Friday, March 29, 2024
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An Update on Fromage, My Little Foster Kitty

photo of black cat and woman
Maggie looks adoringly at Fromage.

She’s quite the young lady, slender and affectionate while waving her fantastical tail.

The little charcoal gray fuzzball with the stubby tail and legs and Hello Kitty head is shaped quite differently these days! She is no less active and imaginative, though, and has each a feline “brother” and “sister”.

And an absolutely adoring person from whom I hear regular updates on Fromage’s personality and antics.

Who doesn’t like to hear great returns about the kitty they fostered! I guessed Fromage at two weeks when she came here, hazy eyes, unsteady gait and ears hardly lifted up on her head. I hadn’t had a neonatal kitten for so long I had nothing approaching formula on hand much less little bottles. We made do until I got the right stuff, though she never liked the bottles, preferring to first lick what had dripped on my arm, then pooled into the crook of my elbow.

Fromage with her ball and formula splashed across her nose.

For a little bit of background and some baby pictures, please read A Little Baby Foster Kitten and A Little Life Saved. Though it’s also in the first story, I’ve posted my favorite photo of Fromage here because it’s one of my favorite kitten photos, ever.

I have fostered dozens of cats and kittens, mostly years ago before my household had grown into a group of older cats needing extra attention, and especially not need annoying kittens around. I had always relied on those cats to welcome and teach the little fosters, but I was starting over with most of a new household when Fromage joined us. The Fantastic Four were just past two, and I learned a few important details about each of their personalities, notably that Jelly Bean will be a great nanny to anything and that they are all open-minded enough to hiss once or twice, then get down to making the new cat find its place.

And below is Maggie’s story of how Fromage came into her life and, hence, to mine.

My daughter found Fromage when she was visiting from NY in September, cooking for G-20 protestors. My little anarchist kitty.

I got a tearful phone call, went out in the night to pick her up, utterly unprepared for the fact that she was truly a newborn. Tried dipping bread in milk for her to suckle. No luck, but she latched on to the little piece of brie cheese I offered her. Hence her name. She’s still partial to cheeses.

Fortunately, Bernadette, an important part of my life, answered my tearful call for help, and took Fromage into her extraordinary care.

I was not to be the “forever home” but as each week elapsed, I felt Fromage had come into my life for a reason.

photo of two cats
Fromage hides the chenille strip from Cranberry
Photo of two cats
Fromage with big brother Mr. Peach

Has she ever. She’s still intrepid — rules the roost with large, orange 10-year-old Mister Peach, and elegant, awkward 4-year-old Cranberry, a loving Siamese I inherited when my mother died in May. I had not had a kitten in many years. Forgot the energy — those wooden shoes Fromage wears as she tears around the hardwood floors — the needle claws and teeth, the insatiable curiosity, and the gentle sweetness.

photo of black cat with show on wood floor
Fromage with purple pipe cleaner

So Fromage has a household to run! Mr. Peach is decidedly not a leader, and Cranberry, while acting superior, is actually quite conciliatory. Bring an inquisitive and capable kitten into this group and she attempts to run roughshod over them both, but she took her knocks and went on playing.

She really did hit the ground running, literally, when she went to Maggie’s house. She had her own room but time to be out to explore. First I heard reports of her being friendly and affectionate, then reports of her interacting with Mr. Peach and Cranberry, but no serious disputes coming from it all. She has continued conquering the house, annoying and making friends with her feline siblings.

black cat in camera bag
Fromage in my camera bag
photo of black cat with black shoe
Fromage with my shoes

This is what the former foster wants to hear! You never know with kittens who have been orphaned young how they will respond to leaving their foster home and settling into their new home. Often they remember humans as sources of comfort and affection, but because they missed the opportunity to grow and socialize with other kittens they can be timid and unaffectionate. I did my part with feeding and cuddling, but the Big Four did the more important part of giving her an identity and nurturing her as one of the gang, albeit the size of one of their heads.

photo of black cat walking
Fromage’s tail

She has a very long tail and she knows how to wave it around. This is not the best photo of her tail, but it shows the proportion of it to her slender body, and she curls and coils it as she walks.

What a girly girl! I love it when cats reach this age, nearly as big as adult cats but still lean and ready to show off their attributes. I hear all the time about how cute and charming she is, and when she’s not busy exploring or playing she’s loving up her mom, sleeping on the bed, something she never had the chance to do here.

black cat by the open door
Ready for action

Who knows where she came from or how she came to be where she was? She was not going to be left behind, and that was that. After initially thinking all the food was hers, she now waits her turn and thanks her mom when her bowl arrives on the floor, rubbing against the cabinet and looking up with loving eyes before digging in.

photo of siamese cat by door

photo of wallet with chat noir and fromages
Now here’s an interesting find!

Read other articles about Fromage:

A Little Life Saved

A Little Baby Foster Kitten

Bernadette

From health and welfare to rescue and adoption stories, advocacy and art, factual articles and fictional stories, "The Creative Cat" offers both visual and verbal education and entertainment about cats for people who love cats, pets and animals of all species.

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