Thinking about fostering

starryeyedtiger

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That is wonderful that you're considering fostering!!! There are lots of sweet little furbabies out there that really need foster moms!
Here are some of the basics you will need to get started:

Kitten Formula- i use pro-biolac- it's the best!!! but kmr is ok too

Heating Pad or old socks filled with rice that you can heat up in the microwave- BUT the heating pads are better cuz you can choose the setting and leave them on longer

bottles and extra nipples - the PetAg ones are good!

BABY WIPES!!!! (i get mine in bulk at Costco
you will use these a lot!)

a flea comb- you can gently use it after wiping the little ones down with baby wipes to get any poo or food out of their fur without having to worry with a bulky brush on their small frames

lots of blankies- the dollar tree usually sells a good bit of the baby recieving blankets

a few fleecy blankets to keep the young ones really warm

fleecy cuddle beds to put in the carrier on top of the heating pads

a carrier for the young ones- they will be too small for a cage- carrier keep heat well


nail polish - when you get tinsy tiny ones that look similar you can gently paint the front nails to tell them apart

nail clippers (human ones are fine for cat claws) to trim their nails

rice cereal- you will use this to thicken formula as you wean kittens

a good quality kitten chow

droppers for milk/meds

dawn dish soap (the blue one- it's safe for wildlife) or baby shampoo and suave conditioners - they're safe to use on infant kittens



i'm sure i will think of more later for you-but that's just off the top of my head!!!
 

tigerontheprowl

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Originally Posted by fireblossom4

I've been seeing so many people on here that foster kittens. I've become alittle inspired, so now i want 2 get involved! Please give lotz of advice and info. on fostering. I really want 2 help!
It's great that you are considering fostering. The more foster moms there are, the more kittens have a chance.

P.S. That is a great list Nikki. I can't think of anything that you didn't cover in it.
 

fostermomm

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Originally Posted by fireblossom4

I was wondering if a kitten doesn't get adopted would u b stuck with it?
In my rescue you can choose to be only a puppy/kitten foster home. So if a kitten or puppy isnt adopted by the time they are 6 months they are moved to a different home if you request it. But it all depends on the rescue.
 
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fireblossom4

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o.k. i think my local organization iz the same! That's one of the main problems i would hav cuz DH and i really doesn't want 2 b stuck with 5 new kitties (not saying we're not animal lovas)
also how much does soft claws cost do u think the organization would pay 4 it (they pay 4 any medical needs) I'd also like 2 no more about soft claws i've never heard of them until i joined this site
cuz we're fine with 2 catz tearing up our furniture, but 7?!
 

fostermomm

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Originally Posted by fireblossom4

o.k. i think my local organization iz the same! That's one of the main problems i would hav cuz DH and i really doesn't want 2 b stuck with 5 new kitties (not saying we're not animal lovas)
also how much does soft claws cost do u think the organization would pay 4 it (they pay 4 any medical needs) I'd also like 2 no more about soft claws i've never heard of them until i joined this site
cuz we're fine with 2 catz tearing up our furniture, but 7?!
I dont really know anything about soft claws. I just clip all of my fosters nails. I never heard of softclaws until I came on here!
 

snuzy

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Depending on the place you shelter for, you might not need to purchase anything. My shelter provides everything--food, dishes crate, blankets, towels,kitty litter and box, etc. We return the kittens at 8 weeks old when they have early spay neuter done and are adopted within minutes of being put on the floor (well, maybe not quite that fast). If you get a mom with the kittens, its less work for you. Right now I have a mom and 5 3week old babies that were born here. Its pretty awesome. Its always hard returning them to the shelter, but I also know if I want to continue fostering, I can't keep my kittens each time I do it. Good luck!
 

cococat

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Originally Posted by fireblossom4

I've been seeing so many people on here that foster kittens. I've become alittle inspired, so now i want 2 get involved! Please give lotz of advice and info. on fostering. I really want 2 help!
Be careful, you might end up having to keep them - by your choice

I think fostering is a wonderful thing to do
 

booktigger

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Good on you for wanting to foster - first things first, talk to a few of your local rescues to get your name down and checks done. Is your OH definitely OK with the fact that these cats will only be with you a short time, and will then need to go to a new home? it can be hard to let them go, and it is something both of you need to be sure of. The rescue I foster for pays for everything (although I pay for certain things myself, but that is my choice.), so cost might not be an issue, but you have to consider isolating newbies, and dedicating enough time to them every day while they are in isolation. Good luck.
 

white cat lover

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It can be hard to let them go. Here, you have to fill out an application to foster & be approved. All animals must be indoors. If you have cats, they need to be tested for FeLV & be negative. They must also stay strictly indoors. Often, cats are required to go in for physical exams to ensure they do not have anything contagious!

Bottle fed kittens are a lot of work. Be well aware of what you are getting in to there. Trust me, it's much easier to look at people like Nikki fostering bottle babies than to actually do it!


You need to make sure you've got enough time to socialize them all. They do need to be used to things, like people, dogs, cats, being held, nail clipping.

I honestly think it would not be a good idea to use Soft Claws. You need to train the kittens to use a scratching post. And rescues are so strapped for cash I doubt they'd pay for them.

You will want a "foster room". The kittens would do well having their own room to run/play in. Or else have a cage set up for them. For me, I keep my fosters in the bathroom. They get out to run/play in the office when I'm home. I have a LB, food, water, scratcher, & toys in the bathroom. When they are out, we play interactively. Or, in the case of Confetti, hit the ESC key on the keyboard until meowmy screams!
 
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fireblossom4

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

It can be hard to let them go. Here, you have to fill out an application to foster & be approved. All animals must be indoors. If you have cats, they need to be tested for FeLV & be negative. They must also stay strictly indoors. Often, cats are required to go in for physical exams to ensure they do not have anything contagious!

Bottle fed kittens are a lot of work. Be well aware of what you are getting in to there. Trust me, it's much easier to look at people like Nikki fostering bottle babies than to actually do it!


You need to make sure you've got enough time to socialize them all. They do need to be used to things, like people, dogs, cats, being held, nail clipping.

I honestly think it would not be a good idea to use Soft Claws. You need to train the kittens to use a scratching post. And rescues are so strapped for cash I doubt they'd pay for them.

You will want a "foster room". The kittens would do well having their own room to run/play in. Or else have a cage set up for them. For me, I keep my fosters in the bathroom. They get out to run/play in the office when I'm home. I have a LB, food, water, scratcher, & toys in the bathroom. When they are out, we play interactively. Or, in the case of Confetti, hit the ESC key on the keyboard until meowmy screams!
Well I've been reading some stuff on other sites about fostering, im not getting into bottle babies (at least not until I'm sure I'm good enough and have enough exp.) and my kitties r strictly indoors ever since som bad experiences (my back yard is woods so there r loooots of snakes)
I already decided im not gonna do Soft Claws cuz it would b way 2 much with all those kittens
As far as a foster room I'll have no prob.
I live in a big house so theres lotz of room
 

booktigger

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What kind of good info do you want? The important things are having the time to dedicate to them and being able to isolate them - I have converted my spare bedroom into a 'cat room', I will show pics when my photobucket account ever works!! Then it really depends on what kind of cats you get in - I mainly take adults, to leave more space in the rescue for kittens, so I often take the mum-cats once kits are old enough and they have been spayed, their main prob is building up, you get the occasional adult that needs a lot of work, and I take most of the oldies too (my permanents are all oldies)
 
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