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Looking through alot of the threads and I see quite a bit foster a lot of the kitties. How would I go about getting into fostering working with rescues?
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Fostering
- Thread starter milkshake
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All you need to do is contact a shelter or rescue near you. If you look at their websites first you can find out what they provide and don't provide. Some provide everything and others provide medical care only. This is the perfect time to foster, many places are turning away kittens due to a lack of fosters available.
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Thank you I will look online and see what I can find.
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That's a lovely idea! You will be able to interact with kittens and save a number of lives, all without contributing to overpopulation.
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I got an email back from a rescue league that I had contacted and they will be getting in some bottle feeders in and if I was interested she would let me foster them. She said she would go over the basics when I came to pick them up. Anything I should know before that or that she might not tell me as part of the basics? I have never bottle fed a kitten before.
Depending on the age of the kittens, it's an around the clock feeding schedule beginning with every 2 hours. You will need a heat source, scale, soft cloths and possibly a small stuffed animal. Your daughter can help and that will make it easier.
How much is the rescue providing?
How much is the rescue providing?
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I'm not really sure yet what they are providing. I have to go in an fill out some paperwork and I can ask more questions at that point. She said in the email the infant kittens would require feeding every 2-3 hours. That is all I know at this point. I just want to make sure I will be prepared because it almost sounded like it would be an immediate thing with no notice.
Hi Milkshake, that's great that you're interested in fostering - there are so many little kittens that need help to survive and they wouldn't make it without volunteers. I fostered through the Humane Society in my area for the first time last year, and they had a 2 hour info session and a manuel they gave all volunteers to take home. I took home 3 bottle babies after the info session so it was an immediate thing for me, but I felt prepared as they gave me all of the supplies and info I needed, plus a contact person if I had any questions. They supplied me with a crate for the kittens, milk replacement, bottles, 2 heating pads (to rotate), there was bedding in the crate (I used some old bedding of my own when I washed the provided blankets). I had my own scales to weigh them, a stuffed toy for them to sleep with, and toys for them when they got older.
There was still a lot of learning as I went (I had also never bottle fed a kitten), but don't worry - you will learn it as you go. It's very time consuming, and can be stressful too, but so rewarding. Make sure they explain to you exactly how to feed them, what you're feeding them and how much, how to help them go to the toilet after each meal, how to keep them warm, who you contact for questions and emergency medical care.
There was still a lot of learning as I went (I had also never bottle fed a kitten), but don't worry - you will learn it as you go. It's very time consuming, and can be stressful too, but so rewarding. Make sure they explain to you exactly how to feed them, what you're feeding them and how much, how to help them go to the toilet after each meal, how to keep them warm, who you contact for questions and emergency medical care.
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thanks for the info
