Get Paid to Foster Kittens | Easy Guide 2023
I hope we were able to make it clear that there is no way to get paid to foster kittens.
The joy a kitten can bring into one’s life is immeasurable. Their innocence, love, and playfulness can lighten you up even on the most tiresome day. However, having pets is no easy task either – financially.
You are expected to pay for their food, water, and vet consultations, and be by their side in sickness and in health. This level of financial commitment isn’t possible for everyone across the income range. Here, fostering is the best choice for you!
You would be in charge of caring for the kitten until the shelter finds its ‘forever home’. In this scenario, you wouldn’t be spending on the kittens from your pocket. The shelter would pay for all the needs of the kitten including vet bills! Fostering is a volunteer role, so you wouldn’t get paid for doing the job, but you also won’t have to spend either. You would be gaining the pleasure and warmth of the company of a little animal without worrying about how you would pay for them.
It’s like getting paid to advertise on a car and getting CDL. Foster kitten is related to this but not the same. For advertising, a company will offer you some kind of posters or logos which you have to put on your car and as a result, you get paid. But there are many other things to keep in mind before doing so.
How does fostering a kitten work?
Do you get paid to foster kittens? Fostering a kitten involves bringing a homeless cat into your home and providing them with love and attention. This would be either for a mutually set timeframe with the shelter or until the cat is adopted.
But why do shelter homes need such foster care providers?
Well, there may be many reasons for this. For instance, the rescue group may not have a physical shelter to provide for the animals, or the kitten is too young to be sent for adoption. There are also cases where the cats may be recovering from an injury or surgery and need a safe place to recover, socialize, or demonstrate signs of stress.
If eligible, fostering a cat is something you must take up. Not only would it be a fulfilling experience, but you would be playing a key role in the cat’s growth and helping out the shelter too. By taking in an animal, you would be allowing the shelter to take in another cat now that a spot is free. You would be providing the cat with the necessary care and socializing it needs for it to be adopted and also helping in finding the best home for the cat.
Tips for fostering a kitten
- Designate a small space for the kittens to start – It is important to make the feel contained and safe in the new environment. However, make sure you would be able to provide them with the necessary care in the assigned area. A room with a latch door should work just fine!
- Separate them from your other pets – Most foster kittens are a little sick when they come into your home. They may have conjunctivitis, stomach troubles, or a respiratory infection which may pass on to your other pets if they come in contact with the foster kittens. Moreover, if they aren’t separated either your pets or the kittens may develop anxiety or even start turf battles.
- Be well educated about the plan of action in case of emergency – When fostering a cat you must aware of the warning signs to look out for like diarrhea, fever, etc. You must also keep information about whom to call in such emergencies handy.
- Don’t throw away your receipts – Usually, the shelter would provide you with the supplies you need for caring for the kittens. Besides that, whatever you spend on the kittens, whether it is food, litter, or other supplies, is all tax-deductible. Therefore, keep your receipts safe!
- It is a responsibility! – Fostering cats isn’t only cuddles and play; it is a lot of work as well! You would have to administer their medication, take them for regular check-ups, make them do exercises if wounded and replace the litter boxes often.
- Saying goodbye is hard – Be prepared for a few tears when you part with them and remember that your home is only their temporary home. There are inevitably to move on to their real, loving forever home.
Requirements for foster kittens
To be a kitten foster parent, there are a few requirements like you must be
- 18 years of age,
- have transportation access,
- and attend the required training
You would also need a few supplies to foster kittens. Usually, the shelter would provide you with these requirements, if not you would have to arrange for them. A cozy bed, a litter box, litter, kitty toys are a must to have.
Besides these, a heating pad and a nursing bottle, if the kitten is an orphan and young would be important to have. Depending on the age of the kitten, a milk substitute and soft kitten food are also required.
How much money can you earn by fostering kittens?
Fostering kittens wouldn’t add to you on a monetary basis, but also won’t take away anything from your bank balance. How much do you get paid to foster kittens? The shelter will not pay you for fostering a kitten but will pay for the supplies required for the kitten including vet bills. If you buy anything besides what is given to you, those products are tax-deductible.
This act of fostering won’t make you rich financially, but it definitely will make you score higher on the karma scale. It would add immensely to your life and soul while allowing you to have a truly rewarding experience with an adorable furry companion.
How to find Kittens to foster?
If you wish to obtain foster kittens, here are a few steps you could follow to bring in that furry bundle of joy.
First, it would be a good idea to contact your local shelter and show them your interest in fostering kittens. Most shelters have foster programs and require your help as well. However, if your shelter doesn’t allow you to foster animals, then maybe contact a local rescue group. Once you offer them your home for a kitten, then they would go ahead and contact shelters from where they could remove and rescue animals. You could also go to animal care websites as mentioned below to help you with this process.
Another possibility would be to help out a stray kitten that you see on the street. But make sure, that the kitten is an orphan before relocating them because no one is a better caregiver than their mother. If they are rather clean and healthy (plump) then it’s most likely that their mother is nearby.
However, if they are soiled, dirty, malnourished, or are crying then they are probably orphaned and in need of rescue. If they are left to fend for themselves in harsh conditions like extreme weather, then is a very good idea to rescue them and give them foster care until they are well, or until a shelter finds a permanent home for them.
Sites to find Get Paid To Foster Kittens
Petfinder.com
Using this website, you would first have to find a shelter or rescue group near you. Depending on you, your favorite breed, and your willingness of branching out geographically, the site would refer you to breed-specific rescues. You will also be able to find other adoption organizations that specialize in helping older, special needs, or pregnant cats.
whatshot
This site would show you the best shelters or rescue homes to adopt from, depending on your city. You can also find all the required information, in one place, including the phone number, address, and requirements of the shelter.
Petco foundation
This website is very interactive and easy to use. They also provide webinars and more on the good fostering of animals. You could also donate to them, which would be used to take care of rescue animals under their care. They have an easy-to-use ‘find a shelter near you’ search to help you find your foster companion. After that, you would have to register and fill out a form to show your interest in fostering from the particular shelter and being approved by them.
Kitten lady
This website could also be used to find the nearest shelter up for fostering. It provides detailed information about how to care for foster kittens depending on their age and vulnerabilities. There is also information about preparing the home for fostering, medical advice, and how to deal with the parting process of the kittens.
Hills pet
This website works as a brand in animal dietary products, creating awareness and sensitivity about animals and pets, and also runs community support programs. Under the latter, you would be able to find a portal that would redirect to potential rescue groups from whom you can foster animals. They provide extensive information for the care of both dogs and cats separately along with everything you would need to know about fostering them.
If you wish to operate and start a foster care program then the first thing you need is a license. However, if you only wish to volunteer as a foster parent then no license is needed. You would only have to be approved by the shelter and have the basic requirements of fostering through the particular shelter.
This usually depends on the kitten and the shelter. A predetermined timeframe may be fixed upon between the two parties, or you would have to care for the kitten until an appropriate home is ready to adopt it.
It isn’t necessarily hard to foster kittens when you know how to do it right. However, for beginners, it may be a little more responsibility as you would have to take care to administer their medication and pay close attention to them.
Fostering can be a lot of fun and even be a good exercise as the kittens are young and energetic. You would also be helping the community and in many cases saving these adorable creatures’ lives. Moreover, kittens and social media love each other; it would be a boost for you there as well. But most importantly, it is a rewarding experience.
Final Words
I hope we were able to make it clear that there is no way to get paid to foster kittens and if you have any questions, then let us know.