Your First Day(s) with your Foster

Bringing home a new kitten (or 2, or 6) is always an exciting experience. Many kittens will do best in a small bedroom, office, bathroom, playpen, or any place where they are safely contained. Any room they are in should have windows that are securely closed (a cat that gets spooked may claw through a screen) and minimal large pieces of furniture you can't easily move (kittens are tiny and will find creative ways to hide. You need to be able to access them regularly.). Any plants in the room should be removed if you can't confirm they are non-toxic to cats. If using a bathroom as your foster space, make sure the toilet lid is kept closed and the bathtub and sink have covered drains and no standing water in them. Bath beads, cleaning products, or anything else that can be broken or ingested should be safely put away.

This short video from the Kitten Lady is a great resource on how to set up your area for kittens of different ages..

Make sure the door to your foster room closes securely, have a litter box, food and water bowls, bedding, and a few safe hiding places ready for your foster before you let them out of the carrier. If the kittens are older and mobile, place the carrier in their area, open the door, and allow your foster to come out on their own.

All kittens under 3 pounds need to be weighed daily. Be sure you have a kitten scale, or other scale that will weigh in grams or pounds, before bringing your kittens home. If you don't already own one, check with us since we sometimes have them to loan out.

Many cats will do best in a small bedroom, office, or bathroom when you first get them home. Any room they are in should have windows that are securely closed (a cat that gets spooked may claw through a screen) and minimal large pieces of furniture you can't easily move (cats are GENIUS hiders and you want to be able to access them). Any plants in the room should be removed if you can't confirm they are non-toxic to cats. If using a bathroom as your foster space, make sure the toilet lid is kept closed and the bathtub and sink have covered drains and no standing water in them. 

This 5 minute video from Maddie's Fund is a must-watch on how to prepare for your foster cat.

Make sure the door to your foster room closes securely, have a litter box, food and water bowls, bedding, and a few safe hiding places ready for your foster before you let them out of the carrier. Place the carrier on the ground, open the door, and allow your foster to come out on their own. We highly recommend leaving the carrier in their room with a blanket in it and the door open. This allows your foster to get comfortable with the carrier so the sight of it won't send them running when it's time to return to the shelter.

Fostering a mom with her kittens can be one of the most enjoyable experiences. In the beginning mama does most of the work for you and the first 4 weeks are fairly low key. In addition to the information listed for cats and kittens above, you want to make sure to have a heating pad and whelping area for mom. A whelping area can be a box with a door cut out for mom to go in and out (make sure to leave a tall lip at the bottom of the door so babies don't squirm out), a large plastic storage tub, or anything else that mom can easily hop in and out of, but the babies will not be able to get out. We highly recommend reading our mom & nursing babies info to learn all about the care needed.

Puppies are so cute and adorable and can be a ton of fun to foster. They are also a lot of work. One thing to keep in mind that will help you out on your puppy journey is that these are babies with no training or experience in a home. Most of the puppies we send to foster are just about 6 weeks, too young to be altered (spayed/neutered). and much younger than most people ever see them. They don't have the physical ability to "hold it" when they need to potty so they will have accidents. Keeping them contained and in a smaller area that can be easily cleaned is going to be vital to your sanity as a puppy foster. 

Puppies can go in your fenced backyard to play once they have had their first round of vaccines, but should always be monitored. They are small and can get into mischief. It's not a bad idea to get down on your hands and knees and crawl around your puppy space to view the room from a puppy's perspective. Look for anything that might fit in a mouth (yes, table and chair legs can fit in a mouth). The more advanced prep you do to prepare your puppy space, the more enjoyable your first few days with your new foster will be. 

Click here for more information on how to handle puppy nipping, housetraining, and more!

Details coming soon!

Details coming soon!