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These Tiny Adorable Kittens Really Need Foster Parents (HINT, HINT!)
By
Jen Chung
Published May 10, 2019
Modified May 10, 2019
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ASPCA
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By
Jen Chung
Published May 10, 2019
Modified May 10, 2019
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It's almost Mother's Day and the ASPCA is looking for "temporary 'moms' with flexible schedules" who can help foster vulnerable little kittens.
Between May and October, the ASPCA estimates it will welcome around 1,500 kittens to its Kitten Nursery on the Upper East Side. The animal welfare organization is looking for cat enthusiasts who can give a little extra attention to these bbs for two to eight weeks.
The ASPCA says, "Fostering is a rewarding experience, and it directly improves the lives of shelter animals. The ASPCA especially needs foster caregivers with flexible schedules who can provide frequent bottle-feeding, gentle cleanings and lots of attention. If you live in the New York City area, you can make a big difference by bringing home a litter of kittens!"
These kittens do require a bit more work to reach peak cat, but the ASPCA offers training, food, supplies and support. There will be orientations coming up:
- Thursday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m. (General Orientation at ASPCA Adoption Center)
- Thursday, May 23 at 6:00 p.m. (NEW Online Webinar)
- Thursday, June 20 at 6:00 p.m. (General Orientation at ASPCA Adoption Center)
"The youngest kittens in our population depend on foster caregivers until they are healthy and old enough for adoption," explains Gemma Smith, Administrative Manager at the ASPCA Kitten Nursery. "Our foster program helped more than 1,000 vulnerable kittens across New York City in 2018, and we’re building on that success to change animals’ lives for the better."
If you're kitten-curious, check out videos from the Kitten Lady—a.k.a. Hannah Shaw—who will reassure you that kittens don't taken up much space!
You can register for an upcoming foster orientation class here. Another way to help is to donate to the ASPCA or other organizations with TNR programs in the city, Paul the Cat Guy, Anjellicle Cats and Bronx Stray Cats.
Disclosure: I adopted one of my (three) cats from the ASPCA. Claire was fostered by an ASPCA volunteer, who said she was the runt of the litter. Well, Claire now is definitely no longer a runt and is as adorable as when she was a baby, so thank you very much, Claire's foster mom!
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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