Fostering Kittens

Have you ever seen commercials or read articles about animal shelters that need help and volunteers? I was on Craigslist and while I was looking under the pets section, I noticed there were so many kittens that needed to be fostered from animal shelters in my area.

I went to the animal shelter that needed foster parents for these kittens and decided to apply for fostering. I was approved and the nice girl at the shelter led me to the maternity room area of the shelter, where they have mother cats and their babies. They also had baby kittens who were there without a mother as well.

I was able to pick the kittens I wanted to foster and then immediately take them home. I chose kittens without a mother and decided to become their new temporary mother. I have the time to take care of them and give them the love and attention they need so I thought it would be a good idea.

I have three baby kittens who at first came down with a cold and upper respiratory tract infections. This is quite normal in kittens, especially ones who were taken from the street and have no mother for nourishment. I took them back to the animal shelter for veterinary care and gave them antibiotics to knock the infections out of their system.

The kittens are now very healthy and playful. I feed the kittens, litter train them and socialize them for a few months until they are ready to be adopted out to their forever home. I have already found each of them a home, when they are ready to go. I will take them to have their last round of shots, get them microchip and have them spayed/neutered before they leave my house.

All of the veterinary care is free for me, if I use the animal shelter's veterinary clinic. The adoption fee from my local shelter is $75 for the kitten, which is a great price, considering it will be up to date on shots and neutering/spaying. The only thing I pay for is kitten food and kitty litter.

Shelters are so overcrowded that they just don't have the room to accommodate all of the animals that come in to them. By fostering, you are freeing up some space in the shelter, by taking the kittens into your own home. This will allow more kittens to be taken into the shelter and treated if they are sick.

The problems with overcrowding in the shelter is that many kittens get sick and are contagious to other kittens. So then it is harder to treat the kittens who are sick. I feel that fostering is a good way to volunteer and help out animals who are in need. Other animals that I've seen that need fostering are cats, puppies and dogs. I choose kittens because I have a lot of experience with taking care of kittens and know a lot about them.

If you feel that you have what it takes and would want to help out by becoming a foster parent, contact your local animal shelter or do a search on Craigslist under the pets category in your area. While fostering does have a good amount of responsibilities and it is not always easy, especially if the animal gets sick, it is a rewarding feeling knowing that you helped to make a difference in the life of an animal who may have never had a chance to feel loved and cared for.