Looking for More Foster Caregivers

If you were a foster caregiver, this is something you could see every day!

A plea for more caregivers
We're well on our way to another record year, with this year's numbers pulverizing last year's pretty awesome numbers.  The one thing that is holding us back from saving more cats and kittens is open foster homes. We have no open homes right now but our phone is always ringing with requests to help another stray cat. If we had more caregivers, we could have more cats in the foster care program. We need you to help us.

What does a caregiver do? 
Being a caregiver is fairly easy. It does take a bit of your time. Part of the caregiver experience is chores - cleaning litter boxes, washing dishes. Another part is putting on your chauffeur hat and transporting the kitten to the vet (usually 1-2 times) and to our Foster building (usually twice). And finally the best part is playing with kittens. You will find yourself saying over and over and over again, "You are the cutest kitten EVER!" to each and every one of your fosters. Being a caregiver means some chores, some transport, and lots of cuteness. But mostly, it means saving a cat.

Who qualifies as a caregiver? 
Anyone over 18 who is fine driving to St. Paul for vet visits, has a spare room to confine the fosters, and who has a few extra hours a week to spend with their fosters.

What cats go to the Foster program? 
Kittens under 5 months of age, pregnant momma cats, moms with kittens, special needs, and the elderly are all candidates for the Foster program. We need caregivers for all of these cats and kittens.

How do I learn about fostering?
We've got a great support network of caregivers who can help guide you and answer questions. We even have written instruction manual and classroom "training." You won't go this alone. We're here to help you.

In a nutshell
We can provide you with food, litter, medicines, and pretty much any other cat supplies you need. We pay for vet visits. You simply need to transport them there when needed and spend time kissing them, petting them, cooing over them (and.... cleaning litter boxes and washing their dishes). If you've got some time to spare, we'd love to have you.

Frankness.... 
Okay, being a caregiver isn't all kissing bellies and cuddling with kittens. For the most part and most days, it is fun. But sometimes kittens unexpectedly get sick. There may be more vet visits. There may be some sleepless nights, up caring for a sick kitten. You will clean litter boxes more than you've ever cleaned before. And vacuum more. And pick up toys more. And ask, "Okay, which one of you did this?" more times than you care to count. And worry more. And analyze litter box contents more than you ever thought in a million years you would. And have more cat hair on your clothes than you think could possibly be on the kitten itself. And sleep less.  But it means saving more cats. That can't be stressed enough. The work a foster caregiver does is rewarded when that little face looks up at you and you realize, "He may not be alive right now if I hadn't started fostering."

To apply
You can apply online here:   http://felinerescue.org/volunteering/foster-volunteer-application/
We'd really love to have you. And so would the cats.

The Fabulous Life of a Foster Caregiver: You Could Be Have That, Too!

Do you have what it takes to become a foster caregiver?

Do you like to play with kittens? Do you like to be covered in kittens clamoring to give you kisses... or tug on your hair? Do you like to hear purring so loud you swear the kitten has to be amped? Do you like to be greeted by a swarm of kittens excited to see you... and the food you bring? Are you prepared to be trapped under a half dozen kittens snoozing contentedly on your lap?

Okay. So fostering isn't always about the good. We do have to clean litter boxes many, many times a day. We have the pleasure of inspecting what was left in the litter box to make sure there aren't (or are) parasites. We have to wipe down walls after a kitten has had explosive diarrhea... or just plain missed the box while in training. Hours later, we then have to wipe the walls down again after a kitten splattered the wall with liquid medication that the kitten did NOT want to take. We have to vacuum (for what seems like daily) to pick up all the tracked litter, crumbs, and goodness know what else is lying on the floor that shouldn't be. We have to wash dishes. Kittens eat a lot. And use a lot of dishes. There will be times when your dishwasher is loaded only with kitten plates and bowls in it.

We worry about kittens who have the sneezes... and then may have to clear our schedules to take one to the vet unexpectedly. We have to worry when a kitten isn't thriving as well as it should. We have to worry that the kitten is going to climb to the top of the bookshelf and not be able to get down for hours... or worse, try to get down all by herself by jumping straight down. Our legs are covered in hundreds of tiny scratches. Kitten nails are sharp and grow fast.

And then there's the anxiety and exhaustion caused by kittens running in every direction and getting into everything they shouldn't (but they think they should). We have to remove a kitten hanging from the curtains while stopping another kitten from tumbling down the stairs and then grabbing something suspicious from another kitten's mouth while suppressing a scream as yet another kitten decides that your leg is meant for climbing...

But after you collapse in a heap on the floor from all the worry and extra cleaning, a tiny kitten crawls onto your crumpled lap, stands up on her hind legs to sniff your face, and then curls up into a ball on your lap, purring away. And that is what makes it all worth it.

Sign up to be a foster caregiver today if you LIKE scratches and cleaning litter boxes because you also like to hear kittens purr.

On-line Foster Caregiver Application Form: http://felinerescue.org/volunteering/foster-volunteer-application/

Save the date to speak up for Minnesota cats and dogs

JOIN THE RALLY

IN SUPPORT OF S.F. 36/H.F. 84
MN DOG AND CAT BREEDER BILL

FEB. 19, 2013 TUES. 3-4pm
STATE CAPITOL • ST. PAUL

Minnesota currently has no State law to license, inspect or regulate dog and cat breeders. Protect dogs, cats, puppies and kittens in commercial breeding facilities.

Help pass the MN Dog and Cat Breeder Regulation Bill

To sign up for the rally, go to:    www.SpeakUpMN.org

It's a Wrap for the Holidays

Books are always great gifts, and they’re even better when wrapped by Feline Rescue (FR) volunteers! For two weeks in December, FR volunteers will wrap bookstore purchases at area Barnes & Noble locations. This is a great fundraiser and public relations event for FR, so we need volunteers to wrap book store purchases and tell holiday shoppers about the great work FR does. If you enjoy gift wrapping, working with the public and are able to volunteer for a 2-hour shift, please e-mail holidaywrapping@events.felinerescue.org.

HarMar (Roseville) Barnes & Noble
Saturday, Dec 8: 10am-2pm, 6-10pm
Sunday, Dec 9: 10am-2pm, 6-10pm

Mall of America Barnes & Noble
Friday, Dec 14: 5-10pm
Saturday, Dec 15: 1-5pm
Tuesday, Dec 18: 5-10pm
Wednesday, Dec 19: 5-10pm
Sunday, Dec 23: 5-10pm

Highland Park Barnes & Noble Bookstore (Ford Parkway)
Sunday, Dec 16: 9am-10pm
Saturday, Dec 22: 9am-10pm
Monday, Dec 24: 9am-close (apprx 6pm)

And even though we know how much kitties (like Reggie) LOVE to help wrap, cats need not apply.

Update on Katia the Community Cat

Remember the community cat that was looking for a safe place to go?  She found a place with a pair of Feline Rescue supporters who clearly have a knack with shy kitties.

Katia loves her canned food, seems to enjoy listening to haiku, and is already rolling over to let them pet her belly!   Katia will make a very sweet kitty for someone someday. We’re glad she will have that chance.

There is always a need for people who are willing to take in stray cats or kittens temporarily for assessment or socializing.  These are community cats that have been rescued by individual rescuers to be spayed and neutered with the help of Feline Rescue’s Outreach program.   If you are interested in helping other cats like Katia, email outreach@felinerescue.org.

Twin Cities Cat Fanciers Volunteer Opportunity

Volunteers Needed for a Fun Event!
Twin Cities Cat Fanciers Cat Show
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Contact Linda at 952-835-3901

The Twin Cities Cat Fanciers (TCCF) club has again asked Feline Rescue to volunteer at their cat show. TCCF is affiliated with the Cat Fanciers of America (CFA), the largest, oldest, pure breed cat organization in the world. In exchange for Feline Rescue’s help at the show, TCCP will donate a portion of the admission fee to Feline Rescue. We will also show two of our foster cats or kittens in the Household Pet category. You can be there to cheer them on! This is a great opportunity to get exposure for Feline Rescue.

We are looking for 6 people (adults or an adult with a child) who are able to volunteer for the full day, 8:30 a.m. to approximately 5:30 p.m. When you arrive a t 8:30 you will be given a brief training so that you know what you’re supposed to do. You will get a good, free lunch, and have some time to walk around and get a closer look at the show cats and the vendors. Someone from Feline Rescue will be there to help coordinate things and answer questions, also.

Volunteer Duties (Ring Steward): Sit in a judging ring. Spray and wipe the cages after cats are taken out.
Date: September 26, 2009, 8:30 – 5:30 (approx.)
Location: Veteran Memorial Community Center, 8055 Barbara Ave, Inver Grove Heights (just off Hwy. 52)

If you are interested in volunteering at this event please call Linda at 952-835-3901.

Patience and Perseverance

Along with love it takes a lot of patience and perseverance to keep day old kittens alive.  Sue, one of our expert bottle feeders, has been fostering two kittens, Ollie and Wally, since they were newborns.

Ollie

Wally

These two kittens go every where with Sue whenever she may been away for more than a few hours.  Every week day Sue packs the kittens along with their formula, food, heating pad, and bedding to take them with her to work.   They've also accompanied Sue to various events including the Feline Rescue plant sale last Saturday where Sue was volunteering.

Ollie's and Wally's mom is a feral cat who had been being fed by two Feline Rescue volunteers. On Sunday, April 26, she left them on their porch and did not return for them after a day. Feline Rescue took them in and they have been bottle fed by Sue and are going strong.

More from Sue:Their eyes opened on day 10.  Wally is a few days behind his brother, Ollie, as he was a little sick his first week of life. But he has since grown by leaps and bounds and is doing very well.  This week, they both learned to start grooming themselves.  Ollie is also learning to jump up onto things.  It is great fun to watch them develop into kittens.  Every new milestone is interesting to watch.

Lots of photos in this posting but we had to include every last one.  These two are so cute!

Thank you Sue for caring for Ollie and Wally.

And thanks to Anita for the photos.

Do you like kittens???

We have gotten hit hard with abandoned kittens. We desperately need someone to help foster, or a safe place for them to stay temporarily until we can find foster homes.

We have 2 shy kittens about 5-6 months old.

We have a young kitten coming in that was abandoned by a business ,that is very thin, and I was told weighs about 2-3 pounds

We have 2 litters with Mommas. The Moms are shy and need socialization.

We got 2 kittens in yesterday about 4 weeks old.--Jessica will foster them. She is picking them up from the clinic tonight.

We have had many more calls that I have had to refuse!!!!

Surely someone has an extra room or a second bathroom.
Please help!!!!!!!!!!!

Please call Cathy at 651 230-3263. Please pass this information on to your friends and coworkers.

Thanks much!!!
NOTE: Kittens in photos were rescued last summer.

Too many kittens, not enough foster homes

If you've ever considered fostering, now's the time. Feline Rescue has been receiving many requests to take in orphaned and abandoned kittens and today a Siamese mix momma cat and two four week old kittens were left at our shelter. We hate to turn kittens away but our foster homes are currently maxed out. If you have a spare room and an interest in fostering, please contact Cathy, Feline Rescue foster coordinator, at 651-230-3263.

Current and former foster kittens: