Hi,
I am currently fostering 2 4month old kittens. They are siblings, both females and cute as a button. There was an adoption drive yesterday and one of the two was in high demand (orange, and the cutest smoochiest face ever). A lot of people are inquiring about her but only her. When I insist they be adopted together, people back off.

I know kittens aren't usually considered bonded, but they are very close. They groom each other, sleep together, play, tear my house down etc. I would hate to see them separated. The rescue I work with dont care if they go separately but are allowing me to take the final decision.
What do I do?

I have raised plenty of kittens never have I had it as bad as this little terror. Meet Peggy she’sis about 8 weeks old at this point and SHE LOVES TO GO FOR FACES?!? Claws out biting. She is a solo foster. I found her end of September by a bush bad infected eye. She doesn’t have great eye sight in its ether so she a bit uncoordinated but THAT DOESN’T stop her from jumping from the back of the couch and LATCHING on your face like she’s a face hugger from alien. I’ve been trying so hard to keep up ouches and that hurts when she’s playing. She loves attacking hands too. Swapping to toys, but SHE CRAVES THE MAN FLESH! I’m at my wits end here. When she gets too riled up i put her in her room. AND I FEEL SO DANG BAD! I don’t know if she had litter mates, as i found her alone, she understands ouch but I’m scared she will be like this with her new family too. HELP!

Say hello to Bastet and Lionel. Lionel is the one with bright blue and pink collar, and Bastet has the gold and black collar. Lionel has started eating wet food with no issue that is mixed with formula. I’ve tried soaked dry food, the treat tubes mixed with formula, and wet food mixed with formula. She refuses to take anything but the bottle, but she takes part of that completely fine. Still active, still wrestling with her brother. They were abandoned by their mother so I’ve been taking care of them since two weeks. Just want to know if I’m doing anything wrong at all. First time raising kittens this young, but not my first time having cats. Thank you so much for any advice and any time you take out of your day to interact with the post.

This is Vasylyna. We call her our little grandma, but she’s still very active and makes sure every visitor gets a greeting.

You came for coffee? Lovely. You also came to see Vasylyna. She has decided.

She lives with us at Khvostyky, our rescue cat café in Vinnytsia, Ukraine. The ginger girl in the other photos is Sima, who was evacuated from Kramatorsk with several other cats.

Vinnytsia has experienced Russian strikes too. The attempts to leave Ukraine without electricity and heating are frightening, especially when you have animals depending on you.

And then this little grandma is there, ready to meet another person. We love seeing how much she still enjoys life. Keeping her fed, warm, and cared for is something we can keep doing, even when everything feels difficult...

Meet Apollo (pic 1) and Mercury (pic 2), formerly known as Diana and Victoria!

We thought we were given an all girl squad by the shelter and got ourselves a surprise a couple of days ago! We emailed the shelter and their records are officially updated. Lesson learned: double check before you settle on foster names 😅

I've been thinking about becoming a foster for some time now. My husband is on board and thinks it's a great idea. We've always had cats growing up and while together. I can't really imagine this home without them. It's just my husband and I in a quiet rural area, so it is a very calm environment. We both work, but I work from home. I only have one cat now and he is my whole world, but he is also 17 years old. When the time finally comes I want to make sure we have realistic expectations and a good idea of what we are getting ourselves into. Please share what your fostering journey has been like. What are some things you didn't expect? How should I prepare for this? If you could tell others that are thinking of fostering anything at all what would it be? Anything that can provide any insight would be helpful. Thank you and I love what you all are doing.

I have a litter of approximately 12 week old fosters with Mystery Diarrhea (at this point). I've had them since 9/20, and they've had not great poops the entire time. They tested postive for giardia on intake, and based on the look of their poop I suspected coccidia as well.

Fecal test on 10/14 was CLEAR (I know this doesn't always mean it's truly clear, but it's pertinent info).

What we've tried:

-10 days of panacur (mild improvement, probably from the giardia standpoint)

-5 days of toltrazuril (given at same time as pancur, so mild improvement)

-5 days of metronidazole (made them worse)

-10 days of azithromycin (moderate improvement, but still not great for two of them. We've seen a lot of crypto this year, so this was on assumption of that diagnosis)

-Tried a run of poultry-free food (no real change)

They're happy, active, and gaining weight. I'm starting to consider dietary factors. I've cut off all wet food, and currently have them on Purina One Sensitive Stomach food. There's also another foster (unrelated) in with them and she's not caught whatever this is, making me think it may not be contagious. (Before anyone comes at me for having her with them, know that it was a risk vs benefit situation of her being alone and undersocialzed. She needed confident friends)

Any thoughts on things to try? I'm getting a little burnt out on dealing with loose poops. They're continent and always make it to the box, but still. It gets really disheartening to keep having them not make it over the hump.

Pic of one of my Problem Poopers, Wallace, for tax and of the poop itself.

(Original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/FosterAnimals/s/2tjImto4qi)

We urgently took in an approximately 2 week old kitten Friday night and as it was late the only formula option was PetAG Milk Replacer Plus. Everything I’ve seen says this is a perfectly fine formula, but I’m a chronic over-thinker and someone who tends to go beyond for my fur-babies, and I was wondering if it’s worth it to try and transition her to KMR or KMR Goats Milk and how to gently and safely do so.

She’s eating well, gaining weight, and having great pee and poo so far. Photo for tax, she was snoozing so good 😴

Getting an abandoned newborn to figure out artificial nipples can be so stressful, especially when they are hungry and fading.

Half the battle seems to be finding the right hardware, the stock nipples from pet store kits are almost always rejected, but even with Miracle Nipples, some preemies struggle with the regular size and only take to the mini.

When a kitten just pushes the nipple out with their tongue and cries, what is your go-to technique?

Do you switch straight to a 1mL or 3mL syringe with a drop of Karo syrup on the tip to stimulate their reflex, or how do you coax that first good latch? Would love to hear everyone's tips and troubleshooting routines!

I’m writing this with tears in my eyes, hoping someone with a kind heart might be able to help me and my little girl, Katie.

Katie is my 3-year-old cat and my emotional support companion. Due to unexpected financial hardship, my family and I had to move into a shelter. I’ve submitted all the paperwork to have Katie reunited with me, and my social worker says approval could take anywhere from 2 to 4 weeks, possibly less.

I am NOT giving Katie away. I just need someone to love and protect her until she can come home to me.

Katie has always been an indoor cat, raised with nothing but love, affection, and attention. She’s never known what it’s like to be alone.

Unfortunately, the person currently keeping her has her confined to a basement, surrounded by stored belongings, where she spends most of her time alone. She cries at night, barely wants to eat, and every time I visit her, it breaks my heart to leave her there.

She’s never lived like this. She used to sleep surrounded by family, receive endless cuddles, and be brushed and pampered. Now, I barely recognize my once-happy little girl.

I’m desperately looking for someone who can open their home to Katie for just a few weeks.

🐾 She’s 3 years old, healthy, spayed, microchipped, and fully vaccinated.

🐾 She’s affectionate, gentle, loves being petted, and enjoys sleeping comfortably.

🐾 A quiet home without young children or dogs would be ideal, as she’s not accustomed to either.

🐾 I will provide her food, litter, and everything she needs.

I’m located in Midtown Manhattan, NYC.

I visit Katie as often as I can, but between shelter rules and caring for my 14-year-old son and my family, I cannot stay with her.

I’m losing sleep worrying about her, especially with the colder weather approaching. She has already lost the comfort of the only home she’s ever known. I don’t want her to lose her sense of safety, too.

I’m not asking anyone to adopt her. I’m only asking someone to be her safe place until I can bring her back into my arms.

If you have a little space in your home and a lot of love in your heart, please consider helping Katie.

Please DM me if you can help, or share this with someone who might. Even a temporary act of kindness would mean more to us than words can express.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. ❤️🐾

I don’t foster through an organization, I acquired 7 kittens from a woman who was caring for a mama she found and her babies. She was being evicted and couldn’t take the kittens, and I volunteered to take them.
I’m learning how hard it is to get them adopted in my area. I live in western Kentucky and it looks like there’s been a kitten boom in my area due to irresponsible owners/strays. I’ve contacted every organization in my area multiple times and they’re all overflowing. I’ve tried listing them on adopt a pet and I’ve gotten nothing.
I love all of them so much and wish I could keep them. But I don’t have the space long term and I can’t afford them all. I can’t afford to get them spayed/neutered so I have to keep them separate until I can get them adopted.
I was so anxious about them going to good homes and now I’m anxious about them getting a new home at all.
I just needed to voice this to someone, just a bit of a rant, please be easy on me.

fostering a 2 week old cat who was orphaned by his mom. feeding a milk replacement formula every 2-3 hours. Followed kitten ladies instructions to water down formula after he had a day where his poop was more runny.

-1st day: kitty pooped ok frequency and amount. color yellowish and texture pasty. -2nd day: pooped less but seemed ok amount. color was a light brownish 3rd day: runny poop 4th day: noticed some poop in his incubator and tail but wouldn't poop during stimulation 5th day: a tiny amount of poop brownish color 6th day (today): no poop at all

He eats every feeding. Pees every feeding. Walking around more and climbing stuff. Purrs.

But he does cry a lot during stimulation and each day it seems the amount of poop he is producing is decreasing and he is crying more. Is there anything else I can do for him? Been doing triangle method which he hates. Have soaked his butt in warm water.

He has a vet appointment Tuesday. Nearest emergency vet to me is 40 minutes which I can do but don't want to take him if not necessary since it's a long trip for little guy and it's very cold here.

His belly doesn't feel hard but not completely soft. After feeding and peeing just now I put him in incubator and hear some tummy gurgles.

Any advice to help him become more regular or is this normal? When does it become an emergency?

Thank you!

hello, in the past year we fostered 7 puppies of various ages and two teacup sized older puppy/young adult dogs, and both my adult female dog (7 years old) and my adult male cat (4 years old) did really well with the youngsters. Our cat and dog are bffs with each other and our dog was around our cat from the time he was an 8 weeks old kitten.

Tomorrow we'll be bringing home a foster litter of 3 just turned four-week old kittens being transferred from another foster placement. Obviously, I won't be introducing them to our household pets right away, but since it's likely the kittens will be here 3-4 weeks before adoption, there will likely be an attempt at introductions at some point. Am I correct in thinking that _generally_ speaking, if my household cat and dog are friends with each other and both did fine with the puppies, it's _likely_ they will both be fine with the kittens as well?

Hey everyone, I just completed my first very intense, emotional rescue journey, and I am hurting so badly today. I could really use some reassurance and perspective from fellow fosters who know how deeply it hurts to let them go.
I live in a small, single-level house in a small town in Minnesota, and I already have three resident indoor cats. Last year, I started caring for a feral family on the street. Mama Kitty, White Paws, and Shadow. Local TNR resources are practically non-existent here, so I did what I could to keep them safe, fed, and sheltered. But White Paws disappeared earlier this year and Shadow did when mama brought the new kittens.
A few months ago, Mama Kitty gave birth to a new litter and brought them to me a couple months ago. After about a month she "abandoned" them and I couldn’t handle losing them like I did White Paws and Shadow, so I closed them in my garage.
Battle Cat and MJ started out completely wild and terrified. For over a month, I spent hours sitting on the hard garage floor, slowly earning their trust touch by touch. Battle Cat became incredibly brave—he would run to the house door, demand cuddles, purr, and rub against my legs. MJ remained skittish but made a massive breakthrough, eventually letting me sit close and pet her on the back.
With winter looming and temperatures plunging into freezing "feels-like-20s," I knew they needed a permanent indoor life. Bringing them inside my house wasn't practical—having 5 cats in a small space would have caused massive territorial stress for my three resident cats. A friend of mine who is experienced with ferals and has a dedicated room set up—agreed to adopt them as a bonded pair.
Last night was the big handoff. My sister came along for emotional support. Getting them into the carriers went smoothly because of our practice runs. But when we got to Joe's, the room was messy with clothes and he didn't have their food or litter box set up yet. I made him set everything up before I left, which added to my stress. It broke my heart to leave them. Joe sent a picture this morning showing them safely wedged side-by-side behind his futon. They used the litter box overnight and ate, and I've already had to instruct Joe to feed them on separate plates so they don't have to compete.
I woke up this morning heartbroken and missing them terribly. But when I checked my garage camera, I got a beautiful surprise. Mama Kitty was right there waiting for her breakfast, completely safe from the freezing wind.
I know in my head that I did the right thing. Battle Cat and MJ have a safe indoor future together, Mama Kitty is taken care of and I have a vet in the area who’s willing to spay Mama for just a donation and my three resident cats have their home peace preserved. But I am just so incredibly sad today and the void in my routine hurts so much.
Does the guilt and sadness ever get easier? How do you cope with the emotional hangover of letting them graduate?

I rescued him when he was around two weeks. He loves to eat and is very active but for the past few days he hasn’t been pooping much. I used to be very surprised by how much he would poop, he would do it twice or 3 times per day. Now he is only doing it once and the volume is less. He also doesn’t poop or pee unless I stimulate him

Hi all! I am a first time foster who was given a cat to socialize. I have had cats before and been around scared cats before but have never been the one to socialize a cat.

She just got here and is under the bed - totally expected that. The shelter told me to leave her alone today mainly to let her settle (she had a hard time getting in the carrier). But she has been under the bed I assume the whole day as the food is largely untouched and the litter box hasn't been used.

My two questions are:

1. Should I be prepared to find urine and feces under the bed? Or would that be a medical issue if she doesn't use the litter box?

2. I'm fostering in an apartment, and the bedroom shes set up in is my bedroom. The shelter does know and said it would be fine for me to sleep in there with her. But shes so scared tonight should I sleep on the couch just for tonight?

Thanks for all your help!

(Also I have done research on socializing cats and talked with the shelter - just couldn't find answers to those two questions)

I just wanted to share this precious old man with folks who understand! He spent a long time at the sanctuary of the rescue I volunteer for, waiting for someone to take him home and love him, and watching as so many of his younger and more outgoing counterparts get adopted. The only thing he wants is constant human contact; he craves love and affection like no other cat I’ve ever met. 🥹

I got deeply attached to him through my work at the rescue, and when he was diagnosed with end stage heart disease, I couldn’t ignore the voice in my heart that said I needed to take him home so he would know what a quiet and loving home would feel like. I work a hybrid schedule and my husband works fully remotely, so he hasn’t been alone once since coming home with us.

I love this kitty as fiercely as if I’d had him for years instead of days. I don’t think he will be around much longer - he’s comfortable and breathing easy but seems more lethargic these last couple of days, and I can tell the light in his eyes is growing dim. I feel like other (non-rescue) people in my life don’t get why I chose to do this, or how sad I’ll be when he is gone since I’ve only had him for about a week. I just wanted to share with folks who understand how much he matters and how loved he is. Wish I could have given him this life for years, but I’m so happy he knows he is safe and can get cuddles 24/7. ❤️