Smitten Kitten
August 5 // à la Sarah Kurdt
As soon as I moved to Philadelphia, I knew I was ready for a pet. With the combination of being in quarantine and getting laid off from work, I had more square feet and PLENTY of home time to take care of a kitten. I have always been an animal lover and grew up with pets, so getting a pet of my own has been on my bucket list for years.
I worked with Voorhees Animal Orphanage in New Jersey (my boyfriend’s mom is a volunteer there!) to see if they had any kittens available, and they actually had a 6 week old male long hair that needed a foster home. I immediately said yes (sight unseen) and picked him up that night.
The idea of a foster kitten was easy to wrap my brain around, since I could get to know the kitten’s personality and I loved the idea of him only being 6 weeks old. (Usually you can adopt kittens at 8 weeks old.)
When I first picked up George (we got to name him!) he was very tiny and timid. He stayed silent the entire car ride home. Hot Tip: bring a small cat carrier with you so the cat is safe and secure in the car.
George had a cold when we got him, and would sneeze multiple times a day, sleep a lot, and have runny eyes. (This is common when kittens spend time in shelters.) A few weeks after we picked him up, he got a pretty bad case of ear mites, which can cause loss of hearing if not treated. This required another visit to the shelter and giving him ear drops to clear it up.
Throughout the last few months of having him, he has become significantly more brave and social. He lets us hold him for longer amounts of time and much more often. I have become so incredibly attached to him and look forward to feeding him and daily playtime. I definitely have some scratches, and have cleaned up my share of accidents… but he is so chill and unbearably cute. We recently brought him back to the shelter to be neutered, and all went well. I have applied to adopt George so he can have a forever home. It just feels right. I can’t wait to make it official!
Things You Need To Get Started: (Be sure to bookmark Chewy.com & Amazon!)
Small litter box & scoop, Clay non-clumping litter, Grain-free kitten dry food, Grain-free kitten wet food, Small cat carrier, Medium Sized Crate, Cat Bed, Small toys, Small water dish and food dish, Cat hairbrush, Nail Clippers, Scratching Board, Homemade Cleaning Solution
Resources I have used:
Reddit Threads r/FosterCats & r/Cats
Friends & Family! Cat lovers are always happy to share knowledge
Do you have experience fostering a pet? Would you recommend it to friends? Let me know in the comments. Xx.
