Knitting for kittens

Okay, okay, I admit it: I am addicted to fostering kittens. Now that the winter is here and no more kittens are to be found, I have resorted to knitting to get my fix. Although I learned how to “knit” a while ago, I never really picked it up as a hobby. I mean, how would you like to get a lumpy scarf as a present? I needed to practice in order to get better, but I didn’t want to make presents that no one will use or wear. I had my Eureka moment when I knitted my first kitten blanket with a pattern from the “Snuggles Project“. The blankets are simple enough for me to make and it’s okay if some of them are a bit lumpy. Plus, the Toronto Humane Society will supply the wool if I will knit the blankets!!! What more can a newbie ask for?

I went and picked up a HUGE bag of wool from the volunteer office this week and got started knitting, right now I am on my 4th blanket. It’s given me something to do while I am on the subway to and from work, and it allows me to daydream about kittens all wrapped up in them. The shelters have to use steel cages for the cats, so having something colorful and soft for them to rest on makes a huge difference. It’s also adds a human touch for such a sterile environment, letting their potential new parents know they are being cared for.

My plan is to practice knitting the blankets for now and then move on to other more complicated projects like knitting a cat bed or a mouse toy.

My yarn stash, presents from the Toronto Humane Society.

One of my first lumpy attempt at a kitten blanket.

Smudge posing for the camera while testing out the new “scraps” blanket.

My current blanket, I love the pattern in the yarn.

The Winter Blues

We brought our last foster kitten back for adoption on Sunday. With kitten season at an end, we will likely have to wait until spring for more foster kittens. The last 24 hours has been really hard for everyone in the household. All together 17 bundles of fur have come through our doors and made our home a happy, lively one since July 2007, this is the first time in months that we haven’t had little ones running around our apartment. Our two cats, used to being the REAL foster parents, have been searching and calling for the kittens and crying disapprovingly at us. It was heartbreaking for me to put away the toys, towels, beds, little box and returning our master bathroom to “normal”. Who knew that fostering can be such an addictive and enjoyable experience?

For the next few months, we are going to try and see if we can foster adult cats, this of course, will depend on the reaction of our cats. I will be busy knitting kitten blankets, it’s my goal to donate as many kitten blankets to the nursery as the number of kittens we foster. (Best get started now if I want to hit the target!) I will also try and post as much updates and I can on the fosters that we have information on.

I want to thank all of the volunteers that have helped our foster kittens to find forever happy homes. From the kind citizens that have brought in the strays, to the vets, technicians, kitten feeders, to the foster coordinators, and the adoption agents. It took a whole team of dedicated people to make sure these little ones are well taken care of and that they have found a home to call their own. Thank you everyone!