The 2008 kitten season is in full swing. We are currently receiving calls for help everyday from the public and our county shelter partners. For these animals, foster families provide a temporary haven, opening their homes and giving them a second chance.

Most foster kittens will stay with their foster family until they are around 10 weeks of age. Last year, over 150 families fostered over 1,300 kittens during the year.

To take care of these cats, you will need:

* A warm, dry safe place in a separate room in the home away from other cats
* Keep medical records and make sure routine services are up to date
* Enough time to foster them until they reach 2 1/4 pounds. At that time they will be ready for adoption and receive final intake and spay/neuter services by our veterinary clinic. This can be anywhere from 10 days to 3 months of foster time, depending upon the age of the kittens.
* Lots of love and time to socialize/play with the kittens. The more attention you can lavish on them, the more socialized they become and the easier it is to find them permanent homes.

Training Requirements:
• Attend General Volunteer Orientation at the shelter
•Attend Foster Training at the shelter

Time Commitment: Minimum 2 hours per day. 10 days to 3 months total

Cat Adoption Team provides medical care for all cats and kittens, assigns a mentor to you and has a foster parent support network that will be available to you for questions. Fostering is a great opportunity for school age children to learn about responsible pet care and contribute to the community.

For more information about our foster program call (503) 925-8903, voice mail box #5 or email: .

The guiding mission of the Foster Care Program is to give cats individualized care and socialization to prepare them for adoption. Information gathered during the foster process helps us place cats in homes and with families who can best meet their needs. Specific goals of the program include:






• Providing a safe, healthy, nurturing environment for mother cats to raise their kittens.
• Socializing shy or timid kittens.
• Allowing sick or injured kittens to heal in a relaxing, uplifting environment.
• Nursing and bottle-feeding orphaned or abandoned kittens.

For more information about our foster program, and to find out if you qualify as a foster home, call (503) 925-8803, voicemail box #5 or email:

Contact Us