Regina Humane Society looking for kitten foster families

The Regina Humane Society (RHS) says it is in desperate need of foster families as it enters “kitten season”.

Every year when the temperature gets warmer animals, particularly cats, become more active and often breed. The RHS says those litters are often unwanted. The off-spring- sometimes their parents- are brought to the shelter.

RHS spokesperson Bill Thorn says kitten season leads to regular capacity issues at the shelter.

“Our foster program is crucial to our ability to save animals throughout the course of the year,” Thorn said.

“Often we get animals that are newborn or very, very young. Not able to go up for adoption right away.”

Thorn added it can be extremely difficult for a very young cat to have a positive outcome if it doesn’t have a mom and can’t enter a foster home due to their required level of care.

“If an animal’s days old, or maybe a couple of weeks, the animal will need 24 hour care. In those cases it’s absolutely critical. Their immune systems aren’t fully developed yet and they’re very, very susceptible to disease. So it’s really important we get them out of the shelter,” Thorn explained.

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However, some foster situations will have a mother cat. These cases will include basic care and potentially administering medication.

With the kitten boom on the horizon, the RHS hopes to have families signed up before that happens.

The group does have some foster families already in their network, the list is fluctuating. Fostering a cat or kitten usually lasts from a few days to a few weeks, according to Thorn.

Of course, you could always become a ‘foster fail’- someone who wants to keep their animal after fostering. In that case, you would have the first right to file for adoption of your new furry friend.