When you decide to be a Fur Foster Parent, you will have a number of decisions to make. First, which rescue and adoption agency to Foster with. I chose Classy Cats. They have been an agency in Texas for more than 25 years and have an excellent reputation. Their goal is to place the cat in a home where it can thrive and be a companion. They want to achieve a successful fit, which means knowing what the new fur parent needs/wants in a companion and the personality of the cat. When you adopt from Classy Cats, you agree, the kitty will be an indoor kitty, not a mouser, and you will not declaw the kitty.
You can read more about Classy Cats on their website (www.classycats.org). Needless to say, I am in complete agreement with their philosophy on cats.
The next decision is what cats you can and can’t foster. Matching your goals and abilities as a Fur Foster parent is as important as matching the Forever Fur Parents. After applying and being accepted as a Fur Foster Parent, Classy Cats set an appointment for me to meet the kitties. I had two choices, Monroe and Walker, a brother and sister, approx 6 months old or Ansel, approx 2 year old male. It took me a couple of hours to decide. Ansel tugged at my heartstrings. He reminded me of Hayden and even had some of Hayden’s behavior issues. I had worked with Hayden and overcame those issues when he was over 10 years old. I knew I could work with Ansel and get him there. But I also knew Ansel would be a long-term committment even as a Foster and I’m not ready for that long-term committment yet.
I came home with Monroe and Walker. At Classy Cats, Monroe, the female, was out and about playing and having a grand old time. She was very outgoing and would play with me. Walker was in his “apartment”. I was told he doesn’t like to be picked up (you have to chase him). I spent time playing with him in his apartment, then he came out and played with Morgan. Yes, he was a scamp when it came time to get him back in his apartment. I was able to catch him when he was on top of a tree and put him back.
Kitty Socialization
Monroe and Walker’s mother was a feral cat. So it is not as if they were abandonded. Their situation was not unlike when Shadow had her kittens in Corpus Christi. We found homes for those kittens and Shadow stayed with me until she was 22. I knew how old she was because I knew her mom, who was a feral also and when she had Shadow. Therefore, I know that a feral can become a house cat even after that cat has grown to an adult. However, it takes time for kitty to learn how to behave in their new world.
What does that mean for Monroe and Walker? Kittens hae a primary socialization window from 2 – 7 weeks of age and a secondary one from 14 to 16 weeks. This means Morgan and Walker’s primary socialization ocurred without human contact. They did not experience many of the normal human experiences and will need to be trained to accept things like being picked up, petted, car rides. Since they have already learned one way of behaving, my job will be to help them learn a new way. Between 4 and 8 months of age is a gray area for socialization, but I’m going to give it a try — they are so cute and deserve the best chance. Plus, I had success with an adult feral and know others who have had success in this area also.
Stay tuned for tips and tricks on how to socialize a cat, from kitten to adult.
What to expect when you bring your kitten home
No matter how well your kitty has been socialized, a new home is always stressful. They do not understand what is happening and need to learn this is a safe environment. I can’t stress this enough — CATS ARE NOT DOGS. They evolved differently and therefore react to the same situations differently. For cats, hiding is a normal, healthy activity. Hiding is a natural behavior for cats. In the wild, cats are both preditor and prey. They learn to hide while sneaking up on prey and also to avoid being prey. Hiding is a survival skill and part of their DNA. Therefore, the first thing you can expect in a new environment — they will hide. The following video shows typical behavior for every cat that I’ve brought home the first time. Even Hoshi and Lilly, who were socialized as kittens at a breader and show kitties were traumatized with a new environment and found a hiding spot. So let your new baby find a hiding spot and calm down. If you try to pull them out of their hidey hole too quicly, socialization will tak longer. Below is a video of Monroe and Walker when they first came into thier new temporary home. Of course, they don’t know this is temporary. They just know they are in a different environment and no clue what is happening.
My tip for all kitty fur parents, don’t force your new fur baby out of hiding. Provide teasers, sit quietly in their company. Talk softly to them. You can even play music for cats on Spotify to help reduce their stress. Plus, if your new fur baby seems to want to stay in hiding for a few days, you can get a Fellway diffuser to help reduce the stress.
Stay tuned for Day 1 Activities!