I want to share a lovely post from several years go. Natasha is our foster fail from a litter of kittens we looked after and we still have her baby kitten pictures taken on a much older camera. I published this post originally on 14th of February 2019.
Believe it or not we are still friends with some of you who commented on that post and I love they are part of the post still. Enjoy a walk down memory lane and happy times!
We hadn’t meant to foster kittens at that time but were compelled to step up when a dramatic situation arose at a local cat rescue. I thought you might like to re-live a Throwback Thursday trip down memory lane. [Revised June 2025].
The Foster Story
A stranger arrived at Upper Hutt Animal Rescue where I was volunteering. He held a box containing a handful of very small bottle babies. They were in desperate need.
The Rescue’s welfare officer declared that she would only have room for them (she was our tiny kitten specialist) if ‘someone’ took the mum and other nursing kittens she had at home. The alternative was the bottle babies would have to be put to sleep. Needless to say I volunteered.
I asked that kitty Mum cat Tawhai and her nursing kittens be brought to our house with their crate. I was on my motorbike and as you can imagine, this is not ideal kitten transport!
When they were safely settled in I told Paul that we were fostering a family of kittens. He took it very well and the kittens and mum Tawhai stayed with us for a couple of months to grow and play in safely.
Natasha is feisty and independent but loves to curl up in her teepee bed which is close to us, but she can pretend she is totally independent and not in the bedroom.
I want to share some early pictures of Natasha that
The pictures are from my point and shoot camera. The focus is on automatic and the
A Kitten Plots and Plans
Natasha knew being fostered was fantastic and decided that she wanted to stay with us.
She started work on her dad and slowly wound Paul around her paw by cuddling shamelessly and sitting on his lap. It worked, so when Tawhai and the kitten siblings went back to the rescue for adoption, Natasha stayed with us.
Modern Natasha
What an epic tail, and beautiful kitties!!!
What a beauty she is! Then and now! I love how she wheedled her way into her daddy’s heart.
Such a beauty, and a wonderful story!
Natasha sure is a purrty Kitty girl Miss Marjorie! HURRAH fore ‘foster fail’ an youss’ beein a furamillee!
~~head rubss~~BellaDharma~~ an {{hugss}} BellaSita Mum
* Smile * You bet its a big HURRAH BellaDharma! We love her lots.
Marjorie
Natasha is lovely. We love her cute mustache!
Natasha is such a beautiful kitty, with such a sweet look!
I love her little mustache. 🙂
I suppose you could say Shimshi was also a foster “fail”, as Mummy neffur intended to keep him, just look after him till her vet could help her find a home for him. But Shimshi knew where he was meant to be (and so, deep in her heart, did Mummy). So We (Trixie and Caspurr) got a little brofur.
He’s not so little now (mol).
So sweet, and wonderful that you have so many great pictures.
ERin
We bottle raised for years and years, probably close to 300 kittens over the years and every cat we have except Tripod SissyCat was a foster fail from one of those litters. They always make the best cats.
You are so right. Foster fails are special!
I luv her name. That is a sweet story and it is wonderful that you all got to be a family. I bet she knew within those first few days with you that she had found her furr-ever home. I sure hope her fursibs and Tawhai have success stories of their own. Hugs.
She is a pretty little girl and knew how to ensure she was a foster fail.
Natasha is such a pretty daddy girl ! We love your foster fail story ! Purrs
The BEST fails are those that end in love and a Happy ending.
Purrs
ERin
I never knew Natasha’s story before – thanks for sharing it with us!
Natasha is such a pretty girl!
Natasha is so pretty, I can understand the foster fail. We sure wish sweet Bella all the best and will see about helping some after payday. Thanks for joining the Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!