LIHU‘E — It’s kitten season and the Kaua‘i Humane Society is preparing for the deluge by offering two kitten-foster-parent classes monthly. Would-be parents will learn how to feed, medicate and identify potential health problems. Supplies are provided. Classes are 11
LIHU‘E — It’s kitten season and the Kaua‘i Humane Society is preparing for the deluge by offering two kitten-foster-parent classes monthly. Would-be parents will learn how to feed, medicate and identify potential health problems. Supplies are provided. Classes are 11 a.m. the second and fourth Saturday of the month and last 30 to 45 minutes.
Since 2004 Margaret and Robert McGinty of Kalaheo have been actively fostering kittens for KHS. An estimated 150 kittens have inhabited their hearts and home in Kalaheo.
“Kitten activity is better than any TV show,” Margaret McGinty said. “There have never been so many smiles around our house until we had kittens.”
More kittens flow through the doors of KHS in May, June and July than any other time of year. Founder of the foster-kitten program, humane-education specialist Carol Everett, said kids are some of the best candidates for kitten care-giving.
“Anyone over 8 is old enough to foster a kitten,” she said. “For parents who want their kids to experience the miracle of birth this is a perfect opportunity to experience the growth of a kitten.”
KHS asks foster parents to take two kittens at a time, but due to a shortage of foster homes the McGintys have taken as many as 16.
“As we got better we took more. Then the shelter got so short on foster homes we took even more,” she said. “The typical would be two at a time and two is plenty.”
Fostering kittens can be challenging at times. Young kittens need to be fed every two hours and require quite a bit of cleanup.
“They do struggle,” McGinty said.
“But it feels so good to return a nice, sturdy, two-pound cat. When they are healthy they feel muscular and have a big belly. That is a reward in itself.”
The average age of the kittens is between four weeks and six weeks. Foster parents keep them until they are eight weeks to nine weeks and weigh two pounds, at which time they are at a weight and age appropriate for spaying or neutering.
“Kittens fostered are very affectionate and turn into really good people-oriented cats because of the socializing they get being in a household,” McGinty said.
“If you go into the cat house at the shelter, the ones that come to you were most likely fostered.”
Splitting their year between Michigan and Kaua‘i, the McGintys foster kittens in both places.
“We name all our kittens. The Kaua‘i kittens are named after our relatives and the ones in Michigan we use cities and states,” she said.
“When we run out of family here, we’ll do foreign cities. It’s a great geography lesson for us.”
Of the 150 they’ve fostered the McGintys have only succumbed to adopting one.
“Eddie was so ugly and runty we thought no one will ever take him,” she confessed.
A common fear Everett hears from potential foster homes is one of not wanting to give the kittens up after nursing them to health.
“It takes a special person to do this. If you keep them you can’t help all those other babies. Fostering is a really loving, generous thing to do. There are always more babies who need help.”
To become a volunteer foster parent or to volunteer at any level for KHS, call 632-0610.
•Pam Woolway, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) or pwoolway@kauaipubco.com
