For a couple of years, there was hardly a week that went by that we did not have Lucky Dog puppies in our house. Sometimes there were one or two. Other times there was a large litter of rambunctious little (or not so little) ones camped out in our basement. Then, I retired from my career and all of a sudden I found that I just couldn't live according to a schedule. I took off my watch. The battery had gone dead anyway. I abandoned the appointment book. I was free to sleep in, stay up late, and come and go whenever I wanted.

Puppies thrive on daily structure. They like to wake up early in the morning, go outside to play, eat, go outside, nap, wake up, play, eat, play, nap repeated several times every 24 hours. That routine worked out well while I lived an equally structured, but less exciting life. After retirement, that routine did not work out so well.

It was about that time that Lucky Dog expanded its cat and kitten rescue program and my feline rescue journey began. Cats are self-sufficient beings. So long as they have food, water, a comfy bed, and a clean litter box, they are very good at taking care of themselves. For me, it was a match made in heaven. I could continue fostering shelter animals while they searched for a home to call their own and enjoy my new found freedom.

Along the way, I have had the good fortune to have met some really amazing cats. I love them all, but there is a handful that are especially memorable. One of my favorites is Geo, a cat with a big personality. He wasn’t interested in little stuffed mice and fluffy, jingling balls. He wanted something that really moved. Our dogs eagerly obliged and Geo’s frustrations disappeared. He was adopted by a family with a big, goofy dog and house with all kinds of interesting nooks and crannies and big windows overlooking a bustling neighborhood street. Geo is finally home.

And then there was Softie and her four kittens, Simon, Sage, Sundance, and Stark. Softie’s kittens were only a week old when they came to stay. Softie was a good mom and once she and the kids settled down after their road trip, the kittens thrived. It was so much fun to watch them grow and change virtually every day. Softie made fostering easy. She took excellent care of her kittens. She was also a fantastic house guest. She has impeccable manners. Over one weekend, her kittens were all adopted. Softie went to her forever home the following weekend.

My cat and kitten fostering experience would not be complete without mentioning our foster fail, Tegal. He came to stay and never left. He was with us a bit longer than usual due to a veterinary issue. In that time, we all fell in love with him, including the three resident dogs. Emma, our cat, could take him or leave him— which is great for her. She is not fond of dogs, other cats, and most humans. She is a one person kind of girl. Tegal is the king of the household. He is always somewhere nearby so that he can be sure to supervise whatever is going on.

We still foster puppies from time-to-time. It is so much fun to come home to happy wagging tails and wet noses. But, fostering cats and kittens works a whole lot better into our lives right now. Their funny antics almost never stop. I don’t think that I have laughed so much in all my life.

To join our cat/kitten fostering team, email [email protected].