This kitten season is a tough one for Santa Barbara County. There are so many feral cats and kittens to be caught, that there is a desperate need for people willing to foster them. Without fosters, Catalyst for Cats cannot trap, and without trapping, these feral colonies will explode population wise. This will be a tremendous setback for us and the other cat rescue organizations in our area, as we have been making steady headway into curbing the breeding.

You might be wondering if fostering is something you’d like to try. Well, here is basically what it entails…

A spare room or garage away from the family pets is required to house these cats at the beginning. All necessary equipment (cage, litter, litter pan…) and food is provided. You provide the time and love.

Fostering lasts approximately 2-6 weeks, depending on the age and temperament of the cats/kittens involved. Nursing mothers and litters are trapped at the same time and fostered out together, so that the mothers can continue to provide their young with necessary nutrients. Kittens are kept in foster care until they are weaned and reach the grand weight of two pounds, at which point they go in for spay/neutering and shots.

Some of the adult cats which are trapped are not feral at all, but lost, abandoned or strays. These poor felines are evaluated for social skills and temperament, and if they pass the tests we try to find good homes for them. If unredeemable, the cats are returned from whence they were found. In any case, all of them are altered and vaccinated before they leave our care.

Fostering a cat or kitten or, even better, a whole litter of kittens is tremendously rewarding. Watching kittens at play is much more fun than watching TV, especially during the summer rerun season. The only downfall is the possibility of falling in love with them all. My own family of cats has swelled from two to five in a year! Maybe I’d better contact my real estate agent to start looking for a larger place….

Catalyst for Cats is a Santa Barbara County nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare of feral cats. Through its trap, neuter and return (TNR) and feeding programs, scores of ferals have a regular food source, find relief from the endless breeding urges and homes are found for those who are able to be socialized.