The Basics of Caring for Foster Kittens
Taking care of kittens who have been rescued from unsafe situations is a worthy cause. In some parts of the world, street cats reproduce at a high rate, and kittens can be brought into an unforgiving environment. Fortunately, there are plenty of people out there who are willing to search for these kittens and bring them to rescue centers where they can be checked and assessed for possible rehoming. Foster carers are people who look after the kitten until it is ready to move on to a forever home. If this sounds interesting to you, here are the basics of what you must know.
Learn Their Background
When a kitten arrives at a rescue center, its history isn’t always known. Sometimes a cat might have given birth somewhere potentially dangerous or the kittens were abandoned by either their mother or a former owner. The age of the cat and where it was found factor into the care it will need. For example, kittens abandoned by their mother often need more care due to the lack of maternal attention. Many rescued kittens have never encountered humans before and can act aggressively out of fear. This will also factor into how a foster parent should care for the kitten.
Provide Essentials
The job of a foster carer is to provide everything the kittens need before they go to their forever homes. This means not only feeding them and sheltering them but also accurately measuring their doses of medicine and making appointments at easyvet.com to manage any illnesses or injuries the kittens might be suffering from. If possible, mothers are fostered with their kittens so they can continue to feed them for the optimal length of time. These cats are then usually spayed before being released into their previous habitat since adult cats are very difficult to socialize and rehome.
Socialize Them
The kittens, unlike adult street cats, still have time to be socialized and sent to homes where they can experience enjoyable, fulfilling and comfortable lives. If the kittens arrive while still very young, they most likely will grow up to understand that humans aren’t a threat due to your daily care. However, older kittens can be suspicious of people and may take a lot of convincing before they relax around you. There are various strategies you can employ to gently demonstrate to the kitten that you mean it no harm. Socialized kittens are then able to be rehomed.
Prepare Them for Their New Homes
Unlike adopting a kitten, fostering means welcoming and then sending away many kittens without keeping them as pets. It takes a lot of work to make sure that your foster kittens get all the help that they might need, but it’s worth it to keep cats from living fearful lives in dangerous environments. It can be difficult to say goodbye to kittens that you have spent so much meaningful time with, but just remember that you are helping improve their lives and sending them to good homes.
