After having spent several years fostering young kittens, there are some supplies I've come to rely on time and time again. From food to litter and bedding to toys, check out some of those important supplies you'll need when you welcome the little foster kittens into your home.
Today we're talking about those supplies to help keep the baby kitties happy and healthy.
I've added links to Amazon so you can see photos and prices of the different products. I am a participant in their affiliate advertising program so if you make a purchase through my link I will earn a small commission. The purchase helps support me in purchasing replacement products for each year's foster kitties. I buy most all of my supplies from Amazon, but do get your supplies wherever is cheapest and easiest for you!
Supplies for Keeping Foster Kittens Happy and Healthy ( and Busy)
Keeping foster kittens happy and playful is pretty easy. The key is toys and they have plenty of favorites.
- Sparkle Balls are soft balls they can carry around in their mouths.
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| Don't even think about taking away Sage's sparkle ball. |
- Crinkle balls are almost as popular.
- Jingle balls are toys - and noise - kittens love playing with.
- Mouse toys are treated by my foster kittens just like they would a mouse. I even had one of my foster kittens who thought he should bring it to me over and over and over.
- Wand toys require participation from you, but boy they are fun.
- A track toy - one with balls inside they spin around and around - can be a fun way for them to spend some of their time.
- A cat tunnel/tube is a place you'll find foster kittens spending a lot of their time. Whether they are running from one end to the other or hiding in it or swatting at one of their siblings through the side, you can't go wrong with one of these.
- Cardboard cat scratchers give kittens a chance to learn how to use their claws - and not on your furniture. They usually come with catnip you can add, but kittens under three months old don't care much about catnip. If your kittens are older, put the catnip on there and watch them go crazy.
- Cat trees are great exercise for kittens and give them opportunities to explore some vertical space. The quality varies so look for one with consistently good reviews. The sturdiest one I've ever had was given to me as a gift by Simply Cats for being named their Foster of the Year. They do sell the sturdy cat trees here, but you'd have to be in the Boise area to pick it up.
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| Crazy things happen on cat trees by the window. |
- Keeping kittens healthy can be easy. But also hard. If they are sick, you'll want the vet or shelter to take the lead and let you know what you need to do. They may ask you to take the kitten's temperature frequently so you'll need a thermometer. And no, you don't put it in a baby kitten's mouth, on their forehead, or under their armpit.
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| Sometimes a warm lap (and some antibiotics) are just what the doctor ordered. |
- It isn't until about five weeks of age when baby kittens can regulate their own body temperature. Up to then, foster parents will need to provide a heat source for the babies. My preference is the Snuggle Safe Pet Bed Microwave Heating Pad, a round disc you warm in the microwave. Check out my step-by-step tutorial for how to make extra covers for it right here.
- There may be times you need to separate sick kitties from healthy kitties. You may want to have an extra room available or use what I use - the handy-dandy Jespet pop up pens.
- Foster kittens frequent have upper respiratory issues and a good humidifier can help. I have both a larger humidifier and a smaller one.
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| Busted climbing on top of the playpen and playing with the humidifier. Silly kitty! |
- A kitchen scale (or postal scale) is also important whether sick or healthy. As a foster parent, you'll need to make sure your kittens are gaining the expected amount of weight each week. When I am fostering bottle babies, I weigh them every single day.
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| You mean I have to be weighed on a kitchen scale in the sewing room? Yep. |
We're not done with supplies yet! Join me soon for: