Kitten season is just around the corner, although it seems to last a little longer every year! We’re preparing for our virtual Kitten Shower (May 16 and 17 20204) where we ask for kitten food, milk replacer, cat litter, and, most importantly, foster homes! Of course, with fostering comes the temptation to “foster fail” - to adopt the pet instead of bringing it back for adoption. Hey, we understand! And many of us have “failed,” too, including TCHS staff member Bre W. This adoption story comes from her.
Bre said she was heartbroken when her childhood cat passed away last summer. “I told our foster care coordinator, Bryn, that I didn't know when I would be ready for foster kittens again. About a week later, this 2-month-old, 208-gram, sickly, crusty, alien-looking kitten came in, and I was in love.” Bre asked to foster the little kitten, whom she named Dreamsicle, to see if she could help get him healthy.
“We weren't even sure if he would survive despite the supportive care we were giving,” Bre wrote. “But he pushed through! Once it came time to bring him back to the shelter, I felt that same heartbreak all over again. I couldn’t do it, so I made the decision to foster fail for the first time.”
Dreamsicle will turn 1 on May 21st; he had a rocky start, but he’s now a spunky, spirited little man. His hobbies include riding on Bre’s shoulder (when he was smaller he liked to sit on top of her hat), carrying toys around the house, and ripping apart bags of cat food.
“Dreamsicle came to me when he needed me the most and when I needed him the most. It is not an exaggeration to say that this cat saved my life and continues to save my life every day (even when he drives me crazy).”
Bre encourages people to consider signing up to foster. “Fostering saved Dreamsicle’s life and saves the lives of so many vulnerable kittens.” And who knows – you might meet your new best friend!
