Ask An Indiana-PAW Foster Parent Q&A Program
 Don't Forget To Scroll Down To See Questions That Have Been Answered So Far! |
The single biggest way you can make an immediate impact in saving animals' lives is by temporarily opening your home to an animal in a shelter or rescue who is at risk for euthanasia. If you're thinking about becoming a foster parent, but have questions or concerns about what is involved, we can help!
Indiana-PAW's foster parents have agreed to answer your questions about what is involved in being a foster parent. Our foster parents, as part of Indiana-PAW's foster program, have fostered many dogs and cats for Indiana shelters and rescue groups, and are available to answer your questions in an effort to grow Indiana-PAW's foster program, and encourage new foster parents!
To get your questions answered, do the following:
- Before filling out the form below, please review our Points To PAWnder on fostering, which answers many common questions - Be A Hero To Hoosier Pets: Become A Foster Parent! [PDF]
- If, after doing #1, you still have questions about fostering, you may send our foster parents a question using the form below. Simply fill out the form below and click "submit."
- One of our foster parents will answer as many questions as possible, by responding to your e-mail. (Please note that they may not be able to answer every question, due to volume). Your question, and their answer(s) to it, will appear below on this page to help others who may have similar questions.
- We hope once your questions are answered, you'll consider joining the Indiana-PAW foster program by clicking here!
Answers To Your Questions
Question: I am interested in fostering pregnant cats cats with litters and orphaned kittens and I need to know what I need to vaccinate my cats for to protect them from the foster animals.- Kristen
Answer: Hi Kristen, I'm happy to hear that you want to foster. There are so many animals in need of good foster homes. Anyway, to begin to answer your question, I suggest that you speak with you veterinarian on this matter. They will have your cats' vaccination records and will be able to best communicate with you about what your own cats may need and how best to avoid chances of any transmissions between your cats and any fosters you take in. I assume that your cats have had the basic FVRCP vaccine which is a standard 'combo' (combination) vaccination for a number of common feline diseases. It is also often referred to as the feline distemper vaccine even though it offers resistance to other ailments as well. I also assume that your cats have been dewormed and treated with Advantage or Frontline. If not, besides the FVRCP vaccine I recommend these two things as well. Most shelter foster programs will suggest or require that you keep fosters in an area of your home where they will not have interaction with your own cats. Especially if you are fostering mother cats and very young kittens because their immune systems will be weaker or undeveloped. So, as long as your own cats and the fosters will not be interacting, vaccinations for FIV ( feline immunodeficiency virus) and FELV (feline leukemia virus) shouldn't be necessary but up to your own feelings. Ideally your foster cats will have been tested for both of these by the shelter or rescue from which you are fostering. However, many smaller shelters and rescues cannot afford this but don't let this scare you away from fostering. FIV and FELV are transmitted by direct contact, typically through fighting or sexual contact.
In my personal experience I have fostered a lot of kittens as well as contagious cats. These cats were carrying things like upper respiratory infections or fungal infections. Typically I kept these cats in my bathroom away from all my other pets and always made sure to wash my hands before and after handling them. I can say that I've not once had a problem with any of my own cats contracting whatever affliction one of my foster cats carried at the time. I hope that this has answered your questions. If not and you have any more please feel free email me.
Ash Lewin, Veterinary Technician Consultant, Indiana-PAW