BY PAT SUMMERS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

COMMENTARY

Homeless animals in shelters can’t speak for themselves. They can’t tell anyone what kind of life they’d like – although sometimes their eyes tell you: Any life is better than shelter life. Especially for cats, “shelter life” is typically very short; the rate of live feline releases from shelters is shockingly low.

Part way between living in a shelter and the “forever homes” all cats deserve, some lucky felines move into foster homes. There, they get to know kind people, they stretch their legs and play, and in general, they’re socialized. Then, when they’re adopted by still other kind people, they know what the caring world is like and can fit right in.

This is a great time of year to invite a cat to live with you until s/he finds a “forever home.” Why? Because right now the cat population is beginning to swell: with spring comes “kitten season,” and that’s on top of all the cats with rescue groups who are still waiting for homes from last year, and the year before that. . . and all the cats whose owners died or surrendered or dumped them. . .

Rescues, which often work closely with animal shelters to place adoptable cats, are gearing up for a long season of adoption events, hoping to place the cats in their care. Want to help? Volunteer to bring a kitty into your home. It’s a win for both the cat and you because you’re likely to enjoy the experience as much as the cat will.

Fostering isn’t a permanent relationship, but it is a crucial one: the cat you foster will learn what life is like in a home, and that – including possible interactions with children and other pets – prepares the kitty for her/his eventual “forever home.”

What kind of cats need foster care? The whole range: “bottle babies, babies with moms, kittens eating on their own, young, older and senior adults, healthy cats and some with health problems or injuries,” according to a volunteer foster with Trenton Cats Rescue (www.trentoncats.org), one of numerous New Jersey rescue groups.

Ideal fosters have experience with cats and interest in socializing them, as well as their own transportation and time for occasional vet appointments and weekend adoption events. They also need a safe, warm place for the new cat, away from family pets at first. If fosters can pay for food and litter, all the better, though sometimes the rescue will provide those things – besides help and advice as needed.

To find a rescue group near you, google “animal rescue groups” with your town or county, and/or go to Petfinder.com and enter your zip code to locate nearby rescues. And/or contact local veterinarians, who know those who keep bringing animals in, and/or the area animal shelter staff, who could ID rescues working with them. Visit your local Petco or PetSmart, where rescue groups’ adoptable animals are hosted. You might also consult the list of rescues available from the Animal Protection League of NJ (http://www.aplnj.org/Adopt-Place.php).

Fosters can usually choose the kind and number of cat(s) they’re willing to help. A veteran Trenton Cats foster mom describes how everyone in her family, including her young son and the dog, helps out – thus widening a cat’s experience and options for potential homes. “Our lives are a little richer because of fostering,” she says, and “we’re better people.”

Undeterred by a scary first experience (that ended happily), another foster volunteer has learned patience and responsibility, and says she enjoys the challenge of “earning their trust.” For her, watching cats change from fearful to affectionate is a wonderful thing.

A volunteer with EASEL Animal Rescue League (www.easelnj.org) says, “The first time a feral kitten purrs with your touch is a great moment. It means you have been accepted as a caretaker.”  Still another person who fosters mainly cats needing medication compares it with a human who’s sick: “Where do you want to be, in the hospital or at home, with someone who loves you? The cat heals faster, better. . .”

Rather than being sad when a cat in foster care is adopted and leaves the foster home, the common reaction seems to be: “We’re so thrilled when we’ve found a good fit for one of our fosters. It makes us all feel like we’ve done something really special. What can be better than saving a life and knowing that you’ve helped someone find a wonderful companion.”

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Freelance writer Pat Summers focuses on animals and arts.