A Message From SAFe’s Foster Team
We are in full preparation mode for the upcoming kitten season! Our teams – including Medical, Intake, Foster and Operations – are busy going over medical protocols, emergency protocols, and how we can best care for the most vulnerable kittens from birth to 8 weeks old. We are working on building new partnerships with rescue organizations. We have been increasing our staff and training new volunteers who will provide support for the Foster Program and all of our amazing foster homes caring for vulnerable little ones this year.
As you may already know, we are also preparing for one of the biggest events of the year – the SAFe Rescue Kitten Shower! It’s going to be huge! We thank you for the support we have already received and will receive for kittens and foster parents this year. You are making it possible for us to provide the critical supplies needed to care for kittens and keep them healthy and happy.
Intro
As we prepare for the 2025 kitten season, we look back at a few of our favorite kitten tales from previous Foster of the Month features. Sweet as these stories are, they also shed light on both the trials and joys of kitten-rearing. It takes a lot of heart to bring up little cats!
Vesper
“We fostered an all black kitten whom we named Vesper. She was the shyest of that litter. She was the one I’ve got most scratches from, but also the one whom I’ve got the most love from. She was terrified, but once she realized pets were what she loved the most in the world, she started looking forward to my visits to the foster room. She even chose sitting down with us over playing with her siblings.” – Sampradha, December 2021
Above: Vesper went from scratching to snuggling under Sampradha’s care.
The Reluctant Mama
Sylvia, the young mama cat, was struggling and not caring for the kittens. Eventually, in the care of Sarah and her family, and with the support of the SAFe team, she started feeling better – eventually being able to care for her kittens. During all of this, Sarah was calm and attentive through all the ups, downs, and uncertainties. In the end, all of the cats grew into beautiful, sweet fur-balls, and Sarah was delighted to find out that they were adopted together! – Sarah, March 2023
Above, left: Sylvia with her newborns. Right: Two of Sylvia’s kittens, Martha and Rigby.
Sylvia wasn’t sure how to be a mama at first, but Sarah’s care helped her become a natural! Sylvia ended up being adopted with both Martha and Rigby.
Ringworm Roundup
Anna’s biggest challenge came while looking after a litter of kittens with ringworm, a fungal infection. The treatment involves giving frequent medicated baths, which Anna quickly discovered was quite an adventure–especially with squirmy kittens who wanted nothing to do with water! – Anna, January 2024
How Peach and Daisy Blossomed
Peach and Daisy were already wary of humans….now Rebecca had the task of getting them socialized.
Fortunately, Rebecca had learned a lot—both from her Kitten Lady research, personal experiences, and resources provided by SAFe’s Foster Team—and she knew that patience and persistence were key. With a little extra effort, she could show the kittens the world wasn’t such a scary place, after all.
“I would sit with them in their space, letting them get used to me,” she says. “Eventually, they were relaxed enough to start playing, then start snuggling with me. By the time they were ready to get adopted, they always wanted to be in my lap!” – Rebecca S, March 2024
Above, left: Daisy and Peach were much more timid before they came to Rebecca. With her help, they gained the confidence to interact with people (center: Peach, right: Daisy)
The Not So Hungry Kitten
Hadley recalls a five-week-old kitten who resisted eating even as his siblings gobbled down their meals. She tried everything–watering down his food, warming it up, even syringe-feeding–but the little guy wouldn’t take one bite. So Hadley had to think outside the box.
“I tried putting the formula on my finger and smearing it on his face so he had no choice but to lick it off,” Hadley says. “It was a very slow method, but after a few “finger feeds,” he perked up and was willing to take the syringe, and then gradually began eating from a bowl like his siblings.”
The experience taught Hadley a valuable lesson: just like people, every cat is an individual. That means no method is one size fits all.
“Sometimes it takes a lot of trial and error to figure out what works!” She says. – Hadley, November 2024
Above: Purah is one of many small kittens Hadley has fostered with her family.
We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the world of kitten care, as told by five of SAFe’s foster champions. Join us for more kitten shenanigans at our Kitten Shower on Saturday, March 22nd, and/or catch the virtual events March 14th-23rd!
