A few guidelines
We truly appreciate everything you are doing for the shelter, and the kittens! Fostering is fun and rewarding, and there really aren’t many experiences quite like it. But with responsibility of such tiny lives, comes a few rules. Here is what we expect of you as a foster home, and a few protocols we ask you follow.
Protocols:
- Please keep your foster kittens separate from your own animals at all times, do not let them meet
- Your current household pets MUST be up to date on vaccines, and we will require current Vet records to verify
- Your current household pets must be spayed and neutered
- Do not promise a kitten to a friend/family member, we may have adopters already lined up
- Do not give the kittens away, adopters must go through C.A.R.E. to complete adoption process
- Do not let kittens or mother cat go outdoors under any circumstance
- Please contact an appropriate C.A.R.E. staff member for any medical concern or emergency using the Support Contacts page. We are not liable for vet costs for unapproved clinic visits
- Please return any and all kitten foster supplies given to you
Daily Health and Weight Spreadsheets:
C.A.R.E. will email you a kitten daily health and weight monitor spreadsheet. It will be online, and will update live on our end so you don’t have to share it or email it to us. We check these spreadsheets daily to monitor the kittens overall health.
We ask that you weigh each kitten in grams, every day, in the morning prior to breakfast (to ensure an accurate weight). Please record each weight in the spreadsheet (every day). We will supply you with a paper copy of a weight chart so you can jot down weights while you are getting them, so you don’t need to be near a computer while you’re doing it.
We also ask that you keep a close eye on the kittens and monitor their overall health, appetite, and energy level. Please record these findings in the spreadsheet (every day). You can use the main page in the spreadsheet for the entire litter, unless one or more become ill, has abnormal stool, has vomited, displays lack of appetite, loses weight, fails to gain weight, etc., then complete a separate page for each ill kitten (we can help you copy a page of the online spreadsheet).
Appointments:
Our Foster Care Coordinator and Vet Tech will set up appointments for you to bring your foster kittens back for periodic vaccine and exam appointments. We will also set a return date for the kittens to be brought back for surgery. Please show up to these appointments on time, or alert us immediately if you might be running late by calling C.A.R.E. at 970-947-9173.
Naming Kittens:
In most cases, C.A.R.E. will have already named the litter you will be fostering. If this is the case, upon pickup we will give you a list of their names and descriptions. We ask that you please keep their names. The kitten names will have already been entered into our computer system, paper records, medical records from other shelters, and multiple other areas. It is difficult to change the names, and confusing for C.A.R.E. staff when you communicate with us using names that are not on file.
In rare cases we may ask you to name the kittens (Ex. if you are fostering a pregnant mom cat). If we do so, please email the foster coordinator at [email protected] once you have chosen names. Please use names that are friendly, non-offensive, and not too difficult to pronounce or spell. Try to make them unique so that we don—t have 10 Fluffies.
Quick tips on naming your kittens: Theme your kittens— names for easier marketing. Ex. “Cheese-Group,†Cheddar, Provolone, Gouda, Parmesan, and Mozzarella or “Flower-Group”, Lavender, Daisy, Tulip, and Rose.
