Peninsula CatWorks Foster Agreement & Guidelines

Thank you for becoming a foster caretaker for cats and kittens in the Peninsula CatWorks program. Your contribution of care and love is saving the life of a cat or kitten in need. The following guidelines and agreements are prepared to safeguard both you and your feline guest(s) during its stay in your home. Please read them carefully.

You are responsible for the safety and well-being of the cat/kitten in your care. If any health or behavioral problems arise, or the cat or kitten gets outside, please contact a PCW representative immediately.

• Jean Hsia (650) 856-4731 (j4tang@sbcglobal.net)
• Linda Yelinek (408) 867-3151 (yelinek5@comcast.net)

1. Fostered animals must be kept indoors at all times, and must be kept separate from other animals in your home. Kittens can carry hidden viruses, which your cats (particularly those under 3 years of age) may contract from contact with them. Do not allow them to share litter boxes with your cats, and do not share a litter box scoop.
2. Foster caretakers provide the necessary supplies for kittens/cats, including a litter box, litter, and litter scoop; wet and dry food; a scratching post or other scratching item, and toys! For your convenience, a checklist of items is provided (see attachment).

3. PCW covers the costs of the following medical treatments: spay/neuter surgery, Felv and FIV testing, deworming, and 3-in-one vaccination.

   Any other treatment — including emergency treatment — must be pre-approved in writing by an authorized PCW representative. If you are unable to reach a PCW representative, and it is a life or death emergency, then take the cat/kitten directly to Adobe Animal Hospital (address below), and if you have made a reasonable attempt to contact an authorized PCW representative in transit or at Adobe Animal Hospital, and if you follow the instructions below, then PCW will reimburse you.

   We will reimburse you for reasonable and necessary expenses if all requested documentation is provided to PCW within thirty (30) days of the health emergency - not to exceed $500. In the event that PCW pre-approves medical care, you must also submit any requested documentation to PCW within thirty (30) days of medical treatment. Any expenses submitted to PCW after such thirty (30) day period will only be reimbursed at the discretion of the PCW board of directors.

   • We only authorize veterinary services at Adobe Animal Hospital in Los Altos, which is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Adobe is located at 4470 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA 94022, (650) 948-9661.
4. If you must discontinue fostering for any reason, please provide 2 weeks notice and call a foster coordinator so that we may find an alternative caretaker.
   • Jean Hsia (650) 856-4731 (j4tang@sbcglobal.net)
   • Linda Yelinek (408) 867-3151 (yelinek5@comcast.net)
5. PCW may remove animals at their discretion. For example, if an animal is injured or becomes ill due to negligence, or if a kitten or kittens require a caretaker with additional experience, we may remove the animal to place it in another foster home.
6. If someone is interested in adopting your fostered cat or kitten, you must notify PCW and have the person follow the standard adoption process with a PCW adoption coordinator. If you are collecting the adoption fees on behalf of PCW, you are required to submit the full amount of such fees and all PCW adoption paperwork (including, but not limited to, the adoption application, adoption contract and microchip form) to PCW within fourteen (14) days of the adoption. In the event that you fail to submit the adoption fees and paperwork to PCW in a timely manner, you may be liable for all costs and expenses incurred in efforts to collect these items from you.
7. If you decide to adopt a cat or kitten in your care, you must follow the standard PCW adoption process. There are no adoption fees charged to fosterers who adopt PCW animals. However, you may not adopt PCW animals and then re-adopt them to third parties.
8. Because animals may be unpredictable in their behavior, PCW can not be held responsible for any injuries or damages caused by animals in your care.

Peninsula CatWorks Foster Initial Care Tips

Thank you for making room in your life for cats and kittens needing temporary shelter. Because PCW does not have a shelter facility for homeless animals, we must rely on our friends in the community to house animals.

Many of the animals we work with come from backgrounds unknown. We must work slowly and confidently to build their trust and to help them learn new habits appropriate to living as companion animals. These habits may be very different from those they've honed for survival in dangerous places, so the following steps are recommended to help them become sociable, well-adjusted animals.

Please contact either Jean Hsia (650) 856-4731 or Linda Yelinek (408) 867-3151 with any questions or concerns about your foster cat or kitten. We're here to help!

1. De-stress the cat or kitten
   • Place the cat/kitten in a warm, dark, and quiet room. This will be "his/her room" for the duration of their stay with you.
   • Give the cat/kitten time to adjust. This may take ten minutes or a full week, depending on the animal's history.
   • Monitor for signs of illness and correct any health problems that create added stress (upper respiratory infections, worms, fleas, etc.)
   • Whenever possible, place cats/kittens together with known siblings or "friends" from the same site.
   • Sometimes a particularly shy or aggressive kitten may do better if separated entirely from other kittens, so that she is encouraged to "bond" with a person and therefore progress more quickly.
2. Create consistent, positive associations with you as the caretaker
   • Keep up quiet, gentle kitty-talk while you are working with the new cat/kitten.
   • Feed on a regular schedule (2-3 times per day), and remain in the room, as close as possible to the cat/kitten while she eats.
   • Gradually introduce touching, at first quickly and lightly, then increasing in duration and pressure until you can pet all over the cat/kitten. If your cat/kitten will not let you use a hand, try touching them first with a feather or a toy lightly until they settle. Once they seem comfortable with it, gradually replace it with your hand until they are comfortable with that.
3. Gradually introduce play, reinforcing appropriate play behaviors and always keeping in control of the play situation. Always use a toy to play with the kitten, rather than your hand. You want to discourage kittens from scratching and biting your hands, even during play.
4. After the kitten is comfortable being petted and played with, you can begin to pick her up, always supporting her with both hands. If the cat still seems to be uncomfortable, try making sure that all 4 of its paws have some surface supporting them (i.e. your hands, arms, or chest). Pick a time when she is relaxed, like after an exhausting play period or around naptime. Holding two kittens at one time who are used to each other can make them feel less stressed, not separated from the group.
5. Practice gently touching the paws, ears, tail, and belly. This will make future trips to the vet less stressful.
6. Always stop any play or petting just as you notice the cat/kitten acting stressed and end with praise!
7. Remember that your goal is to socialize kittens to people, not necessarily to each other.
8. After the cat is completely at ease being handled, played with, and cared for by you, gradually introduce the stresses of everyday life, providing hiding outlets for stress/fear reactions.
• Introduce typical house cleaning movements one at a time, stopping between motions to praise and pet the cat/kitten.
• Gradually introduce new people; at first only passive, quiet presence. Allow the cat/kitten to approach the stranger in her own time, and make sure the stranger pets gently and speaks quietly for reinforcement.
• Once the cat/kitten is confident approaching strangers, you may introduce more abrupt or aggressive "pet the kitty" types.
• Habituate the cat/kitten with a cat carrier. Place an open carrier in her room, lined with a soft towel or blanket. Allow her to enter the carrier on her own time. This may take minutes or weeks. Always keep the door open, or remove it. If she's too afraid to enter, take the top of the carrier off and allow her to use it as a bed. When she's comfortable with her carrier, practice closing the door and carrying her around the house. Give her lots of praise, even treats. Be sure to stop and let her out as soon as she gets stressed.
• After the cat/kitten is comfortable with all sorts of new household/human noises and sights, call your adoption coordinator Jean Hsia (650) 856-4731 or Linda Yelinek (408) 867-3151 to help evaluate the animal's potential for adoption.
• Important: If anything happens to your cat/kitten in the middle of the night (illness, accident, escape, etc.) call Linda Yelinek (408) 867-3151. Do not wait until morning!
9. Remember to always work confidently and quietly with the cat/kitten. They pick up on any anxiety you may have, and equally on your sincere desire to help them feel comfortable, secure, and happy in a new home.

Thank you so much for your contribution to the animals!

Peninsula CatWorks Foster Supplies

Litter

• For kittens, please use plain, non-clumping litter.
• For cats, clumping litter is fine.

Food

• For kittens, please select a premium wet and dry kitten food, such as Sensible Choice, Nutro, Wellness, Innova, or any food that does not contain by-products as an ingredient. Because our kittens come from environments where the mother has not had proper nutrition, it's important to help build a healthy immune system with excellent nutrition.
• For cats, please select a premium wet and dry adult cat food (same brands as above).

Water

Please keep fresh water available for kittens and cats at all times.

Scratching Items

For both kittens and cats, a scratching post or scratching item, such as the cardboard scratchers sold at most pet stores or at Trader Joe's.

Toys!

For both kittens and cats! PCW will provide donated items whenever available. Ideas include:

• Ping pong balls
• Mice
• Toilet paper rolls! Cut a toilet paper roll in half, then cut about ½ inch fringe on either side of the half-roll. If desired, tie it to something so that kittens/cats can bat them around. You can also put them on the floor.
• Cardboard boxes. Get a cardboard box from your grocer and cut shapes into the sides and top. Kittens love popping in and out of a box and chewing on the edges.