Tuesday, March 15, 2016

foster space

As you come up the stairs into our condo, you see into what could be used as a dining room. The sliding glass doors open onto our balcony and the pass through on the right goes into the kitchen.

Mom doesn't really use it as a dining room space and it was just sitting there. She decided to see if she could turn it into a foster space. She first laid down some plastic to protect the carpet and then laid a canvas painters tarp on top of that (see above). She isn't sure if she will buy a cheap rug or not....that's a maybe.

Then the tower went back into the space. It fits in that corner...mostly (mom had to move the picture over a little bit).

Some cat wasn't too sure about all the changes going on (Daiquiri)

Mom bought that white shelving unit at Target. She was looking for something else but this was inexpensive and bigger than the other item. It did take her about an hour to put it together (the directions got a little confusing at one point plus she was watching college basketball).

We do have another tower that can be put where that green chair is sitting right now. The only thing mom doesn't like is the short brown table that she put in there. We have another table but mom doesn't like that one so much either. She is thinking about going back to Target and getting a shelf similar to the white one but shorter to fit under the picture. Partly it is places to put things and partly narrowing down places for kittens to hide.

She has started filling up the cabinet. Canned food on the top shelf. That black box is our first aid kit. Then drawers for toys and treats. The bottom shelf she is going to leave open for now and put blankets and towels on the shelf about that.

The biggest issue is how to close off the space to keep kittens inside and permanent cats outside. If you look back at the top picture, that white shelf to the right sits right behind mom's chair. The fireplace is next to that and there is a natural break in the space. Mom is thinking about trying to find folding panels that she can stretch across the space. The issue is that they have to be relatively sturdy, cleanable, sit flat to the floor to keep kittens inside and span an 8 foot space (she is probably going to have to get a couple of them and connect them together).

So, there you have it....the new kitten space. Mom does say if we get a mom cat with TINY kittens, they may be in the bathroom short term as it is smaller and easier to deal with. For now, we have spent a good deal of time checking out the changes. We won't know if it really works until we actually GET kittens.

19 comments:

  1. We think your mom's doing a great job! Folding panels would be good, if you can find what you need. Or maybe your mom knows someone handy who could make them, if she's not a really handy DIYer herself? There's always Pinterest for inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is amazing. Special kitten space! And we know they are coming. Quite possibly in the making right now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow, how cool is that! Some lucky kitties will have a great foster place soon!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Brilliant :) I bet that is going to be a game changer.

    ReplyDelete
  5. An inexpensive rug (or two, if one isn't big enough) is a good idea. They still look good (for a while) and take the crap (sometimes literally) that falls from cats. Mine have saved the permanent carpet in my new apartment quite a few times already.

    ReplyDelete
  6. That space looks good. Please lets us know when Mom Jeanne finds to block off the opening. We have never been successful in finding anything that kittens cannot climb. XOCK, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo

    ReplyDelete
  7. That looks like a great space! We hope your mom finds a way to separate it from the rest of the house.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Looks good so far! The divider is the last element!

    ReplyDelete
  9. guys.....we can say we hope yur mom doez knot get any kittenz coz that wood bee a good thing.......thiz will make sense ta her & de shelterz....but sew far sew good
    .....and if nothin else, its a mega awesum play room { can yur mom put a "book case" in de space ? it will set level, be sturdee and haza back } ♣♣♣♣♣

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mowzers, wish we had a suggestion on the divider but our mom's brain is coming up blank (that has happened a LOT lately. Pfft!)...

    Looks like a FAB space though - pawesome!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. That's a great new foster space ! Purrs

    ReplyDelete
  12. That came out great, I am sure the fosters will enjoy it.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow, I love this space! I like the shelves and the way your mom can have everything she needs handy.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looks good :)
    Wish I had a better idea for a divider :/
    Will think on it .

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, it looks great! And kittens are going to love all that space. One comment, you may want to invest in that rug instead of the painter's tarp only because I see kittens messing up the tarp a lot easier than a rug. Just a thought. I hope you can come up with a good solution for blocking off the space. I was thinking folding doors that you could somehow attach to one another, but I'm not sure how expensive they may be. Then the only thing you'll need are KITTENS! ~Island Cat Mom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mom came home last night to discover Daiquiri was using the tarp like a slip and slide, so yep, there is going to be a rug on top of that. :)

      Delete
  16. Beautiful cat house!! Congratulations lucky kitties!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Lots of space for the fosters, they'll love it! We hope mom bean finds something to block off the space. Hmmm...we wonder what that might be. Good luck!

    Sasha, Sami, & Saku

    ReplyDelete

We love to hear from you.....