All About Fostering
Are you interested in fostering a cat or kitten with Cat Kids Rescue? We always need foster parents to help with our kitties.
Last year, our fosters took in over 1,400 cats!
By opening your home to a foster cat you are opening up space in shelters and animal services so more lives can be saved. Typically we need fosters for young, sick, injured, or feral kittens. While we may be able to provide some items, but you will need to have all of the items on the Foster Checklist.
Foster homes give pets a warm, loving environment to heal, grow and flourish. As a foster parent, your role is to welcome the animal into your home and provide lots of love. We typically need foster homes for:
Bottle babies: These kittens do not have mom and will need extra warmth with feedings every 2-4 hours until approximately 3 weeks of age.
Underage: Kittens under eight weeks old need time for their immune systems to develop and to be healthy enough for their spay/neuter surgery.
Sick/Injured: These cats/kittens may need to be given medication or just a quiet place to rest and recover. They will need to be kept separate from any other animals.
Feral/Socialization: Sometimes we have feral kittens that need to be given lots of extra love and attention. These kittens are scared of humans and need as much time and contact as possible.
Foster Checklist
- A safe space away from other animals in the home
- Litter (non-clumping litter for kittens as clumping litter may be dangerous if ingested)
- Litter box and scoop
- Food (brand and type as recommend by CKR)
- Food and water dishes (do not use plastic as it is difficult to disinfect)
- Bedding and/or old towels
- Toys (must be disposable or easily sanitized)
- Scratching post (optional but needs to be disposable/cardboard)
- Kittens under 5 weeks may need a heating pad or other source of heat
Tips to help you have a fun & safe foster experience:
Setting up your foster room
We highly recommend that this room have floors that are easy to wipe up and mop. Bathrooms are often the best choice—just don’t forget to put down the toilet seat! In the room, place the litter box as far away from your cat’s food as possible.
Safety
Cats and kittens are curious, playful and often mischievous. Don’t leave anything out that your foster pet can chew, swallow or break such as electrical cords, hair ties, glassware, etc. Look for places where your foster can hide and be sure to block access to those areas including behind the refrigerator or washer. One tip is to lie down on the floor and look at your safe space from your new foster’s point of view to ensure it’s completely safe.
Benefits of fostering
You are contributing to a good cause and helping create more space in shelters, leading to more animals to be saved.
Its good for you! Spending time with an animal has proven to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, decrease loneliness and increase happiness.
Cats can bring you joy through their silly antics, cuddles and purrs.
Are you convinced yet? Fill out a foster application and someone from Cat Kids Rescue will contact you!
