They are not fosters. In fact, on the part of the form where you have to put a reason why you would give them up, I put "my death" because that's the truth. All the time I was in the garden (just got back in and visited them before coming here), Diamond Dallas was in the window looking as though he has staked out his place. Blackberry had moved from crouching in the litter box and looking rather wild-eyed to under the rattan recliner which I've draped with blankets. Thumper wants to be out and about and he'll probably be downstairs in his own room by tonight. At the shelter they called him "Thumper the Humper" because he acts as though he hasn't been neutered.

I now have ten cats which is how many I had at this time last year, so not bad at all.

I'm most concerned about Blackberry and really looking forward to working with him and helping him adjust to being in a home. I'll take it very, very slowly. He's been in a cage for most of the past 5 years since the shelter only just opened up the special room for FIV+ cats.

Thank you for your comments, everyone, but I simply chose the cats that I felt "connected" with and it's an aside that they are FIV.