Fostering Kittens for a Shelter

Carisa
Jun 26
4 min read

Over the years, I’ve had the joy of fostering hundreds of kittens. I’ve been fostering for more than five years now, and currently, I work with two shelters in North Carolina—one from a larger, more urban area and one from a smaller neighboring county, which is where I’m currently focused.

A Partnership

Each shelter has its own set of policies and procedures, and as fosters, it’s our job to respect and follow the system in place. The shelter I’m currently partnered with has a fantastic adoption center that features two large, cheerful cat rooms. These spaces are full of toys, climbing shelves, cozy beds, and large windows. Even the individual cages used when the rooms are full are spacious and comfortable. The staff is absolutely wonderful—they truly care and spend quality time with the animals while they wait for homes.

A Thoughtful Adoption Process

This shelter also has a structured, thoughtful adoption process. Only approved adopters are allowed to adopt, and once they’re approved, adoptions are done on a first-come, first-served basis. It’s a great system that allows the shelter to get animals into homes quickly—while still ensuring those homes are the right fit.

As a foster, I’m allowed to help with the adoption process too. I do a lot of networking through my Instagram and have found amazing families for kittens, many from other states! Sometimes, that perfect adopter doesn’t come through me, and that’s completely okay.

When a kitten doesn’t have a home lined up by the time they’re ready for adoption (after they’re spayed or neutered), they head back to the shelter’s adoption center. From there, approved adopters can meet them in person, which dramatically increases their chances of getting adopted quickly.

Letting Go with Love

One of the reasons the shelter asks that healthy, adoptable kittens return to the center is so that my foster home remains available for the next group, often those who are too young, sick, or fragile to be housed in the shelter environment. While this was tough for me in the beginning (I mean, how do you let go of someone you bottle-fed at 2 a.m.?), I’ve come to see it differently now.

I’ve realized that my job as a foster isn’t to control the whole story. My role is to provide the best possible start to life—a loving, safe space where kittens can grow, heal, and thrive. I won’t always be the one to see them off to their forever family, and that’s okay. I’ve done my part. I’ve poured love and care into them, and I trust the rest of their story will unfold just as it’s meant to.

Not all shelters have the luxury of a good screening process, but I’m thankful this one does. I feel peace knowing the kittens I say goodbye to are in safe, caring hands with staff who are just as invested in their futures as I am.

For Those Who Wonder Why

I’ve had a lot of kind, passionate people reach out to me on Instagram with strong feelings about this part of fostering—about why I "return" kittens to the shelter. I get it. It can seem counterintuitive or even heartbreaking. That’s why I’m sharing this post—so I could offer a fuller explanation, and so I don’t have to re-explain the process every time I do it. It really isn't a sad thing. These are the lucky kittens, the ones who ended up in foster care and have been cared for medically, and now get to find an approved adopter through the shelter.

Right now, I’m preparing to drop off three of my recent fosters: Doc, Mater, and Flo. They’ll be going back to the shelter’s adoption center, where I know they’ll be cared for and loved while they wait. And chances are, they won’t be waiting long—there’s a list of approved adopters just waiting for kittens like them.

Thanks for reading—and for supporting not just me, but every kitten and shelter pet whose life gets a little brighter because of foster homes like mine and shelters like theirs.

Shelters and Rescues - What's the Difference?

The terms shelter and rescue are often used interchangeably, but they’re actually quite different in how they operate. Here's a simple breakdown:

Animal Shelter

Usually government-run or contracted by a city/county
- Funded by taxpayer dollars and/or public donations.
Has a physical facility
- This is where animals are housed, cared for, and made available for adoption.
Open intake
- Many shelters are required to accept all animals that come through their doors, including strays, owner surrenders, and animals picked up by animal control.
Higher volume
- Because of open intake, shelters tend to have more animals and faster turnover.
May or may not be “no-kill”
- Some shelters euthanize for space, behavior, or health reasons, while others have policies to save all healthy and treatable animals.
- Many people have misconceptions about shelters that have to euthanize. It is an overpopulation problem. The issue belongs to every person in the county, not just the staff at the shelter. They are just the ones who have to make heartbreaking decisions and carry them through. I have changed my view after seeing much behind the scenes through the wonderful friends I have made who work at the shelters.

Animal Rescue

Usually a nonprofit organization
- Run by volunteers or small teams, funded through donations and adoption fees.
No central facility
- Most rescues rely on a network of foster homes to care for animals until they are adopted.
Selective intake
- Rescues usually choose which animals to take in, often pulling at-risk pets from shelters or accepting owner surrenders when they have room.
Lower volume, more personalized care
- With fewer animals, rescues often provide more individual attention, including socialization, medical care, and adopter matching.
Often more specific
- Many rescues focus on a particular breed, species, or medical need (e.g., neonatal kittens, senior cats, special needs).
- My favorite local kitten rescue is run by my friend Deej - Inked Kittens Club