KITTENS & CATS FOSTER CARE GUIDE Our Mission As the area’s premier no-kill shelter, HSSC engages the hearts, hands, and minds of the community to help animals. Our Vision A community where all animals are cared for and loved. Our Values We achieve our mission by providing compassionate care to our shelter pets, finding them permanent homes, and promoting responsible pet ownership in our community. TABLE OF CONTENTS DEAR FOSTER FAMILY, First and foremost, THANK YOU! You are about to embark on a lifesaving adventure that you’ll never forget and become a hero to your foster animal! Our foster program exists to give young animals a chance to grow and to give injured, sick, or under-socialized animals an opportunity to heal. Since the program’s inception, our foster families have saved thousands of dogs and cats that would otherwise have been euthanized without this amazing resource. In this manual, you will find guidance and helpful tips to ensure success for the duration of your foster animal’s stay. Types of Cats That Need Foster Homes • Too young to be adopted • Abused cats that need socialization and love • Sick, injured or recovering from surgery • An abandoned mother with a litter • Any animal when the shelter becomes overcrowded — HSSC Foster Team 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Are You a Foster Candidate? Do I Have the Space? ................................................. 4 Get Set! Preparing the Room ................................................. 5 Go! Animal Care Guide Kitten Development .................................................... 6 Kitten Development Chart .................................... 7 Neonate Feeding Type of Food ............................................................ 8 Feeding Etiquette ................................................... 8 Weaning ..................................................................... 9 Amount of Food ...................................................... 9 Litter Box Training .................................................. 9 Maintaining Foster Health Neonate Feeding Record .................................. 10 Diarrhea .................................................................... 11 Parasites ................................................................... 11 Vomiting .................................................................. 11 Eye Dischar ge .......................................................... 11 Ear Mites .................................................................. 12 Fleas . .......................................................................... 12 Ringworm ................................................................ 12 Mange . ....................................................................... 12 Upper Respiratory Infection ............................... 13 Common Illnesses................................................. 14 Distemper ................................................................ 15 Fading Kittens ........................................................ 15 Veterinary Care Routine Veterinary Car e ..................................... 16 Scheduling Rechecks . .......................................... 17 Vaccines ................................................................... 17 The Finishing Line! Spay/Neuter Surgery ........................................... 18 The Day of Surgery ............................................... 18 Fostering An Adult Cat ............................................... 19-21 Emergency Health Sheet ............................................ 24 3 ARE YOU A FOSTER CANDIDATE? TIME Are you able to devote the required time daily and weekly to your YES NO foster animal? Are you able to bring foster animals to the shelter for vaccinations YES NO and wellness exams? Are you able to contact HSSC or bring foster animals to the YES N O emergency care facility quickly in an emergency? Time Commitments & Responsibilities TYPE OF FOSTER DURATION OF FOSTER DAILY COMMITMENT 2-8 weeks Kittens with Mom Mom returns to HSSC 2-3 hours Weaning starts at 4 weeks when kittens are 4 weeks Bottle Babies 4-8 weeks 6-8 hours Birth–4 weeks Weaned Kittens 2 weeks–1 month 2-4 hours 4–8 weeks Behavior & Medical Cats 1 week–1 month 2-6 hours SPACE Are you able to separate your foster animals from your household YES NO pets (If needed)? Are you able to handle cleaning procedures such as washing hands after every encounter and cleaning or disinfecting the cat/kittens, YES N O quarters routinely? Are you able to handle any potential home damage (carpet, YES NO clothing, and/or furniture) associated with animals? CARE Are you prepared to handle sickness or possible death of your foster YES NO animal? Are you able to emotionally handle letting go of the foster animal YES NO after becoming attached once their foster period is over? Are you able to handle the potential of foster animals carrying an YES NO illness that could affect your household animals or family? 4 GET SET! TIPS& TAILS Use glass or metal bowls as plastic bowls are porous and not as easy to clean. Clean linens and toys daily. Preparing the Room Before you bring home your foster(s), make sure that you have a room should adhere to the following guidelines: Supervise play time. • A space where temperature can be controlled. • The space has been disinfected by using a mild bleach solution (1 part bleach to 32 parts water). • Separate from other household pets. • Can withstand messes: spilt water or food, vomit, urine, feces, etc. • No breakable items. • Electrical outlets and wires are blocked. • No small items. • Secured windows (closed or with a secure screen). • Secured appliances (toilet lids closed). 5 GO! ANIMAL CARE GUIDE Kitten Development TIPS& TAILS In the first two weeks of life, kittens are helpless and vulnerable. They are still developing basic reflexes, their hearing and vision are still not fully developed, and they are unable to properly control their body temperatures. They should therefore be confined to a nursery area. Kittens should not be allowed to mingle with your own pets. Bathe your foster with Dawn® Dish Detergent During the first 1-3 weeks of life, kittens do not urinate or defecate Original Formula. Be on their own and require stimulation for elimination. Gently rub a sure to dry your kitten warm cloth or cotton pad on the kitten’s genital area and anus. This after their bath using a should be done after feeding. towel and keep them warm. Keeping the kittens clean from food and fecies is vital for his or her health. If you notice your kitten has food, urine, or fecies on him or her gently wipe down with a warm damp cloth or baby wipe. Be sure Kittens are chewers! to dry the kitten well afterwards so they do not become chilled. Be sure to remove all electrical cords and small objects. 6 GO! ANIMAL CARE GUIDE Kitten Development Chart WEEKS FEEDING DEVELOPMENT Bottle feed every 2–3 hours during the day and Eyes open at 8–14 days and they sleep 90% every 4 hours at night. Feed about 1-2 tbs. per of the time. Must be kept warm with 1–2 kitten, each feeding. minimal handling. Skin should be pink, and they seldom cry. They cannot potty on their Formula: 1 tbs. KMR with 2 tbs. water own, so gently rub a warm cotton pad on their genital area and anus after feeding. Bottle feed every 3–4 hours, approx. 1 tbs. — Kittens begin to crawl at 18–21 days. They 2 tbs. Only one feeding at night. Kittens should will begin to play with each other, and you be full but not bloated. Kittens might start can increase handling. Use a damp cloth to 3–4 lapping from a bowl of gruel. help them clean up and then dry them so they are not chilled. They still must be kept Gruel: 3/4 formula with 1/4 wet food warm and they will be extra messy. Litter box training can begin. Feed 3 tbs. of formula every 6 hours and it’s Litter box training starts at 4 weeks. time to add a shallow dish of water. 4 Weaning can begin. See Weaning. See Litter box Training. Feed gruel 4 times a day. Introduce dry food Kittens can be allowed to explore with mixed with water. If the kittens do not like their supervision. Play with and handle them often, 4–6 food, some will prefer human baby food. Make with lots of baby talk. Place them in the litter sure the baby food contains NO ONION box after meals and naps. Use only clay litter POWDER. Watch to make sure everyone eats. (NO clumping). They will still need help cleaning up. Feed wet food 3 times a day and always keep Notice any kittens that still shy away from 6–8 dry food out. Watch to make sure everyone eats. you—give them special attention—more Experiment mixing wet and dry or change play, and more handling. This is the best time flavors if they resist current choice. to achieve socialization. Feed wet food twice a day and always keep dry Should be close to 2lbs. and ready to be food out to free feed. returned to HSSC to be spayed or neutered. 8+ Please, NO TABLE SCRAPS. 7 NEONATE FEEDING Neonate Feeding Never give a neonate kitten anything other than their specified formula! (No cow’s milk!) TIPS& TAILS WEEKS FEEDING Kittens less than 3 to 4 weeks old are fed a powdered formula reconstituted into a liquid. The powder formula (KMR) must be mixed for feedings. It is To warm nursing important to closely follow mixing directions: one part powder to bottles, fill a coffee two parts warm water (it can cause diarrhea or constipation if not mug half way with hot done correctly). When mixing, do not use a blender. Any reconstituted formula can be refrigerated up to 24 hours. After that water and place the point, it