It’s kitten season again and Paws Animal Shelter in Urbana is looking for anyone interested in fostering kittens or mother cats with kittens. Fostering is critical for socializing and caring for kittens until they are old enough to be put up for adoption. Kittens need human touch and interaction so they are well adjusted to new home life.

The time range for fostering can be anywhere from birth to eight weeks. Kittens with their mothers require less care because the mother can feed them. Orphaned kittens may need to be bottle-fed every few hours until they’re a little older. Once they are older they need wet and dry food and to have their faces washed.

Foster care givers can choose what type of kittens to foster. Choice can be kittens with mothers or orphaned kittens.

The advantage of fostering is the activity is not a life-time commitment to one animal.

Foster care givers will be provided with everything needed to foster, including food, litter, fleece, blankets, etc. Foster kittens need a quiet room in a home away from other animals. Care givers should spend time every day playing with the kittens, holding them and socializing them. Kittens who are familiar with being around people are adopted more quickly.

If interested in being a foster care giver, contact Paws at 937-653-6233. Volunteers are also wanted to come to the shelter and play with the cats and kittens at the shelter because they love visitors.