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When discussing the transformation that often occurs, when serving as a foster parent for cats waiting for their forever homes, Amber Lagace describes the process as “going from hissy to kissy.”
Lagace is among Pope Memorial SPCA’s volunteers who serve as “foster parents” for kittens and cats, helping ready them for the adoption process. She often cares for litters of kittens who have been born in the wild and in some cases fear human contact as they have not yet been socialized. “To see the change is heart-warming,” she shared. “It is often-baby steps, feeding them, playing with them, or just holding them. Over time, they become peaceful and affectionate.” Depending on the age of the kittens, they may need around the clock care to monitor their progress. Foster parents share that in some cases, that means setting one’s alarm to get up in the middle of the night for feedings and health checks. Lagace describes one instance in which she brought her charges to the office and kept them near her desk so she could keep tabs on them while she worked.
“It’s so gratifying when the kittens grow and thrive in a safe environment,” she says. “That in and of itself is so rewarding.”
According to Lillian Lavery, who serves as Pope’s Outreach and Development Manager, the agency takes in dozens of stray cats and kittens each year with the spring/summertime known as kitten season. “We see the greatest influx at that time of the year,” she says. “And as the kittens are too young to be adopted, or in poor health, our fosters play a critical role in helping stabilize and socialize the cats so they’re ready to be formally adopted.” She also shared that over the past year, Pope has had 140 pets in foster care.
For 16 years, Amy Goulas has served as a Pope foster parent and estimated that she and her family have cared for more than 300 cats during that time frame. “The kittens and cats become part of the family,” she says. “My children have literally grown up caring for the cats in need; they often did their homework while keeping an eye on the cats.”
Goulas shared that its not at all uncommon for her to be bringing back one litter of cats to Pope and taking on the next set of foster pets. “The need for safe homes for these pets is profound,” she said. “Often, we’re feeding kittens formula with a syringe.” She has devoted a room of her house as the kitten room and thoroughly cleans it between litters. A cat owner as well, she says her cats often play the role of surrogate mothers to the kittens, playing with them and grooming them.
The owner of a marketing and advertising firm, Lagace says that she grew up in a household where she and her mother frequently volunteered for non-profits. Admittedly, when you are a foster, she reports that one does become close to the cats and kittens she cares for. But the counterbalance to that is the “joy of being part of a fresh start for kittens and their new families. Adoptions are so happy!”
Both Lagace and Goulas also report a fun side benefit of the foster process is that they often stay connected with adoptive families and remain in touch, sometimes exchanging holiday cards and photos.
When asked what advice she would give to someone considering serving as a foster parent, Goulas, a registered dietician, encourages people to give it a try. “If you have the space and the time, it is an amazing opportunity and easier than you think. Yes, there are things to learn, but Pope provides great training and guidance. When you are a foster, you are very well supported,” she said.
“When you see the successful adoption, you know you’ve done your job.”
To learn more about Pope’s foster programs, please contact Lavery at (603) 856-8756.
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