How to foster a mom cat and her kittens
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- čas přidán 25. 04. 2023
- We found Mama Stracciatella - and her one day old kittens - in a Brooklyn apartment building basement where at least 20 other cats were fighting to survive. Thanks to your help, they're all enjoying the good life now!
Fostering a cat from your local shelter or rescue group is an important way to save lives - especially during the spring and summer when kitten season is in full swing.
But what is it like to be a foster parent? In this video, you’ll watch these little nuggets grow up with their mom, Mama Stracciatella, and learn how you can help a family just like this.
If you’re able to make room in your life for a family just like this - please consider fostering this year. You will literally be saving lives, while creating your own memories that last a lifetime.
To help more cats and make more educational stories like this possible, please consider joining us as a monthly supporter: donate.flatbushcats.org/give/...
Flatbush Cats is a 501(c)(3) organization focused on reducing the outdoor cat population in Brooklyn. We’re building a new affordable spay neuter clinic to address the root of this crisis. Learn more at flatbushcats.org.
That mom cat is a knock out. Her eyes are so expressive and her fur is so amazing and attractive. She wasn't a feral despite living in the basement.
The shelter I worked at referred to these cats as "community cats". They're friendly, they're not stray, but nobody owns them
mom is very beautiful with such unique markings... :))
@@Ksweetpea they own themselves! all cats own themselves I guess, some just have live-in servants
Sadly many female cats still get abandoned when they become pregnant. And she will be so very happy to be inside again.
She ---IS--- a gorgeous momma cat! Wish she were mine! :)
“My heart breaks a little so theirs will never break again” a quote from another rescuer…
This is beautiful ❤
Oh hey, you talking about the lady who fostered Bagel? I remember her specifically for the little song she sang to wee Bagel 😭
❤
@@midnightmorpher9066yes! I couldn’t remember where I’d heard it, just that it came from another cat rescuer! Thank you!
That cat's face is a work of art.
She looks like a Jackson Pollock painting😻
rorschach?
@@andreiaribeiro8766 i seent it
Totally! I have a female kitty with the same slim body type and small head, and she has a black white face too, with the main color being black, and a thin white ^ shape that goes along her nose on both sides and her forehead. Her brother has really cool facial markings too. This cat is gorgeous.
❤
I live in a small apartament, I cannot foster. But in the last months I spayed 14 females in a neighbourhood. I am so happy, no more kittens born on the street from these cats. 14 females and 3 males spayed. Found help for a kitten with a broken leg and found a forever home for a black male. All this cats from the same area. This channel is such an inspiration for me. Thank you
You are amazing.
Katy ! You are an ANGEL for helping all of those cats ! Every little bit helps ! Thank you for your hard work and dedication. We need more people like you in this world ! Stay Awesome ! 😺😺😺😺😺😺😺
Oh so well done! Each adult cat can cause sooooo many kittens over a lifetime. And all those kittens now don't have to die outside. Thank you.
Wonderful work! Every cat you spayed would in few years have at least couple of young ones, ans they would have their own, you helped reducing the population of street cats greatly in a entirely peaceful, empathic way. Fertile cats get i to fights, they get infectious disease more often, they are i search of partners - getting hit by cars or attacked by dogs or by other cats. I thank you for preventing all of that misfortune
Thank you for what you do it's a wonderful thing
I used to rescue and foster, but the costs just overwhelmed us. Thank you for all your efforts to raise the monies for your clinic. Thank you so much.
What are the costs? I'm genuinely curious. I'm not in the US but I would like to know more about fostering. Or does it depend in the country I'm based in?
@@1nsurr3ction probably the vet bills for spaying and neutering/health checkups!
@@1nsurr3ction It really depends on the rescue group you are working with, usually the medical care is provided unless you are working with an animal shelter (they usually only provide basic care). For example, ASPCA will provide everything including costly surgeries and medicine, they even allow personalized supply requests. I fostered a momma cat and 6 kittens. They didn't like the food or litter the rescue group provided so I bought everything myself (including the toys) since they only provide what is donated to them. It cost me several hundreds of dollars for per month. Worth it though. I loved all the cats and momma and I think about them every day.
Thank you for the time that you fostered. You are a hero too.
@Steph thank you for this. It's such a wonderful thing to do, so many lives saved. I did wonder about vet costs, can see how they can be something that needs to be considered.
For some unknown reason, cats who need help, keep showing up at our backdoor. They are pregnant, malnourished, hurt or all three of them. We take them in, bring them to the vet and foster them, until our local animal shelter finds a forever home for them. Amongst others, we fostered a momma with six fur babies two years ago. It was the most fun and rewarding thing I did all my life. ❤
Although - saying goodbye was incredibly hard. 😢
❤❤❤❤
I was the VERY same … cats in need always seemed to come to our house. I’m now a senior living in a condo so I no longer see them sitting on my doorstep or windowsill. I think cats somehow communicate and pass the word where to go when in need - lol!
@Elaine Culbert I know youre right. When I fed the stray apartment cats where I used to live I swear they all told each other I was a softie. Even though my neighbor with his big dog used to get so mad at me. I didn't care!! 😂😂😂
They could sense you were kind maybe. Cat senses
aww, mama cat was very much not feral. Sad to think someone just dumped their intact kitty outside to fend for herself. Glad she and her babies are inside now
I love seeing mama's slow blinks, and the babies all grown up in their forever homes. They and their mom really hit the jackpot when you rescued them. I don't have the time or space to foster, so thank you for all that you do.
I would be a complete foster failure with that sweet mama cat. Her expressive little face just makes me melt. What a wonderful difference - she was so stressed in that basement, and then looked like she was in heaven once she had a safe, warm place for her and her kittens.
Watching your cat-rescue videos is like listening to poetry.
More like therapy!
It is!! I love Will and his videos. He is so calm and inspiring!! ❤🎉
I adopted a senior cat 3 years ago from a local shelter. The cat was with a young couple in their apartment. This was their first foster cat. I submitted my adoption application, had a zoom meet and great with the adoption facilitator and foster parents, and days later brought the cat home. After he settled in, I sent the foster parents pics of my kitty. They were happy he went to a good loving home, which encouraged them to keep fostering. Soon after they began fostering a mom cat with kittens. I am very grateful they took care of my Ralphie before I snatched him up 🙂❤.
6:50 the mom looks like a very happy cat, almost as if to say thanks
Mama is giving you the blinkey-eyed-look of adoration.
Under no circumstances would I give up the mom cat here lol. This is a quality cat.
I'd Love to help raise a family like this however my 2 x 9Kg male cats might have something to say about it so for now take this small offering and help others to help cat families everywhere
They're BOTH 9kg?! 😳
@@SelinaCat Yup - big boys they started big and just kept on growing , neither is exactly overweight just BIG
@@colinritchie1757 wow. Are they Bengals?
@@SelinaCat Nah Ordinary Mogs Neutered late , since we got them as rescues we don't know their early history. Being mostly indoor cats their exercise is somewhat limited which partly explains their size
Neutered tomcats are sometimes very friendly towards kittens. My Bubbie was like a loving uncle towards all kittens. He would lick them just like a momma cat and play with them when they got older. I never once heard any of the kittens screaming in pain as if he was being too rough or biting them hard. He enjoyed playing with them and I'm sure the kittens enjoyed it too.
What a gorgeous little family. Those slow blinks from Momma are such a treasure and those little thank you squeaks from rescuing the kitten from the cat tree are overwhelmingly cute. The work you do is so difficult; I'm extremely grateful you're giving the cats and kittens of Flatbush a chance and I'm forever proud to be a monthly supporter. Thank you for all you do ♥
Omgggg I was for looking this comment. I sworn the kitten said thank you when he put him down from the cat tree it’s the cutest thing ever I can’t♥️
It's so cute and the mother cat pads along with her kittens
3:03 that's a very comfortable blinky-face right there :> so glad this momma wasn't stressed around people
Momma is one of the most gorgeous cats I've ever seen. I'm I'm love.
Very small tip for everything you’re doing for your community. I live in Paris and can relate with these issues.
Wish you all the best of the best 😽
Fostered my first momma cat and her 6 babies last year, HGHLY RECOMMEND. Was hands down the easiest time I had fostering newborn kittens. Momma does EVERYTHING that is usually the most time consuming and stressful part. After that I fostered 2 sets momma and kittens (mom cats were friends so they got along). at the same time. 2 sets was just as easy as 1. If you are on the fence bc you don't think you can handle the work, or you had a tough time fostering orphaned kittens before, I would really recommend taking on a mom and babies. ❤❤❤❤
It's the best.
We had a mom dumped on our porch in active labor (breached kitten partially out)😢 I brought her in, and she delivered 9 kittens, all but 2 breached. Mom and 8 babies survived, and we called our local shelter and fostered through them.
It was great. I've fostered dozens of orphans, and there's just something different about how well adjusted this litter was. Having mom makes a difference in so many ways I hadn't thought of.
That is ALWAYS the best way. I get told that I did so much for Miss Midnight the Feral's kittens. But, all I did was give them a safe place to live. Miss Midnight did ALL the heavy lifting! I just made sure that feral girl had want for nothing.
6:19 He thanked you so cute omg
I can't get over momma cats markings, they are so beautiful and I can't understand for the life of me how someone could abandon such a gorgeous mama 🥺
At first I thought that mama cat was kind of ugly. By the end, she's one of the loveliest cats in the world. What a good job she did!
IMHO, there are no ugly cats! 😊
Mother looks so, SO happy and grateful to have such a safe, cosy place to raise her kittens! It's so happy to see.
sad that i cant help cats, but im glad that you can do what many cant!
Mama Stracciatella is so beautiful! I love her face markings!
Omg Mama Stracciatella is just like the Mama cat we have at work, even the same coloring and spots (but our Mama cat looks like she has a mask on). thankfully we got her kittens adopted and Mama cat is spayed and waiting to be adopted
wow mama cat is just stunning! I've never seen such cool face markings
I've missed your uploads
That last minute or so was a flippin' master class in marketing. We're looking at foster programs right now. Congrats.
I took in 2 kittens last year. They r in my vids on my channel. One survived a fox attack here on Staten Island
Thank you so very much 😊👍💛💙💚💛💙💚💛💙💚💞☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️🐈😸☺️
We fostered a pregnant mom and it worked out great. We kept one of the kittens, and I liked that we could be there from the beginning to make sure he got all the proper socialization, nutrition, etc. It's not really that much work because the mom does everything - it's more about supporting the mom and making sure the kittens get used to humans. We had one that came out still in the sac and we thought it was a stillbirth, but low and behold the next day the sac was gone and there was another kitten in the pile! That was the kitten we ended up keeping, the "miracle kitten". Fostering a mom also allows you to see the personality differences between the kittens and choose the one that you like. I recommend adopting out siblings in pairs if possible, and always attaching a price to the adoption, even if it is something nominal like $20. This will maximize the chance that the kitten goes to a loving home and not one that just wants a free cat.
Thank you for the beautiful work you've done and the precious lives you saved. I wish Flatbush Cats would foster pregnant cats. I cried when he said they don't. The thought that they have to abort the babies just broke me.
For anyone attending a birth for the 1st time: if mom is too tired to deal with a kitten, it's totally fine to gently tear the sack off the kitten's face once it's completely out of the mom. She should do it herself, but sometimes, if it's a difficult delivery or a large litter, she may be too tired. Kittens can die if mom ignores them for too long.
Hi, how did you advertise to get the kittens new homes? Did you use the Next Door app?
Thanks for your fostering, I'm thinking of doing it in the next couple years as soon as I'm no longer a full time (human) caretaker.😊
@@frauleinmona I'm glad they spay pregnant cats. Far too many rescues encourage fostering pregnant cats which prevents already born kittens from receiving help. There will always be cats and kittens that need help, but to really put a dent in overpopulation their first priority must be spay/neuter.
@@bellona6356 I'm not glad that they spay pregnant cats at all. It kills me. I know the foster organizations that take pregnant cats in and allow those mamas to give birth to their last litter in comfort. And those kittens' lives *matter* .
Mama is so beautiful! That face 😊❤❤❤
I found a pregnant cat and I recently took her in and I’m raising her and he two kittens! Already found homes for all 3. Im planning on fostering again this time through an agency.
Momma has gorgeous markings
Fostering saves lives by the six pack!
What a sweet mama!
I always since childhood rescue feral stray cats, neutered their and keep them for 17 to 23 years. I love to give them a new chance at life. I don’t rescue a lot of cats but each finds a long happy life and vet care. I have a special bond with pregnant moms and i always keep them after babies are gone in good families.
You have such a caring beautiful soul.
Mama is beautiful, and so PROUD of her babies! Having a loving, safe haven to raise her little rascals in obviously made all the difference. 😊
I would love to foster but I'm at full capacity with my 7 rescues. One of them brought a litter of kittens with her. The kittens found their forever homes. And momma made my house her forever home. ❤
the mommy cat is so adorable and lovely what an angel
Would be so rewarding as quick as a spay/neuter takes to do, every veterinarian nationwide should volunteer to do spay/neuter for free of charge a few days a week.
Vet techs could set the surgeries up/finish up, leaving time for 3-5 procedures a few times a week.
It's easy to expect others to do volunteer work. Many forget that they can help themselves. If you want more cats to be neutered for free, donate.
Perhaps, instead, you could donate the salary you make "a few days a week". Why should vets bear the burden?
We save cats too and yes ur right most of stray cats just die as babies thank u for what you do for this poor babies Sending love❤️❤️
both of my babies were born outside, one of them, i got to bottle feed around the clock, provide sub q fluids, and help her fight a terrible case of calicivirus and kitty herpes. That was six years ago, and today, she is the center of my world.
2 months ago I did a shelter/ rescue and training course with our local animal shelter and as a cat person, I've volunteered to be part of TNR team. I have a spare room in my house that I'm setting up as a foster nursery for this year's kitten season. I am so blessed and thankful for this opportunity.
You are a wonderful person thank you from bottom of my heart
momma cat's markings are so cool! and she has such a sweet face, awww
I remember when you first shared Mama Stracciatella’s story. She really is a sweet kitty and I’m glad she and her babies got good homes.
Thank you Flatbush Cats team!
WHO else heard the kitten meow "thank you" after being helped off the cabinet?
I would build a cat sanctuary if I had the resources. Cats are the love’s of my life, everything about them is special no matter what.
6:23 😮 DID I JUST…????
Yep. I sure did just hear a kitten say,
*“Thank you!”* How about that?! 😊❤
It's funny that the mum cat is kneading while her kittens nurse from her, truly the circle of life,
We’ve got a wonderful Momma cat with three of her own, along with four orphans a week younger she took to immediately
If you handed me a momma cat and kittens, and I raised them, they would wrap themselves around my heart, and it would be a foster fail.
To all repeat foster parents, I salute you. My respect for you knows no limit.
I loved the one that you helped down... The Little Meow it did sounded like A "Thank You" And I think that was Adorable
Fostered 4 in 2019 for 3 weeks, then again in 2022, 2 rambunctious boys for over a month. Both mommy cats are spayed and are permanent visitors to the community kitty feeding hole.
These were "had to learn fostering quickly" situations, thanks to all the CZcams channels and organizations that offered information and the woman @ Alley Cat Allies who found furrever homes for all of them.
Cannot volunteer at this time, however, but plan to in the future.
We really enjoy fostering. Mostly really spicy feral kittens - socialize them and help them put on the weight they desperately need to survive. Yes, it’s hard to give them up, but there’s always another little group that needs care.
it's a bad habits here in Europe to wait till a pregnant cat have her kittens instead to spare her. then when the kittens are Born the work Is triple than before
Sorry, I'm glad they don't kill the unborn kittens.
@@MM-Iconoclast when they Born most of them die under car or illness. before they don't suffer After they do.
Mama cat has extraordinary marking. She’s a knockout!
Fostering mom cats and kittens is such a wonderful experience and it's really not that hard!
6:23 That kitten just said “thank you.”
ughghgg i wanna foster so so bad but i am in college with no time money or space ;-; i will keep learning so i can help cats whenever i get the chance!!!
As always, wonderful on-point information. Your love is palpable. May lovable, beautiful Mama Stracciatella go to an awesome home when her (LAST) kittens are ready for theirs! 🖤🤍🖤
All love, gratitude, respect to foster peeps ♥️
This makes me miss my fosters so much. I'm far too busy with exams currently, but I can't wait to get back to fostering.
Thank you for what you will do for these poor babies and moms
Straciatella is a great name but so is Rorschach ❤️
I can't foster, but I contribute every month. This is the way I can help organizations like yours. Thank you so much for what you all do ❤️
I've fostered cats and kittens but not a mom with babies. I hope to do that one day. Thanks for sharing!
mama's slow blinks were so sweet! she felt so safe and happy with you. thank you for helping this little family, wish i had the health and money to do the same
Thank you so much for all your hard work and the information you provide us!
What a sweet family. Grateful that she is so tame and that they've been saved. I cry like crazy every time my fosters go. It's so worth it but it's so hard.
Beautiful Mama Stracciatella is such a good mom to her babies. So sweet...
Mama Stracciatella ist the perfect name for her
What a beautiful video! Mama Stracciatella is adorable! I hope she gets adopted soon and receives lots of love! 🥰
I love the Mother's face & what the kittens look like her Mom🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
stop making me cry with these videos 😭😭😭
Mama cat is beautiful she is sweet and affectionate I can't believe she is a stray cat someone abandoned her 😢😢😢
Wonderful work, wonderful video! The cats all thank you!😺
What a wonderful, tender, classy and informative video! I’m a huge admirer of this gentleman and his volunteers. I’ve had many wonderful cats over my lifetime - all strays. When packing to vacation in the USA, I always included bags of cat-food in the trunk so I could feed the inevitable strays living behind the many dumpsters in the back of restaurants, motels and sadly, rest areas along the highways! It broke my heart being unable to scoop them all up and bring them home on my return trip. Fortunately, I learned the kind staff at one of the rest areas (in Virginia, I think) were feeding ‘their’ strays hiding in the bushes. In case anyone is wondering how I know strays are behind restaurants/motels, by the time we stopped for dinner each evening, it was dark and strays are easy to spot as their eyes glow thanks to cars’ headlights. Strays are simply everywhere and if I could feed a few for just one more day, then I did. The situation is heartbreaking! 🇨🇦
Creating joy for others - exactly how I feel about fostering.
Great fostering video
Nice video
I rescued a feral momma with 4 kitty's this week when we had that storm. I put the kittens 2 weeks old in a carrier, then mom went in. I got a large cage and put in carrier but don't know what to do with them now besides feeding and watching your videos.. ty for the broom trick.
Beautiful mama and the three sweethearts getting all the love and attention needed to grow up together and finally to get adopted👏😊💯💖💕
Thank you for all you do ❤
3:06 love and contentment blinks
They are so cute it breaks my hearts seing they outside without food
I am SO in love with this little family! Momma is so SWEET and the babies are so cute! Omfg! So precious! Thank you for saving this family!
Lovely, lovely video! I’m currently fostering a young unsocialized/semi-feral mama and her four kittens that I rescued from a neighbor’s yard, my first time with an entire family unit and it’s just wonderful. Kitten playpen is coming in a few days so that I can give mama Missy some breaks from her rambunctious little 5-week-olds, and I’m hoping that she decides she likes the pampered indoor life enough to continue it once the babies have grown and gone to their forever homes. Thank you for all the work you do for the stray and feral friends in your area; I’ll keep doing what I can for ours out here on LI!
That happy, grateful mama... Those many slow blinks....
Incredible work done by this team👍💯👏👏
I’m proud to donate to this organization.
Thank you for looking after all the cats 😻😻😻😻😻😻Thank you for looking after all the cats 😻😻😻😻😻😻
Im in love with mama Staciatella ❤
This little lady is so darn beautiful, I am honestly in love with her.
I wish I could adopt :/
Flatbush Cats are doing amazing work. Both in the context of helping address the problem one kitten at a time, and in the context of bringing attention to the issue by education.
This is really admirable and impressive.
Even more so given the tiny size of the organization.
I fostered a mama and her three kittens (Alice, Astro, Ace and Ash) - it was so fun to see them grow from tiny tikes to gigantic beasts, bigger than their momma. I ended up keeping one of them (foster fail...whoops), and my parents adopted the other two boys and the momma got to go to a new forever home (she was sooo happy to be rid of the boys by the end). Very satisfying thing to do. Thank you for all the work you do, its inspiring!
I'm involved with a few rescue groups in my area. Unfortunately due to health issues I'm no longer able to foster. I miss it so much, fostering was one of the most rewarding things I've ever experienced. I would recommend it especially for families.
The mother cat has beautiful markings.
I live in Brooklyn too and so happy to contribute. They do such great work.
The kitten popping out of the McCafe container (4:37)--to die for!
Mom is gorgeous! I love her markings.