Lora Lee Earlier this week, I did an article about the importance of TNR, one step in getting ahead of the community cat overpopulation issue everywhere. Another component of this process is fostering. Fostering is an excellent way to help homeless cats get a second chance at life. Opening your home to a cat or kittens in need is a very rewarding experience and, in most cases, requires minimal commitment.
Why Foster?
When you decide to foster a cat or kitten, you are giving them a chance at a new life. A lot of times during TNR, trappers come across a friendly cat or a group of young kittens that have potential to become an inside cat living the VIP life. Fosters are needed to be able to give these cats or kittens a place to learn how to trust and love humans again or regain their health before moving on to their forever home.
Shelters and rescues are always full of adoptable cats, thus making it difficult to take in more. That is where fosters come into the picture. There are certain times of the year, depending on where you live, that Kitten Season takes place. It is during this time period that fosters are needed the most. You don’t need any experience, or a fancy set up to become a foster.
My Fostering Story
Last August, I started fostering again. I fostered quite a few years ago and then life got in the way, and I wasn’t in the position to continue fostering. During one of our spay/neuter clinics, we had 3 sibling kittens needing a place to hang out until they were old enough to get their shots and surgeries. I now have some extra room and time, so I agreed to take them in. 1 ginger boy and 2 black/white girls moved in with me. I named them Jack, Janet & Chrissy, the Three’s Company Crew. It was an absolute joy to spend time with the crew over the next couple of months. I had them for a little over 2 months before they found their forever home all together.
Easter Saturday, I spent the day trapping a little cat family. A mommy, a son from her 1st litter, and 2 kittens from a recent litter. I am in the process of socializing the kittens, which is going really well. Mommy is still very scared, and I am not sure if she will be able to be socialized at this point. Her older son is borderline. He loves his Churus and has gotten more comfortable around me to the point that he will start eating while I am cleaning his crate.
Both mommy and son will need to stay with me a at least another week until our next clinic. I will then make a decision about their future. The kittens will stay with me until they are old enough to receive their vaccinations and surgeries. Then they will find their forever homes. My time commitment for this group will be a little over a month. You can read about their rescue here.
How to Become a Foster?
If you are interested in becoming a foster, the process is fairly easy. Rescues and shelters are always looking for fosters. You can contact your local shelter or rescue group. Petfinder has an amazing page dedicated to fostering, where you can learn more about fostering and find rescues near you. By opening your home to a cat or kitten in need, you open a world of possibilities for them.
“The measure of a society can be how well its people treat its animals” ~ Mahatma Gandhi
