I first heard about Beth Stern's adoption program last fall when my friend Joanna adopted two kittens from her. Immediately, I started following Beth on Instagram, and in about two seconds, I fell in love. Beth Stern is an angel, you guys. She (and Howard) are constantly fostering multiple cats in their home. She usually has lots of kittens (some with their birth moms, some who were abandoned), and then a handful of what she calls her "perfectly imperfect" cats who are often very old and/or sick or missing an eye or a limb. She fosters them until they are ready to adopt (all the while sharing their photos on her Instagram account), and then personally delivers them to a lucky family.
I knew I wanted in! See, we had recently lost our 14-year-old cat, Stella. (My husband and I got her before we were even engaged...and we've been married for almost 12 years!) We knew we wanted to adopt again, and though I'm usually open to adopting adult cats, I did want my kids to have the experience of having a kitten at least once. I applied to Beth's program.
Here's how that worked: In mid-November, I sent an email to the address in her Instagram bio, expressing my interest and asking about next steps. And then I waited. And waited. And waited. I was pretty sure it was lost in the abyss, but then in mid-January, I finally heard back. I had a phone interview with a representative from North Shore Animal League, I submitted references, and then again...more waiting. (I knew they had contacted at least one of the references pretty much right away, so when I didn't hear back for a long time afterwards, I was convinced that we hadn't made the cut!)
So, we stalked Beth's Instagram while we waited, wondering if any of the cute kitties would be ours. Things started moving again in early March when North Shore called saying we had been approved! They suggested two of the kittens we had been fawning over on Insta, and we were initially thrilled, only to be heartbroken moments later when the timing didn't work out. (We would be on vacation in Hawaii when they needed to be picked up, because Beth was heading to Florida to pick up four new kittens.) They told us we'd be first in line for those Florida kittens.
So we were glued to Instagram for the next few weeks! Then, a week or so before Easter, we got the call. Ebbylu and Bobalu--brother and sister from the Florida litter--would be ours, and Beth would be delivering them on Easter Sunday. I tweaked the names to Bobby and Lulu, and we decided not to tell the kids and let it be a surprise.
That day, our au pair took the kids down to the playroom in the basement to distract them. Beth arrived with the kittens (they were sooooo little!), plus tons of toys, wet and dry food, a litter box, etc etc., and gave my husband and I each a big hug. "I feel like I know you guys!" she said. (Though North Shore handles interviews and paperwork, Beth approves all the adoptions herself.) Then we quietly signed the papers, oohed and ahhed over the kitties a little bit, and then called the kids upstairs. And they were so surprised! (You can watch the video below--their reactions are so cute!) We took some photos together, she kissed the cats goodbye, and then hugged us before she left for her next Easter kitten delivery.
People have asked if we have kept in touch, and we sort of do! She follows the kittens on Instagram (it's @bobbyandlulu, if you're so inclined), and for the first week or so after the adoption, she would DM us questions checking up on the kittens, making sure they are ok, etc. We're certainly not BFFs talking every second of the day, but she truly loves all of her fosters, and I know that we could ask her a question if we needed to.
Bobby and Lulu have been growing fast. (It's amazing how quickly kittens grow!) They alternate between being sweet and sleepy--and totally crazy and energetic. (And it's usually the crazy thing--they are so playful!) They are both lap kitties, which we love, and they are both so, so adorable.
The only "bad" thing is that I'm still addicted to her Instagram feed and I find myself falling in love all over again with multiple kittens, multiple times a day. Maybe a calico or a little orange one somewhere down the road? Bobby and Lulu could use some playmates. ;)
Oh! And people have asked if I have any "tips" on being chosen to adopt through her program. Here's what I have: You'll have a better shot if you're open to two kittens. I've heard Beth say that she much prefers to send them in pairs, and having now seen a brother and sister together, I have to say: It's pretty awesome. They love each other soo much and they constantly have a playmate. It's also not any extra work to have two. (Truly.) It's just a little more poop. :) I also know that she is very against declawing (as she should be!), and you have to be willing to sign something saying you will not declaw your cat.
Now, here's that cute kitten-surprise video!
For more information on kitten adoption, you can visit North Shore Animal League (or your local shelter!) and follow Beth on Instagram. (Have you ever had kittens? Aren't they just the best??)
