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Is everyone in your family in on it?
Before you even start thinking about the practical side, it’s important that everyone in your household really loves cats and is 100% behind the idea of fostering kittens. After all, the little ones will require a lot of time and things like going on holiday might not be possible for as long as the kittens are with you. But, if you’re sure you want to foster, raising adorable kitties will be one of the most rewarding experiences you can imagine.
Can you spend enough time with the kittens?
Fostering kittens can be demanding, especially when they’re still very young. These tiny bundles of fluff need bottle feeding and help going to the bathroom every few hours. If you have a full-time job, it might be more manageable to foster slightly older kittens who have already been weaned and don’t require as much intensive care. However, keep in mind that even older kittens still need at least two hours of social interaction a day to become the best pet cats they can be.
Can you spare a room?
Moving to a new place can be very overwhelming for any cat, so kittens need to be held in a separate room so they can acclimatize. It’s best to start off with a small room where the kittens cannot hide away in dangerous places.
As kittens are still very vulnerable to disease, they should stay indoors and have no contact with your own pets until the little ones have had their vaccinations. Many cat rescue organizations even require the kittens to stay indoors after they have been vaccinated to prevent them from getting lost or injured.
Do you have any experience with cats?
Fostering kittens is definitely easier if you’ve had pet cats before, but everything you need to know can be learned. When caring for kittens, it’s important to have a solid understanding of their development. This helps you recognize when something isn’t quite right, determine whether symptoms are serious, and know how to respond appropriately to protect their health. This means you’ll need to know how to administer medication, which is never an easy task with finicky felines.
Do you have (access to) a car?
As a foster parent, it’s your responsibility to ensure the kittens receive regular veterinary checkups and vaccinations, and that you have a reliable way to get them there. In addition to scheduled appointments, unexpected emergencies can arise when one of your fosters suddenly becomes seriously ill. In such cases, you need to be able to rush them to the vet immediately, which can be especially challenging without access to a car since public transportation doesn’t typically run 24/7.
