We’re sure you’ve heard that fostering animals in need is important, and even lifesaving, but do you know why? Our top five list below will break down all of the benefits of fostering and explain more on how you can get involved!

1. Fostering provides a safe and healthy environment for animals who need to heal, grow or get some extra TLC while looking for homes. 

Whether you’re fostering tiny kittens or senior cats, many of these animals require your love and support to have the best chance of finding an adopter. When you foster, you help give them the space, experiences and resources they need when going to a new home!

2. Fostering animals creates more space in shelters for other animals in need.

Each and every animal in a shelter requires time and resources that could be stretched further if those animals were in foster homes, regardless of if the shelter is crowded or not. By fostering a cat or kitten in need, you’re creating space at the shelter or rescue to help even more animals! 

3. Fostering saves the lives of neonate and pee wee kittens. 

Neonatal (zero to four weeks) and Pee-Wee (four to eight weeks) kittens are considered an extremely vulnerable population as they often cannot survive without round-the-clock care. Having a foster caregiver with the supplies and training they need to care for these tiny kittens can literally save their lives and help them become healthy, strong and ready for adoption!

4. Fostering introduces the cat or kitten to new pools of prospective adopters. 

Fostered cat and kittens benefit greatly from exposure to their caregiver’s friends and family, and their caregiver can offer trusted assessments of the cat’s personality and needs. Not only is the foster caregiver the cats’ temporary parent, but their publicist, too!

5. Your life becomes a whole lot more interesting — and adorable! 

Who wouldn’t want adorable cats and kittens around? Think of all the benefits: the companionship, the chance for a new routine and best of all, the potential for the cutest snuggles ever! Fostering is easy to weave into your everyday life and the shelter will provide you with everything you need. 

Simply put, fostering saves lives. The animals in your care can go on to loving homes and the shelters will have more space and resources to help even more animals in need. It’s a win, win! 

Are you ready to open your heart and home and jump into the adorable world of fostering?

See more about fostering with the ASPCA in NYC and Los Angeles. If you’re outside of these areas, find your local shelter and see how you can get involved now! 

If you’re looking for a more permanent connection, or want to discover other ways to help cats & kittens this summer, check out aspca.org/catmonth to learn more!