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After grieving the loss of a beloved feline friend, I decided I would not let my loss sink me into the depths of sorrow and self-pity. Instead, I turned my grieving into a positive experience. My love for furry, four-legged critters could be shared with animals in need of a temporary family by becoming a foster parent.

Becoming a foster parent was nothing I had considered before. While I had heard of offering temporary homes for animals, I envisioned me falling in love with each animal, and my new nickname being whispered in my neighborhood as the “old, eccentric animal lady”. What I found instead was the shocking reality of how my compassion could help animals in need find a good, permanent home rather than sitting in a kennel until adopted.

Mabel’s Story
My first experience came in the form of a queen, American Tabby who I lovingly named Mabel, and her three newborn kittens. Mabel had lost her family in a house fire, and her fur showed signed of scorching at the end. The poor mama cat was terrified of everything. All she would do is sit in a corner with her kittens and hide. She did not eat for two days, but slowly, she started learning to trust again.

Mabel and her babies responded very well to life in our home. She never did get to know the other furry critters in the house, but she had the complete freedom to come and go from a walk-in closet in the office and the office. She never did try to leave, and seemed content to just roost on my chair watching me for hours.

The babies were introduced to the household critters as they desired more room to roam. As kittens do, they started growing by leaps and bounds, they got into everything, one of them broke a lamp (still not sure which one because all of the cats looked guilty: cover-up in my opinion), and they played without fear for anything.

Mabel and her babies were returned exactly eight weeks after we brought them home. They all found good, permanent families and I hear Mabel’s new family allowed Mabel to keep her name.

Do You Want to Become a Foster Parent?
Fostering animals can be a very rewarding experience for both the critter and the family involved. However, there are some questions needing careful, honest, and deep considerations before proceeding.

• Space: A foster family will need space according to the number of critters, the size of the critters, and the critters you already have. Dogs usually need a kennel while a cat will usually be happy with a cat carrier as a safe space. This safe space is where the animal will stay for at least the first night to get the animal accustomed to your home. The animal can get to know the scent of the surrounding home.

  A dog will need outdoor time to do his business and to get some exercise. A good-sized yard will suffice but a reliable fence is necessary. A cat does not need the space, and should never be allowed outside. However, a cat does require longer to become familiar with the new environment especially if there are other animals in the home.

• Time: A foster family should be prepared to spend a lot of time with their foster animals. Simply caging of chaining the animals is not good for any animal much less a foster animal that tends to be injured physically, emotionally, and/or mentally. An attempt needs to be made with a dog to insure the dog is leash trained and understands simple commands. Of course, all animals love human attention.
• Money: Animals need to eat, and in most cases, you will be responsible for providing the food. Purchasing a healthy, high-quality food is good practice. In the majority of cases, medical care is provided free of charge by the adopting center.
• Kindness and Compassion: Without a doubt, this is the most important quality a potential foster family can provide. Often, the furry critters have been injured, and all they need is compassion and a good dose of loving, personal attention. The majority of animals will slowly open up to the love, and sometimes love is not enough. Be prepared for those injured animals that never seem to recover.

Becoming a foster family for animals is a rewarding experience for everyone concerned. When you open your heart up to the love of an animal, the animal repays the person in ways never imaginable. Being a foster family definitely has its heartaches, but the rewards make it all worthwhile.