Thank you for opening your home to among our NACC shelter animals! Your kindness will assist in saving a life and increase the opportunity of them discovering a permanently home. Our foster program is important for the underage kittens that enter our shelter since kittens are the most at-risk animals in shelters. They need a lot more care than the shelter staff/hours can provide, which is why we look for caring foster houses to help us continue to save kittens less than 12 weeks of age.
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS: Our Foster Coordinator will deal with shelter staff to figure out which dogs are the most at requirement of foster care. When an application is sent to foster, you will be contributed to the “NACC Cat Fosters” email chain and Facebook Group. The foster planner will send an everyday list of felines that will require foster houses. The list will consist of images and habits notes about the felines in requirement. When you see a feline (or felines) that is a good match to your homes/skills, you will react to the email/Facebook post and established a pickup time. Norfolk Animal Care Center will offer you with all the essential products for promoting, support you throughout the whole procedure and will be available to attend to any concerns or issues.
GETTING READY FOR FOSTER KITTENS: Your foster kittens need to be separated from all other animals in your household and kept in a little location, such as an extra room or restroom, where they have access to their food, water and litter box. kittens cannot control their body temperature level so this location need to likewise remain in a warm, draft-free location. It might be a good concept to think about a location that is simple to tidy up in regards to spills and litter box mishaps, which will occur considering that the kittens are discovering. Please do not put fosters in a garage, shed, or location that has outside gain access to as those places are not safe. We enjoy to offer any and/or all essential products that are noted below.
Supplies:
• Food/water bowls.
• A supply of food (canned & kibble/pellets.)
• Litter box with low sides.
• Non-clumping clay Litter.
• A heating pad or cuddle safe disc.
• Bedding, blankets, towels.
• Scale – for tracking weight gain.
• A secure sleeping location (Dog cage)
• Toys.
• Hay and Care Fresh type bed linen for little animals.
• Only relevant for litters that are bottle-feeding kittens:
o Kitten Nursing Bottles and Extra Nipples
o Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR)
o Syringes for additional feeding
HEALTHCARE: All cats should be spayed/neutered, FVRCP immunized, and microchipped at the time of adoption. As a foster, you will be accountable for bringing the kittens in for their regular vaccinations (every couple of weeks.) While all animals are looked for basic health prior to entering into foster, they might establish other health issues along the method, and might require to be seen by the shelter vet. NACC supplies all treatment for our foster animals at the shelter with the shelter vet at no cost to the Foster.
TYPES / AGES OF FELINES/SMALL ANIMALS REQUIRING FOSTER: There are several foster opportunities available! Below are some descriptions of our most typical requirements, though there might be more and various opportunities at any provided time. Foster lengths will differ with each animal. The ones noted below are merely a basic standard.
Mother with Nursing children: Nursing mothers (either feline or little animals) who enter the shelter with their children either as strays or surrenders, or they will deliver while already here. Mom will require to be kept with her children till they are weaned around 4-6 weeks of age, and the children will require to stay in foster till they are all set for adoption (around 8-9 weeks of age). May need as much as 9-10 weeks in the foster home.
Bottle Baby Kittens: Newborn kittens who come into the shelter who do not have a mom and will require to be bottle fed till they have the ability to consume by themselves. These little people usually need round the clock care, consisting of over night feedings, till they are at least 2-3 weeks old. They will not be extremely mobile or able to get rid of by themselves till they are at least 3 weeks old also and will constantly require to be kept warm. They can reside in a provider for the very first number of weeks. May need as much as 9 weeks approximately in the foster home.
Slurry Baby Kittens: These youngsters are simply past the bottle-feeding phase and have actually simply begun consuming by themselves around 3-5 weeks of age. The slurry describes a mix of canned kitten food and kitten formula as they might not have the ability to consume the dry food by themselves and will simply be discovering to consume water by themselves also. They will sometimes need some assistance via syringe or supplemental bottle feeding until they really get the hang of it and will require at least 4-5 daily feedings until they are eating more consistently on their own. They should be starting to use the litter box on their own but might need some help with that at first as well. Will usually require 4-6 weeks in the foster home.
Underage kittens: These kittens will be about 5-8 weeks of age and should be fully weaned and eating completely on their own and generally be pretty good with the litter box. They will usually be pretty independent and playful and will only require two wet food feedings in addition to their dry food. Will usually require about 2-3 weeks in foster depending on their age.
Under-Socialized Cats/Kittens/Small Animals: These animals can vary in age and need some work learning how to fully trust people so they can become adoptable. Some will have come from feral colonies or hoarding situations and may never have known people before, and others simply may be very shy. They will require a lot of patience and work with safe handling techniques to properly socialize them. The time in foster will be extremely variable depending on how easily they are able to be socialized.
Sick, Injured, Surgery Recovery, Break from Shelter and Hospice Cats/Small animals: These are many various scenarios that we may have a require for. These animals can vary in age, temperament, and need level. Most just need some TLC till they can come back for adoption, or a comfortable place to live out their days due a terminal illness. We will give complete instructions for their care both in the home and any necessary follow up back at the shelter. The time in foster will be extremely variable depending upon the factor for foster.
MORE INFO? CONCERNS? Email the Foster Coordinator at: [email protected]
