Cats for Adoption: Fostering for Your Shelter

Fred and Barney
Fred and Barney are slowly coming around—no one knows their history, whether they were born outdoors or were abandoned at a young age, but if they haven’t had any socialization by four months cats can be pretty wild. If they’ve had no association with humans they are considered feral, but that doesn’t mean they can’t come to trust humans—quite often, to a certain extent, they do, and Fred and Barney are learning from a very good human who fosters rescues from the street, and also fosters sick kittens and adult cats for the Animal Rescue League—more on that below.
These two kittens were picked up by animal control and were going to be euthanized as feral cats, but an individual in the animal rescue community heard about them and determined they were only really scared four-month-olds and deserved a chance to live. She put out a plea asking for a foster home and they were taken in by a dedicated fostering volunteer.
They were neutered and ear tipped and were going to be put back out with a stray/feral colony, but they were so young and most of the time kittens who are removed from the outdoors are not put back outside, but are socialized as best as possible and a home is found for them. These two had some socialization time in home, but when the time came to take them to a shelter where they could be adopted all concerned thought they would do better in a home.
Their foster volunteer said they are doing well, she can handle them both, play with them and “they know I am the food lady.” She is sure with the right adopters these little guys will become great kitties.
Fred and Barney are being fostered north of Pittsburgh, so contact [email protected] if you’d like to take them in and let them know how wonderful it is to have a home.
Your Mission, Should You Choose to Accept It

These two orange cats are only two of far too many who find themselves homeless after an elderly owner dies either without leaving instructions, or thinking their children will take care of their pets as they did themselves. Sometimes this does happen, but sadly many pets find themselves in the situation of these two orange guys, left in the home until it’s to be sold, then dropped off at a shelter or tossed out in the street after they’ve been traumatized by all the changes and often frightened or in poor physical health, acting hostile to people and condemned to death just because they are frightened.
I received an e-mail from a trusted friend (ironically I know her as a dog rescuer) that began, “I got a phone call from a nurse at a local hospital…”
A member of the family of a patient who died asked her if she knew anyone who could take in 2 cats, two and three years old, who their owner “loved dearly”. They took them to one of the shelters, but the shelter informed them the cats would have to be euthanized the next day if they didn’t come get them (as it turns out it was because they had been exhibiting “feral behavior”, which means no one could handle them for an exam). It seemed the family was here from out of town.
She went on to describe the cats: “Baxter is 2 years old, neutered and up to date on his shots…he is an orange & white tabby. Bailey is 3 years old, neutered and up to date on his shots and is all white with a tabby tail. They are very sweet cats and love each other alot so they would hope they can find a home together.”
A person in our rescue group called the number for the son for more information. The man’s mother had died a month before and he fed and watered the cats in her house, which was being cleaned out. He took the kitties to the Animal Rescue League where he was called to reclaim due to “feral behavior”. Many shelters will decide to euthanize a cat if a team of people can’t safely handle it during an intake exam, which might also mean the cat would be difficult to adopt. The Animal Rescue League, instead of readily euthanizing the cat, will call the person who surrendered it, tell them the situation and give them an opportunity to reclaim the cat, in this case both cats.
The son believed the cats were simply accustomed to one person, his mother, who had raised them from kittens, and that they were really only frightened. He also had a newborn child and felt he was out of possibilities.
In the end, the same woman who is fostering Fred and Barney, above, also offered to foster these two, ease their fears and hopefully get them to a trusting point where either she can find a home for them or they can return to the shelter for another chance.
After some tense moments of losing track of the son and the cats and the fear they were in danger, the cats were taken from ARL and are now in their foster home.
Their rescuer describes them as wary to frightened. “The orange guy wants to eat me. The other white/orange does let me touch him although he is scared,” she said. I’m sure in her capable hands they’ll come to trust new humans.
These aren’t the only two cats rescued from situations like this, nor are they the only two cats this particular rescuer and foster family have rescued and fostered—they have an amazing track record. The rescuer was also one who recently helped an elderly man trap and spay neuter 13 cats he was feeding outdoors—which means the rescuer set the traps, monitored them, transported the cats to the clinics and back again, as a volunteer, and has also been responsible for saving a number of other cats from varied situations.

The woman who is fostering these orange guys plus Fred and Barney also recently fostered a litter of five kittens from the Animal Rescue League which has a series of foster homes who are willing to take sick kittens and puppies and nurse them back to health, something the staff is really not able to do. Kittens and puppies are better off in a home anyway, and if a compassionate person is willing to socialize them or treat them for the all-too-common upper respiratory infection, they can bring the little ones back when they are ready to be adopted. Adult animals are often fostered in this way as well.
This foster family is happy to report that her litter of five fosters were healthy and playful and went back to the shelter, where one of them has already been adopted—and a little black kitty at that! “I guess she was sticking her little paw/leg out at everyone who passed by her cage because she wanted to play. Now to just get the news that the other four find homes too,” their rescuer said.
This happy little kitten and her siblings were sealed in a box and left where someone thought they might be rescued when they were just tiny. All had upper respiratory infections, and all were nursed back to health, and despite their rough beginnings they are all friendly and playful, and looking for loving homes.

Pretty Boy
He was living outside of a nursing home for years with other feral cats when he became ill with an URI. One of the staff members told another about it and she decided to tell Barbara Slade, board member of FosterCat, about this lovely but stray black and white kitty who was so ill. No one among the staff or visitors at the home would take him so Barb, with a house full already but who tirelessly rescues cats and searches for homes for homeless cats—dogs too—and advocates for all animals, decided he would go home with her.
Pretty Boy is in a foster home under FosterCat for over a year and needs a home of his own. Also, that foster mom also has other foster cats and just lost one of her dogs and she’s concerned Pretty Boy, who has to be in his own room, won’t get the attention he needs. If you would like to give this handsome kitty a good home, please contact FosterCat, Inc.

Bali
Bali is a two year old neutered all black male cat. He’s microchipped, negative for Leukemia and AIDS, and current with his vaccinations, and while he has a very mild form of asthma he does not require medication or special litter. The person he’s with now would prefer a foster home for him until May when she can move to a larger apartment, but a permanent home would do well too. He spends most of his days now in the bathroom, separated from the other cat in the house.
You can read more about Bali, the kind human who rescued him, and the black kitty he lives with named Blackie by visiting here.

Susan’s Sweethearts
Caroline is one of many cats cared for by Susan Lee of Wake Forest, NC, who was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in March 2011, though ironically she was never a smoker. Even with treatment, she found around Christmas 2012 that the cancer had spread to her brain and doctors “gave her few options”. Friends and her community have rallied around her, but they don’t have the resources to find homes for all the animals still cared for by Susan.
She is still trying to care for 19 animals including cats, dogs and horses, with the help of neighbors and friends, and she’d love to see them all find good and loving homes.
Visit this article to read more about Susan and her animals, and read more about Susan in links to news stories.
Browse some rescued cats and kittens!
All images used on this site are copyrighted to Bernadette E. Kazmarski unless otherwise noted and may not be used without my written permission. Please ask if you are interested in using one in a print or internet publication. If you are interested in purchasing a print of this image or a product including this image, check my Etsy shop or Fine Art America profile to see if I have it available already. If you don’t find it there, visit Ordering Custom Artwork for more information on a custom greeting card, print or other item.
Pingback: Take Home a Senior Kitty During Adopt-a-Cat Month ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Bella Supports Bella! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Warrick ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Foster or Adoption, With Feline Leukemia Virus ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Henrietta, Home for the Holidays ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Meet Sarge ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Special Boy, Baby Bear ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Foster: Special Needs Sarge ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Homepage
Pingback: Rescue Story: A Jersey Cupcake and People Who Care ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: Roberta and Her Big Purrsonality ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: A New Home for Bernie ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: Fred, and Another Little Rescue ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: Pumpkin! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: Katie Holmes ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: Anna ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: Cat Stevens and Luna, Down in Savannah! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: Mishka ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: Candy, Because She's as Sweet As ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats Adopted: Leo! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Southern Belle Queenie ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Sweet Sybil ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Rodger Comes Inside ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: TNR with a Side of Adoption and Outreach to Reduce Outdoor Cat Populations ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Sweet Adelyne ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Rigley! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption (soon): An Update on Lil ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption (soon): Meet Lovely Lil! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Oodles and Noodles! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Bo, Your TV Buddy ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Take Home a Senior Kitty During Adopt-a-Senior Pet Month ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: I'm Absolutely Adorable ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: I'm Still Looking ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Mork and Mindy, and Kitten Collars for Sale! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Sienna Says Good Morning ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Penny, the JCPenney Mom! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Nelson ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Muffy and Callie ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Ginger Girls Petra and Penelope ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Sammy-Not-So-Senior ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Two Dilute Torties ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cat for Adoption: Lumpy, as Soon as He Loses Weight! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Shop for Your Shelters This Holiday Season ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Forest, Soooo Freaking Nice! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Mother's Day in November! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Joanie and Chachi, Celebrate Friday the 13th With Your Very Own Housepanther ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Celebrate Autumn With Felicity and Her Autumn-tinged Fur ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats For Adoption: Molly and Cupcake, Rescued Shop Cats ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Helping Cats: Foster Needs and Feral Needs ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Mr. Man and Lucy, BFFs, FIV+, and Sponsored! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Six Adult Black Cats ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Daily Photo: A Bunch of Kittens and Cats! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: TNR with a Side of Adoption and Outreach ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: The Airport Kitty Crew! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Kitten Pictures! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Adopted! Silver Goes Home! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Silver, Rescued and Ready! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Felicity, Don't Forget the Adults in Kitten Season! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Minnie and Delaney ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Adopted: Dino! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Natasha, Who Will Be An Indoor Kitty, Please ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: An Update on Whisper ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Bernard ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Whisper ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Black Pearl ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Barn Kitties in Training ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: An All-cats Weekend ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Little Orange Sisters Opie and Olive ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Adorable Nora ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: 23 Cats and Kittens Rescued from Hoarding With HCMT/Pittsburgh C.A.T. ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Ophelia Found Her Forever Home! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Benefit Rescued and Fostered Cats and Kittens With This Calendar! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Three From Brookline, Adoptions Sponsored and Food for a Year! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Adopt a Senior Kitty During Adopt-a-Senior Pet Month ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Suki and Obi, the Purr-fect Pair! ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Big Tabby Love ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Half Off Adult Cat Adoptions With Pittsburgh C.A.T. ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Sweet Caroline ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: Cats for Adoption: Ready for High-energy Playtime? ~ The Creative Cat
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Kittens in Every Color!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Kittens Cookie and Jelly Bean Ready for Home!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: A Bunch of Little Girls
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Rescue Story: Three Little Kittens
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Update on Kittens Cookie and Jelly Bean
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Old And In The Way
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Rescue Story: Kennedy, a New Rescue
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Marshmallow, and a Kitten or Two
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Rescue Stories: Cats Know Who to Choose
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Rescue Story: Cookie and Jelly Bean
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Molly
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: A Very Special Lucky Boy
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: We’ve Been Waiting!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Your Very Own Matched Set of Black Kitties
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Rocky is Ready, and Salem and Sabrina, Start Collecting Black Cats!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: City Kitty and Skyler, and More from Kopy Kat Sanctuary
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Meet Spike and a Very Special Person
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Three Orange Guys
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Bid on a Tee, Pay for a Spay
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Soon! and a Happy Ending and a T-shirt
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Can You Give Four FeLV Kittens a Home?
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Foster Failures!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: You Need This Kitten, and a Few of These Other Cats too
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Adopted! Fred and Barney
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: A Very Special Art Auction
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Buddy, Peaches and Amy—FosterCat Cats!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Shop for Your Shelters This Holiday Season
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Cats of Pittsburgh Pet Expo
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Daily Photo and Cats for Adoption: Rocky is Ready
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Helping Rescuers: Three Old Cats Rescued From the Streets, Donate and Choose a Gift
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Adopt So That More Can Be Rescued!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - HCMT Feral Cat Day Clinic: 99 Cats Spayed and Neutered
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Five Adult Cats, an Emergency Foster and a Found Kitten
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Tippy Toes’ Kittens
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Remember Me Thursday Pet Adoption Awareness Campaign
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Blackie Wants In
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Rescues and Adoptions: Read a Bunch of Stories
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Four Little Kittens
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Get Ready for Winter With Snowflake and Snowball!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - FosterCat Spaghetti Dinner and Cats For Adoption
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Old and New Cats, Adventures, and 95 Cats
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: A Bunch of Tabbies
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Permanent Foster: Josie’s Cats
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Mr. Mistoffelees, The Forever Kitten
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Rescued Kittens, Kittens, Kittens!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Wouldn’t You Like a Family of Black Cats Too?
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: June Bug and Stevie, Abandoned and Neglected No More!
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Rescuing Cats: FosterCat Needs Foster Homes
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Torties Amelia and Emily Are Still Waiting
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Torties Amelia and Emily Would Like a Home of Their Own
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Helping Stevie With Art, Feeding Kittens and a Happy Ending
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: A “Lucky” Black Kitty, Pretty Maisy and More
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Put Your Hearts to Work, and Local Rescued Cats and Horses
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Fred and Barney Are Ready to Go Home, and More
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Mimi Says, “For Mother’s Day, Spay Your Cat.”
Pingback: The Creative Cat - It’s Be Kind to Animals Week
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Wishing Luck for 11-year-old Lucky
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Adopted: Puddin Steps into Another Heart
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Felines in Difficult Places
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Bottle-feeding Kittens and Fostering Cats
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: FIV is No Barrier
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Two Happy Kittens Want Others to Have a Chance
I’m trying to spread the idea of businesses as foster homes. When my husband and I had a used bookshop, we fostered cats from our local shelter and, over several years, found new, loving homes for more than fifty cats. Other businesses in town also fostered cats, dogs and even rabbits to keep the humane society there essentially kill-free. The shops were much more cozy with the pets, the pets were much less stressed-out than they would be at the shelter, and the animals were less overwhelming to potential adopters than a whole mass could be. Business owners and shelters — please think about this as an option in your area!
Jenny, a bookshop cat is beloved for so many people, and thanks for adding it! I left that for another article, but there are a number of shops who sponsor and foster cats, happily many pet stores have shelter cats for adoption. We also look for shops as adoptive homes where cats can “work for a living” in shops–it’s often the best solution to a cat who loves people but who doesn’t get along well with other cats, pets or kids, or a cat that is FIV or FeLV positive and can be assured of not coming in contact with another cat.
Yes! We had to leave that town and no longer had an open bookshop, but I believe businesses still do foster there. We had a very large shop and had two or three cats at a time to avoid conflicts. The cats were always checked out at the shelter by the vet and given shots/fixed and were healthy & ready for adoption before we fostered them. I talk about this idea often and hope more and more shops “adopt” this idea.
Pingback: The Creative Cat - Cats for Adoption: Fostering Saves Lives