Rescue-Me.org thanks YOU! Thank you for opening your home and your heart to a kitten or cat in need. Whether you foster a kitten that needs some time to grow, or an adult cat who needs a little extra TLC, YOU make it possible for us to provide the very best care possible for all of our foster babies. Fostering is messy, rewarding, stinky, adorable, and sometimes a heartbreaking job. We certainly couldn’t do it without valuable foster homes like yours!
Thank you to Kimberly Sanchez of Averting CAT-astrophe Rescue for authoring the kitten care portion of this handbook
Need Help? Who to Call?
Note that we are all volunteers, and many of us hold jobs and have families, so please give us grace in terms of responsiveness.
Amy Turner – Lead Medical Volunteer - This is where intake starts, also routine medical care
Bonnie Randall – Assistant Medical Volunteer & New Foster Mentor
Amy Jenkins – Vet Visit and Spay/Neuter Scheduling
Kelly Rizzo – Adopter Application Processing & New Kitten Teaching
Charlotte Beakley - Adopter Application Processing & New Kitten Teaching
Barbara Ferry – Foster Coordinator (Going out of town? Need to move your foster kittens to a new foster? This is who to contact.)
Sara Ashworth - Marketing and Social Media - This is who to contact to help get your foster kittens advertised to adopters on Facebook and TikTok etc. -
After hours emergency care (after 5pm)
If your foster requires after hours emergency medical veterinarian care, YOU MUST GET PRIOR APPROVAL from Amy Jenkins. You may contact Amy Turner or Bonnie Randall to help you triage. Often times we can help with things like fluids and syringe feedings before the situation becomes emergent.
Our Veterinarians
We use Dr Kim Heinefield with Operation Kindness for routine spay/neuter. She does not see clinic appointments. If you require a vet visit for something Amy/Bonnie are not able to resolve, we typically use Lantana Animal Hospital, Riverwalk Pet Hospital in Grapevine, and occasionally others.
GroupMe
Ask anyone from RescueMe to be added to our GroupMe communication tool - this is a great way for fosters to ask questions and support each other, be informed about upcoming Petco adoption events, and more! (Do not use GroupMe for intake requests, that should go through a board member.)
Kitty-Proofing Your Home
• Kittens and cats that are new to Rescue Me (fresh intake) should spend their first 2 weeks in a small room, isolated from other pets, regardless of age. Kittens under 6 weeks should always be in a small room separate from other pets, and between weeks 6-8, trips to the rest of the home should be closely supervised.
• Cat-proofing and especially kitten-proofing your home is much the same as child-proofing it! That means hiding or removing cords, removing small items that kittens can choke on, etc. Make sure the garbage, cleaning supplies, and medicines are secure.
• Get into the habit of checking your refrigerator, oven, washer, dryer, freezer, dishwasher, etc. before closing them.
• Ensure that hot irons or other hot or heavy objects are secure. Rambunctious kitties may knock them down, so make sure when not in use they are put away securely.
• Review the toxic houseplant list at www.aspca.org/pet-care/poisoncontrol/plants and remove all poisonous plants from your house or up high out of reach.
• Keep all small items like rubber bands, paperclips, needles, thread, and pins - anything a kitty a swallow- out of reach.
• Never leave razors or toxic products out in the bathroom. Always make sure the toilet lid is down, bathtub fully drained.
• Keep plastic bags out of reach, which can cause suffocation.
• Exposed electrical cords are a very real danger. Kitties will sometimes chew on them and can be electrocuted. Encase cords in flexible tubing, spray with bitter apple, electrical tape, or something that protects the cord from getting chewed on.
• Rocking chairs, recliners, power reclining chairs/couches, and adjustable beds all pose a real threat to kittens. Ensure that you know where your kittens are before putting down these items. If you don’t know where they are, you will need to get out of the chair or bed before putting them down.
• Doors/Exits: Make sure kittens are not behind a door that are being opened or closed. Keep unscreened doors and windows closed at all times.
• Outdoors: we do not take our foster kitties outdoors at all, unless on a leash and you have prior approval from RescueMe.
• Other cats, can sometimes be asymptomatic carriers of viruses that are more harmful to kittens, or can be too aggressive with kittens, so please observe interactions with your resident cats to ensure kittens safety.
• Dogs, all dogs but especially large dogs can easily injure a kitten, often accidentally. Please properly supervise them at all times. Kittens under 8 weeks of age should not have interactions with resident dogs. Over 8 weeks, use caution and closely supervise.
• Small children in home, please make sure that you are always supervising them to assure the safety of your child and the kitten. Small children often will try to squeeze them when trying to hold them. Teaching your child how to properly play with them, “HANDS FREE” (not using their hands as toys). Teach children never to pull the tail or crawl under furniture to get at a shy cat or kitten. It is wise to have a high place where the cat can retreat to, such as a cat tower, that is a “no touch” zone for your children.
• Holes, check your home for small holes. Under cabinets, in-between appliances, plugs, and drywall. Make sure all these areas are plugged before allowing a kitten to roam free in that area. You’d be surprised the areas a little kitten can get in or get stuck in.
• Remember cats/kittens are very curious and will get into anything and everything.
Housing
You must provide a clean, safe environment for your foster kittens/cats. We recommend that you use a spare bedroom or bathroom as your “foster” room. We recommend that you use a kennel, playpen, condo, or a nesting box, depending on the age and stage of the group you’re caring for.
Pregnancy and birth:
Nesting Box - A clean, warm, dry, quiet, out of traffic site should be provided for mom to give birth and to raise her babies. The box should be large enough for mom to lie comfortably away from her litter if she chooses, but small enough so the babies are easy for her to reach. The sides need to be high enough to prevent young wondering babies from getting out, but low enough for mom to come and go.
This could be as simple as a cardboard box that you cut to appropriate height, a wooden box that has been made, or a XL Rubbermaid container (the long one). Line the bottom with newspaper or puppy training pads, a clean dry soft blanket (no towels as tiny claws get stuck in the loops,) and depending on ambient temperature, possibly a heat source to keep babies warm when mom isn’t with the babies. Mom will need a litter box, dry food, and water outside of this box. Give mom wet food twice a day for extra calories.
Until the age of 3-4 weeks old, the mother cat will clean the kitten’s genitals to stimulate the bowels and bladder. As the kittens start showing interest in the litter box around 4 weeks of age, provide them with an easily accessible box that has low sides so they can step over it easily.
Mom & Babies
• Make sure mom has kitten food and fresh water available at all time.
• Change bedding in nesting box as needed, always keep it clean and dry.
• Make sure there is a heat source on one side of the box for kittens when mom isn’t in box with them.
• Mom and babies should be checked a minimum of twice a day.
•Weigh each baby daily to ensure they are gaining weight and you don’t need to intervene with supplemental feedings.
• Give mom wet food twice a day, she needs those extra calories.
• Check mom’s teats daily to make sure they’re not warm to the touch or are crusty. Mom could develop mastitis which is very painful and might require vet care. Check with your Mentor on what to do if this happens.
• If you have a kitten that is crying a lot, not nursing, cold to the touch or being ignored by the mother, contact your mentor immediately.
The #1 thing to remember when fostering kittens is: Weigh, Weigh, Weigh! The overwhelming majority of kittens who pass away in foster care do so because they were not weighed daily as they should have been! Make sure you have a notebook with names, dates, and weight for each kitten daily. A drop in weight can be the 1st indication that something is wrong with the kitten.
Bottle feeding kittens 0-4 weeks of age
From birth up until about 4 weeks, kittens separated from their mother are a lot of work and a big challenge. It’s important that you know that kittens without a mother at this stage don’t always make it even if you do everything correctly for them. THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO WHEN RECEIVING KITTENS AT THIS STAGE IS TO ASK, WHERE IS MOTHER CAT? If the person asking for our help can give us info on where to find/trap mom, even if she’s feral, it’s going to be in the best interest of the kittens for us to do everything we can to trap her. Even a feral mom – while bringing extra challenges – is going to do a better job with round-the-clock feeds, and receiving mother’s milk means the kittens won’t do constant battle with such enemies as coccidia, giardia and ringworm. If mom is feral, ideally, we want her for the first 4-5 weeks to nurse her kittens, and then she can be TNRd (spayed and returned to her original location.) If mom is friendly or decides to be friendly while in our care, we can adopt her out as a pet after the kittens are adopted.
There are many online resources for how to bottle feed, how much to bottle feed, correct positioning, and how to stimulate for urine and stool. We recommend The Kitten Lady website, or talk to one of our mentors. We recommend using KMR brand powdered formula, which we can supply for you, as well as various bottles and nipples so that you can experiment and find what your kittens do best with. You would not be wrong to add a probiotic like Bene-Bac or Forti-Flora to formula after about 2 weeks of age. Likewise, constipation can be an issue for bottle babies, and a dusting of Miralax powder in the formula once a day can combat this at this age and stage. (You’ll read about using organic pumpkin for diarrhea or constipation, but don’t do this before 4 weeks of age.)
***The two most important rules: Kittens must be WARM and have Full Bellies at all times! ***
• Preparing kitten milk replacement (KMR). Mix 1-part KMR to 2 parts water. You can mix in a shaker bottle or blender. Never mix more than what the kittens will drink in a 24 hour period. When you get the KMR mixture out of fridge to make a bottle, make sure you shake it really well because powder sometimes will settle at the bottom. Once you know how much that litter will drink at 1 feeding, you can prepare several bottles in fridge at a time so I’m not making bottles while I’m half asleep. Warm up the milk in a measuring cup and then pour into the bottle. Also put a cup of water in a coffee cup in the microwave for 1-2 minutes depending on your microwave. The milk in the bottle will get cold fast and they don’t like cold milk. Test the milk on your wrist like you would a for a baby. Test it each time you put in the coffee cup of hot water on your wrist. The bottle itself might actually feel really hot but the milk might not be that hot. It only takes a few seconds to re-heat in the water, make sure you shake the bottle well after warming up. *Do Not put the bottle in the microwave to warm up the milk. Toxins from the plastic/rubber may leach into the milk.
• Storage of KMR, before and once opened. Store in the freezer, it will last longer. Once you open it, put the date on the lid of when you open it.
• There are no fast rules to teach you about bottle babies, 85% is on the job training.
Feeding Bottle Babies
• Shake bottle well for hot spots
• Put the nipple in the side of the kitten’s mouth then to the center of the kitten’s mouth, let the kitten position it to their comfort.
• Squeeze a few drops out, then stop. You should feel the kitten latch on.
• Do not overfeed, it can cause diarrhea. Feed until their little belly is full.
• IMPORTANT: Position the kitten properly. Kittens should be on their tummy, the way they would if nursing from their mother. Raising their head straight up can cause aspiration (inhalation of formula into lung) which could be fatal. NEVER feed a kitten on his/her back, like a human baby. Never hold the baby in the air while feeding.
• Sometimes you have to manipulate the nipple in their mouth so they can get a taste of the formula before they will latch.
• If for some reason they don’t latch on, you might have to syringe feed.
• Try syringe feeding with and a miracle nipple attached to it. Place the syringe at the corner of their mouth and slowly squeeze a few drops in their mouth. Make sure you go slow enough to allow them to swallow the formula. Watch for bubbles coming out of their nose. If you see this happen tilt them downwards and pat their back with 2 fingers, you might need to use a preemie bulb syringe to suction slowly.
• Burping: Kittens must be burped after every feeding. You’ll lay the kitten on your shoulder, kind of by your ear so you can hear them burp. Pat their back or rub their back up and down or in circles or place in one hand under his/her belly and gently pat and rub his/her back. You can usually feel or hear when they burp. Not burping your bottle baby can cause them to get air bubbles trapped in their tummy causing pain, just like a human baby.
• Stimulating your baby: Lay a hand towel down on your lap just in case. Have moist paper towels or wet wipes prepared. Hold your baby in one hand and gentle massage the genital area. Don’t rub back and forth, friction can cause irritation. Hold the wet wipe over genital area and kind of wiggle a little bit and they automatically start going. You’ll need to continue until their bladder is empty because they will stop going if you stop stimulating them.
• Stimulate them when you wake them up for feeding. Sometimes when they need to poop you will feel them bearing down, legs get stiff, and a lot of times they will scream as they go or grunt.
• You’ll do this to each kitten. Potty, feed, burp. Then go back to the kitten you started with and repeat the process. If he/she spits out the nipple or keeps turning head then he/she is full. Go ahead and stimulate again though, a lot of times they will poop at this time since they have a belly full of warm formula.
• Kittens should be urinating every time you stimulate them. If no urine is produced after 6 hours, please text/call your mentor.
• Normal kitten poop is mustard or brown colored, firm, and formed in tiny little logs, but still squishy, especially as a newborn. Newborn poop often is kind of like tar looking, like a newborn human baby.
• Kittens usually poop at least once a day. If they do not poop for more than two days, please call your Mentor or Foster Mentor Coordinator.
• Make sure you wipe your kittens face with a soft dry cloth after each feeding. Keep them very clean and don’t let formula build up on them. It will cause their fur to get matted down and stick to their skin, causing pain. You might need to use a wet wipe and use a towel or blow dryer to dry them. Use a soft toothbrush to brush them daily, as if momma is cleaning them. Do this at least once a day.
• Keep their bottoms very clean as well. They might need a small wet wipe butt bath, Use warm water with a tiny bit of Dawn dish soap or gentle baby shampoo on a wet wipe. Squeeze excess water off and gently clean their genitals and then rinse them with a clean wet wipe. Make sure to dry them off thoroughly.
• WE DO NOT TUBE FEED, UNLESS DONE BY OUR MEDICAL VOLUNTEERS
Kitten Developmental Milestones
• Kittens typically weigh about 90-110 grams at birth. They should gain about 100 grams a week.
• Their eyes open at 7-10 days (will be blue until kittens are 6-7 weeks old)
• At about 2 weeks, they will start crawling around (can inch around as early as 4 days).
• At 3-4 weeks, they’ll start to play with each other. The ears will start to stand up, and teeth will begin to come in.
• At 3-5 weeks, it’s time to start the weaning process – You’ll start with syringing gruel, instructions below. Kittens should be well on their way to eating independently and using the litter box. Make sure you have a shallow dish, paper plate cut in ½ or ¼, or use a plate, each having their own food to ensure the amount of food each kitten is eating. During this process you should be sitting with them while they eat to make sure no one is getting their food taken by a sibling. After each feeding have a bottle prepared for any babies who wants to be topped off or are quite not eating as much as the others yet.
• At 6 weeks, kittens should be eating dry kibble and kitten pate food only. Sometimes it takes a little longer for some. Orphans develop a little slower than kittens with their mom. We want photos and a personality description for the website, and your kittens are available for pre-adoption.
At 8 weeks, your kittens should have their combo test and vaccines with Amy/Bonnie, and are available for adoption.
Feeding Guidelines
Feeding Stage: | Age Range: | Weight Range: | Feeding Frequency: |
Bottle Babies | 0 - < 4 weeks | 90 to 400 grams | Every 2-3 hours, once healthy and 2 weeks old then one period of 4-5 hours over night. |
Syringe Gruel | 3 to < 6 weeks | 300 to 700 grams | Every 4 hours and can go one 6 hour period overnight (once healthy) |
Gruel/Kibble | 5 weeks and up | 700 grams and up | For gruel: Every 4-6 hours, 8 hours overnight (kibble should always be out) |
Supplies:
Baby Blankets (Goodwill/thrift stores)
Baby wipes sensitive/toilet paper
Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR)
Kitten nursing bottles, miracle nipples, bottle brush
Karo Syrup, Unflavored Pedialyte, Baby Rice Cereal, Baby Chicken food, and Nutrical Kitten
Small whisk/blender/shaker cup to mix formula
Kitchen food scale, Infant Preemie Bulb Syringe, baby thermometer, 1ml Syringes
Small/Medium soft stuffed animals since these are orphaned babies, they need something to snuggle with. (Depending on the size of stuffed animal, you cut a hole at the back of it, remove some stuffing. Make a rice sock using a knee-high panty hose & an old sock. Fill the panty hose ¼ to ½ full with rice and tie the end off with a knot, place inside sock. Get Velcro and sew it onto the stuffed animal, doesn’t have to be perfect. Then you can remove sock, warm in in the microwave, and place inside stuffed animal. Now they have a warm lovey to lay on)
Bleach & Hand sanitizer
Depending on donations, some of these supplies are available at Amy Turner or Amy Jenkins’ house. Some of the supplies needed to care for kittens/cats in your care, we might have it in stock. If you are given a playpen, carrier, anything re-usable, it belongs to Rescue Me. If for some reason you leave the rescue, these items are to be sanitized and returned to Rescue Me.
If we do not have these basic supplies in stock, you understand that you will need to purchase these items. They are tax deductible, so keep your receipts.
Sanitizing Bottles:
Scrub bottles out really good because that KMR really sticks to it. You can either put in dishwasher after scrubbing with bottle brush and run with hot water or boil a pan of water and put bottles in container with a few drops of Dawn dish soap then pour the boiling water over the bottles and nipples. Make sure each bottle is able to fill with hot water and soap. Let it sit until the water is cooled down, then rinse with cold water and allow to air dry.
Kittens 4-6 weeks of age
At 4 weeks of age, kittens should be introduced to the litter box when you start seeing that they are peeing/pooping in one area of the container they are being kept in or when they start eating solid foods. They will need a box that has low sides, for easy access. Before eating and after eating, place them in the box. Sometimes you have to use their paws to show them to dig and they will automatically start digging. They usually learn to use the litter box very quickly. Keep the litter box clean and scoop at least in the morning and evening. If you’re home all day with them, it would be best to scoop at each feeding.
Use clay litter (recommended) or a non-clumping litter such as pellets. (Clumping or dusty litter can clump in their tummy if ingested, or the dust can get into their lungs.)
A litter box can be as simple as the cardboard box that cat food comes in, foil cooking disposable tin pan, or a shallow plastic litter box.
At 4 weeks of age, start to always have available a water bowl that’s low and heavy and shallow (to prevent spilling), and a small mono-later or dry kibble. We recommend Purina Kitten Chow which you can buy anywhere pet food is sold, the bag is yellow. Know that the kittens will walk and play in the food and water bowls as they explore. Try to have food and water as far from litter as possible to prevent fecal-oral contamination. (Coccidia is really common at this age! If your kittens have loose stool or diarrhea, or you notice a pink tinge to the stool, this is likely coccidia – reach out to Amy Turner for advice and medication.)
You can also introduce wet food by making it into a gruel mixed up with the KMR formula. Putting a dab on a kitten’s nose can get them going on recognizing this as food! At 4 weeks you can also mix in organic pumpkin puree if you’re concerned about diarrhea or constipation.
Gruel: This is where the mess begins. As they are learning to chew the new food you are introducing through the syringe, they will get some or a lot on their little faces. Please clean their face with a wet wipe when they are showing signs they are no longer interested in the food. Sometimes you might have only one in the litter interested at first. That’s ok. Just continue feeding them as normal with the bottle. Try again the next day. As this new food is introduced, they might get some diarrhea as their stomachs adjust to their diet change.
Bottle babies should be switched to syringe gruel when they reach 3 – 5 weeks old. (When their canines are just starting to come in). Mix canned kitten food mixed with KMR and blended to a smooth paste. They will still drink a bottle at this stage until they are fully eating gruel food on their own. Once they have mastered this stage you can start watering down the KMR and slowly switch to water to make the gruel.
Draw warmed syringe of gruel into syringe (microwave to a bit above lukewarm temp – no more than 5-10 seconds, test warmth before serving).
Insert syringe into side of the kitten’s mouth. Do not put syringe directly in front of kitten’s mouth (even if he/she tries to position it this way!) as kittens can easily choke. Slowly plunge syringe gruel into kitten’s mouth, removing the syringe every few seconds to allow him/her to swallow.
It is important to note that the syringe gruel phase is essentially, nothing more than a layover in between nursing and weaning. So, at this stage, you should make sure your kittens always have access to kibble and a bowl of fresh water as they will eventually decide to eat on their own!
Once they have mastered the syringe, you can now introduce them to a shallow bowls or plate of gruel to allow them to eat on their own, remember this should be warm food. Always sit with your litter while they are eating and feed them each with their own plate, bowl, or cut in ½ paper plate. You want to ensure each kitten is eating their own food and all of it. That way if you see a kitten not eating you can intervene with supplemental feedings of syringe gruel again & bottle. Not all develop at the same time, just like children. Until that magical day, though, you will need to step in! Remember that just because you see your kittens eating on their own, this does not mean that they’re eating enough independently to maintain their health. Too often, fosters assume that because they’ve witnessed their kittens eating kibble or gruel from a bowl, those kittens don’t need to be syringe fed anymore. This is not the case! As ALWAYS remember to WEIGH, WEIGH, WEIGH your babies daily to ensure they are still gaining weight.
Usually by the time your kittens reach 6 weeks old they should be eating dry food, but sometimes you will have a hold out. When making that kittens gruel food and after its warmed up, place a few kibbles of dry food in with their gruel so they can get used to the crunch and taste of the dry kitten food. Some might take longer to eat the dry food than others.
Always thoroughly clean off any gruel off the kitten’s fur. Dry the kitten off well.
Kittens 6-8 weeks of age
By this stage most kittens are eating, or CAN eat, primarily dry food, so try to move things in this direction. We adopt kittens out to their forever home at 8 weeks of age, and we tell adopters that their kitten should be free-feeding dry food and wet should be available twice a day as a treat. So that’s the goal. Also, at 6 weeks of age, you can make the switch to scoopable litter as this is most likely what the new owner will use.
This age can still be fraught with diarrhea issues, to talk to Amy and Bonnie if you are having this challenge.
Kittens at this stage can have supervised visits to the household and can meet other pets, as long as they aren’t dealing with URI, ringworm, diarrhea, etc.
Kittens 8 weeks and beyond - Feeder and Growers - “Kindergarten”
Kittens should have access to dry food and fresh water at all times. Once they have moved to this stage, they will be close to 2 pounds and up. They are fully potty trained and have mastered the litter box. They should be fed wet food 2-3 times daily still, in the AM, lunch, dinner. As they get older and are eating more dry food more consistently, you can start giving them wet kitten food twice a day, AM & PM. They will stay in this stage until they are adopted. Kittens at this stage may have free range access in your home but you may wish to put them back into their small room at night or when away from home, as they can be quite curious/destructive at this stage.
Cleaning up between litters
Once your group of kittens have moved to a different area in your house or has been adopted. You must sanitize the playpen, container, nesting box, blankets, beds, and toys. This must be done before you can bring another litter into that area. Remove anything the kittens have touched and clean it with a bleach solution, consisting of 1 part bleach to 32 parts of cold water or you may purchase Rescue Cleaning Solution. Wash all soft bedding in the washer with a cap full of bleach mixed in 4 cups of water and add to the hot water in the washer once its full of water. Plastic items & toys, litter box, metal items should be soaked for 10 minutes in a bleach solution and then rinse off thoroughly with cold water, allow to air dry. Any soft toys you can place in a net bag and wash in your washer. Anything that can’t be washed using a solution of 1 part bleach and 32 parts of water in a squirt bottle and spray the item with it sitting on a towel or sheet and allow to air dry. Being conscientious about sterilization will help ensure that your next foster kitties will not catch any illness from previous group of kittens.
KITTEN VACCINES & MEDICAL CARE
We follow the medical record that you have in your possession (binder) for each kitten.
3 weeks – initial visit, if not already done at intake, with weight, nail trim, gender check, and dewormer (pyrantel.)
6 weeks – 1st FVRCP/FhCPCH vaccine, second pyrantel, microchip, check for mites, recheck gender. We also do a photo shoot at the 6 week visit and get kittens posted on our website for adoption, and you are welcome to submit cute pics from home. Also, we ideally want fosters to write a brief personality description or bio for each kitten as an individual.
**Take lots of Pictures & Videos of your cats/kittens while in your care. For our website we need individual pics free of clutter, food bowls, litter boxes, or human body parts. Group photos and video can’t be used on our website but CAN be used by Sara Ashworth in creating marketing videos for Facebook and TikTok etc.
8 weeks – Combo test, FeLV Vaccine, microchip if not already done, 3rd pyrantel. Also, Droncit for tapeworms and Selarid for fleas is an option at this age if needed. Amy T will advise you. Once the kitten clears the 8-week visit, as long as there are no contagious issues such as URI or ringworm, they are clear to attend Petco adoption events. RSVP to Bonnie Randall or Jeanine Grosso and plan on staying with your kitten(s) to answer questions etc. Petco events are twice a month on a Saturday from noon to 3 pm, at Petco in Highland Village on FM 407 and FM 2499.
11 weeks – If your kittens have not been adopted by now, it’s time for booster vaccines of FVRCP/FhCPCH and FeLV, another dose of Pyrental, and a weight check. We can update photos too if this may be an issue in getting adopted. Look at bio again to ensure accuracy, we can update the bio as the kitten grows older.
14 weeks – This is an optional visit. We can boost FVRCP/FhCPCH at this visit, and do a weight check for any slow-gainers and also evaluate any ongoing care needs such as ringworm treatment or ear mites. If the kitten is healthy and gaining weight well, this visit may be skipped and the booster can be given along with the spay/neuter appointment at 4 months of age.
4 months – Your kitten should be adopted by now. If not, evaluate why – are they attending Petco events? Do we have good pics and bio on the website? Are there behavioral or socialization issues? Let’s address these things. Some kittens are just still waiting for their purrson for no good reason, and if that’s the case, just hang tight and keep loving on them!
4 months and Beyond, Adult Cats
Grooming - Adult cats need regular brushing especially long-haired cats. Kittens need regular baths especially during worming and litter training. Kittens 10 weeks and younger check their feet at each feeding b/c they will step in their poop or pee while going or trying to cover it up. So, make sure you keep their feet and in between their toes clear of cat litter. It can cause severe skin irritation or infection if not kept clean.
Ears - Check your foster’s ear monthly if adult. If orphaned kitten check more often and every time you bathe them. Carefully clean wax deposits with wet wipe wrapped around your finger or a cotton swab with a dab of baby oil, then wipe off excess.
Be alert to inflammation or foul odor. Observe if the cat/kitten shakes its head repeatedly, rubs against the floor, tilts its head or scratches at its ears. Sometimes fluid in the ear can cause what looks like neurological problems (walking wobbly, eyes moving back and forth).
Eyes - Keep eyes clear of any discharge.
Nails - Cat’s nails grow continuously. Nails need to be trimmed monthly. When petting your foster kitten/cat pet their paws as much as they will tolerate. Gradually increase the pressure on the paw as you’re petting them. You’re going to apply a little pressure to each nail till you see it extend out. You’re only going to cut off the curve of the nail. The “Pink” is the “Quick”, which is a small blood vessel. You DO NOT want to cut to close to this area. Cutting the “Pink” or “Quick” is very painful and it will bleed. If you need assistance with this, please contact Amy Turner or Bonnie Randall.
NON-URGENT MEDICAL
If your cat/kittens start to show any sign of mild or moderate illness - sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea (watery), not eating, runny nose, goopy eyes, hair loss, going outside litterbox, moderate weight loss, etc. - contact Amy Turner or Bonnie Randall.
URGENT MEDICAL
For cats/kittens, a medical emergency includes: limp body/head, unable to rouse, white/grey diarrhea, rapid weight loss, mouth breathing, heavy/labored breathing, vomiting and diarrhea together/consistently, seizures. Please TEXT/CALL Amy Jenkins as she’ll be the one to arrange a vet visit.
Fading Kitten Syndrome
Fading Kitten Syndrome is not a common occurrence, but if you ever encounter this condition, YOU will need to take action IMMEDIATELY. The worst thing you can do for a fading kitten is to take him/her to your vet - most kittens will not survive the car ride. YOU are this kitten’s best chance at making it.
Fading Kitten Syndrome is a life-threatening emergency in which a kitten “crashes” and begins to fade away. Kittens under 3 weeks old and/or kittens who are, or were recently sick, are most susceptible to FKS. Oftentimes, it occurs in kittens who have been eating poorly, and losing, or, not gaining, weight. This is why it is VITAL that you weigh your kittens as required. Although it is rare, FKS can also occur in healthy kittens at any age.
Symptoms of FKS:
• Extreme lethargy – unable to stand or hold head up, not responding when touched
• Whole body feels cool to the touch (cold inside mouth)
• Panting/gasping for breath
• Meowing/crying out in distress
If you see these symptoms, it is crucial that you take the following steps NOW:
Step 1: GET KITTEN WARM
Grab your heating pad and a towel. Place the towel over heating source and place kitten on top of towel. Roll heating pad up to create a “kitten burrito” – like you are swaddling an infant.
Leave the kitten’s face exposed, and do not remove kitten from the burrito even if he/she struggles and cries to get out! Make sure the heating pad is still on the low setting.
Step 2: GET KITTEN’S BLOOD SUGAR UP
Grab a small bowl and fill it with Karo syrup. Make sure to have your 1 cc syringe handy. Warm the contents up in the microwave for a few seconds until the liquid is a bit above room temperature. You will administer 2-4 drop every 3 minutes while the kitten is still in the burrito.
Prognosis
There is generally a high success rate with these kittens if you follow the above steps! The process can take hours, so be prepared to administer the steps outlined above for anywhere from one to three to even five hours.
We DO NOT recommend you rush your foster kitten to the vet for many reasons:
You have the motivation to sit right there with them and make them your top priority. A vet clinic has multiple patients who need help and won’t be able to give your kitten the 100% undivided attention you can give them.
Your kitten will continue to be cold/hypoglycemic on the way to the vet, in the waiting room, and in the hospital while they try to determine what is wrong, etc. Most kittens won’t last long enough for them to begin treatment.
Keep in mind that it can sometimes take hours for them to come out of this state and start acting normally again. Unfortunately, even if you’ve employed all of the steps outlined above to a tee, some kittens just won’t make it. Cats get pregnant very easily, and have a lot of kittens, specifically because they are so fragile. If a kitten passes in your care, don’t blame yourself – these kittens would have had a 0% of surviving if it wasn’t for you.
URI (Upper Respiratory Infection)
Very common in kitties that have spent any time in the shelter. It is usually caused by one or more viruses. If antibiotics are needed contact your Mentor 1st and antibiotics can be given to you by Patti Miller.
Symptoms:
• Green/Yellow nasal and/or ocular discharge
• Decreased appetite
• Lethargy
• Coughing and/or wheezing
• Fever
If your foster(s) are showing any of these symptoms, please contact Amy Turner or Bonnie Randall. Please have the name of your kitten and current weight.
Diarrhea
This is one of the biggest things you will deal with when raising foster kittens. The most common cause is from parasite infection and/or food changes. It can cause dehydration, so making sure your kitten is staying hydrated is key. We recommend keeping these kittens on probiotics until stool looks normal for a week.
Please follow this protocol if kittens have already had pyrantel dewormer:
• Start with probiotics (if you need some, let Amy Turner know) Bene-Bac, Forti-Flora,
Pro-Pectalin, give it as directed on packaging.
• You can also try adding a small amount of plain canned organic pumpkin to food if over 4 weeks of age.
• For unresolved diarrhea, Amy Turner will advise you on what to use next, but our usual order of medications is Baycox for Coccidia, Panacur, then possibly Metronidazole. Do NOT give these meds without discussing with Amy Turner and documenting dates given on the back of your kitten’s paper medical record.
Deworming Protocol
We will give Pyrantel dewormer at every visit your kitten has with our medical volunteer, or two times for adult cats. That will cover hookworms, roundworms and pinworms. We will treat with Panacur for Whipworms or Giardia are suspected, on an as needed basis. If your cat or kitten has a high flea load at intake, we will give Droncit for tapeworms (which cats get by swallowing a flea containing a tapeworm egg) at intake or at 8 weeks of age when safe to do so. If you discover what looks like small grains of rice in your kitten/cat(s) stool or on your cat(s) rear end or back legs. Contact Amy Turner for Droncit.
Ringworm
This is a common illness cats/kittens can get. Ringworm is not a worm at all, but a fungal infection. It is most common for cats/kittens to contract ringworm when their immune systems are compromised and unable to fight off the fungal infection. If your foster kitty does get ringworm, we have medication to treat it. Also, you’ll need to give antifungal baths and apply topical medication – get with Amy Turner for the supplies and protocol. You will need to keep these cats/kittens in a separate room, condo, or playpen. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before touching other fosters or your resident animals. Make sure you are using our sanitation protocols every day to clean their area. Wash all bedding in hot water.
This is why we require a 2-week quarantine period is so important
When to Contact Amy Turner or Bonnie Randall
• Sneezing and/or congestion with green/yellow discharge from nose or eyes.
• Coughing, wheezing, or heavy breathing.
• Diarrhea or vomiting- This can be life threatening to kittens!
• Straining to urinating or defecate- This can be life threatening, especially in males!
• Bleeding from any part of the body.
• Lethargy
• Fever
• Temperature too low (below 98*) or too high (above 103*)
• Paralysis
• Extreme change in attitude or behavior.
• Not eating or drinking.
• Bald patches or hair loss
• Swollen or irritated ears, frequent scratching of ears
• Pain or strain while urinating, pink tinge to urine
Spay/Neuter
Once your cat/kitten(s) are ready to be spayed/neutered at 4 months of age and 4 pounds, Amy Jenkins will coordinate scheduling you with our vet Dr Kim.
No food or water after midnight. You can give then a late-night snack of wet food around 11pm.
Instructions for drop off, pick up and post op care will be emailed to you the week of the appointment. Surgical collars and onesies are available from Amy Turner or Amy Jenkins, or you can purchase inexpensively on Amazon.
Post-Surgery Instruction
Once you get your cat/kitten(s) get home, you’ll want to put them in a quiet room for the night. You can give them a small amount of food and water around 7-9 pm the evening of surgery. It is normal for them to be wobbly, very quiet, or hyper after surgery. They all act differently.
Socializing Cat/Kittens
First and foremost, we ask that you treat your foster cat/kitten(s) with the same love and care you give your own companion animals. Daily attention is needed for proper socialization for your foster cat/kitten(s) from you and other family members or friends makes them more people-oriented, and more adoptable. This includes petting, playing, cuddling, trimming nails, grooming.
By spending time with your fosters on a regular basis, you can learn more about their personality, which will help in matching them to the right family.
You should monitor for behavior problems, such as inappropriate urination or scratching furniture. If these arise, contact your mentor to discuss behavior modification. Rescue Me is not responsible for damages that might occur to yourself, others in your household, or your personal property as a result of feline behavior while in foster care.
If you have “cat friendly” dog(s) in your household introduce them slowly. Felines who have been raised around dogs, other adult cats, or children who enjoy or at least tolerate their company often have an advantage on adoption days!
**Please don’t rough house with kittens or use your hands as toys, because it will encourage rough play with their “claws” when they grow up.
**Be careful! Children love to play with kittens, but they may not understand how to interact with them properly. Please keep in mind that children should be supervised at all times around bottle babies under the age of 7-8 weeks of age. Teach your children to play with the kitten(s) with toys, laser lights, or wand toys and not their hands.
Foster Agreement - You will be asked to sign this form when we intake your first cat or kitten(s)
These same guidelines apply in the case of being a ‘finder foster” or a “traditional foster.”
o FINDER FOSTER: The foster is also the “finder” and has found the above-named cats/kittens and is agreeing to foster them until such time that a suitable adopter completes an adoption contract on that cat/kitten with Rescue Me (RM). The length of time that this will take is unknown but usually on the scale of weeks or a few months.
o TRADITIONAL FOSTER: The foster has applied to provide foster care and RM subsequently connects them with the kittens to care for.
· All other animals in my household, cats or dogs, must be spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccinations. This will be verified with my veterinarian whose contact information I provided on my foster application.
· I understand that when RM performs medical intake on this cat/kitten, that he/she is now the property of RM and not myself. This means that I cannot give the cat/kitten away, put him/her outdoors, or present the animal as my own pet at any veterinarian including my own personal veterinarian. (If I choose to take this animal to my own veterinarian rather than a vet that is in network with RM, I understand that it will be at my own expense, but that I still need to disclose that the animal is the property of RM.)
· I am agreeing that if at any point the cat/kitten requires veterinary care in my estimation, that I will reach out to RM to coordinate a vet visit in a timely manner. (Contact: Kelly Rizzo, Amy Jenkins, Amy Turner)
· I am agreeing to care for the cat/kitten as if it were my own, with the knowledge that RM will provide medication, kitten formula and prescription diet food if indicated for the cats in my care, but otherwise food (dry, wet, treats etc.) and litter are to be provided by the foster.
· I agree to keep foster cat or kitten(s) separate from personal pets for a period of 2 weeks, or until they are 8 weeks old, whichever is longer.
· I am agreeing to coordinate services with the RM Medical Volunteer (Amy Turner) for scheduled vaccines, deworming, microchipping and combo testing on the schedule provided by RM.
· I will provide good quality photos and a personality description of each cat/kitten at 6 weeks of age, or once the animal has settled into my home for long enough to get good pics and discover the personality traits (usually about a week.) I will provide pics/bio to Amy Jenkins for website posting.
· I WILL KEEP THE CAT/KITTEN EXCLUSIVELY AND 100% INDOORS. If I have a dog door in my home, it will be microchip activated, and/or the foster cat/kitten will be kept in a room or part of the house without access to the dog door.
· I understand that if I choose to keep this cat/kitten and make it my own pet, that I will need to pay the same adoption fee ($175 for kittens, $150 for adult cats) as any other adopter, and meet the same criteria for adoption approval. (For example, my landlord must permit another pet if I rent, my other pets must be spayed or neutered and up to date on vaccinations, I must agree to keep the pet 100% indoors and not declaw, I will follow through with the spay/neuter appointment, etc.)
· When this cat or kitten receives applications, which will be forwarded to my email. I will contact each potential adopter SAME DAY and set up meet-n-greet(s) as needed / Furthermore, once an adopter is chosen, I will follow RM protocol for paperwork and pass-off. (An RM volunteer will guide you through this process.) If I do not find an applicant to be suitable, I will let the adoption coordinators (Kelly Rizzo and Charlotte Beakley) know SAME DAY so that another match can be made for that adopter and we don’t lose the adopter.
· All RM cats must have an exit plan, which is usually (but not always) adoption as a pet. If RM determines that the cat I am fostering is not friendly/adoptable as a pet, the cat may be referred and transferred to the barn cat program. The timing and implementation of this decision is at the discretion of the RM board. If I do not want barn cat placement for my foster cat, I can adopt the cat myself and either keep the cat or seek alternative appropriate rescue placement.
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