July is all about recognizing a foster who is always doing everything she can for the ones who need it most. This month, we’re shining the admiration spotlight on none other than Dipa and all the work she and her family do as amazing fosters!
Dipa has been fostering for SAFe since 2020 and has helped so many kitties along the way— especially the cats who need a little extra TLC and patience. No judgment or expectations, just love awaits kitties who go to party in foster with Dipa. Wanting kitties of her own but not being quite ready yet is what made her consider fostering. She explains, “I was thinking about adopting a cat right after I graduated college but wasn’t sure if it was the right time for one. I decided to foster for a bit to see how I liked it, then never stopped!” Dipa liked taking care of loving kitties so much she also has adopted three kitties of her own since!
Kitties who need a little more help on their journey to find a home have a special place in Dipa’s heart. With the foster joys come the inevitable struggles of fostering kitties who need us. One of Dipa’s biggest foster challenges was the undersocialized brothers she welcomed into her home this year. These beautiful cats were used to living outside and just getting used to the concept of being friendly with people and living in a home. Dipa recalls, “With a lot of time, patience and help from SAFe they eventually started coming around. They were both adopted by a Seattle woman who said they reminded her of her previous cat.”
Dipa makes sure to soak up the joys in fostering and helping kitties in need like watching her shy or scared foster cats open up to humans. She gushes, “One of our foster triumphs is a former barn cat who was not a fan of people when I got him. Now he snuggles up with my husband and I every night and will cry if we leave him home alone too long.” Dipa definitely has a knack for helping scared kitties finally relax and show potential adopters what they are missing not having them in their lives!
Fostering kitties has even helped Dipa get used to our new world of social-distancing. She says, “Fostering kittens has definitely made it easier to get through social isolation. I always post pictures of the kitties I have on my work’s Slack channel or text them to my friends.” Dipa doesn’t stop at bringing joy to everyone around her with her foster kitties. She also finds homes for her foster cats too: like with her co-workers, who adopted a pair of kittens she was fostering back in 2021!
Dipa has learned a lot about fostering by caring for kitties in need with SAFe the last couple of years. As for any advice she had for new fosters, it’s all about setting your foster space up for success. ”Get toys and beds that are machine washable or easy to sanitize. It makes cleaning between fosters much easier. I also have a broom, mop, hand vacuum and trash can just for the foster room to make it easier to do regular cleans.” We agree, the easier you make the necessary cleaning involved with foster kitties, the more time you have for the kitty party!
Dipa knows it takes squad effort to take care of our foster cats sometimes. When asked about her foster crew, she writes, “My main copilot is my husband who helps with many of the day to day cat duties. My brother in law, his girlfriend and my parents also live nearby and are always down to help socialize or cuddle some cute kittens.” We are so thankful for everyone who helps Dipa care for the cats and kittens she fosters. From kitties who need eye medication three times a day, to kitties who are feeling shut down, Dipa and her family have helped so many SAFe cats. We can’t put into words how thankful we are for every one of them!
We couldn’t do the work we do without humans like Dipa and the whole SAFe Rescue fostering community! We are constantly in awe of how all of you fosters go above and beyond to help cats and we are so lucky to have every single of you helping us save all the kitties we can.
