Cat Foster Home Manual

FOSTER HOME MANUAL – CAT

Welcome! So, you’ve decided to foster for Gwinnett Humane Society (GHS). You are about to become an important part of our family. By opening your home to a cat, you are making it possible for them to find a forever family. Without foster parents, we wouldn’t be able to continue the work we do…so thank you!

Preparing your home and family

Foster families are required to provide the basic needs for their foster cats, including fresh food/water, litter box, and toys. Our adoption center has some supplies available for foster homes, such as carriers, litter and cat food, however most of our foster parents opt to purchase their own supplies for convenience since the center is only open on weekends. We also can’t be sure what type of food will be donated to our center from the community, so there’s often not the same food available week to week. You will want to purchase and provide the same food consistently to your foster cat to avoid tummy upset. Your foster cat must be kept indoors at all times, this is very important– the outdoors puts them at risk for illness and injury.

Your home

Your foster cat needs a separate space in your home, in a climate-controlled area (sheds/garages etc are not okay.) But many spaces in your home can work well for your foster cat! If you are fostering a small kitten, a large bathroom (not half-bath) might be okay. But a full room is best especially for larger or multiple cats. Your foster may need to be kept apart from your resident pets depending on the temperament of everyone involved. After some time in a separate room, you may decide to give your foster cat access to other areas of your home. But again, please consider the temperament of your foster and resident pets. Any other pets you have in your home will need to be healthy and up to date on vaccinations, even if they will never interact with your foster cat.

Setting up your foster room

Fresh litter box or boxes depending on how many cats you’re fostering
Food bowl and water bowl
Soft place to sleep and some cat toys
Scratching post or pad
Check the room carefully and remove any small items that the kitty could choke on. Tie or wrap all blind cords out of reach and move electrical cords to behind furniture that is flush against the wall if possible. Vinyl strips and plastic covers can be found at hardware stores to cover electrical cords if needed. If using a bathroom, make sure toilet seat is down at all times – kittens can drown in small amounts of water. Remove any houseplants, unnecessary decorations & chemicals from the room. Cats are curious creatures, so plenty of toys and quality time with you will help keep them happy and out of trouble.

Your family

Cats need time with your family every day, playing and cuddling. Some of the cats in our program will need special interaction and time to learn to trust humans. If you haven’t had experience with this, we are available to help. If all members of your family are gone during the day, plan to set aside quality time with your foster during mornings, and after school/work. Giving attention to your foster cat helps them continue to trust people and is a key part of them doing well at the adoption center and then in their forever family!

What is the commitment?

Provide food and fresh water, and scoop the litter box at least once every day
Transportation of your foster to the vet for vaccinations and/or spay/neuter surgery (costs of medical care provided by GHS)
Agree to an initial home visit to make sure all is in order according to Department of Agriculture standards and periodic scheduled home visits thereafter, if necessary
Assist in creating an online profile by providing good photos and info about your foster cat’s personality, likes/dislikes and how well they get along with other cats, dogs, or children (if you know). This information can be uploaded easily using an online form that you will have access to once your fostering journey begins. A link to the form will be provided to you via email.
Most importantly…fostering can be a long-term commitment. Since GHS does not have the staff or space at their facility to keep cats full time, it is up to the fostering families to care for them until they are adopted. Some kittens are adopted soon after their spay/neuter surgeries, while others can take weeks to find the right forever home. For example, if you wish to foster a pregnant or new mom with her kittens, keep in mind that although her kittens may find homes quickly after their surgery, the mom could stay with you for several weeks or even months after the fact. It is very important that this be considered when deciding to foster.
If personal schedule allows, participate in quarterly meetings with all foster parents. We are a family and families help each other out! This is a great way for fosters to meet and get advice on their fostering journey or ask any questions of the GHS staff.

Medical Info

Basic medical needs after intake into the program include:

Deworming—usually at intake, and 2^nd dose 2 weeks later (depends on medication used)
Combo Test for Feline Leukemia & FIV—usually done at intake
FVRCP—usually 1^st dose at 6 weeks old (or upon intake if older than 6 weeks), 2^nd dose 3 weeks later, 3^rd dose 3 weeks later. If pregnant or nursing mom, this must wait until after weening of kittens.
Rabies vaccine—given at 4 months old
Kittens must be 2 lbs for spay/neuter, but older cats may be scheduled for this soon after intake

The Placement Chairperson will let you know what your foster cat needs and get it scheduled. But please help her in the process by maintaining a check list of your own on what your foster has received and what is coming due based on the timing shown above.

Adoption Process

After all age-appropriate vaccinations, deworming and spay/neuter are completed and if your foster is healthy, they should be ready to come to adoption events on Saturdays & Sundays and be placed on Petfinder.com. Please make every effort to get your foster there every weekend as this, along with an engaging Petfinder profile, gives them the best chance of finding their forever family as many people come by the center for a “look and see”. Please use a cat carrier and drop off at 12 noon and pick up no later than 5 PM. If there isn’t a volunteer available when dropping off your foster at the center, please help by setting up the cage with a fresh litter box, food and water before you leave. Please take a moment and fill out a cage card (at the end of this manual) for each foster. Bring that to the center and attached it to a piece of cardstock supplied at the center (blue for boys, pink for girls!) and attach to the cage. If you need to leave quickly, please let someone in charge know so we can get your foster cat settled in.

Several of our foster families offer private visits with potential adopters in their home. It offers a more relaxed setting (the center can get a bit chaotic at times with people coming and going and dogs barking). Plus, it gives your fosters a chance to really be themselves by being surrounded with their toys in a place they’ve become accustomed to. If you are comfortable with that option, your schedule allows it or especially if you find that your foster would do better by not being brought into the center, then let us know. This can be noted on the online Petfinder Informational Form which in turn lets our cat coordinator know how to proceed with booking appointments for potential adopters.

Once a family is selected to adopt a cat, they will be given a Cat Adoption Guide. This guide is helpful for the family by giving them information on what they can expect the first few days and weeks of welcoming their new cat. The Cat Adoption Guide will be emailed to you, for your reference.

We love referrals! If you or a friend are interested in adopting your foster cat(s), that’s great! Please be aware that anyone interested must go through the official application process. Because the cat is a GHS cat, you can’t “give” them to anyone. But we would be grateful for your help! “Talk up” your foster to everyone, post pictures on your social media with a link to the GHS website and let us know if someone is interested.

Emergency

If you have any concerns about your cat, contact the Placement Chairperson right away. She will help decide if your foster needs medical attention. GHS has agreements with several vet clinics, including Baranik Animal Care and Gwinnett Animal Clinic, where we receive discounts. If you feel your foster’s life is in immediate danger, take them to the nearest vet or after-hours vet and continue trying to reach Nan.

Please fill out a cage card for EACH foster, cut along dotted line and bring with you to the center. The “I am” portion is a description, ie tabby, tuxedo as well as a place to make note of any special markings that separate similar looking cats in the litter/cage from the others. If you have fosters that are identical, please make sure they have a colored collar or ribbon on and make note of that on the card.

My name is:

___________________________________

I am a: _________________________________________________________

I am: Female _____ Male: _____

I am: Spayed _____ Neutered: _____

DOB: ____________

Comments: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Foster parent: _______________________________________________