Just remember to keep in mind that when you lose a kitty, that kitty took your love with them; they did not leave this plane cold, frightened, and all alone. You were the angel that kept them warm and helped them move on.👼
I had to do that once. She had a broken back and had been rained on all night during a SEVERE thunderstorm. I got her to the shelter and they euthanized her. It was rough, but for the best.
Hi Hannah, I fostered 2 kittens last year during quarantine. And I was inspired by you. And both got adopted, so I did cry when my foster cats got adopted. And I’m currently trying to convince my mom to let me foster again. I started fostering at 10 years old. And I’m gonna be 12 next week, and I want to continue. My first foster cat was a ginger cat named “Ginger.” And the other kitten was a tabby and his name was “Leo.” And whenever my mom says anything as to why I cry when the cat gets adopted, I always say “It’s normal to cry when they get adopted, even Kitten Lady cries.” So I just want to say ‘thank you’ for inspiring me to foster. And I promise I will continue to foster kittens. Edit (9/17/2023): I posted this 2 years ago, and it makes me so happy whenever more and more people continue to inspire to continue fostering. Ever since I posted that, I’ve fostered three more kittens and I’ve taken care of a young mama who had just gotten spayed. Two kittens were siblings and got adopted together! It was so much fun having a little duo. The third kitten was a little female named “Firefly”. She was rescued from a house fire and I took her in. The day I got her, she started losing weight. That week, we found out she had panleukopenia. I didn’t give up on her, and I took her back home despite all the complications it caused. Now, she’s a huge baby, and got adopted by my cousin and his fiancée. Fostering has been one of the best parts of my life. Despite the late nights, blaming myself for so much happening, I’m so glad to know the kittens have been doing so good 🩷
Amazing! I wish we had the same resources for animals that you guys have in the US/America in Puerto Rico. I am always trying my best to take care of animals on a budget and with less animal services. (I hope to change that someday with fostering!) Keep up the good work!
I haven't fostered, but when my cats have passed away - I say out loud all the things that the cat has done to improve my life. I validate that their lives were important.
My sweet kitty passed away a week ago tomorrow. It happened suddenly and without warning. I'm having a hard time finding anyone to talk to. I'm going to try this suggestion to help process. Thank you.
@@portia1014 @Pamela Vawter When I lost mine it felt like I couldn't talk about it because he was "just" a cat. I just want to say your cats life mattered and your relationship mattered and whatever you're feeling is valid. I'm sorry for your loss 💙
Very good point. Cats certainly enrich my life beyond measure, so that's a beautiful way to voice my love and appreciation for them. One thing I do, and Hannah alludes to this, is carefully chose the people I talk to about my grief ! The last thing you want to hear is some judgement or criticism about your feelings. As an RN I learned very early that I cannot help anyone else if i'm not caring for myself. You can't pour from an empty bucket. Sending love and appreciation to all who are involved in animal rescue - you are definitely earth angels ! 😇💕
To be honest I always have kittens who are sick. Panleukopenia, pneumonia, calicivirus, kidney problems, etc. But the biggest challenge for me was dealing with kitten who had genetic defect of heart. I couldn't sleep normal, because I always had to be ready for put her into oxygen cage. I really tried to help her, but I couldn't and she passed away in my hands. That was too much for me and I thought about stop being foster home for kittens, but I cannot. I just love help them.(sorry for my bad english)
I think she's teaching this kitten to me an ESA cat. Wonder if she's ever partnered with a behavioralist specifically for advanced training. I know she partnered with Jackson galaxy however his focus is more on healthy pet cats and adopting challenging cats.
Back in 2011 I rescued 3 kittens from an abusive neighbor. I was still a highschool student and I remember trying my best reading articles online but I lacked so much and so many tools. The kittens were like 5 or 6 days old, really small and I kept them alive for about 5 days more but they all left one by one. The vet told me I did a remarkable job but to this day I feel a bit guilty internally. My scariest nightmares are the ones where I have to frantically keep kittens alive. I know I'm not at fault but I don't think the pain ever leaves you. You just gotta use it as a learning experience.
I’m so sorry you went through that. You were still a kid yourself! You’re the person that made sure those kittens passed knowing they were safe, loved and cared for. It’s okay to still be scarred or feel guilt from that experience, I hope some of that has eased since you commented but it’s okay if it hasn’t. Thank you so much for what you did, abuse is such an awful thing to experience and I’m sure every second free from it meant the world to those kittens! Thank you for caring for them 💕
The most difficult part of fostering is trusting other people to love, and care for their kitten/cat to the standard that I personally would. I wouldn't mind giving them away if I knew for sure that they would give them the life that I would like for them, and treat them how I would treat them. Also, you get emotionally attached to kittens who are sick. When you're rooting for them, and doing everything you can to save their life, you appreciate every moment you have with them that much more, because they are lucky to be alive in the first place, you want to be there for them more than any other cats.
Omg. How they fall asleep around you and how the little one on your lap suckles on this paw to feel comforted. I melted. But still heard what you said and found it wise and kind ;)
Pilots are trained to put those on in a matter of seconds and frankly if those drop you honestly don't have enough time to get them on someone else. Basically consider how long you can hold your breath with no preparation, while everyone is panicking and it feels like the plane is in free fall. Basically the second your kid throws a tantrum in the middle of the store, hold your breath and put a face mask on them and yourself before you need to take a breath. (Plane isn't in free fall, just feels like it)
I took in two kittens earlier this year. They were both around two and a half weeks old but were severely underdeveloped and underweight. I thought they were around a week old and slightly underweight, but imagine my surprise when one of them started teething just a few days later. The other kitten sadly didn't live long enough to reach that stage. I have a very special bond with my kitten (her name is Lilac) and I've decided to keep her. But I will never forget how stressful the first week was. Once she began to gain weight steadily, I felt a lot more confident. But prior to that, there were numerous times when I thought she wouldn't make it. She is now around nine weeks old and very playful and confident.
I’ve been through this with two rounds of 2 week old kittens. I pulled one set through the touch and go week, but lost a kitten in the second set. You really bond with the baby who lived and I’m glad you get to keep her. Lilac is a gorgeous name! I had one night where I rolled my little 2 week old in a warm purity and stuck him in bed with me and just stared at him while he breathed. We love these babies so much! You did amazing with yours even if you didn’t feel like it. I didn’t feel like it, but let everyone tell me that I had done a good job.
I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm so glad Lilac (love her name btw!) has you looking out for her. I got two kittens a few weeks ago that were underweight for their age (probably about 100-150g underweight). They were covered in fleas and sooo hungry. The worst part is that they were in my shelter's care for 1-2 weeks, and yet they were still very skinny, undersocialized, and flea-infested. It broke my heart to see them have such a rough start to life. Thankfully, both of them made it and are happy, mostly healthy (we're dealing with some diarrhea rn ugh) kittens. I'm having a hard time letting them go because I, too, feel bonded to them, especially when they came to me so sick and sad.
@@ladycaticorn2950 Thank you so much! I'm so happy to hear both of the kittens are doing better now. Diarrhea seems to be an issue with kittens like that, Lilac had issues with diarrhea until she was weaned and none of the vets I went to seemed to be able to figure out.
I’ve had to take month long breaks from fostering for school, mental health and living situations. Do what you can to prevent burnout! Compassion fatigue is real!
Priscilla hope you are feeling better. Yes you have got to take care of yourself first otherwise you are good to no one including yourself. Good luck and health.
I'm a control freak, I think. The hardest part for me is giving babies to someone and hoping that they do what I did and would do. They feed the right food, use the right vet, keep up with cat lore. The not knowing kills me.
I feel the same and do not think that you being responsible makes you a control freak or controlling or a freak. It's critical to see some things through and I've learned that animal care is one such thing. Being responsible for a life means doing the best you can by that life and making sure all those things are completed is critical. I support your stance.
I foster, and I always start with this idea that the little friend in my care is just a friend who is staying with me for a while, and I talk to the kitty all the time about what kind of home I'll find for them. It helps to prep me from the start that they will leave.
@@pysduckfanforever in my experience that only happens if they're still in the shelter. Do they remove animals from foster homes to euthanize where you are?
@@parkersre-creation No, I'm turning my first 2 fosters in tomorrow and they're supposed to get neutered that day but because it's kitten season they have a lot of kittens I'm concerned they're going to be overlooked and not adopted
@@pysduckfanforever maybe you could tell the shelter that should it be necessary and they're too overwhelmed that they only have to tell you and you can take them back?
“Who wants to join a movement where everyone’s exhausted and miserable?” *laughs and then cries in healthcare * For real though. This video truly can be applied to SO many situations! You do such a good job and you make a difference, and not just in the animal’s lives. ❤️
I gotta say, as an ICU RN during COVID, Kitten Lady's videos helped me get to sleep and helped me relax during my breaks. Thanks Hannah! And, Alane, let's hope soon the burnout subsides in our professions. When they said that there was no way we'd be able to return to normal after COVID, I never thought it would be *this* bad.
@@gretchentropy as a high risk person who did survive a serious bout of pneumonia and a sister who was in a terrible bike accident, i applaud your work. I hope everyone in your profession can get a much deserved break and hopefully the pandemic will be more controlled soon.
I just wanted to thank you. My kitten with pectus excavatum gets her surgery on Wednesday. After your advice I found a specialist who agreed to help us. She is the worst case he has seen, but he is committed to help us. I try to make a video on all of this, to get more information out. Thank you Hanna ❤🙏
Ty so much for the upcoming video and I wish your kitten all the best in surgery and after that. Maybe the specialist can/would agree to a little interview about this illness and what he wishes others ro know about his job and this sickness?
You’re the foster in Germany who commented on the other video right? I’m so glad you found someone to help the baby! I look forward to your video, and please give the kitten a gentle head pat from me.
It's the love of animals that gets you involved in rescue and fostering animals. The only cat I've re-homed was a great cat, just that my two boys wouldn't accept a full grown male cat into THEIR house. Fortunately my father wanted a cat, and this one was right up his alley. Every cat I've ever had was rescued off the street, parking lot or lumber yard. They are living breathing creatures that express emotions and love. They have a personality.
Fall in love with the cycle, be nanny mcfie « When you don’t want me (hissy ,scared ) but need me I’ll be there , once you want me but don’t need me I’ll go »
I lost my second foster kitten and it was hard the first few days but then I realized that because I took him in, he was loved and snuggled for the two weeks he lived. He was warm and cherished as opposed to dying alone out in the streets. Looking for the gift in any situation makes it better. I loved him as my own and he was with me 24/7 and that was a gift I will never forget Chance. Going through this made it easier to keep fostering and have gone on to foster many cats and dogs. 🐾❤️🙏🏼
I lost a foster kitten for the first time only a couple weeks ago. She was only 3 weeks old. Thank you for posting this video. I'm so heartbroken that despite mine and the rescues best efforts we couldn't save her.
You helped make her final hours more comfortable and warm and safe than she would have been if she'd been on her own. She may not have lived long, but she knew love, and that matters. Thank you for helping her pass on the best you could. Please don't blame yourself.
This same thing happened to me a month ago and kitten was the same age. Hannah’s book’s section on grief really helped me. I was inconsolable. You’re not along in those feelings. I talked to fellow fosters and they felt the same devastation. We form quick attachments with these babies and feel so responsible for them so quickly. Empathy can be overwhelming. My mantra was that I gave the baby a fighting chance. And I can keep giving more babies a chance.
I'm fostering for the first time, a tiny teen mama and her two babies. One of them passed away unexpectedly. She was doing great in the morning and in the afternoon she was gone. It was heartbreaking, and this video has helped me a lot. Thank you, Hannah.
I've been fostering a pair of young adult cats for the past two years and they will be going home soon. It is heartbreaking for me. Things were rough at the beginning and it took them several months to settle in. And then came CoVid and it's been us three together every day all day. I love them to pieces but so does their family. Thanks for talking about this, and yeah, it's ok to be sad.
It’s almost the one year anniversary of my very first foster kitten who passed away due to feline infectious peritonitis. It changed my life. It hurts me a lot and I still pick wildflowers for his grave. I recently took in two dying kittens with upper respiratory infections, parasites, they were starving, their eyes were crusted shut with infection and puss. It made me cry just looking at them in pain. They are both thriving now and it makes those sleepless nights where I genuinely didn’t think they would make it so worth it. I love seeing them enjoying life and no longer suffering. Kitten season is brutal but it’s important to give them a chance. Fostering to me is this beautiful rollercoaster of difficult emotions, grief, compassion fatigue, but also purring, cuteness, and adorable kittens. 💜like kitten lady said, it’s important take care of yourself while you help out the little guys so do something nice for yourself today !
I have fostered for over 30 years. Now I am taking on newborns. Losing one has been really hard. Grief was hard. Letting go is the toughest for me as I become afraid of the wrong people getting kits. You are the best Hannah. We have had numerous placenta babies. I have saved 5 now. Biggest fear is losing one. I recommend your videos all the time. You helped me in some rough spots. Thank you so much. I am 65 and still learning.
My wife and i decided to try and fostering for the first time. We had a litter of 5 and 4 of them were diagnosed with Pan leuk, unfortunately they all passed except for the last one. At the same time our adult cat passed for other reasons. So we're adopting the last little survivor. But we really tempered our expectations emotionally after this run. We're going to wait 1 year till we foster again just in case and it's just a bummer. But we're going to keep going and try again next season.
I'm still young (still a minor living with my parents) but i have been watching your videos for a very long time. When i move out i really want to foster kittens and help out my community! I've always been worried about the saying goodbye part. I develope very strong connections with my pets and i dont want to hold my foster animals back from their forever home because of my emotions. It really helps to see adults struggling with hard things. Your videos are really inspirational to me and i cant wait to foster when i am old enough
It's going to be hard to say goodbye, no matter what. But as a foster, it's more like saying goodbye to your kid as they head off to university than it is saying goodbye forever to a beloved friend. You're sending them off to live their best life. It's a bittersweet feeling, to be sure, but it's not necessarily as difficult as it may seem.
Floppy what's the worse thing that could happen when you have to say goodbye to your foster babies. You cry and miss them. Nothing wrong with going with your emotions. Cry until you feel better and then you'll foster another foster baby. These are your feelings and the work that you put into this entitles you to a good cry. Never be ashamed of your feelings. Bless you honey and good luck
I’ve been doing rescue and TNR for close to 20 years. Saying goodbye was realllly difficult for me in the beginning but I find it easier with all my experience. I’ve seen ‘my’ kids at their very worse - many at death’s door - and have saved them. Seeing them thrive is just the best. Cap it off with the absolute EXCITEMENT that my kid’s new family brings - it’s great! I can hand my kid over knowing that my baby will be loved AND that makes room for me to help another (and another and another). I ask my kids’ new family to (occasionally) send me photos - I mostly get them around Halloween (in costumes). That’s always heart warming. I still have my ‘favorites’ - shout out to Cheetah, Cheeto, Cecil (pronounced ‘Thee-thal’) and Wilma (trapped at a Goodwill store). I have photos of all of them - some I recognize by sight. All are deeply loved and that, my friend, is the goal. Mission accomplished! >^..^
Someone dumped a helpless kitten in a box on our road last month. Vet said she was no more than 4 weeks old. Didn't think she would make it. Ruby is now 2 months old and doing great.. followed Hannah's amazing advice. I can't praise this channel enough.. ❤
you’re so brave to publish this hannah, especially considering the recent terminal diagnosis for fergie, your sweet foster baby. what you do is so incredible, so essential. I am so grateful and happy for your presence and knowledge.
I have decided to take a six month sabbatical from fostering. I usually had between six and 17 kittens. Saying no is excruciatingly hard. Compassion fatigue is very real. I feel like stopping for six months is like cutting off a huge part of my life and joy but I’m determined to step back and regain some balance in my life. We need more fosters. Please if you can and feel led - sign up and make a kittens story part of your story
I found a baby squirrel in the road a couple months ago and I took him home and frantically researched what to do and who I could take him to and the two wildlife rescue places I called said they don't take in squirrels because they're "nuisance animals". I woke up every half hour reheating the sock full of rice that I had him laying on and trying to give him sugar water off of my finger but he didn't make it. I'm still shaken up about that and I feel like it's my fault or that I somehow made it worse for him by prolonging the suffering...
Instead of dying alone in the middle of the road, that little squirrel got to pass peacefully, in warmth, feeling love and compassion. He got to take your love with him when he went. Thank you for giving it to him.
HI Seiko, When I was around 12 years old my mom and dad found a baby squirrel that had fallen from it's nest in our front yard. My mom spent every hour for weeks with that squirrel but when I cam home from school one day and my mom was still crying I knew without asking that it had passed. I'm now 21 and my mom is still sensitive about it. Just know that the squirrel was loved and warm up until the second they passed, not cold and alone in the yard.
Such a sincere, needed, necessary, sensitive, vulnerable, emotional, but incredibly strong, powerful, inspirational, courageous, motivational and so, so, so full of love outburst! You are an amazing and rare human being. ❤️
The idea of an adoption party for each kitten that gets adopted is brilliant and I love it! I've volunteered to foster (the shelter doesn't need me yet, but kitten season is coming soon) and to be honest, my biggest fear is that my own incompetence or naivety will lead to a kitten's death. I know, intellectually, that's unlikely (I'm not negligent, there's resources for everything out there) but they're so vulnerable and fragile. I like that you frame that as a learning experience- that every cat that passes teaches you something that can save a life in the future. That helps- thank you.
Just gave up my first foster kittens. There were a few times I wanted to go back and adopt them myself but I’m glad I didn’t; they were adopted into a fantastic home! Thank you for this pep talk. Now I can rescue again.
Okay the talk was sooo amazing but I just couldn’t get over the baby that fell asleep in you’re lap that was suckling their paw soooo adorable!! My heart!! ❤️🥰
I cried for three days when I returned my first foster. She was a singleton so I was her whole world. I felt like I had abandoned her at a horrible, smelly, cold place (the animal control shelter) in comparison to my warm and happy home that she had known her whole existence. I raised her from 2 weeks to 3 months. I now foster pairs so I feel like they at least go back with a buddy. And my mantra is that I have to give them back so that I can take more in. Feel all of your emotions and understand that you’re grieving. I also lost my first kitten this year. Hannah’s book on grief saved me. I was inconsolable and having panic attacks over what to do and unable to get in contact with my foster coordinators (they’ve changed their policy since). She was 2 weeks old and went down hill slowly then suddenly. I wish I had done more for her and stayed up all night with her and never left her alone and maybe I could have saved her. I took the day off work and talked to my mom and therapist. I couldn’t talk without crying and would have given anything to bring that little baby back. But I went in to the shelter to return her body and ended up talking to other foster parents who all had lost kittens. I felt assured that I wasn’t alone and wasn’t overreacting. I cried for about 7 hours that day.
I foster with rescues so we get to meet our adopters and have final say. It just depends on what you prefer. They stay with me until they go which can also be really stressful too since it prevents me from taking in others. I’m happy you do pairs tho!! It’s much better for them ❤️❤️
I just recently adopted out my bottle foster and he was 10 weeks old, saying goodbye was tough. But I had to remind myself that if I kept him, I wouldn’t have room for the next kittens that needed my help. I now am back at a full house on kittens and thankful I made the right decision. Thank you for sharing this video and the emotion behind it. You are wonderful ❤️
Hi Hannah, all those babies are so lucky when someone like you comes along. We lost our cat of almost 20 years almost 3 years ago. We are still so broken hearted about it.. i have been talking about another cat. I miss the companionship a cat brings. However I'm not sure I want a kitten.. I'm thinking older cats need homes too.. my hesitation is because my husband has been diagnosed with dementia. So I'm not sure what is in my future.... I'm wondering if you can make a video of kittens playing.. watching from 🇨🇦💕💕
Thank you for this. I'm seriously considering fostering kittens but this is something which terrifies me. You've really reassured me about it. Hope you are doing well and I hope the baby you are looking after gets better soon. Sending love and hugs
Great video! I had a baby last year and I’m taking a year off of fostering kittens (though I’ve had a foster guinea pig recently!). I miss them but I just can’t right now. I’m still contributing by being a foster mentor for my local shelter, so I have 4-6 newer foster parents assigned to me at any given time who can reach out to me via text or email and I can help support them. It’s a good way for me to contribute without actually having kittens right now. :)
Such an important topic. Thanks for talking about it. If it helps anyone, here's the most important thing that has helped me in my 15 years of part-time, on and off again fostering: Kittens are extremely fragile. They sometimes get sick and don't always make it. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. Yes, it's always sad and you will shed some tears, but they're tiny and their little bodies sometimes can't take it. BUT when they were with you, they knew THEY WERE LOVED. Sadly, not all kittens know love. The ones you cared for did. TFS Hanna. The little one on your lap sucking his thumb was so cute!!! All the best and thank you and everyone for doing what you do ❤
I have loved and taken care of animals my whole life, but had never had to bottle raise kittens without a mamma until a couple months ago. Thank you so much Kitten Lady! You saved 2 more sweet kittens through us, by giving us knowledge. I am now over maxxed on animals. If I can't get the boys homed, I will have 7 cats, plus a geriatric pitbull. I live with autoimmune arthritis, work 2 jobs and also run my own little business. It isn't enough. I am strapped. Nobody eats fancy here but no one ever goes without at least basic generic food. I contacted every organisation we could find locally and none responded. I guess everyone was already juggling kittens as well? Its so easy to lose ones self in caring for the sweet innocent creatures, and before you know it, you are indeed exhausted and thin from the efforts. My seniors got sick one after the other while we were bottle feeding the kits. O my gosh did it ever drain the bit I had stored for the pet emergencies and self care certainly flew right out the window, which led to a very unpleasant disease flare. Hopefully now we catch a break! I have an ill concealed urge to punch people that go out and buy fancy cats. All cats are good, pure and true. Let the cat come to you, I say. It works usually in over abundance.
Thank you for this video. I’m not a foster parent always but I did rescue a kitten recently that we were planning on keeping but he just passed away from panleukopenia. I stayed up with him for days and worked with the vet the best we could to try to get him to pull through but it didn’t go that way so It’s comforting to know that others, especially experienced foster parents like you, have these experiences too. I’m happy I gave him a comfortable life even if just for a little time. Thank you for the work you do ♥️
Thank you so much for making this video! I want to get into kitten fostering (I currently cant since I'm renting and I've asked my landlord and they are not comfortable with it...) but I have been really nervous about the emotional side of things. I also get told that I care too much and I am too emotional so I almost counted my self out as not being able to be a good foster parent. This really helped give me some ground work and rejuvenated my determination to make this happen. Much love to you and Andrew!
Hey Hannah. I'm finally in a position to move out on my own soon and be financially stable. I've been watching your videos, and you've taught me that fostering is something I am more than capable of doing. I can't wait to sign up with my local shelter once me and my 13yo cat settle in at the new place! Keep up the good work, and thank you so much for putting out so many great videos
Coming back to this video because today I let go of my first foster cat back to the shelter's care, ready for adoption and with a potential adopter already lined up. I cried an embarrassingly long time. I'm so happy for him and the thought of him finding his forever home brings me such joy, but I still took the day to let myself cry and be sad about letting him go. It was really tough, but worth it
I’ve been sharing my fostering journey and literally did an IG video on my experience of letting go with Fostering cats ❤️ thank you for sharing yours 🥰
Thank you for helping others too! I wish to be like Hannah Shaw and inspire others in Puerto Rico to take a chance on these kittens and help out. Keep that up, you'll be able to help others!!
@@certifiedbruhmoment85 thank you and I’m sure you will be able to do the amazing work of rescuing beautiful kitties from all over ❤️❤️❤️ Keep that dream and keep chasing it!
Amazing presentation and oh so very true, all of it. You just have to remember when some people are negative and say you don't do enough, YOU ARE saving lives, multiple kittens at a time! What are THEY doing? Bless you and your huge heart!!!
I just dropped off one of fosters- she’s now a beautiful 3 mo calico - I kept her after she ended up eating with a TNR colony that I feed. She looked so weak, so hungry. The big guys wouldn’t let her eat so she would quickly grab some kibbles and run away under a car. I was able to trap her and foster. She got spayed by BFFL Laredo 2 weeks ago and today she needed to go to the shelter for an opportunity to get adopted. My heart hurts and I’m praying that a wonderful human adopts her ASAP and she has a forever home in a safe home.
What a beautiful message! I have seen and experienced many challenging events in my life, but no way would I ever have the balls to do what you do. Too much drama - love-care-lose-pain all at once while repeating itself. I give you 1000% support and respect. Heartfelt regards my HERO!
This resonates so hard with me. I know you talk about kittens as that's your focus, but really this pretty much all applies to all animal foster carers, and possibly human ones too. The boundaries thing is also so familiar from chronic illness - I can foster most of the time, but sometimes I just need a break. At the moment, I'm coming to the end of a looong journey with a pair of elderly kitties with multiple health issues, who will hopefully be signed off by the vet in the next few weeks, then we can start looking for their perfect retirement home. When they go, I'll certainly cry, and I'll definitely need a good break, even though our little charity is struggling for space at the moment... But then I'll clean up the spare room, message the director to say I'm ready, and take in the next kitty who needs my help...
Thanks so much for making this video! Although I only started a year ago, watching your videos during covid, I’ve fostered 15 kittens, one of them sadly passing away because her lung collapsed. I’m so grateful for your resourcefulness, you make the information very easy to understand for a thirteen year old! You really have such a huge impact on so many people. Keep it up!
Awww Funston laid in your lap sucking his toe beans. He's just the sweetest. You're just such an intelligent, compassionate person. I'm unlikely to foster as I just don't have the room to house any but this is such an insightful, inspiring video.
Thank you for this. I just got a hard bunch of fosters who are having issues gaining weight and I don't think anyone realises the emotional drain it takes. I love posting the cute photos, but it's hard to share the harder moments.
Thank you so much on your insight on adopting out your foster kittens. I have been fostering my first kitty who was dumped with a broken leg. Six weeks later he is thriving. It has been a joyful experience and I have been so conflicted about letting him be adopted. I have 3 other cats, work and take care of my ailing 87 yr old mother and having the kitten has challenged my capacity. Thank you for reframing the challenge I am having letting him go and to view it as a Celebration of how prepared he now is to have his Forever Home.
I’m glad I’m not the only one when I fostered my first litter everyone always asked me like “weren’t you sad? I could never foster” the only reason I kept one was cuz my cat got sad when they left
I love animals and cats have a very special place in my heart. I have never fostered, although I have lost companions and it’s so heartbreaking. I really have to thank all of you who work so hard to foster these babies to health and happiness. People like you are so special and restore my faith in humanity. ♥️🐾
It makes me soo sad, that one of the hardest parts of being an animal rescuer for you, is being criticized by other people. 😢😢 And probably even often by people that have no idea what it means, to do what you are doing 🙄 I am glad to hear that you are (at least trying) to also take care of yourself. And don't listen to anyone other than those that are telling you: "you are a rockstar!" Thank you for all that you do! ❤️❤️
I needed this video. Thank you so much for making it. I’ve been fostering for about a year now and lost my first kitten last month. It was devastating. This helped me feel less guilty about the what-ifs.
Can't make it through this video for crying, but bless you for your honesty and compassion, and special kudos to professional therapy kitten in your lap!
Anyone who says you are not doing enough needs to prove how much THEY are doing! If they are so perfect, good for them. Otherwise they should close their mouths.
In fact, those who most vocally criticize others for not doing enough, or not doing things correctly, or whatever else they may criticize others for, are likely looking for ways to alleviate their own feelings of guilt or shame about their own involvement in the situation. They feel guilty for not doing enough, but because that feeling of guilt is too uncomfortable for their ego, they project it onto someone they see as having more power than them in the situation, and then alleviate their own guilt by attacking the person they have focused their projection on.
It's hard in any volunteer situation to say "no" when asked to do more. I was fortunate when I was volunteering for my church to have a wise pastor to consul me to not take on too much. It's an important lesson to turn off the negative remarks of "not doing enough" and listen to your own inner cues and the help of people in your life who support you.
Thank you for all you are doing for these sweet animals. You do more than enough and you are a superstar, even when others make you feel like you aren’t. Thank you so very much. ♥️🇨🇦♥️
A lot of what you're saying is just good life advice. I cannot foster because I live in an apartment and I'm already over my pet limit by one. But I do what I can for animal rescue. Also, that baby in your lap is overwhelmingly adorable. The sucking on their paw is too much.
The saddest part for me is that we get our fosters from a shelter... and once they are up to weight/ age for sterilisation, they are returned to the shelter.... and we never see them again :/ No updates, we don't get to meet their new humans... that's hard.
I'm so sorry. That sounds miserable. My shelter lets me do meet and greets with potential adopters, but I have no say in where my kittens go or who adopts them. My shelter also doesn't require people to adopt kittens in pairs, so I feel extra sadness when I see kittens split up from their best friends/siblings. But there's nothing I can do. I don't have any solutions, but I just wanted to say that you're not alone. Working for shelters is so important because we're literally preventing kittens from being euthanized, but it comes with a lot of emotional burdens and lack of transparency.
Eight years ago I fostered a kitten I found in a car engine. She had a radial palsy and a partly paralysed paw so I massaged her and exercised the paw for days to help the muscles and took her to see a vet neurologist. I was moving to England weeks later to start a new job and I could not fly with a baby cat as they wouldn’t allow a young kitten without rabies antibodies. So I tried to give her out for adoption thinking this was best.. and a great girl appeared who was happy with the kitten not being “perfect” I took advice from a animal welfare association that gave a contract model and everything.. The moment they left I started crying and could not stop for a whole day. A week later she returned her because she was allergic (apparently). I was so happy to have her back and she’s been with me since. A friend kept her until she was old enough to fly. I love her to bits. Her “failed adoption” videos are still on my RUclips channel. You are so strong doing what you do Hannah! I admire you so much- you are amazing.
The first two kittens I fostered had just been adopted by a loving senior couple last Saturday. The emotion hit me right after I left them with the couple. I have been crying for three days since then. They went to a loving home which was my first and foremost goal, but I just can’t overcome the feeling of loosing them. I didn’t prepare that coming so hard. I hope I can recover soon. After all they went to a forever home and how lucky they were adopted together. Thanks for posting this video.
Yesterday (July 11) was the 4 year anniversary of having to let one of my kitties go to the Rainbow Bridge. 3 weeks before her 4th birthday she was diagnosed with kidney failure. We knew it was terminal but she was so young and full of life so we told her we'd help her fight it as long as she wanted us to. And we did. 6 weeks past her 7th birthday, she let us know she'd had enough of fighting. She was my little sunshine, a tough little fighter, a super star, and my little love. And darned if she didn't make that "cone of shame" look classy! She is still very missed.
Thank you for this video. I relate to all of these things. Right now, I am burnt out and taking a break. I am a Canadian living in a developing nation with barely any animal welfare laws, no humane societies, untrained vets with no access to modern treatments, and a tremendous number of animals needing help. I have 9 dogs and 4 cats at my house, plus we feed street dogs every day. I am doing my best.
Yeah, screw those negative people. You're amazing for what you're doing with these kittens and cats! Not to mention how much you've helped viewers like me. You rock!
I'm so sorry that you get so much flack for abiding by your boundaries. I'm AMAZED by how much you DO, and I hope you know that for every complainer, there are 10 people who appreciate all you DO DO!
Thank you for addressing the more difficult side of fostering and animal rescue, doesn’t look easy to talk about. I’m planning to foster, so for me this is helpful to keep in mind when the time comes. Thank you for the work you’ve done and continue to do
Even those who have a trauma and grief informed practice cannot tell someone how to feel all we can do is support how you are feeling and be there for you as professionals. Your work has helped me more than words can say. I love your devotion and how you've tempered it with a good dose of reality. Kudos!
I’m a foster and I thank you so much for this video! It is really hard sometimes. Family and friends don’t get it or the kittens don’t like you at first. But it’s so worth it!
It all starts with education. Your videos have educated so many people, and helped them to make a difference in kittens lives. I'm not a foster, and I've only adopted adult cats from shelters, but when a feral mom dropped her kittens off in my garage in winter, I remembered what you taught about keeping them warm. I was able to keep them alive until a rescue organization could take them in, and they later got adopted together. In the summer, I TNR the mother cat because of what I'd learned in your videos. At first, the neighbors thought I did something to the cat because of the ear tip, but I was able to educate them about TNR, and my neighbor would go on to TNR another feral mother cat that year. So never let anyone tell you you're not doing enough.
Fabulous video! My "retirement" job is working at a local animal shelter. My wife and I subsequently have been fostering cats and kittens over the last few years with only one foster fail kitten that we adopted (who is now 2 years old)! Fostering is the most rewarding thing that I've done in my life.
I really needed this video. We lost the first kitten in our first foster litter in the first few days from an upper respiratory infection, and another kitten from the same litter had multiple seizures last night. All while my cat is also in the hospital, and fostering has had a moment of exhaustion of feeling, how much goodbye can i handle. Its just like being a real foster parent though, we love them we take them to the vet, we let go if we have to let go, but we know we have given them all the love they could have gotten in the world. This year has been extremely difficult in our foster programs and ive heard multiple stories like mine in the last few months. So many people need that reminder we all experience this as fosters.
I just gave away my foster kittens today and rn, it hurts and I genuinely miss them alot. But I'm really hopeful that their new owners will take great care of them the same way we did, thank you for sharing this information, it really helps alot for coping with the adoption.
We just took in a momma & 3 kittens until the rescue can get them to vaccinate and spay momma. Momma is very much feral but kittens are super sweet. We aren’t sure how long they will be here, but we are leaving them to adjust to their new environment.
Just remember to keep in mind that when you lose a kitty, that kitty took your love with them; they did not leave this plane cold, frightened, and all alone. You were the angel that kept them warm and helped them move on.👼
Thank you. I needed to read that too.
🫂
I had to do that once. She had a broken back and had been rained on all night during a SEVERE thunderstorm. I got her to the shelter and they euthanized her. It was rough, but for the best.
Now I’m crying again. I wish I had read this when I lost my first baby a month ago. We give the babies a fighting chance.
aw
Hi Hannah, I fostered 2 kittens last year during quarantine. And I was inspired by you. And both got adopted, so I did cry when my foster cats got adopted. And I’m currently trying to convince my mom to let me foster again. I started fostering at 10 years old. And I’m gonna be 12 next week, and I want to continue. My first foster cat was a ginger cat named “Ginger.” And the other kitten was a tabby and his name was “Leo.” And whenever my mom says anything as to why I cry when the cat gets adopted, I always say “It’s normal to cry when they get adopted, even Kitten Lady cries.” So I just want to say ‘thank you’ for inspiring me to foster. And I promise I will continue to foster kittens.
Edit (9/17/2023): I posted this 2 years ago, and it makes me so happy whenever more and more people continue to inspire to continue fostering. Ever since I posted that, I’ve fostered three more kittens and I’ve taken care of a young mama who had just gotten spayed.
Two kittens were siblings and got adopted together! It was so much fun having a little duo. The third kitten was a little female named “Firefly”. She was rescued from a house fire and I took her in. The day I got her, she started losing weight. That week, we found out she had panleukopenia. I didn’t give up on her, and I took her back home despite all the complications it caused. Now, she’s a huge baby, and got adopted by my cousin and his fiancée.
Fostering has been one of the best parts of my life. Despite the late nights, blaming myself for so much happening, I’m so glad to know the kittens have been doing so good 🩷
Nice job young lady. Keep up the great work!
@@margeryk000 Thank you 🥰
Sweet💝
Amazing! I wish we had the same resources for animals that you guys have in the US/America in Puerto Rico. I am always trying my best to take care of animals on a budget and with less animal services. (I hope to change that someday with fostering!) Keep up the good work!
@@certifiedbruhmoment85 Thank you 💚
I haven't fostered, but when my cats have passed away - I say out loud all the things that the cat has done to improve my life. I validate that their lives were important.
That's so beautiful😪
My sweet kitty passed away a week ago tomorrow. It happened suddenly and without warning. I'm having a hard time finding anyone to talk to. I'm going to try this suggestion to help process. Thank you.
@@portia1014 @Pamela Vawter When I lost mine it felt like I couldn't talk about it because he was "just" a cat. I just want to say your cats life mattered and your relationship mattered and whatever you're feeling is valid. I'm sorry for your loss 💙
Very good point.
Cats certainly enrich my life beyond
measure, so that's a beautiful way to voice my love and appreciation for them.
One thing I do, and Hannah alludes to this, is carefully chose the people I talk to about my grief ! The last thing you want to hear is some judgement or criticism about your feelings.
As an RN I learned very early that I cannot help anyone else if i'm not caring for myself. You can't pour from an empty bucket.
Sending love and appreciation to all who are involved in animal rescue - you are definitely earth angels ! 😇💕
I kept apologizing to my cat and telling her over and over how much I love her
Not all superheros wear capes ❤️ some have a kitten in their lap
No cape, but a heart on their sleeve.❤😻💙
A kitten that’s sucking on its own toe beans for comfort.
@@ItsJustLisa maybe, but still a kitten
And are named Hannah!
@@lissanne9769 yes
To be honest I always have kittens who are sick. Panleukopenia, pneumonia, calicivirus, kidney problems, etc. But the biggest challenge for me was dealing with kitten who had genetic defect of heart. I couldn't sleep normal, because I always had to be ready for put her into oxygen cage. I really tried to help her, but I couldn't and she passed away in my hands. That was too much for me and I thought about stop being foster home for kittens, but I cannot. I just love help them.(sorry for my bad english)
Bless you❤💐
It is hard trying to care for sick animals. Very hard. (My polish is much worse than your English)
Thank you for taking care of her ❤️
Your english is just as awesome as your heart for these kittens.
You are so strong and brave for doing what you do! That can be extremely difficult and anxious but in the end it will be worth it. You are a hero ❤️
That sweet little nugget sitting on Hannah's lap being an emotional support whilst she talks about some difficult stuff ❤
Lol then they’re like “oh, you’re just talking about work habits now? Ok, guess my work here is done”
I think she's teaching this kitten to me an ESA cat. Wonder if she's ever partnered with a behavioralist specifically for advanced training. I know she partnered with Jackson galaxy however his focus is more on healthy pet cats and adopting challenging cats.
Why cats are heaven sent… they are emotional support and pure love 🥹💕
For anyone who is feeling guilt, just remember that you gave your kittens comfort and love and care that it might not have gotten otherwise
Back in 2011 I rescued 3 kittens from an abusive neighbor. I was still a highschool student and I remember trying my best reading articles online but I lacked so much and so many tools. The kittens were like 5 or 6 days old, really small and I kept them alive for about 5 days more but they all left one by one. The vet told me I did a remarkable job but to this day I feel a bit guilty internally. My scariest nightmares are the ones where I have to frantically keep kittens alive.
I know I'm not at fault but I don't think the pain ever leaves you. You just gotta use it as a learning experience.
You tried. You learned. Your experience is important.
I’m so sorry you went through that. You were still a kid yourself! You’re the person that made sure those kittens passed knowing they were safe, loved and cared for. It’s okay to still be scarred or feel guilt from that experience, I hope some of that has eased since you commented but it’s okay if it hasn’t. Thank you so much for what you did, abuse is such an awful thing to experience and I’m sure every second free from it meant the world to those kittens! Thank you for caring for them 💕
The most difficult part of fostering is trusting other people to love, and care for their kitten/cat to the standard that I personally would. I wouldn't mind giving them away if I knew for sure that they would give them the life that I would like for them, and treat them how I would treat them. Also, you get emotionally attached to kittens who are sick. When you're rooting for them, and doing everything you can to save their life, you appreciate every moment you have with them that much more, because they are lucky to be alive in the first place, you want to be there for them more than any other cats.
Omg. How they fall asleep around you and how the little one on your lap suckles on this paw to feel comforted. I melted. But still heard what you said and found it wise and kind ;)
So stinking cute! I just want to cuddle with all of them.
My kittens just go away 😅 😂
Well said! It’s like they say on airplanes: Fix your oxygen mask before assisting others. Take care of YOURSELF first!
Pilots are trained to put those on in a matter of seconds and frankly if those drop you honestly don't have enough time to get them on someone else.
Basically consider how long you can hold your breath with no preparation, while everyone is panicking and it feels like the plane is in free fall. Basically the second your kid throws a tantrum in the middle of the store, hold your breath and put a face mask on them and yourself before you need to take a breath.
(Plane isn't in free fall, just feels like it)
I took in two kittens earlier this year. They were both around two and a half weeks old but were severely underdeveloped and underweight. I thought they were around a week old and slightly underweight, but imagine my surprise when one of them started teething just a few days later. The other kitten sadly didn't live long enough to reach that stage. I have a very special bond with my kitten (her name is Lilac) and I've decided to keep her. But I will never forget how stressful the first week was. Once she began to gain weight steadily, I felt a lot more confident. But prior to that, there were numerous times when I thought she wouldn't make it. She is now around nine weeks old and very playful and confident.
❤️
🌈❤️🌈❤️
I’ve been through this with two rounds of 2 week old kittens. I pulled one set through the touch and go week, but lost a kitten in the second set. You really bond with the baby who lived and I’m glad you get to keep her. Lilac is a gorgeous name! I had one night where I rolled my little 2 week old in a warm purity and stuck him in bed with me and just stared at him while he breathed. We love these babies so much! You did amazing with yours even if you didn’t feel like it. I didn’t feel like it, but let everyone tell me that I had done a good job.
I'm sorry for your loss, but I'm so glad Lilac (love her name btw!) has you looking out for her. I got two kittens a few weeks ago that were underweight for their age (probably about 100-150g underweight). They were covered in fleas and sooo hungry. The worst part is that they were in my shelter's care for 1-2 weeks, and yet they were still very skinny, undersocialized, and flea-infested. It broke my heart to see them have such a rough start to life. Thankfully, both of them made it and are happy, mostly healthy (we're dealing with some diarrhea rn ugh) kittens. I'm having a hard time letting them go because I, too, feel bonded to them, especially when they came to me so sick and sad.
@@ladycaticorn2950 Thank you so much! I'm so happy to hear both of the kittens are doing better now. Diarrhea seems to be an issue with kittens like that, Lilac had issues with diarrhea until she was weaned and none of the vets I went to seemed to be able to figure out.
I’ve had to take month long breaks from fostering for school, mental health and living situations. Do what you can to prevent burnout! Compassion fatigue is real!
Priscilla hope you are feeling better. Yes you have got to take care of yourself first otherwise you are good to no one including yourself. Good luck and health.
Excellent advice!
Compassion fatigue is definitely real.
I'm a control freak, I think. The hardest part for me is giving babies to someone and hoping that they do what I did and would do. They feed the right food, use the right vet, keep up with cat lore. The not knowing kills me.
I’d be the same way!! I started an IG for my two, so their foster family could follow them 💞
@@mandypdx Sweet of you.
I feel the same and do not think that you being responsible makes you a control freak or controlling or a freak. It's critical to see some things through and I've learned that animal care is one such thing. Being responsible for a life means doing the best you can by that life and making sure all those things are completed is critical. I support your stance.
@@mala3isity my family follows us too!! 66 picture in 5 months , they are perfect 🤩
@@MISNM0 Thank you...relief.
I foster, and I always start with this idea that the little friend in my care is just a friend who is staying with me for a while, and I talk to the kitty all the time about what kind of home I'll find for them. It helps to prep me from the start that they will leave.
I'm fostering and my biggest concern is that they don't get adopted and get put down
@@pysduckfanforever in my experience that only happens if they're still in the shelter. Do they remove animals from foster homes to euthanize where you are?
@@parkersre-creation No, I'm turning my first 2 fosters in tomorrow and they're supposed to get neutered that day but because it's kitten season they have a lot of kittens I'm concerned they're going to be overlooked and not adopted
@@pysduckfanforever maybe you could tell the shelter that should it be necessary and they're too overwhelmed that they only have to tell you and you can take them back?
@@kaylajackman591 the issue is that I can't really take them back
Okay, 2nd pause for adorable tiger tabby that fell asleep with paw on hid face while in her lap!
It looked like he was suckling his toe beans right before he fell asleep. 😻
“Who wants to join a movement where everyone’s exhausted and miserable?”
*laughs and then cries in healthcare *
For real though. This video truly can be applied to SO many situations! You do such a good job and you make a difference, and not just in the animal’s lives. ❤️
LOL Alane, you must be a nurse!
I gotta say, as an ICU RN during COVID, Kitten Lady's videos helped me get to sleep and helped me relax during my breaks. Thanks Hannah!
And, Alane, let's hope soon the burnout subsides in our professions. When they said that there was no way we'd be able to return to normal after COVID, I never thought it would be *this* bad.
@@gretchentropy Same here, from an EMS standpoint. These videos totally help me decompress after work.
@@gretchentropy as a high risk person who did survive a serious bout of pneumonia and a sister who was in a terrible bike accident, i applaud your work. I hope everyone in your profession can get a much deserved break and hopefully the pandemic will be more controlled soon.
I just wanted to thank you.
My kitten with pectus excavatum gets her surgery on Wednesday. After your advice I found a specialist who agreed to help us.
She is the worst case he has seen, but he is committed to help us.
I try to make a video on all of this, to get more information out.
Thank you Hanna ❤🙏
Ty so much for the upcoming video and I wish your kitten all the best in surgery and after that. Maybe the specialist can/would agree to a little interview about this illness and what he wishes others ro know about his job and this sickness?
@@irimac1806 that is a great idea. I will ask him after the surgery!
You’re the foster in Germany who commented on the other video right? I’m so glad you found someone to help the baby! I look forward to your video, and please give the kitten a gentle head pat from me.
@@TallulahBangkok not foster but passionate parent :)
Thank you so much. I will do it right now 🙏😊
i fully supert you i know it is hard when your beloved pet has to go in to surgery and i know it is bad but i will be praying.
It's the love of animals that gets you involved in rescue and fostering animals. The only cat I've re-homed was a great cat, just that my two boys wouldn't accept a full grown male cat into THEIR house. Fortunately my father wanted a cat, and this one was right up his alley.
Every cat I've ever had was rescued off the street, parking lot or lumber yard. They are living breathing creatures that express emotions and love. They have a personality.
Fall in love with the cycle, be nanny mcfie
« When you don’t want me (hissy ,scared ) but need me I’ll be there , once you want me but don’t need me I’ll go »
YESSSS
You made me tear up with that one!
Wow, that hit me hard. I'm struggling with giving up foster kittens; I needed to hear this.
I lost my second foster kitten and it was hard the first few days but then I realized that because I took him in, he was loved and snuggled for the two weeks he lived. He was warm and cherished as opposed to dying alone out in the streets. Looking for the gift in any situation makes it better. I loved him as my own and he was with me 24/7 and that was a gift I will never forget Chance. Going through this made it easier to keep fostering and have gone on to foster many cats and dogs. 🐾❤️🙏🏼
I lost a foster kitten for the first time only a couple weeks ago. She was only 3 weeks old. Thank you for posting this video. I'm so heartbroken that despite mine and the rescues best efforts we couldn't save her.
What counts, is you did your best! Nobody can ask more from you than that. 🙏❤️
You helped make her final hours more comfortable and warm and safe than she would have been if she'd been on her own. She may not have lived long, but she knew love, and that matters. Thank you for helping her pass on the best you could. Please don't blame yourself.
The guilt is REAL!
I lost a 7 week old a couple of weeks ago. 💔🙏
BLESS YOU!!
This same thing happened to me a month ago and kitten was the same age. Hannah’s book’s section on grief really helped me. I was inconsolable. You’re not along in those feelings. I talked to fellow fosters and they felt the same devastation. We form quick attachments with these babies and feel so responsible for them so quickly. Empathy can be overwhelming. My mantra was that I gave the baby a fighting chance. And I can keep giving more babies a chance.
I'm fostering for the first time, a tiny teen mama and her two babies. One of them passed away unexpectedly. She was doing great in the morning and in the afternoon she was gone. It was heartbreaking, and this video has helped me a lot. Thank you, Hannah.
I've been fostering a pair of young adult cats for the past two years and they will be going home soon. It is heartbreaking for me. Things were rough at the beginning and it took them several months to settle in. And then came CoVid and it's been us three together every day all day. I love them to pieces but so does their family. Thanks for talking about this, and yeah, it's ok to be sad.
Oh goodness, 2 years! I can't imagine how bonded I'd be by then. Sending virtual hugs.
I needed this 😔😭Thank you Hannah... Lost 2 neonatals, saved 4
I'm there with you... I took on 6 two-day old kittens, and lost 3. It was so hard
I am so sorry for your loss. 💔
@@CodyRae11 Thank you
Hugs
Thank you for helping them
It’s almost the one year anniversary of my very first foster kitten who passed away due to feline infectious peritonitis. It changed my life. It hurts me a lot and I still pick wildflowers for his grave. I recently took in two dying kittens with upper respiratory infections, parasites, they were starving, their eyes were crusted shut with infection and puss. It made me cry just looking at them in pain. They are both thriving now and it makes those sleepless nights where I genuinely didn’t think they would make it so worth it. I love seeing them enjoying life and no longer suffering. Kitten season is brutal but it’s important to give them a chance. Fostering to me is this beautiful rollercoaster of difficult emotions, grief, compassion fatigue, but also purring, cuteness, and adorable kittens. 💜like kitten lady said, it’s important take care of yourself while you help out the little guys so do something nice for yourself today !
I have fostered for over 30 years. Now I am taking on newborns. Losing one has been really hard. Grief was hard. Letting go is the toughest for me as I become afraid of the wrong people getting kits. You are the best Hannah. We have had numerous placenta babies. I have saved 5 now. Biggest fear is losing one. I recommend your videos all the time. You helped me in some rough spots. Thank you so much. I am 65 and still learning.
My wife and i decided to try and fostering for the first time. We had a litter of 5 and 4 of them were diagnosed with Pan leuk, unfortunately they all passed except for the last one. At the same time our adult cat passed for other reasons. So we're adopting the last little survivor. But we really tempered our expectations emotionally after this run. We're going to wait 1 year till we foster again just in case and it's just a bummer. But we're going to keep going and try again next season.
I'm still young (still a minor living with my parents) but i have been watching your videos for a very long time. When i move out i really want to foster kittens and help out my community! I've always been worried about the saying goodbye part. I develope very strong connections with my pets and i dont want to hold my foster animals back from their forever home because of my emotions. It really helps to see adults struggling with hard things. Your videos are really inspirational to me and i cant wait to foster when i am old enough
It's going to be hard to say goodbye, no matter what. But as a foster, it's more like saying goodbye to your kid as they head off to university than it is saying goodbye forever to a beloved friend. You're sending them off to live their best life. It's a bittersweet feeling, to be sure, but it's not necessarily as difficult as it may seem.
Floppy what's the worse thing that could happen when you have to say goodbye to your foster babies. You cry and miss them. Nothing wrong with going with your emotions. Cry until you feel better and then you'll foster another foster baby. These are your feelings and the work that you put into this entitles you to a good cry. Never be ashamed of your feelings. Bless you honey and good luck
I’ve been doing rescue and TNR for close to 20 years. Saying goodbye was realllly difficult for me in the beginning but I find it easier with all my experience. I’ve seen ‘my’ kids at their very worse - many at death’s door - and have saved them. Seeing them thrive is just the best. Cap it off with the absolute EXCITEMENT that my kid’s new family brings - it’s great! I can hand my kid over knowing that my baby will be loved AND that makes room for me to help another (and another and another). I ask my kids’ new family to (occasionally) send me photos - I mostly get them around Halloween (in costumes). That’s always heart warming. I still have my ‘favorites’ - shout out to Cheetah, Cheeto, Cecil (pronounced ‘Thee-thal’) and Wilma (trapped at a Goodwill store). I have photos of all of them - some I recognize by sight. All are deeply loved and that, my friend, is the goal. Mission accomplished!
>^..^
Someone dumped a helpless kitten in a box on our road last month. Vet said she was no more than 4 weeks old. Didn't think she would make it. Ruby is now 2 months old and doing great.. followed Hannah's amazing advice. I can't praise this channel enough.. ❤
you’re so brave to publish this hannah, especially considering the recent terminal diagnosis for fergie, your sweet foster baby. what you do is so incredible, so essential. I am so grateful and happy for your presence and knowledge.
I have decided to take a six month sabbatical from fostering. I usually had between six and 17 kittens. Saying no is excruciatingly hard. Compassion fatigue is very real. I feel like stopping for six months is like cutting off a huge part of my life and joy but I’m determined to step back and regain some balance in my life. We need more fosters. Please if you can and feel led - sign up and make a kittens story part of your story
I found a baby squirrel in the road a couple months ago and I took him home and frantically researched what to do and who I could take him to and the two wildlife rescue places I called said they don't take in squirrels because they're "nuisance animals". I woke up every half hour reheating the sock full of rice that I had him laying on and trying to give him sugar water off of my finger but he didn't make it. I'm still shaken up about that and I feel like it's my fault or that I somehow made it worse for him by prolonging the suffering...
You gave him love. Thank you.
you dont know what he had going on, it couldve been something that couldnt be fixed, you have him a comfortable way to pass
Instead of dying alone in the middle of the road, that little squirrel got to pass peacefully, in warmth, feeling love and compassion. He got to take your love with him when he went. Thank you for giving it to him.
HI Seiko, When I was around 12 years old my mom and dad found a baby squirrel that had fallen from it's nest in our front yard. My mom spent every hour for weeks with that squirrel but when I cam home from school one day and my mom was still crying I knew without asking that it had passed. I'm now 21 and my mom is still sensitive about it. Just know that the squirrel was loved and warm up until the second they passed, not cold and alone in the yard.
Such a sincere, needed, necessary, sensitive, vulnerable, emotional, but incredibly strong, powerful, inspirational, courageous, motivational and so, so, so full of love outburst!
You are an amazing and rare human being. ❤️
The idea of an adoption party for each kitten that gets adopted is brilliant and I love it! I've volunteered to foster (the shelter doesn't need me yet, but kitten season is coming soon) and to be honest, my biggest fear is that my own incompetence or naivety will lead to a kitten's death. I know, intellectually, that's unlikely (I'm not negligent, there's resources for everything out there) but they're so vulnerable and fragile. I like that you frame that as a learning experience- that every cat that passes teaches you something that can save a life in the future. That helps- thank you.
Just gave up my first foster kittens. There were a few times I wanted to go back and adopt them myself but I’m glad I didn’t; they were adopted into a fantastic home! Thank you for this pep talk. Now I can rescue again.
Okay the talk was sooo amazing but I just couldn’t get over the baby that fell asleep in you’re lap that was suckling their paw soooo adorable!! My heart!! ❤️🥰
I cried for three days when I returned my first foster. She was a singleton so I was her whole world. I felt like I had abandoned her at a horrible, smelly, cold place (the animal control shelter) in comparison to my warm and happy home that she had known her whole existence. I raised her from 2 weeks to 3 months. I now foster pairs so I feel like they at least go back with a buddy. And my mantra is that I have to give them back so that I can take more in. Feel all of your emotions and understand that you’re grieving.
I also lost my first kitten this year. Hannah’s book on grief saved me. I was inconsolable and having panic attacks over what to do and unable to get in contact with my foster coordinators (they’ve changed their policy since). She was 2 weeks old and went down hill slowly then suddenly. I wish I had done more for her and stayed up all night with her and never left her alone and maybe I could have saved her. I took the day off work and talked to my mom and therapist. I couldn’t talk without crying and would have given anything to bring that little baby back.
But I went in to the shelter to return her body and ended up talking to other foster parents who all had lost kittens. I felt assured that I wasn’t alone and wasn’t overreacting. I cried for about 7 hours that day.
I foster with rescues so we get to meet our adopters and have final say. It just depends on what you prefer. They stay with me until they go which can also be really stressful too since it prevents me from taking in others. I’m happy you do pairs tho!! It’s much better for them ❤️❤️
I am experiencing a lot of sadness after my latest group of kittens “left the nest” and found this video very reassuring ❤️
Wise woman thanks. I appreciate you carrying this message forward.
I just recently adopted out my bottle foster and he was 10 weeks old, saying goodbye was tough. But I had to remind myself that if I kept him, I wouldn’t have room for the next kittens that needed my help. I now am back at a full house on kittens and thankful I made the right decision. Thank you for sharing this video and the emotion behind it. You are wonderful ❤️
That little tabby in your lap can feel the safety and love you provide. I have the deepest respect for what you do and how you do it.
Thank you and all other foster parents for all the work you do. These animals would not be here without all of you.
I fostered my first kitten and cried for two days because of how harsh it was to get rid of her, hoping she understood I love her.
Hi Hannah, all those babies are so lucky when someone like you comes along. We lost our cat of almost 20 years almost 3 years ago. We are still so broken hearted about it.. i have been talking about another cat. I miss the companionship a cat brings. However I'm not sure I want a kitten.. I'm thinking older cats need homes too.. my hesitation is because my husband has been diagnosed with dementia. So I'm not sure what is in my future.... I'm wondering if you can make a video of kittens playing.. watching from 🇨🇦💕💕
you can foster old cats
Thank you for this. I'm seriously considering fostering kittens but this is something which terrifies me. You've really reassured me about it.
Hope you are doing well and I hope the baby you are looking after gets better soon.
Sending love and hugs
Please PLEASE DO!!!!
Great video! I had a baby last year and I’m taking a year off of fostering kittens (though I’ve had a foster guinea pig recently!). I miss them but I just can’t right now. I’m still contributing by being a foster mentor for my local shelter, so I have 4-6 newer foster parents assigned to me at any given time who can reach out to me via text or email and I can help support them. It’s a good way for me to contribute without actually having kittens right now. :)
You posted this the day my first ever fosters got adopted it was very hard but this video helped a lot! tysm ❤️
Such an important topic. Thanks for talking about it. If it helps anyone, here's the most important thing that has helped me in my 15 years of part-time, on and off again fostering:
Kittens are extremely fragile. They sometimes get sick and don't always make it. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. Yes, it's always sad and you will shed some tears, but they're tiny and their little bodies sometimes can't take it. BUT when they were with you, they knew THEY WERE LOVED. Sadly, not all kittens know love. The ones you cared for did.
TFS Hanna. The little one on your lap sucking his thumb was so cute!!! All the best and thank you and everyone for doing what you do ❤
I have loved and taken care of animals my whole life, but had never had to bottle raise kittens without a mamma until a couple months ago. Thank you so much Kitten Lady! You saved 2 more sweet kittens through us, by giving us knowledge. I am now over maxxed on animals. If I can't get the boys homed, I will have 7 cats, plus a geriatric pitbull. I live with autoimmune arthritis, work 2 jobs and also run my own little business. It isn't enough. I am strapped. Nobody eats fancy here but no one ever goes without at least basic generic food. I contacted every organisation we could find locally and none responded. I guess everyone was already juggling kittens as well? Its so easy to lose ones self in caring for the sweet innocent creatures, and before you know it, you are indeed exhausted and thin from the efforts. My seniors got sick one after the other while we were bottle feeding the kits. O my gosh did it ever drain the bit I had stored for the pet emergencies and self care certainly flew right out the window, which led to a very unpleasant disease flare. Hopefully now we catch a break! I have an ill concealed urge to punch people that go out and buy fancy cats. All cats are good, pure and true. Let the cat come to you, I say. It works usually in over abundance.
I was so
Thank you for this video. I’m not a foster parent always but I did rescue a kitten recently that we were planning on keeping but he just passed away from panleukopenia. I stayed up with him for days and worked with the vet the best we could to try to get him to pull through but it didn’t go that way so It’s comforting to know that others, especially experienced foster parents like you, have these experiences too. I’m happy I gave him a comfortable life even if just for a little time. Thank you for the work you do ♥️
❤️
Thank you so much for making this video! I want to get into kitten fostering (I currently cant since I'm renting and I've asked my landlord and they are not comfortable with it...) but I have been really nervous about the emotional side of things. I also get told that I care too much and I am too emotional so I almost counted my self out as not being able to be a good foster parent. This really helped give me some ground work and rejuvenated my determination to make this happen. Much love to you and Andrew!
Hey Hannah. I'm finally in a position to move out on my own soon and be financially stable. I've been watching your videos, and you've taught me that fostering is something I am more than capable of doing. I can't wait to sign up with my local shelter once me and my 13yo cat settle in at the new place! Keep up the good work, and thank you so much for putting out so many great videos
Coming back to this video because today I let go of my first foster cat back to the shelter's care, ready for adoption and with a potential adopter already lined up. I cried an embarrassingly long time. I'm so happy for him and the thought of him finding his forever home brings me such joy, but I still took the day to let myself cry and be sad about letting him go. It was really tough, but worth it
I work in healthcare. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND about compassion fatigue and trauma. You’re doing a great work.
I’ve been sharing my fostering journey and literally did an IG video on my experience of letting go with Fostering cats ❤️ thank you for sharing yours 🥰
Thank you for helping others too! I wish to be like Hannah Shaw and inspire others in Puerto Rico to take a chance on these kittens and help out. Keep that up, you'll be able to help others!!
@@certifiedbruhmoment85 thank you and I’m sure you will be able to do the amazing work of rescuing beautiful kitties from all over ❤️❤️❤️ Keep that dream and keep chasing it!
What's your Insta?
@@Snowghhsu 💕
Experienced my first foster loss this morning, and I came back to rewatch this video. Thankful for Hannah and for this community.
Amazing presentation and oh so very true, all of it. You just have to remember when some people are negative and say you don't do enough, YOU ARE saving lives, multiple kittens at a time! What are THEY doing? Bless you and your huge heart!!!
This video's message is so important. Thank you Hannah.
thank you sooo much for this video! ❤️ this kitten season has been sooo hard, but also so rewarding! 😻 being a foster parent is such a rollercoaster
SUCH a ROLLERCOASTER!!!¡
I'm sorry that people feel they can question and criticise you when you put so much education and love out into the world ❤
You are an amazing person. My daughter is fostering because of you and I'm so proud of her. Thank you for all you do❤❤❤
I just dropped off one of fosters- she’s now a beautiful 3 mo calico - I kept her after she ended up eating with a TNR colony that I feed. She looked so weak, so hungry. The big guys wouldn’t let her eat so she would quickly grab some kibbles and run away under a car. I was able to trap her and foster. She got spayed by BFFL Laredo 2 weeks ago and today she needed to go to the shelter for an opportunity to get adopted. My heart hurts and I’m praying that a wonderful human adopts her ASAP and she has a forever home in a safe home.
What a beautiful message! I have seen and experienced many challenging events in my life, but no way would I ever have the balls to do what you do. Too much drama - love-care-lose-pain all at once while repeating itself. I give you 1000% support and respect. Heartfelt regards my HERO!
This resonates so hard with me. I know you talk about kittens as that's your focus, but really this pretty much all applies to all animal foster carers, and possibly human ones too.
The boundaries thing is also so familiar from chronic illness - I can foster most of the time, but sometimes I just need a break.
At the moment, I'm coming to the end of a looong journey with a pair of elderly kitties with multiple health issues, who will hopefully be signed off by the vet in the next few weeks, then we can start looking for their perfect retirement home. When they go, I'll certainly cry, and I'll definitely need a good break, even though our little charity is struggling for space at the moment...
But then I'll clean up the spare room, message the director to say I'm ready, and take in the next kitty who needs my help...
It's wonderful the work you are doing, Kristy.. bless your heart 🤗❤
Thanks so much for making this video! Although I only started a year ago, watching your videos during covid, I’ve fostered 15 kittens, one of them sadly passing away because her lung collapsed. I’m so grateful for your resourcefulness, you make the information very easy to understand for a thirteen year old! You really have such a huge impact on so many people. Keep it up!
Awww Funston laid in your lap sucking his toe beans. He's just the sweetest.
You're just such an intelligent, compassionate person. I'm unlikely to foster as I just don't have the room to house any but this is such an insightful, inspiring video.
Thank you for this. I just got a hard bunch of fosters who are having issues gaining weight and I don't think anyone realises the emotional drain it takes. I love posting the cute photos, but it's hard to share the harder moments.
Thank you so much on your insight on adopting out your foster kittens. I have been fostering my first kitty who was dumped with a broken leg. Six weeks later he is thriving. It has been a joyful experience and I have been so conflicted about letting him be adopted. I have 3 other cats, work and take care of my ailing 87 yr old mother and having the kitten has challenged my capacity. Thank you for reframing the challenge I am having letting him go and to view it as a Celebration of how prepared he now is to have his Forever Home.
I've actually never been sad about kittens being adopted! I expected to, but I was just happy for them.
I’m glad I’m not the only one when I fostered my first litter everyone always asked me like “weren’t you sad? I could never foster” the only reason I kept one was cuz my cat got sad when they left
I love animals and cats have a very special place in my heart. I have never fostered, although I have lost companions and it’s so heartbreaking. I really have to thank all of you who work so hard to foster these babies to health and happiness. People like you are so special and restore my faith in humanity. ♥️🐾
It makes me soo sad, that one of the hardest parts of being an animal rescuer for you, is being criticized by other people. 😢😢 And probably even often by people that have no idea what it means, to do what you are doing 🙄
I am glad to hear that you are (at least trying) to also take care of yourself. And don't listen to anyone other than those that are telling you: "you are a rockstar!"
Thank you for all that you do! ❤️❤️
I needed this video. Thank you so much for making it. I’ve been fostering for about a year now and lost my first kitten last month. It was devastating. This helped me feel less guilty about the what-ifs.
Can't make it through this video for crying, but bless you for your honesty and compassion, and special kudos to professional therapy kitten in your lap!
Anyone who says you are not doing enough needs to prove how much THEY are doing! If they are so perfect, good for them. Otherwise they should close their mouths.
In fact, those who most vocally criticize others for not doing enough, or not doing things correctly, or whatever else they may criticize others for, are likely looking for ways to alleviate their own feelings of guilt or shame about their own involvement in the situation. They feel guilty for not doing enough, but because that feeling of guilt is too uncomfortable for their ego, they project it onto someone they see as having more power than them in the situation, and then alleviate their own guilt by attacking the person they have focused their projection on.
It's hard in any volunteer situation to say "no" when asked to do more. I was fortunate when I was volunteering for my church to have a wise pastor to consul me to not take on too much. It's an important lesson to turn off the negative remarks of "not doing enough" and listen to your own inner cues and the help of people in your life who support you.
Thank you for all you are doing for these sweet animals. You do more than enough and you are a superstar, even when others make you feel like you aren’t. Thank you so very much. ♥️🇨🇦♥️
Now THAT is a cool sponsonrship. And a very important topic. Thank you Hannah.
The kitten sleeping on your lap is gorgeous :O omg
A lot of what you're saying is just good life advice. I cannot foster because I live in an apartment and I'm already over my pet limit by one. But I do what I can for animal rescue. Also, that baby in your lap is overwhelmingly adorable. The sucking on their paw is too much.
This 🥳
The saddest part for me is that we get our fosters from a shelter... and once they are up to weight/ age for sterilisation, they are returned to the shelter.... and we never see them again :/
No updates, we don't get to meet their new humans... that's hard.
I'm so sorry. That sounds miserable. My shelter lets me do meet and greets with potential adopters, but I have no say in where my kittens go or who adopts them. My shelter also doesn't require people to adopt kittens in pairs, so I feel extra sadness when I see kittens split up from their best friends/siblings. But there's nothing I can do. I don't have any solutions, but I just wanted to say that you're not alone. Working for shelters is so important because we're literally preventing kittens from being euthanized, but it comes with a lot of emotional burdens and lack of transparency.
Eight years ago I fostered a kitten I found in a car engine. She had a radial palsy and a partly paralysed paw so I massaged her and exercised the paw for days to help the muscles and took her to see a vet neurologist. I was moving to England weeks later to start a new job and I could not fly with a baby cat as they wouldn’t allow a young kitten without rabies antibodies. So I tried to give her out for adoption thinking this was best.. and a great girl appeared who was happy with the kitten not being “perfect” I took advice from a animal welfare association that gave a contract model and everything.. The moment they left I started crying and could not stop for a whole day. A week later she returned her because she was allergic (apparently). I was so happy to have her back and she’s been with me since. A friend kept her until she was old enough to fly. I love her to bits. Her “failed adoption” videos are still on my RUclips channel. You are so strong doing what you do Hannah! I admire you so much- you are amazing.
What is the RUclips channel where I can watch this. It worked out so great. A real happy ending.
It’s funny you posted this today, because tomorrow I’m returning my foster kittys to get adopted.
I’ve never fostered animals and everything you said is a valuable life lesson, it applies to so much. Thanks for posting this
The first two kittens I fostered had just been adopted by a loving senior couple last Saturday. The emotion hit me right after I left them with the couple. I have been crying for three days since then. They went to a loving home which was my first and foremost goal, but I just can’t overcome the feeling of loosing them. I didn’t prepare that coming so hard. I hope I can recover soon. After all they went to a forever home and how lucky they were adopted together. Thanks for posting this video.
Yesterday (July 11) was the 4 year anniversary of having to let one of my kitties go to the Rainbow Bridge. 3 weeks before her 4th birthday she was diagnosed with kidney failure. We knew it was terminal but she was so young and full of life so we told her we'd help her fight it as long as she wanted us to. And we did. 6 weeks past her 7th birthday, she let us know she'd had enough of fighting. She was my little sunshine, a tough little fighter, a super star, and my little love. And darned if she didn't make that "cone of shame" look classy! She is still very missed.
Thank you for this video. I relate to all of these things. Right now, I am burnt out and taking a break. I am a Canadian living in a developing nation with barely any animal welfare laws, no humane societies, untrained vets with no access to modern treatments, and a tremendous number of animals needing help. I have 9 dogs and 4 cats at my house, plus we feed street dogs every day. I am doing my best.
Where do you live? :o
Yeah, screw those negative people. You're amazing for what you're doing with these kittens and cats! Not to mention how much you've helped viewers like me. You rock!
WORRRRD!!¡!!
Thank you ❤️ to all the foster parents 💕
I'm so sorry that you get so much flack for abiding by your boundaries. I'm AMAZED by how much you DO, and I hope you know that for every complainer, there are 10 people who appreciate all you DO DO!
You’re such an amazing person! 😉 Bless your heart!! ❤️
Thank you for addressing the more difficult side of fostering and animal rescue, doesn’t look easy to talk about. I’m planning to foster, so for me this is helpful to keep in mind when the time comes. Thank you for the work you’ve done and continue to do
Even those who have a trauma and grief informed practice cannot tell someone how to feel all we can do is support how you are feeling and be there for you as professionals. Your work has helped me more than words can say. I love your devotion and how you've tempered it with a good dose of reality. Kudos!
I’m a foster and I thank you so much for this video! It is really hard sometimes. Family and friends don’t get it or the kittens don’t like you at first. But it’s so worth it!
It all starts with education. Your videos have educated so many people, and helped them to make a difference in kittens lives. I'm not a foster, and I've only adopted adult cats from shelters, but when a feral mom dropped her kittens off in my garage in winter, I remembered what you taught about keeping them warm. I was able to keep them alive until a rescue organization could take them in, and they later got adopted together. In the summer, I TNR the mother cat because of what I'd learned in your videos. At first, the neighbors thought I did something to the cat because of the ear tip, but I was able to educate them about TNR, and my neighbor would go on to TNR another feral mother cat that year. So never let anyone tell you you're not doing enough.
Hannah, I love that you’re emotional. It makes you a great rescuer and foster mom.
Fabulous video! My "retirement" job is working at a local animal shelter. My wife and I subsequently have been fostering cats and kittens over the last few years with only one foster fail kitten that we adopted (who is now 2 years old)! Fostering is the most rewarding thing that I've done in my life.
I really needed this video. We lost the first kitten in our first foster litter in the first few days from an upper respiratory infection, and another kitten from the same litter had multiple seizures last night. All while my cat is also in the hospital, and fostering has had a moment of exhaustion of feeling, how much goodbye can i handle. Its just like being a real foster parent though, we love them we take them to the vet, we let go if we have to let go, but we know we have given them all the love they could have gotten in the world. This year has been extremely difficult in our foster programs and ive heard multiple stories like mine in the last few months. So many people need that reminder we all experience this as fosters.
I just gave away my foster kittens today and rn, it hurts and I genuinely miss them alot. But I'm really hopeful that their new owners will take great care of them the same way we did, thank you for sharing this information, it really helps alot for coping with the adoption.
and you are helping so many with your videos! You helped me and the kittys that I suddenly had to foster! Thank-you Kitten Lady!
We just took in a momma & 3 kittens until the rescue can get them to vaccinate and spay momma. Momma is very much feral but kittens are super sweet. We aren’t sure how long they will be here, but we are leaving them to adjust to their new environment.