Almost Home Cat Rescue MKE’s Foster Handbook

Everything you need to know about becoming a foster parent and how to care for cats and kittens.

View the Handbook
View the Handbook

The Foster Handbook: What You’ll Find

 

Table of Contents

 

  • The Program Overview: The "why" behind our fostering model and how it fits into Almost Home’s cage-free philosophy.

  • Communication Protocol: Detailed instructions on who to contact for medical issues, supplies, or adoption inquiries.

  • Preparation & Supplies: A checklist of what our rescue provides to you (food, litter, crates, meds) versus what the foster is responsible for (space, love, and time).

  • Body Language & Socialization: A visual and descriptive guide to understanding stress, fear, and happiness among cats and kittens.

  • Medical Care & Emergencies: Protocols for routine vetting, signs of illness (like URI or ringworm), and 24/7 emergency contact procedures.

  • The Adoption Process: How to write "bio" descriptions, take high-quality photos, and facilitate meet-and-greets with potential adopters.

  • Advanced Training Sections:

    • Orphaned newborns/bottle babies

    • Pregnant and nursing mothers

    • "Fearful Felines" (behavioral rehabilitation)

    • Medical Levels I & II care

Key Takeaways for Fosters

 

  • The "Home-to-Home" Advantage: Fostering is vital because it allows us to understand a cat’s true personality in a home setting.

  • Rescue-Backed Support: You are never alone. Almost Home Cat Rescue MKE covers 100% of medical costs and essential supplies for our fosters. Your primary "cost" is your time and emotional investment.

  • The 3-3-3 Rule: Bringing a new foster cat or kitten into your home requires patience — 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to learn the routine, and 3 months to feel truly "at home."

  • Safety First: Foster cats must remain indoors only and be kept separate from resident pets for an initial quarantine period (usually 10–14 days) to ensure everyone’s health.

  • You Are the Advocate: Fosters are the "marketing agents" for their cats. Great photos and personality-filled bios are the fastest way to get a cat adopted.

  • Medical Protocol is Non-Negotiable: Any medical treatment or vet visits must be pre-approved by the rescue leadership to be covered, except in life-threatening emergencies as defined in the "Emergency Protocol."