Foster Cat, Inc. is all about saving lives. It's as simple as that. We are an all-volunteer non-profit organization dedicated to the proposition that all cats and kittens deserve safe, loving, permanent homes.
Our foster parents provide temporary care for cats and kittens in their homes until they can be placed for adoption. Their compassion provides the second chance that so many stray, abandoned or homeless kitties need, and the satisfaction of knowing that they have helped save the lives of these helpless animals.
FosterCat provides training and support, medications, food and litter as needed, and absorbs all veterinary expenses associated with the care of our kitties. If you love kitties and would like to be a part of our lifesaving team, consider opening your heart and home to cats or kittens in need. We promise you won’t regret it! If you can’t foster, you can still help save lives as a volunteer or supporting member. Check out our Fostering and Contribute options, above, for more information.
The event is being held at Salvatore’s, 5001 Curry Road, Baldwin, PA 15236 on Sunday, October 25, 2026. All proceeds from this event go directly to the support of cat rescue, cat care, foster and adoption.
***Note: Doors open at 1:00pm (this year we're allowing more time for folks to watch the international Steeler-Saints game in Paris preceding the Bingo).***
With your $50 ticket purchase, you’ll be eligible to win more than 10 bingo game cash prizes and door prizes. Your ticket purchase also includes a delicious hot buffet luncheon. Our popular emcee, Dave Roman, will be returning for the seventh year to call our bingo games. Other fun activities include our 50/50 Raffle, Strip Tickets and an extensive Basket Auction for some really cat-tastic prizes! Win local restaurant gift cards and other great items. Fresh baked goods ( cat-themed cookies, cupcakes and more) will be available for purchase.
Unfortunately, the potential adoptor decided not to keep Hannah so she was returned to FosterCat. It was then that we just happened to run across a new organization called “FIP WARRIORS 5.0. This organization was founded in October 2020 and they are absolutely phenomenal! I reached out to them and they responded pretty quickly. We had PetVet365 send all of Hannah’s test results to them to see if there was anything they could do to help Hannah. They responded immediately and sent Kim, our foster coordinator, a prescription to start Hannah on the meds. We were extremely hopeful that these meds would work for Hannah. At the start of treatment, Hannah only weighed 4 lbs. and was very jaundiced. All we could do was cross our fingers and say a prayer. Well, I am extremely happy to report that Hannah went through the treatment and is now cured of FIP. She has gained weight and is now a happy, playful and sweet little kitty and is ready for her forever home!
Hannah was so lucky that Kim rescued her at just the right time. I cannot believe that FIP is now curable! Hooray! I always wonder how many cats’ lives could have been saved had they done enough research to enact a cure for FIP. Now, if we could only get a cure for feline leukemia! FIP is not contagious to other cats, so Hannah can be placed with other felines in the house. Please think about adopting this sweet little girl and giving her a home!
If you are interested in fostering to adopt Hannah, please go on our website www.fostercat.org and fill out an adoption questionnaire. Someone will call you ASAP. Let’s give Hannah a new chance “at life!” Thank you so much!
Have a wonderful summer!
When Kim went to pick up the cat at the clinic she was surprised that the staff called her into a back office and stated that this cat was extremely underweight and in bad shape for a supposedly 6- month-old kitten. “Allegra” weighed only 4 lbs. and Kim was told the “kitten” was closer to 10 -11 months old. The neglect and starvation were very apparent since birth. Kim voiced concern and we hoped for the best that Allegra would make it through these tough obstacles.
In the meantime, Kim initially decided to foster the cat until I received a rather surprising foster parent application from Carson Bruener, a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers! What a surprise and what luck and timing that a Steeler would apply to foster one of our cats. Carson is just the sweetest and nicest guy I have ever had the pleasure of meeting in person. Carson is just one of those special guys who cares about all animals and will go out of his way to foster an animal in need.
As it happens with a good deal of our foster parents, Carson fell in love with little Allegra and asked if his dad Mark Bruener (a former tight end for the Steelers), could adopt Allegra. Mark and Carson both live in Washington State, but were here in Pittsburgh for the football season. I was happy that Mark wanted to adopt her and I was thrilled that they would be flying Allegra to Washington. Talk about luck! This poor cat went from living outside with little to eat to a warm, loving home. Allegra did well on the flight to Washington State. Mark was kind enough to keep in touch with me weekly to let me know how Allegra was adjusting. I am so happy for this little girl and so grateful that Carson cared enough to suggest that his dad would love to adopt our little girl! What a wonderful family!
Being a foster parent is the most rewarding thing you can do to help animals in need. FosterCat provides the food, litter, and supplies. All you need to do is provide the love like Carson Bruener did. You will not be disappointed. You also have the support of our FosterCat team members like Kim, who are always happy to answer any of your questions. All you need to do is fill out a foster application on our website, www.fostercat.org. Someone will call you ASAP. Lastly, I want to thank all of our many supporters who deeply care about our organization and our ongoing efforts to rescue cats in need.
FosterCat wishes to sincerely thank all of those who generously contributed to the great success of this year’s FosterCat Bingo fundraiser – patrons, volunteers, donors and corporate sponsors. Being an all-volunteer organization (no paid staff), all proceeds are directed towards saving the lives of homeless cats and providing for their care while in foster.
We broke last year’s record with 216 registered patrons and enjoyed a full house for the Bingo. Our emcee, Dave Roman, did another excellent job calling the bingo numbers, making many announcements throughout the day and entertaining the crowd. This was his seventh year donating his time for the event.
The Chinese auction tables displayed over 75 items this year. Amazing cat cakes and cupcakes designed and created by Jessica Rapp filled two long tables for the bake sale. Strip ticket sales and 50/50 sales topped last year’s sales. Overall, FosterCat collected total net fundraising proceeds of $16,851.00. We are very grateful for the success of this event.
Special thanks goes to Norma Clouse, our event and volunteer coordinator; Audrey Franzetta, our treasurer; Dianne Gruendl who managed the corporate sponsors and, along with Lori Martino, managed the auction table; and Carolyn Kozlowski who managed the publicity for the event and ran the 50/50. Many other volunteers pitched in towards the event and we greatly appreciate their time and effort. We also wish to recognize Barbara Slade, our president and Kim Zambrano, our Foster Coordinator, for their tireless efforts in the daily management of the foster homes and for their passion in saving lives, one cat at a time.
I received an email in October from a girl named Devon who was looking to find a home for two cats that she had taken from a barn as kittens. I immediately replied back and asked her a few questions about the cats. Were they neutered, were they tested for FELV/FIV and had they received any vaccinations? The answer to all these questions was a resounding “no.” Both cats were approximately 11 months old and had never been to a veterinarian. I instantly told her that I would take both cats and place them through FosterCat. I asked why she was relinquishing the cats, at which time she informed me that her “boyfriend” was allergic! Boy, have I heard that line before!
After putting both cats on Petfinder and our website, a woman who lives very close to me in Allison Park asked to see both cats. As they say, the rest is history. Jessica and Brandon both fell in love with them and were amazed that they were so calm and loving. After I had all the vet work completed, I drove the boys over to their new home. I had to laugh. They got out of the carrier and walked around like they owned the place! If only all adoptions could be this easy! Jessica writes …
”We love these boys! We got them a new cat tree and put it in Brandon’s office so they can watch the wildlife in the backyard.” J.R.
Wow, these cats received an early Christmas present and I am so happy for both of them!
At this time, the FosterCat Board of Directors would like to wish all of our foster parents, adoptors, supporters, members, and donors a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
I was at a local restaurant when I ran into a man who was talking about having to move out of his apartment because he was laid off from his job. As I sat there not intentionally trying to interfere in his conversation, I heard the words “my cat” and my ears perked up. Well, of course, now I had to get involved. “Ray” stated that his new apartment did not allow pets. I asked him a few questions such as the age, sex, temperament, and color of the cat. He indicated that he had adopted his cat Siri from the Humane Society as a kitten. Unfortunately, he was never home and, on the weekends, he would be out visiting with his friends. I kind of just dropped the conversation and weeks later found out that he had moved and put the cat outside. I figured he would try and find a friend to take the cat in since she had never been outside. I was terribly wrong!
In the meantime, we received an application for Siri. Jackie lived in downtown Pittsburgh in a high-rise apartment and she was interested in Siri and only wanted one cat. I told her about Siri and that Siri would prefer to be an only cat and that she had not encountered any love or attention for a long time. Jackie said she would like to try Siri as a “Foster-to- Adopt” candidate for a month. Needless to say, I was thrilled!
I gave Jackie instructions to first keep her in a bathroom and to GO SLOWLY. Jackie listened to everything I said. It was rough at first, but through tenderness and diligence, Siri pulled through the worst of the adjustment and Jackie decided to adopt her.
Here is a recent update from Jackie: “I am so happy that Siri and I found each other through FosterCat. When she first arrived, she was shy, timid, and scared— it took more than three weeks before she came out of hiding. But once she did, her personality just blossomed! At first, I had no idea how outgoing she really was because she stayed tucked away. Now she is like a completely different kitty, playful, curious, affectionate, and always ready to snuggle. She loves her laser pointer and a good game of hide and seek, and of course, her nightly zoomies!
I am so grateful that this was a “Foster-to-Adopt” program, because it gave me the guidance and reassurance I needed to be patient while Siri adjusted. Honestly, I had lost hope that she would ever feel comfortable in my home, but then one day, she decided it was her place too. From that moment on, we became inseparable.
I work remotely full time, and I had been hoping for a companion. Siri is now my little best friend and shadow. Who would have thought that the shy, frightened little girl I first met would grow into such a loving and attention-seeking cat? I cannot even imagine my life without her now." J.S.
Many of our adoptions come from a “Foster-to-Adopt” situation. We feel that “trying out the cat” is important to make sure that the cat(s) get along with the kids, adults and other pets in the household. Normally, in three weeks, the potential adoptor knows whether this adoption will work or not. People love our policy and, most of the time, everything works out in the end.
Fostering is sometimes hard work and patience, but the end results are well worth the effort. I knew Siri needed someone to pay attention to her and give her the time to adjust. Jackie did just that. It is amazing what a little kindness, diligence and caring can do for an animal in need. FosterCat comes across these types of situations all the time. It just takes the right person to give a cat a chance. Siri is testament to that!
It’s hard to believe we’re already celebrating our one-year adoption anniversary! Adopting Siri through FosterCat was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Siri and I are happily a single-cat family, exactly as she prefers it. She keeps life interesting with equal parts sass, curiosity, affection, and spice. Our evenings are filled with hide-and-seek, laser pointer chases, and couch snuggles. She loves belly rubs, enjoys being part of every conversation (including my work calls!) and makes me laugh every single day.
Thank you to the FosterCat organization for making this match possible. Siri is a spicy kitty with a big personality — and she turned out to be exactly my kind of spicy. 🩷
Dear Supporter:
2025 is nearly over and the new year 2026 will be upon us before you know it!
It is at this time of the year that we come to our friends and supporters to ask you to consider helping us help the cats/ kittens in our care by becoming a member of FosterCat, Inc., or renewing your membership for another year.
FosterCat continues to showcase our adoptable pets on our website, Instagram, PetFinder and Facebook. I am pleased to announce that FosterCat was able to place 131 cats/ kittens into permanent, loving homes in 2024! Our adoptions have remained steady because of the many dedicated volunteers that are so crucial to FosterCat’s success. We have volunteers who do everything they can to ensure that our cats get the best homes. They do home visits, pick up cats at vet’s offices and transport to new fosters/adoptors who are waiting to acclimate and provide the support these cats need to adapt to a new life. It is a lot of hard work and dedication and all of us appreciate the time and sacrifice that these volunteers/foster parents make to help cats in need. As I mention year after year, Kim Z. is one of those special volunteers who really shines and I would like to acknowledge her dedication and hard work. She does whatever it takes to rescue and rehome a stray. Jessica R. also is one of our top foster parents who goes the extra mile to foster a cat in need. Jessica also shows her talents at our annual bingo by baking tons of cakes, cookies, and candy to sell at our bingo fundraiser. Norma C., who chairs this event, also continues to coordinate and plan this important event, which takes a huge amount of work and planning. Her expertise is invaluable! All of these people deserve a gold star.
At this time, I also want to thank our wonderful board of directors who do such a great job of supporting our organization in various roles such as our annual fundraiser, website, financials, and a host of other tasks too numerous to mention. I could not do this without their help and support. I would also like to acknowledge Bill D. who coordinates our database, Mike W. who also works on updating our website, pictures, etc., and Jeffery W. who prepares and arranges everything to make our newsletter look professional. These people are an integral part of our organization and deserve a round of applause!
I would like to share some special notes from a few people who have adopted from us: Here are just a few:
“I just wanted to again say thank you for bringing Siri to me and for supporting me during the adjustment period. The universe has brought me my special kitty – Siri is everything I wanted in a companion. She is affectionate, loving, playful, a little sassy, and has personality to spare. I tell her daily how lucky I am to have her in my life. Thank you for helping me to find that missing piece!” J.S.
“I adopted Dumpling three years ago. She is such a sweetheart and very loved. We have our routine and she loves to be petted and plays with toys. She is spoiled with love, Our yearly Christmas celebration is to see santa paws at PetSmart. The employees adore her.” L.S.
“Juno’s our FosterCat forever cat! She is happy and healthy and we love her ‘so much’. She sleeps in bed with me and brings me plush toys to my bedside in the middle of the night, loudly meowing to announce the arrival of her gifts. A couple of times she has brought me toy mice when she finds them. She is so playful and loving. We are forever grateful for the work you do!” K.C.
“My foster fail Candy Cat has been mine since Feb 2021. She is the high point of each day, purring, playing and snuggling. She is healthy, happy, affectionate, but not too demanding. She is the perfect companion for a widow. Thank you!” E.L.
“Cleopatra is the sweetest, most cuddly cat there ever could be. We just love her so much and are so glad we are “foster” failures! She is usually found snuggled with her cat brother or in my lap. She also loves to watch the birds at our bird feeder and gets snacks of tuna.” T.M.
Once again this year, we are coming to our friends and supporters, to ask you to consider supporting our mission by becoming a member or renewing your membership in our organization and making an annual pledge of support. Your membership donation of $25.00 (family), $20.00 (individual) or $15.00 (senior) will help us defray the costs of vetting and caring for other homeless cats and kittens that are still waiting for a warm home and a loving family.
Your kindness will enable us to continue our life saving mission to aid cats who desperately need our help. Many lives are saved every year by the support and dedication of volunteers. One such cat was Hannah, who was rescued by aforementioned Kim Z. It was determined that Hannah had FIP and went through a new treatment from the FIP Warriors. Currently, treatment for FIP can be anywhere from $3,000 to $4,000. As of today, Hannah has completed her treatment and is totally free from FIP.
If you have recently become a member of FosterCat, have renewed your current membership, or have been a lifelong supporter, we appreciate your continuing support. If not, please consider doing so now to help us with our mission of saving lives. Please accept our sincere thanks to all of you who have helped us rescue so many cats throughout these many years. Whether your help came in the form of prayers, monetary donations, donation of time and talents, fostering cats and kittens, or providing a lifelong home for an adopted kitty, we are sincerely grateful for the support and encouragement you have given to us and to the animals we work to save. Without your help and support, our mission of saving lives … one cat at a time would only be a dream.
Sincerely,
Barbara Slade, President
FosterCat held its Sixth Annual Bingo on Sunday, October
20, at Salvatore's, 5001 Curry Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236.
FosterCat wishes to sincerely thank all of those who generously
contributed to the great success of this year's Bingo
fundraiser: patrons, volunteers, donors and sponsors. We
raised over $9,000 for veterinary care of cats and kittens in
our foster program. Being an all-volunteer organization (no
paid staff), all proceeds are directed toward saving the lives
of homeless cats.
We broke last year's record with over 200 registered patrons and enjoyed a full house for the Bingo. Our emcee, Dave Roman, did an excellent job calling the bingo numbers and making many announcements throughout the day. This was his sixth year donating his time for the event.
A big thank you to our sponsors Carol Meal, Carolyn Kozlowski--MyThreeCats.com, Chris Martino--Martino Plumbing/ HVAC, David Ball--Dave's Terrace Bakery, Jeffrey Heasley- -Wealth Manager Captrust, Tom Gradisek, Lance Spernak-- McKee Stewart Equipment Corp., Tracey Ruscitto--Lifeforce Fitness Center, Amy Morgano, Chris Mikrut--DeLuca's Diner, Norma Clouse, and Hope Feldman--Your Town Realty LLC.
Special thank you to Chris Mikrut from DeLuca's Diner for her continued support!
This year we added a Cat Food Drive, which resulted in our patrons and volunteers generously donating over 80 bags of food for our cats! We had enough to share with some stray/ feral cat colony caretakers.
Our Chinese auction tables displayed over fifty donated items, thanks to Amy Morgano. Amazing cat cakes and cupcakes designed and created by Jessica Rapp and helpers filled four long tables for the bake sale. These were an awesome addition to our bingo! Strip ticket sales and 50/50 sales topped last year's sales.
Special thanks to Norma Clouse, our volunteer coordinator, Audrey Franzetta as the treasurer, and Dianne Gruendl who found sponsors for each of the Bingo games. Thank you to the many volunteers who donated items, sold tickets, etc., that made this event a huge success. Bingo day volunteers were Natalie Boggs, Beth Borrasso, Lisa Campagna, Norma Clouse, Michelle Dunn, Audrey Franzetta, Dianne Gruendl, Ginnie Haid, Carolyn Kozlowski, Chris Martino, Lori Martino, Amy Morgano, Jessica Rapp, Tracey Ruscitto, Mike Weis and Kim Zambrano. If anyone was omitted, please know that your help was appreciated. Thank you!
FosterCat receives many calls on our answering service from individuals who are looking for long-term solutions to help stray or feral cats wandering around their neighborhood. Most homeowners are truly concerned about the strays and want to help them. Some individuals decide to feed the cats on a regular basis, only to realize that one or two cats can quickly turn into twenty or more within a few years. They feel helpless and extremely guilty when they see kittens born outside and who come to their door with the mother, begging for food. Most have crusty or weeping eyes that are barely open and suffer from upper respiratory infections that are very noticeable. All are polluted with fleas, worms or are limping from an injury.
Some people feel badly, but just close their door, thinking there is nothing they can do to help. They might throw up their hands in despair and try to ignore the situation. Other neighbors really want to help, but they just do not have the knowledge or the resources. Each municpality has their own rules and regulations, so please check to see what the codes are before doing anything. We advise not to call an animal control business. They get paid to trap and destroy any animal.
FosterCat is here to let you know that you CAN do something to help! Help is just a phone call away. You simply need to care enough to want to help. There are many nokill agencies that you can call to help “TRAP-NEUTERRETURN” so that you stop the endless cycle of unwanted cats from multiplying.
Some agencies such as Homeless Cat Management Team (HCMT) have low or no cost clinics once a month. HCMT publishes monthly spay/neuter clinic schedules on their website www.homelesscat.org. They have dedicated volunteers/trappers in most every area and they can also show you how to trap if you would prefer to do this on your own. There are other small groups as well who have volunteers who are willing to help.
Once the cats are trapped, spayed/neutered, receive flea meds and a rabies vaccination, they are returned back to their original location and you can continue to feed and provide shelter. Cats that are adoptable are normally farmed out to many different rescue groups for indoor adoption placement. Please refer to animal agencies and check around at various locations. The important thing to note here is that by spaying/neutering these cats, YOU ARE STOPPING THE CYCLE OF REPRODUCTION so that no new cats will be born outside. Help is always out there if you are willing to take the first step.
One of our wonderful volunteers, Kathy S. trapped a mom and five kittens in the summer of 2022. The mom was feral and after weaning her kittens, was trapped, spayed and returned to her caretaker. Polly and Midnight (along with the other three kittens) were fostered and placed at four months old, but unfortunately, they were too energetic for the adoptor, so both were returned. FosterCat ended up finding them a perfect new home with adoptors who absolutely adore black kitties and laugh at their crazy antics.
Both kittens now spend their time running around and getting into everything (as kittens do) with the adopter’s chocolate lab, Waylon.
Adoptor Marian writes “Polly and Midnight are very sweet, lovable, and playful. They have the run of the house, love looking out the windows and absolutely adore our dog, Waylon. They like cuddling up with my son as well. Thank you for bringing them into our lives. We really love them! ” Who said outdoor cats can’t be wonderful indoor pets?
I just love happy endings!
Let me first say that I have been in animal rescue for over 30 years. Over the course of time in rescue, I have found that it can be extremely heartbreaking and time-consuming, but it can also be very rewarding.
In today’s world, one gets a sense that we have become a “throw-away” society. If something breaks, throw it away. If something gets old, throw it away and buy new. Tired of your old clothes, shoes or toaster, throw them away. Take for instance the problem with plastics, bottles and cans and how impossible it has become to recycle. We always hope when we throw plastic bottles, cans, etc. in the “recycle” bin that they are truly recycled but we really do not know for certain. We do not like to think that we are just contributing to the overflow of trash in landfills that will pollute the environment for decades to come.
Unfortunately, this same principle also applies to animals. Adopt (or worse, buy) an animal, feed it and love it until it becomes old and a burden, has a health problem, becomes disabled or a bother, and it is history. If a person goes into a nursing home, gets a divorce, moves out of state, downsizes to an apartment that does not allow pets, has allergies or has a new baby, all of a sudden, the animal is a burden to the family. Need I go on?
Rather than being a responsible person and finding a viable solution to keep the cat or surrender it to a “no-kill” shelter or a rescue group, it is just easier to discard the cat or dog like a piece of unwanted trash. I will never understand how anyone can discard a cat outside who they adopted as a cute kitten, loved and lived with for 14 years.
It is especially hard for an older indoor cat to be outside on its own just trying to exist, especially when they have been a cherished indoor member of the family. A horrible trend has emerged in the last 30 years where people have decided that pets are “disposable” and can be replaced.
Tuffy will receive all the veterinary care he needs and FosterCat will make sure that his next home will be a permanent one.
As a senior citizen myself, I know the joys of adopting an older cat. Senior cats are “true companions.” They love to cuddle and be petted and more importantly, they are CALM. These cats are just happy to be loved. Then there is kitten mania, clawing furniture, getting into mischief, trying to get outside or running in front of you when you are on a walker or desperately trying to descend a flight of stairs.
Yes, adopting an older cat can be a very rewarding experience! Have I convinced you yet?
Please consider giving a senior cat like Tuffy a warm, loving home that he so deserves, and more importantly, a second chance at LIFE. I promise you, that you will not be disappointed! Please contact info@fostercat.org.
That’s an “army” of volunteers to save the life of a cat outside. This is the story of one such cat named Otis who was rescued by a dedicated “army” of volunteers.
A neighbor found out about the situation and offered to take the cats in temporarily. The neighbor contacted many rescues, including FosterCat, but all were full. One rescue group took the cats in for two weeks but was unable to foster them long term. When FosterCat found out the dire situation, we were able to find a foster home to temporarily house the cats until we could get them into our foster network.
In the meantime, we were able to get vet appointments quickly and all were vaccinated, spayed/ neutered, dewormed and tested for felv/fiv. Unfortunately, two of the five cats had distemper and passed away shortly after surgery. This is why all rescue groups preach the importance of getting vaccinations as soon as the kittens are 12 weeks old.
Distemper in cats is a dangerous and contagious viral disease caused by Feline Parvovirus. It affects the cat’s immune system and can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, fever, and loss of appetite. It can be fatal, especially for kittens, pregnant cats, and cats with weak immunity. Treatment involves medication for vomiting and diarrhea, fluids for dehydration, and antibiotics for secondary infections.
Sometimes in life, things are just meant to be. A week or so later, we received another application for Otis and were able to get him a permanent home with some pretty special people. Maura and her brother George saw Otis on PetFinder and submitted an application. We decided to do a “foster to adopt” contract so Maura could try Otis to make sure he would be happy in his new home. Within two weeks Maura sent us a text saying that she fell in love with Otis and he fit right into her home! They bought Otis a cat tree and various toys, but his favorite toy is a big, fat plush carrot toy! Maura and George think he is enamored with it!
Maura states “Just a note to let you know that Otis is adjusting well to his new home and environment. He loves to be perched up on a shelf or on his favorite, the top of the fridge. He prefers to drink water out of the sink than his water bowl, and we have purchased cat trees for him since he likes to be up high. Otis follows me around everywhere! Overall, he is doing great and we love him! Thank you for your help in finding the perfect companion for us and the best home for Otis!”
It has been a long, hard and rocky road for Otis. FosterCat will continue to put the lives of our cats first and foremost. We never gave up trying to find the right home for Otis. He has been through many trials and tribulations in his life, but he has come through it all with flying colors! Sometimes it just takes an “army” of people to find the right home for a cat like Otis!
Sometimes it takes a miracle to save the life of a cat or kitten who has been rescued from outside. Mirabel’s story starts in July of 2022. Just another typical feral mom and five kitten rescue that we are all so familiar with throughout the year. The five kittens were around four weeks old and were able to be with the mother until they were weaned. Our wonderful foster mom Kerri stepped up and agreed to foster all of them until they were old enough to be vetted and placed into permanent homes. The feral mother would be vetted and released, and food and shelter would be provided.
Kittens that young need to be handled a lot, and spending time with them to get human interaction and contact is absolutely essential in gaining their trust for eventual placement into responsible homes.
FosterCat established a “Go Fund Me” fundraising account when we found out that ongoing treatments would be extremely costly. Each vial of medicine for once a day injections cost $86.00 for 84 days, not including the cost of needles and syringes and routine blood work. Vials of the medicine had to be increased as Mirabel gained weight.
Thanks to our wonderful supporters and our Annual Bingo/ Go Fund Me fundraiser, we were able to raise the necessary funds for the much-needed medicine and supplies for this important treatment.
I am happy to report that as of January 29, 2023, Mirabel has been pronounced cured! We still have to watch her closely and routine blood work must be done, but Kerri is happy to report that Mirabel is running around and just being a normal kitten.
FosterCat is extremely grateful for all the donations from our supporters in making this dream come true. I would like to personally thank everyone who donated and helped this little kitten have a chance at life!
FosterCat is hoping that every cat diagnosed with FIP will be able to access this life saving treatment. Like any “new” drug out there, it will take time to develop, but it will subsequently lower the price of the drug enough so that it will be affordable for any individual who wants a positive solution to FIP.
Thank you all and God Bless!
What is “foster-to-adoption”?
When cats are accepted into the FosterCat network of foster homes, they are very fortunate cats because they are always given a home, whether foster or permanent. There are many circumstances that warrant their acceptance into the program. These can range from discovery of homeless mothers with kittens; strays that are found that are friendly, socialized cats and may need immediate medical attention; abuse situations where the cats are in harmful or even life-threatening situations; and other cases. When cats are taken into Fostercat, they are assigned a pre-approved foster home that has been contacted ahead of time and has agreed to foster the cat(s). These are homes that accept fosters on an ongoing basis. Before they are delivered to the foster home, each cat visits a vet for examination and depending on the age and need, may be given vaccinations, flea and deworming medication and other necessary medical treatment. The cat then remains with the foster home until successful adoption occurs.
The foster-to-adopt method is an alternative that is offered to the potential adopter. Most potential adopters really like the offer because they can try caring for the cat for a few weeks to see if it will work out in their unique home situations. The potential adopter completes and signs a foster-to-adopt application. Once the application has been screened, our foster manager, Kim typically delivers the cat to their residence to care for during the “foster” period. This method has resulted in a high rate of permanent adoptions because the home and the cat have the time to become accustomed to one another thus allowing for a smoother adoption transition. If for any reason the potential adopter feels that it is not working out, FosterCat accepts the cat back into its foster program. During the foster-to-adopt process, FosterCat offers a bag of food and if requested, brings a litterbox, scooper and litter. This is a starter kit for the foster home. Upon permanent adoption, the essential supplies are required to be provided by the adopter going forward.
Are you a candidate for “foster-to-adopt”? It may be the ideal solution for both you and the foster cat. Click here to complete the application.
They raised $1240.00 for FosterCat Inc., a local allvolunteer cat rescue that finds homes for more than 200 cats and kittens each year.
“We thought we might be able to raise a couple hundred dollars,” said Sophia’s mother, Ashley Haverlack. “We were totally overwhelmed by this amazing response.”
Sophia is the youngest client of Ms. Johnston, who is a lifelong friend of Sophia’s mother. Sophia loves the colorful nail strips from Color Street, which she can apply with a little help from an adult.
For the past three years Sophia’s love of cats has been broadcast to all by the cat-ears hairband she wears every day. Last year, one of her North Hills neighbors asked her to housesit her cats. The job went well, and Sophia begged her mother and father to let her get a cat of her own. She said she would pay for the cat with her own money, saved up from doing chores.
The neighbor’s cats - both black - had been adopted from Foster Cat, so that’s where Sophia applied to adopt. The family was introduced to two female kittens from the same litter. One was black and the other was what Ms. Havelack describes as a “dilute tortie/calico,” a very popular color. But homeless black cats often languish longer in shelters and rescues.
The sister kittens were very bonded, and Sophia suggested adopting both so they would not be separated. The kittens were almost two months old when they came home with Sophia. She named the black one Pumpkin and the other Pom Pom. They provide entertainment and love to everyone in the family. Sophia’s instincts were right - the cat sisters are inseparable.
Sophie is looking forward to her May kindergarten graduation from The Glen Montessori School in Ross. In the fall she will attend classes in the North Allegheny School District. (Reprinted with permission from Linda Wilson Fuoco and the PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE.)
We would like to keep you informed by sending you updates and information about important events, like our upcoming Bingo Fundraiser. If we do not have your email address, please take a few moments to provide it for us and go to the following link: http://fostercat.org/contactus.html. Thank you!
FosterCat currently needs help for adoption home visits. As you know, FosterCat is dedicated to making sure that our cats have the best homes possible. We have a few volunteers who currently do home visits, but we need more help! It requires an automobile to pick up the cat from a foster home and drive the cat to their new home. If you have a computer to work up the contract, that would be great. If not, one of our board members can work up the contract and email it to you. It is a very simple process, and an important one. If you can help, please contact us on our answering service at 412 481-9144 and someone will get back to you! You can also fill out the Vounteer Questionaire/Application available through the FosterCat website at http://fostercat.org/volunteerform.shtml, and again, someone will contact you.
Housing issues are one of the leading causes of pet surrender. We now feature an up to date list of pet-friendly apartments in and around Pittsburgh. You can find it here and in the list of resources on our links page.
They also recently published a guide with tips on finding pet-friendly housing, that may also be helpful.
Many of you have kindly kept in touch with us via emailed updates and photos of your adopted kitties, and we hope you will continue to do so. Please note, however, that the email address to send them to has changed. Please make note of the change and direct all future emails/photo attachments to bsnowymarie@comcast.net. Thanks, and keep those updates coming. We love to receive them!
Click or tap on the paw to go to our Donations page. Thank you!
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