Who are these kitties?
The Itty Bitty Kitties are orphaned kittens that come to us from the Tacoma/Pierce County Humane Society. We care for the babes until they are old enough to be adopted, then we find them loving homes.
What is the IBKC blog all about?
The IBKC blog follows the daily lives of our foster kittens and Charlene Butterbean, our resident cat. Occasionally we feature other kittens being fostered by our friends.
The original purpose of the blog was to find homes for our kittens. That's still our mission, but we're also here to make your day brighter. And we raise money for our shelter.
There's an amazing community that follows the IBKC full of very kind folks. It's a warm, fuzzy, happy, snark-free place.
How do I go about adopting one of these kitties?
First send us an email if you're interested, and tell us about yourself and the kind of home you could offer a kitten (or two). When the kittens are around 6 weeks old, we set appointments for a "meet and greet". If all goes well at your meeting, and the kittens approve, you may adopt.
Because they are Humane Society kittens, we must follow their rules. There is an application process and an adoption fee. All kittens must be spayed or neutered before leaving our nest. Because these kittens receive copious amounts of love while they are in our care, we only let them go to people that promise they'll do the same. Seriously,, if you're looking for a kitty just because you have a large mouse population in your home, please look elsewhere.
Where do your kittens come from ?
We foster for the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County.
We don't live in the Seattle/Tacoma area. Can we adopt one of your kittens?
I'm sorry, but we prefer to keep it local. I'm sure there are lots of lovely kittens at your local shelter.
We don't want to adopt, but can we just come visit the kitties?
I'm sorry, but we don't grant requests for visits . We just can't.
Are these kittens the cutest kittens in the world?
Of course they are.
How do you come up with these names?
I keep an on-going list of potential kitten names. I look for names in all sorts of places: on name tags of waitresses, on street signs and billboards, in newspapers, movie credits...wherever. I think about names from my childhood and look in old yearbooks. I also look online. I'll do a search for something like "civil war generals" or "1950's country singers" to see what comes up. I take naming the kittens seriously and try hard to come up with seem like a good fit for their personality.
How big are these itty bitty kitties?
I know it's hard to get a sense of the size of the kitties from the pictures. Generally, when people meet the IBKs, they are surprised at how small they are.
What kind of camera do you use to take the kitty pics?
I use a Nikon D-40 and a Nikon D-5100.
How many cats does it take to be classified a "crazy cat lady"?
I think it's thirteen, but it varies from state to state.
How does one go about fostering?
Contact your local animal shelter and request information. Most shelters have foster programs and are often in need of foster families for kittens and big cats too. Fostering is very rewarding. There can be worry, stress and work, but I always feel (and my foster friends will agree) that you get more than you give.
If you don't have the time in your schedule or space in your home to foster, there are many other ways to help. Shelters are always looking for volunteers and donations.
Who cares for the kittens?
The kitties are cared for by the human members of the IBKC, Laurie Cinotto and Craig Miller.
Is Charlene Butterbean the IBKs mama?
Nope. She's never been a mother, although mothering comes naturally to her. She loves all kitty babies the second she meets them. She helps keep them groomed and plays with them too.
What kind of cat is Charlene Butterbean?
We don't know for sure, but she looks a lot like a Birman. A lot of people think she's a Ragdoll, but she doesn't have the typical Ragdoll temperament.
Does Charlene have a fan club?
No, but you can follow her on Twitter, or be her Facebook friend. Here twitter handle is kittycommittee.
Is it just me... or has anyone else noticed Charlene has put on a little extra weight?
No, it's not your imagination. We can't keep her out of the kitten food. We're trying to exercise her more.
Do you have any other cats?
We used to. On April 1st 2010, we lost our little old lady cat, Drewey. She was 18+ years.
Will you ever adopt one of your foster kittens?
Although it's very tempting at times, (especially those dark, fluffy, tabby boys... ) we don't plan to adopt any of our fosters any time soon.
Is it hard to say goodbye to the kitties?
Yes, it is. But then we say hello to new kitties and it's all better again.
How do you keep your house clean with all those kittens? Seriously people, this is one of the top FAQs. Truth be told, I don't. It's only an illusion. I'm just too proud to allow clutter, dirt, or a basket of laundry appear in the photographs. I will admit that once I even photo-shopped out some lint on my carpet. I can't help it, it's how I was raised.
Do you have any favorites? Just like any parent, I have favorites, but would never, ever, tell anyone who they are.
