 months ago, we had a lovely good-bye dinner with Steve and Maria, enjoying the fine cuisine offered at our nearest Chick-Fil-A. As we pull out of the parking lot, Steve says casually, 'oh, look, there's a little cat.' Maria and I immediately freak out - 'WHAT?! where??!' as I tell Eric to slam on the brakes! We look to see where Steve is pointing and there is this little itty-bitty, pathetic, 1/2 starved kitten, scavenging for food around the Chick-Fil-A dumpster. Now, if that doesn't break your heart, go to the Dr. immediately and make sure its still beating! Eric stops the car, both of us girls jump out (literally. we were on a mission) and slowly approach the skeptical, scared kitten. She runs from us back to the safety of underneath the dumpster. We spent probably 20 min. or so, which included numerous fails attempts to get her out using everything from a soothing voice to a golf club (don't ask...). Defeated, we reluctantly got back in the car and stopped by the drive thru to tell them about her so they could keep an eye out. They responded with 'yea, we know.' I was so infuriated! You know? Then why on earth isn't there a bowl of water out - its July in NC people! or a little can of kitty food? Seriously. No brains and no heart these days. Anyway, the next day I talk to the cat coordinator (Linda) of the rescue program I volunteer with, and she sets me up with someone who has a kitty trap, which is used to administer shots and neutering/spaying for feral(wild) cats/kittens. So I head back to Chick-Fil-A, hoping the little baby is still there...she was and it didn't take her more than literally 2 min to be baited by some canned tuna - she was nearly starved! I couldn't take her myself, since she was soo tiny and needed all the tests for Feline HIV and other diseases. I just couldn't risk my own cats' exposure and didn't have the set-up for it. So Linda took her in and did all the tests, and in honor of her rescuer named her 'Betsy'! Can't tell you how thrilled that made yours truly! (Granted, I am fairly easy to please...ask Eric, buy me some cheezits and you just made my day!)

Ok, so after that long-winded story, here is the picture of what roly-poly 'Betsy' looks like now!

She joined us yesterday and is affectionately called 'little B' to avoid confusion...but I already warned Eric, that had better not make me 'BIG B'! Noooo thank you. I'm sure her name will be changed when she finds a forever home, but for now, its sweet to find fulfillment in having saved her from the streets!

The other little one that joined us is named Samantha - she was found at 3 weeks old in the trunk of a car in a junkyard, and had to be bottle-fed. She is the sweetest thing ever, slept right through the night with me snuggled under the covers against my stomach. Makes it hard to get up in the morning when they are all purring a storm up and its so cozy! ;)

--Dang it!! I knew I had to have a limit on the number of cat posts... I am going to lose everyone interested in our life if all it revolves around is cats! Not to fear, next up, I plan to post a recipe!--