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Fostering is such a joy


My wish is for others to try fostering an animal from your local humane society. You will receive such a blessing in helping an animal become adoptable.

Our first, very first fostering experience has been such a delight! I'd like to share my experience with you....

My husband and I have an 'empty nest' now, so we decided to foster a cat. I went to the humane society to talk with Makena about this and I asked her if I could pick out an adult cat to take home and foster. She mentioned the fact that they have a kitten with a broken leg that needed a foster home. She told me how he needs to have someone give him lots of attention and love. I took one look at him with his cast on his leg and made the decision to bring him home.

Once we were home I showed him his room (the extra bathroom), I showed him his litter box, where his food was, and I laid him down on a soft baby blanket in his room. He followed me to the recliner, looked up at me and meowed, so I picked him up and placed him in my lap. He immediately crawled up to my neck and curled up around my face, licking my face and neck as if to say "Thank you for bringing me home to live with you."

For the next several days he would lay around my neck, or eating, or sleeping on my shoulder. He is such a loving kitten! I thought that all kittens were very nosey and curious, but Oliver didn't seem to be like any other kitten I had ever known. He showed me and my husband as much TLC as we showed him.

Two weeks went by and then came time for his cast to be removed. Once we returned home from the vets office and getting that cast off, Oliver became a bit more curious about his new home. He finally began acting like a normal kitten. He became more playful. Remembering that the vet warned me to not let him jump from high places, I watched him like an over-protective mother would. :) Now that he is cast-free, he runs around as if he never had a broken leg. He is still very attached to my neck for his 'cat-naps', but is slowly finding other new places to lay down for his naps. He is such a joy to have around, we love playing with him with his toys which helps him to become a very pleasant companion to live with.

Our fostering experience has been such a joy and I would encourage more people to foster a pet. Fostering also allows humane societies to have more space to care for more animals that are brought in on a daily basis.

Written by Becky Glass, foster parent
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