Be sure to kitten-proof your home!

Things to consider when setting up your foster kitten's space:

• Make sure the room or space is temperature-controlled. Basements and garages can be great!... as long as their temperatures can be regulated.

• The space should be disinfected prior to your foster kitten's arrival and after your kitten's departure.. 

• The initial space you keep your foster pet should be separated from any household pets. Kittens are frequently 

• Be ready to handle spills, stains, vomit, urine, and feces. Don't keep your foster pets on a brand new rug!

• No breakable items, no accessable wires or electrical outlets, no small items.

• Secure all toilet seats (we don't want curious kittens falling in!!!)

• Cover and secure any area that a kitten could hide in, hide behind, or fall into. Kittens are notorious for finding any space to hide, and we don't want them to find any spaces that are dangerous!

• Secure all windows. Adult cats and dogs can easily tear through screens if they're nervous about their new temporary home!

Feeding

If your kittens are eating solid food, we recommend making sure they have access to dry food at all times. Brother Wolf will supply you with kitten food! We also recommend providing them with wet food 3x daily. The amounts will depend on your kitten's exact ages, so be sure to consult the package of food you are providing for the most accurate recommended amount. 

What to watch for

Be sure to look over your kittens daily to check for any rashes, red spots, fleas, nasal discharge, ocular discharge, gum discoloration, or anything out of the ordinary. If you notice any of these things, please reach out to medical@bwar.org.

Timeline

Kittens will have their first dose of Dewormer as early as 2 weeks. 

Kittens will start FVRCP vaccines at 4 weeks, and will continue to have boosters every 2 weeks while in Brother Wolf's care (until 20 weeks).

Kittens will have their first Rabies vaccine at 12 weeks of age, and then yearly. 

Kittens will be Spayed/Neutered at 2 months of age and 2.5lbs., then made available for adoption. 

Kitten Adoptions

Whenever possible, we like to accomodate your desire to adopt one of your foster kittens. Inform us of intent to adopt BEFORE dropping them off for their spay/neuter surgery! This applies to any friends or family members who have expressed interest in adopting your foster kitty as well. After the surgeries are complete, kittens are automatically made available for adoption to the public, and we will not pass over one applicant in favor of another. 

Adoption Process

The day of your kitten's spay/neuter surgery, they will often stay at the  Foster Center until closing and will be made "Available for Adoption". If they are not adopted by the end of this day, they will need to return to foster care as foster pets can not spend the night at the Foster Center! If you continue fostering your kittens while they are available for adoption, the applicant will apply through our online application found at www.bwar.org/adopt. This application is sent to our Adoptions team, and they will preliminarily review the application for any red flags or glaring roadblocks.

If the applicant passes this first review, our adoptions team will reach out to you with the applicant's name, phone number, and email. Please reach out to the applicant within 24 hours. If the applicant does not respond within 24 hours of your email or phone call, let us know and we will move on to the second applicant!

Have more questions? Please email foster@bwar.org.

Cats operate on "Cat Time"...

...which means that some cats open up to their foster parents slower than others. Don't be alarmed if your new foster kitty seems uneasy! Going through the shelter system is a stressful thing, especially for a kitty. If you have a kitty like this, move slow! They will have more success warming up if you go at their pace. Don't get frustrated if they seem to be taking longer than other cats, all cats are different! 

Setup

Create a "safe space" for them to go as soon as they enter your home. A dog kennel, a large travel crate, or some other space that you can access is ideal. If you don't provide a space like this, kitty may create their own secret hiding space that you can't access! Many cats are able to make holes in boxsprings and mattresses, walls, or behind cabinets / appliances and are much harder to reach. If the cat finds an inaccessible place within your home, they will take advantage of it. 

Place a bed or soft blanket near the back of the cage. Doing so will ensure that the cat has its own comfort space. Place a towel in front of the cage with food, water, and make sure the litter box is visible and accessible. Place all of these things in a spare bedroom or unused bathroom. 

Be sure to eliminate ALL potential hiding spaces. The cat will be scared and anxious when entering your home. Please allow a day or two to let the cat get adjusted before you start working on socializing.

Setting yourself up for success

Once kitty has arrived in your home and has had a day or two to destress, start by simply spending time in the room with your new foster cat. Some cats are ready to interact at this stage! Many, however, are not. If you notice kitty is still hiding when you enter the room, try these tricks.

Sit on the floor where kitty can see you. Read a book, play a quiet phone game, and just be near the cat. Knowing that your presence is not a danger is extremely important when building a relationship with the cat, and hearing your voice will help the cat get used to you even quicker. Do this for at least the first day, but it may take more than just one day.  

Socialization

Socialization is very important. It is your job to teach kitty that humans are kind! If your kitty is already convinced, it is your job to provide an enriching and social experience for the cat while they are in your care. Remember, not all kittens and cats enjoy snuggling. Some are much happier being independent in your home without being touched! And that's okay. 

Food Motivation

Get a wand toy for your foster kitty, and see how they respond. If they shy away from the toy, don't get discouraged!

Using the handle of the wand toy, place a small amount of wet food or Chicken Baby Food on the end. Slowly show kitty the food, and see if they are interested in smelling the wand. This will create an association with you and with food, which is a good thing! It may take a few tries, but kitty should eventually seem interested in the food. These "sessions" should only last about 10-15 minutes each time, and if minimal progress is made (or seeminly none at all!), try again after about an hour. 

Find their favorite toys

Cats and dogs alike can have various preferences when it comes to their favorite toys. Offer kitty a variety of toys and enrichment tools while you aren't in the room, and pay attention to the ones they like! Textures, sounds, movement, scratchers, all different types of materials and types should be offered to see what kitty prefers! 

Introducing kitty to a resident cat

If you are fostering an adult cat (or kittens who have two rounds of vaccines and have been in your home for two full weeks), you may want to introduce them to your resident cat. If both cats are accustomed to other cats, you are welcome to introduce them! We suggest placing a towel or small blanket under each cat's food dish. After a few days of use, switch the two towels. This way, each cat smells the other (without seeing each other) while synonymously associating that smell with food. This will make the introduction smoother!

After a day or two of swapping towels, attempt to introduce them through a barrier (i.e. a closed door with a space underneath). This will allow them to continue smelling eachother. If you feel confident, see how they do! Always supervise cat-cat introductions.

Litter Box Training

If your kitten doesn't have litter box experience, don't fret! Kittens learn how to use the litter box fairly quickly. 

• If your kitten is over 5 weeks old, you can begin litter box training. Using a low box, like a box lid or a cake pan, fill the bottom of the box with one inch of NON-CLUMPING litter. This can be newspaper, non-clumping storebought litter, or pine pellets. After feeding the kitten, place kitten in the litter box and give lots of praise when they use the litter box successfully. 

• If you are fostering an adult who struggles with the litter box, contact foster@bwar.org. This could be as simple as a preference in litter (scented vs. unscented, clay vs. paper, etc), preference in location (too close to food, not easily accessible from where they typically stay, etc), or it could indicate something more serious.