By Amy Richards

Fostering kittens is an investment.

First and foremost, it is an emotional investment. No one can take in an animal, even a healthy and well-adjusted one, and not get somewhat attached. And, then there is the time investment — from learning how to bottle-feed and dispense medication to socializing the little ones to get them ready for adoption.

But, one of the biggest hurdles rescue organizations face in attracting kitten fosters is the financial investment that is sometimes required of the foster parents themselves. Vet care is traditionally covered and some of the basics may be as well. But there’s always food, litter, toys, supplies, etc. that aren’t always provided as rescues spread out their limited resources across various programs. And, newborn kittens, in particular, need many essential items to keep them safe and secure as they grow into healthy young kittens.

What kittens need

What a kitten needs depends on how tiny they are and where they came from. If they don’t have a mother then they need something to keep them warm until they are approximately four weeks old. A SnuggleSafe (microwavable disc) or pet-safe heating pad are ideal. Regular heating pads can overheat the kittens and don’t work well for transporting them. If they don’t have a momma, a Snuggle Kitty plush works as a soothing stand-in and even has a battery operated heart to make them feel safe in “her” care. They also need soft, snuggly blankets to cover the heat sources and make them cozy and comfortable.

If the animals are dirty or infested with fleas, they will need a bath with kitten safe soap. Either Original Dawn dish soap or Johnson’s Baby Shampoo are preferred. They are gentle enough for use with kittens but will help get rid of any parasites that are bugging them. After bath time, they need to dry off, ideally with cotton washcloths. And for potty time and spot clean ups, fragrance-free baby wipes do the trick.

Now we can discuss the all important mealtime. Kittens can’t drink regular milk; they need Kitten Milk Replacement Formula. The two most commonly used brands are KMR by PegAG and Breeder’s Edge Foster Care. KMR requires refrigeration after opening the container whereas Breeder’s Edge is more shelf-stable. And, just like bottle-fed human babies, they need plenty of bottles and nipples. Miracle Nipples are recommended as they are generally safer and help reduce the chances of a kitten getting formula in their lungs. They also stand up better to wear and tear reducing the chances of a kitten biting a piece of the nipple and swallowing it.

How you can help

You can see how the costs of fostering quickly add up. So, to help reduce the financial burden on our wonderful fosters, HSLC created a Kitten Registry on Amazon.com. If you are able, please visit the registry today and select an item or two. Before checking out, make sure the shipping address is “Amy Richard’s Gift Registry Address”. Because HSLC is a foster-based non-profit organization with no physical shelter, I collect items for the foster caregivers and distribute them from my home.

Thank you for playing a pivotal role in saving the tiniest of lives in our community!

By Sharon Nylec

Our story begins as they all do. Jenn Reed, TNR/feral kitten specialist and long-time volunteer for the Humane Society of Loudoun County, got a call about some kittens in a ravine behind a Harris Teeter shopping center. When Jenn arrived to assess the situation, it was a lot more difficult than she thought it would be. The kittens were located in a very precariously located pile of rocks which was 10 or 12 ft below street level. Next to the rocks was a stream that was definitely built to catch storm water runoff, and the forecast said we were going to get some big storms for the next couple of days.

The kittens were in a dangerous spot. There really was no other way to get to them without a ladder. So Jenn called her step dad, Mike, and he rushed right over with an extension ladder. He held it while Jenn climbed down into “Kitten Canyon”.

Now, this scene apparently looked suspicious to the good shoppers of Harris Teeter. I mean, no good can come from masked people who show up with tuna and traps. They weren’t sure what law we were breaking, but Jenn and I were looking (and smelling, thanks to the tuna) a little fishy so they decided they better call Loudoun’s finest to assess the situation. Pretty soon, two cars from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) rolled up.  As soon as Jenn explained there were helpless kittens in a ravine and that a big storm was coming, Deputy Torres and Deputy First Class Chenari were ready to shift into rescue mode.

A gentle rain began to fall, a harbinger of the deluge to come. With all eyes on the gloomy sky, Jenn and the deputies got to work with carriers, flashlights, and bite gloves. Meanwhile, I stood with them in the rain playing a video of a mama cat over and over hoping the sound would calm the kittens and lure them out of hiding. Not long after we put our minds to it, we liberated the first baby kitten from the cave underneath the rock pile. That moment was like uncorking a bottle of kitten champagne, because in the next hour–in lightning, thunder, and steady rain– seven more kittens came trundling out of the rock hole/cave to see where their brothers and sisters had gone.

Duty called and the deputies had other matters to attend to. So they didn’t get to see what happened after they pulled the first baby out from under the rocks. But that’s exactly what started the ball rolling. Plus, there was this dedicated HSLC volunteer with bull dog tenacity, and unparalleled rock-scrambling ability: Thanks Jenn for sticking it out in cruddy weather and for saving 8 more little lives!

In closing, it is a FACT that kittens born outdoors are never anywhere convenient. So, that is why you may find HSLC volunteers lurking in back allies, ravines, dark spooky woods or next to garbage dumpsters on a Saturday night. It’s okay, you can call the cops on us, we like recruiting new friends and volunteers. Speaking of which, thanks again to Deputies Torres and Chenari for uncorking the kitten genie bottle!