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Community Corner

CatNap in Need of Foster Parents

With adoptions down, CatNap from the Heart is in need of more foster homes.

I have mentioned in past columns that I volunteer at , 10111 Beach Ave. Once or twice a month I go to the shelter and set-up a make-shift backdrop over a table and take pictures of the cats that are new to the shelter that need to be put up on Petfinder.  It’s an exhausting task for me, the staff at CatNap and even the cats, but one that has proven to me to be very rewarding.

My time there eventually lead to me adopting, Lexus, an 18-pound Bengal that has fit right into my household. In the past six months, I agreed to become a foster household. I was a little nervous at first, but again, it’s turned out to be a terrific experience for my entire family and even some of my son’s friends.

Unfortunately, this summer has been a tough one on CatNap with adoptions down and kittens and cats coming through the door non-stop. While there last week, a woman was bringing in seven small kittens that she found in the street. CatNap has run out of room for any more cats or kittens and the woman agreed to foster the kittens until they were of age to be put up for adoption. The shelter is a no kill shelter so the cats are there for life until they are adopted. Right now they are in dire need of more foster households and adoptions.

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Fostering can be for kittens or even an adult cat that needs a little extra care or socialization for short periods of time. All you need to provide for the kittens or cats is an area in your home where they are away from any other animals in your house, some time to spend playing with them, an occasional visit to the shelter for vaccines and love. CatNap will provide all the supplies, including food and litter, if you are unable to purchase them.

I have an extra bedroom in my house that has been designated the Kitten Room. My son brings his friends over and they will go and play with them too.

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I even have some of the neighbor’s younger children come and play so they are exposed to all ages. You get to see their personalities develop and see them grow. Some are outgoing and some need a little extra tender loving care to get them to come out of their shells. Once the kittens are around 12 weeks old they are ready for adoption and back to the shelter they go.

I’ve been asked, “Isn’t hard giving them up after spending so much time with them?”

Honestly, it is a little bit, but knowing that I have helped them and that they are going to a no-kill shelter makes it a lot easier. It brings me a lot of joy when I find out that “my” kittens were adopted to their forever home.

 If you are able to open your home up to some kittens or cats in the foster program that need a little love, contact CatNap at (708) 352-3914.

I promise you the kittens will bring a lot of joy to your home for a few short weeks. In addition to looking for foster homes, CatNap currently has greatly reduced adoption rates.

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