# My babies- all grown up :-(



## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

((Warning: image intensive)

Over the past two months or so I have been raising a litter of 5 bottle babies who came to me at 3 days old. All five of them survived and have grown into beautiful little ones who are now right at the age to go into their new homes. One of them has gone already- to my coworker who is also a vet tech and taking wonderful care of him. The first one wasn't so hard to let go of.

But now two more are being picked up by their family tomorrow and I sit here with them, knowing that it's the last night we'll ever share a cuddle and my heart is filled with sadness and longing. I _know_ it's not feasible to keep every cat I foster. I _know_ they are all going into wonderful homes that I have hand chosen for them. It's just so hard to face goodbye. I've raised them from tiny little things. They are my babies and I love them so dearly. 

In a few days, maybe a week or so, life will return to a kitten-less normal, and the pain will go away as the new families post pictures of the kittens, happy and healthy in their new homes. But right now... man this just sucks! And the worst part is that I set myself up for this right from the very start.

One thing that helps is that I've taken many pictures, so that I will never forget this special time. Their names are Mathias (black and white) Noodles (medium white stripe) Hot Rod (thin white stripe) Maybelline (cali with black eye liner) and Mimi (Cali-Tortie)

























































































Cali/Tortie sister Maybelline & Mimi








Noodles
















Mathias
















Hot Rod








Mathias & Mimi, adopted together (and going home tomorrow)


































































*forlorn sigh*


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Two more.


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

So sweet! I love their huge eyes when they were itty-bitty - they looked like little living stuffed toys. My favorite shot is all of them lined up at their dinner plates....  !

Fran


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

I keep asking "Why do I do this to myself!?" 

I'll have an answer next week when I'm not wallowing in self pity and sadness over losing them. It does feel good to have saved them from when it seemed hopeless, and now they'll all have happy lives. And sooner or later there will be another batch that needs me. But I wonder how many pieces of my heart I can send off before I just can't take it any more!


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## Greenport ferals (Oct 30, 2010)

6:22 am and had my cute quota for the day. They are so sweet. I love all the photos. but especially #2, the kittens sleeping sandwiched together. What a bunch of beautiful kittens, every one of them precious. Great work saving these little ones, Rachel.


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## howsefrau32 (Mar 6, 2013)

That was the most adorable thing I have seen all morning, those little pink toes!!!! I have a thing for pink kitty toes  

I fostered a dog once, and almost failed fostering and kept her, but I didn't, but I remember how hard it was to turn her over to her new family. I CRIED, because that dog had grown so attached to me, after being surrendered by her own family of 9 years and the thought of making her got through another ordeal.....but I knew the family wanted her, and they were good people, hand picked by me. I had turned down to previous people who had wanted her, that's how hand picked this family was. Still, it was so hard. But this is worse for you! You hand fed them and have had them from birth! So I get how you must be so torn. But you did good. You gave them a wonderful start, lots of love, and now they are moving on and they will be great. You'll have a good cry when they leave, but it will be happy cry as well as a sad. 

And that is why you are an awesome, amazing, wonderful cat person! Wish there were more like you in the world


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## 3furbabies (Dec 7, 2011)

Ahhhh! Adorable overload! They are all so precious. No idea how you can let these little ones go. That's one of the reasons I can't foster, I get attached very fast and there is no way I could let any of those little ones go. nekitty:heart


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## CatMonkeys (Sep 27, 2012)

The kittens are so adorable! I love the picture of the three sleeping together.


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## sasasola (Apr 5, 2013)

OMG super cute! I can see why you would have a hard time letting them go. This is why I want to foster, and at the same time I don't because I'd want to keep them all....


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

I've said it before, I'll say it again ... I don't know how the baby fosters do it. So flippin' sweet.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Thanks, everyone. 

It's so hard you guys. And the feels are at an all time high right now. I've done this before several times though, it's hard every single time. I keep a little photo album for each kitty, and I never forget them. (Nibbler... Marley... Stella... the list goes on and on) I've actually had a really good year and fostered/rehomed 4 kitties already in 2013 that have come into my emergency clinic for one reason or another and have now gone on to excellent homes. The sadness passes after a while and luckily I have four loving kitties there ready to give me all the affection and cuddle I'll surely need (and who probably feel they haven't been getting enough attention these past few weeks!)


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Wallow away, you deserve it. The babies are adorable, and they will be fine but you will always be missing little chunks of your heart.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

ahhh, they are gone. The other two are being very clingy. Poor little tykes! <3

The whole family showed up to pick them up. The kids are adorable with the little ones, and they had all sorts of supplies ready. They will be just fine, and have more attention and love than I could ever give them. It'll be ok


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## wallycat (Nov 10, 2012)

SO beautiful. Reminds me of the 5 feral litter we took in....and we ended up keeping them  
Such a great thing you did!!


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

I am not the one taking care of the kittens and I am crying thinking of you parting with those sweet babies. You have done such a wonderful thing for those babies. They will be happy with their new families. Think of how much joy you are bringing to them. The pictures are lovely. Those are some of the cutest kittens I have ever seen. They look so happy and healthy.


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## NOLAKitties (May 30, 2013)

Very sweet. Thanks for sharing.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

I LOVED LOVED LOVED your photos. Are they precious or what! This was one of my fav photos. That liddle tummy. Make you want to do raspberries on it.










I wish I had been better about keeping photo albums of my fosters. I have picture scattered over several computers. I got overwhelmed with sick fosters and should of done better with organizing photos to keep memories of them.

You have done such an awesome labor of love. Bottle babies are so labor intensive. Plus Im sure they are so well adjusted. What a gift to the new family - kittens with no issues. You are wonderful!:yellbounce.

I hope all the families keep you updated on their new lives and families!


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

You know, I bet they will never forget their first home and their first people, either! It is a wonderful thing to make such a difference in these little ones lives...they will remember you even years from now when they too have gone to the Bridge. Life is like that...

Fran


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

:'-) And then there were two! 

These kittens are just the most special kittens... Each one of them! And I've learned a ton about bottle raising along the way... I admit I was a little obsessive but I guess my hard work (or luck) paid off because they were never really sick at all. And torties! 

But ah... they were so small! They are so big now!! They were 85 grams on the day I took them in... and now they weigh 600+ ...What happened!!!! Oh these little squirts.

I have the last two for about two more weeks and then that's it. Kitten free. Magneto has the day marked on the calendar. 



















Just kidding, he loves them too. Does anyone remember back in the day when Magneto was a ferocious, kitten-hating drama little monster? :-D


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## WhiteKitties (Dec 22, 2008)

They're so adorable! I'd be heartbroken too but at least you know they're going to good homes. Is that Winry I see in one of the last of the large batch of pics? Looks like she's doing well - I have very fond memories of meeting her!


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## katlover13 (Apr 15, 2008)

Such cuties! I love watching them grow in your pictures.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Yes, Diana! That's definitely miss zesty pants. Winry is doing great! Such a personality. I am still so thankful for what you did for her; with your help she was able to walk again, and she is zipping about and beating up Magneto on a daily basis now. Nothing stops her! 

I'm down to two kittens but... UH OHHHHH 

Look what came in the other day. XD


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