WELCOME CAT FOSTERS!
I hope you find our Rescue Resource helpful as you foster with Grey Face Rescue.
RESCUE RESOURCE
URL: http://www.greyfacerescue.org/cat-foster-guide-and-training
Grey Face Rescue is a foster-based animal rescue focusing on senior animals ages 7 years and older. Our rescue is based in St. Cloud, Minnesota, however, we have foster homes throughout the state.
Grey Face Rescue & Retirement began its operation in August of 2015 and became an approved 501(c)3 in November of 2015. We have since rescued over 300 animals.
Grey Face Rescue receives animals into our organization three different ways: owner surrenders, strays or shelter transfer. We accept all animals into our program if a foster home is found. We do not have a shelter so we are unable to accept animals without a proper and well-equipped foster home. Our Intake Team meticulously matches animals with foster families to ensure it is a positive experience for both the family and the animal.
Prior to welcoming your first foster animal, we ask that you thoroughly read through our Rescue Resource, an online guide available to foster families to prepare you for fostering with Grey Face Rescue. The Rescue Resource includes information and videos regarding the care we provide for your foster, behavior situations that may arise, tips regarding the veterinary care of your foster animal and much more. It also includes a form to be used if you are needing to communicate with any members of our team.
Here are 10 top tips you absolutely should know before you foster with Grey Face Rescue.
You are expected to give your foster 3 days to adjust to their new surroundings. Your foster has been through a lot and they need patience and love to be able to settle into your home.
If you are needing temporary care for your foster animal due to a vacation, emergency, etc., you are not to leave your foster animal with an unapproved family member or friend. Doing this will result in immediate removal from our program. Instead, fill out the Cat Foster Request Form.
If an emergency is to arise, you are to call the emergency number listed in the Rescue Resource.
Your foster animal will be dewormed upon entry to the organization, as well. We do not provide preventatives to cats.
If you are in need of supplies, you are welcome to pick up supplies from our facility during our open hours. If you are further than 30 minutes from our facility, we will either find transportation for supplies within 30 minutes of you or request items to be donated directly to you. There is also a limited amount of supplies in the Twin Cities, for our Twin Cities fosters. We will not reimburse for supplies purchased unless approved by our Director.
Prior to reaching out to our team, we ask that you thoroughly review the Rescue Resource for the answers to any questions you may have. We’ve created this resource so our fosters can receive quick and easy answers and/or advice.
The veterinary care we provide is altered to each individual animal. We rely heavily on our veterinary partners to create a plan for our foster animals and assist us in either treating them while in rescue or putting together a plan for future adopters. If you do not live in the St. Cloud area, veterinary care will be provided at one of our partner clinics closer to your home.
If your foster is in need of surgery, recovery can be difficult, especially the older the animal. Please, read through the Rescue Resource for tips on how to care for your animal post-surgery and what to look for if an emergency arises.
You will have multiple individuals reach out to you while you foster with Grey Face Rescue. Please be mindful that our team is full of hard-working volunteers who also wear multiple hats. If communication efforts are responded to within 48-hours, please reach back out. We are not purposely ignoring or not responding to any individuals, most often it’s because we’re falling a bit behind on our current workload.
Our Foster Welcome Page is a very important page to view in its entirety upon approval to foster with Grey Face Rescue.
URL: http://www.greyfacerescue.org/cat-foster-guide-and-training
This has lots of great information regarding your first day with your foster animal, introducing foster animals to resident animals, emergency contact information and much more. You will be utilizing this page often while fostering with Grey Face Rescue.
Do you have a question about fostering? Check here first - you may have the answer right at your fingertips!
While you are fostering, we ask that you post pictures of your foster animal in our Army Facebook Group. Those photos are uploaded to their profile and used to find future adopters.
When it is time for your foster animal to go up for adoption, you will receive profile questions that are used to put together an intriguing and fun profile that draws adopters to them. Take time when answering these questions and have fun with it!
Fostering is FUN and rewarding. It can also be tough and challenging, however, that is why you are here. Thank you so much for your commitment to our animals!
Quick Contact Reference Guide
EMERGENCIES
(Seizures, death, not breathing, trauma, lost dog)
–> Call or text (preferred): (320) 248-5721 – this is the emergency phone
Criteria for Emergencies: What constitutes a medical emergency in a dog? A good rule of thumb is any situation in which you would call 911 for a person. Here are some specific symptoms that could indicate an emergency:
Not breathing or labored breathing
Symptoms of parvovirus: bloody diarrhea, heavy vomiting, weakness, high fever (above 103.5 degrees)
Signs of extreme dehydration: dry mucous membranes, weakness, vomiting, tenting of the skin (when the skin is pulled up, it stays there)
Abnormal lethargy or unable to stand
Unconsciousness or unable to wake up
Cold to the touch
Broken bones
Any trauma: hit by a car, dropped, stepped on
A large wound or profuse bleeding that doesn’t stop when pressure is applied
If your foster cat displays any of these symptoms, contact the emergency phone or our Foster Manager (or backup managers) ASAP. If the animal is vomiting or has diarrhea, please see health & vet care.
VET APPT. REQUESTS, QUESTIONS OR MEDICATION REFILLS, QUESTIONS & CONCERNS RELATED TO FOSTERING (Includes supply needs, behavioral concerns, referrals, suggestions, adoption application status or anything else!) Fill out the CAT FOSTER REQUEST FORM.
PHOTOS, VIDEOS, UPDATES, IDEAS, PLAY DATES can be posted in our Grey Face Rescue Facebook Group Here!
BACK TO THE TOP
FOSTER DO’S & DONT’S
DO
GIVE YOUR FOSTER TIME TO ADJUST
It is stated in the foster agreement that you give your foster 3 days to adjust to their new surroundings.PROMOTE YOUR FOSTER
We will continue to promote your foster through Petfinder, our website and social channels but we hope you will help us out as well and post on your social channels, through email and word of mouth!KEEP YOUR FOSTER INDOORS
Your foster cat should never be outdoors.
DON’T
GIVE YOUR FOSTER UNAUTHORIZED MEDICATIONS
Do not give your foster any medication not approved by the Veterinary Manager prior. You will be responsible for the veterinary care if any negative side-effects that may occur.CALL THE VETERINARY CLINICS
Do not call the veterinary clinics requesting medications and/or records - they are instructed to receive permission from the rescue prior to giving any information. For all they know, you could be a total stranger!LEAVE YOUR FOSTER WITH AN UNAPPROVED FOSTER
Going on vacation? Your foster MUST be left with an APPROVED FOSTER. They are not allowed to stay with a friend, family member or roommate while you are gone.
GETTING STARTED
Please ensure all members of the household know about and are on board with fostering. Planning where you will keep your cat before you bring the cat home will make the process easier on everyone.
Here are some guidelines:
Confine the cat to a single room that is an isolated room in your house for a minimum of 3-days. After 3-days, if they are hissing, growling, swatting or biting, I recommend keeping them confined until they are comfortable.
If they were sent with supplies, utilize the supplies provided. Cats can be picky about what they use and a transition to a foster home is very stressful so we would prefer to keep as much as possible consistent for them.
Items provided to you with your foster cat:
Hard/soft cat food and food bowls (feed your resident cat and foster cat separately so they eat in a stress-free environment)
Litter box
Litter
Carrier
Medication: As needed
Who Might Contact You
Grey Face is volunteer based, so please bear with us as we balance our efforts around full-time jobs, family, our own pets and other commitments. Because of the busy nature of rescue work, we rely on our team structure to get the job done! Here is a look at who may reach out to you regarding your foster cat.
Foster support team – Checks in to see how it is going after a few days with a new foster and then for regular updates after that. Will also remind you to complete the Bio after 2 weeks to help promote your foster. Email: amanday@greyfacerescue.org or foster@greyfacerescue.org
Vet care team – Sends you vet appointment information and further details on any medical needs your foster cat may have. Email: Vetting@greyfacerescue.org
The First Day
The first day is either going to be very stressful or very easy - it’s the hard truth! There will be accidents in the house, there will be hissing, possibly unwanted behaviors and that second thought like maybe I shouldn’t have committed to this. This is NORMAL and trust me, you are not the only one who has been through this or felt this way. Bringing home a new cat that just lost everything is hard and heartbreaking!
What To Expect
Hiding
Not Eating
Altercations to other animals (if introduced too soon or incorrectly)
Hissing
Swatting
These cats have been through so much in the last 24 hours and it’s common for them to react to this adjustment in unpleasing ways. We have to be mindful and put ourselves in their position.
What To Do
If you have other pets in the home, keep them separated for the first 24 hours. Remember, your new cat is stressed; meeting another cat just ads another layer of stress and can result in a cat fight. This goes for even if your cat is the most friendly cat ever or if the cats have met before. Bringing another cat into your home is different than a casual meeting and cats reactive differently when it is in their territory.
Sit back and observe your new best friend. Let your foster come to you, if you have kids, don’t allow them to hang on the cat, hug or put their faces to the cats face, etc. In other words, explain to your kids they need to give the new cat some space for a little while.
Additional Resources
https://kittenrescue.org/2017/03/welcoming-your-cat-home/
https://www.petfinder.com/cats/bringing-a-cat-home/welcome-home-new-cat/
https://www.meowfoundation.com/resources/new-cat/
WHAT TO FEED YOUR FOSTER
Grey Face will provide you with food. We rely on donations from the community when it comes to this, so the type of food available may change. We will promote donations of senior cat food, and specific food for those with vet-recommended diets due to medical conditions. If a veterinarian prescribes a particular diet for a medical reason, the rescue will pay for this. We do not purchase food in order to stick to a specific brand - we only have available what is donated to us.
Please visit our office if running low on food or FILL OUT THE CAT FOSTER REQUEST FORM. We ask that you notify us when you are down to a 2-week supply. You can then coordinate picking up supplies at our office and if needed transition your foster to a new brand/variety. It is your responsibility as a foster to notify us when you need supplies and arrange for pick-up from our St. Cloud office or from a volunteer in your area.
Tips to entice eating:
A stressed-out cat may boycott eating, believe it or not. If a hunger strike continues for more than a couple of days, contact us directly. We’re all here to help figure it out!
Stick to a schedule that works in your household, usually twice a day.
Scale back or hold treats completely until they start eating.
Try a different bowl or plate, or put the bowl at a different height. These guys like HABITS, so maybe it’s a matter of finding something they recognize as being more like what they are used to.
Mix in a different type of food (hard, soft, different brand).
Soften any hard food with a bit of warm water to make it smellier.
Try toppers to get them going – they often “taste” with their noses:
A few scoops of canned food.
Canned chicken or tuna.
Associate mealtime with love and fun.
Feeding Schedule and Quantity
Feed at the same times every day. As a general rule, we expect our cats to be fed once a day. Amount will depend on weight, age and activity level of your foster cat.
Do not feed any people food. You don’t know what an adopter will want to do, so don’t start a habit they will have to break.
Foods to Avoid – These can be fatal
Alcohol, Avocado, Caffeine, Chocolate, Coffee, Citrus, Coconut, Grapes, Raisins, Nuts, Ham & Ham Bones, Dairy/milk, Onions, Garlic, Chives, Xylitol (found in some Peanut Butter), Yeast, Cinnamon.
Always provide plenty of fresh water!
Introducing Resident Animals
This is SO important as it sets the tone between your resident animals and foster for their remaining stay. We want the initial introductions to be GREAT so the continued relationship is just as awesome!
Resident Dog
During that 24 hours of separation, while one is out going potty, allow the other to sniff around and learn the new additions smell.
Next introduce in the home through a baby gate between them.
Allow the cats to meet for short periods then separate to rest. This helps diffuse any over rambunctiousness from one party.
We HIGHLY recommend NEVER leaving your resident animals and foster cat unattended for any period of time.
VETERINARY TREATMENT
Upon arrival, 3-7 days after they enter your home, our Veterinary Team will reach out to set up your foster’s veterinary appointment, if needed. At times, our cats will come fully vetted, in those cases, a veterinary appointment is not needed.
Below is the treatment we provide to your foster while in our care.
Cats
Exam
Rabies vaccination
Distemper vaccination
FIV test
Spay/neuter
Microchip (if able to provide at office)
While in foster care, your foster’s microchips are registered to Grey Face Rescue. Upon adoption, the adopters are responsible for registering their newly adopted animals microchip.
We utilize the following clinics (you MUST be able to bring your foster to one of the following clinics for care):
Mission Animal Hospital (Eden Prairie) *this clinic is not often a choice as they book out appointments far in advance
Advanced Pet Care Hospital (Sartell)
Pet Central Animal Hospital (Minneapolis)
Grey Face Rescue Office (St. Cloud, MN)
BACK TO THE TOP
PARTNER VET CLINICS
You are not allowed to make appointments or go to the vet without authorization from a Grey Face Rescue team member.
When a veterinary appointment is requested, our team will reach out to the veterinary clinic to request an appointment. The clinic will give us the soonest date and time available. At times, it can be quickly or it can be weeks/months out - it all depends on how full the clinics schedule is. We do not have control of the timing of the visits.
We utilize the following clinics (you MUST be able to bring your foster to one of the following clinics for care):
Advanced Care Pet Hospital (911 Scout Dr, Sartell, MN 56377)
Appointments made at Advanced Care Pet Hospital are either in-person with the foster attending the appointment or drop-off. Information regarding the services your foster receives are sent prior to your appointment. If approval during your appointment is needed, the clinic will call our veterinary team.
If your animal is receiving surgery at this clinic, you are to drop the animal off before 8:00am on the scheduled surgery date. No food after midnight the night prior, water is ok.
Pet Central Animal Hospital (2700 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418)
Appointments made at Pet Central Animal Hospital are drop-off appointments only. You will be given a specific time to drop off the animal on the day of the appointment. Pick-up will be likely at 5:30pm that evening (they close at 6:00pm). Prior to the appointment, the services your foster needs is communicated to the clinic. If approval during your appointment is needed, the clinic will call our veterinary team.
If your animal is receiving surgery at this clinic, you are to drop the animal off at the scheduled time on the scheduled surgery date. No food after midnight the night prior, water is ok.
Crossroads Animal Shelter (2800 10th St SE, Buffalo, MN 55313)
Appointments at Crossroads Animal Shelter are drop-off only. Animals MUST be dropped off by 8:00am. They will not accept animals after 8:00am and the doors will be locked. Grey Face Rescue is charged $75 for all missed appointments. If they are receiving surgery, no food after midnight the night prior, water is ok.
Animals leaving this shelter may be still slightly under anesthesia so we recommend a quiet, more condensed space for them to recover.
The veterinary clinics will only perform services and testing that is communicated prior to the animals arrival unless authorized over the phone with our veterinary team. Fosters are not able to request additional services the day of the visit.
For specific veterinary care, health, needs or concerns, visit our Vet Health page. This dog is specific for dogs, if you are fostering a cat, care is similar.
Vacations/Temp Fosters
Are you going out of town and need a temp foster? No problem! We have lots of resources for you! Here’s what to do!
Post for a temp foster in the Army Facebook Group. Include a photo of your fosters, dates and additional information regarding your foster such as good with dogs, cats, kiddos, stairs, etc.
Fill out the CAT FOSTER REQUEST FORM.
Please be MINDFUL of temp foster needs and seek temp foster 2-3 weeks prior to vacation! Short term notices may be more difficult to find coverage.
YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE YOUR FOSTER WITH AN UNAPPROVED FAMILY, FRIEND OR NEIGHBOR. Doing this will lead to immediate removal from our program.
Promoting Your Foster CAT
Even though hundreds of people visit the rescue’s website and Facebook page every week, the more you network your foster cat, the quicker you’ll be able to find it a great forever home. Here are some simple ways to promote your cat:
Take plenty of photos and videos and post them on the Army Facebook Page so we can collect them.
Post your foster cat on your social networking sites. There are even social networking sites specifically for cats!
When discussing your foster cat with potential adopters, tell them what you know. Be honest and avoid negative statements, and choose words carefully.
Send an email to family, friends and colleagues. Let them know about your foster and ask them to help you spread the word and to tell their friends, etc.
Post a flyer of your foster cat at your workplace or put one on your office door or outside your cube. Spread the word at your child’s school, your place of worship, or any other organization that you belong.
Blog about your foster cat, or find a local community blog and blog there.
Tips for Taking Great Photos
We can’t stress this enough ... a picture is worth a thousand words.
The picture is the first thing people see when they visit our Facebook page or website. If the cat has a poor picture, visitors may move on to another cat without clicking or reading your cat’s description. If you want to give your cat the best chance possible, take large, clear, good-quality (high resolution) pictures of the cat alone, and them getting along with other dogs, cats and people. A good picture is often the difference between a cat who generates inquiries and one who doesn’t.
POST PICTURES HERE
Take a lot of pictures. You may have to take 50 to get 1 or 2 really good ones.
We also invite professional photographers to take pictures of our cats, so please plan to take advantage of this great opportunity to get great shots!
Pictures taken outside in natural light are usually much better than those taken inside or with a flash.
Use a squeaky toy to capture the cat’s best expression. Sometimes having two people makes this easier.
Take pictures using a neutral backdrop. Select a background that contrasts with the dog’s coloring. Darker-colored dogs will show up better against a lighter backdrop. Most dogs look great against a lush green lawn.
If your first attempts fail, don’t be discouraged. Just keep trying and have fun. When you are having fun, your foster cat will probably be having fun too and it will show! Talk to one of our team members if you need any other help.
PREPARING YOUR FOSTER FOR ADOPTION
Great news, your foster is about to be adopted! This is EXCELLENT! As a foster, it’s your responsibility to ensure your foster is prepared for adoption as once the meet and greet is complete,
Fill out the CAT FOSTER REQUEST FORM for refill any medications.
Supplies that go with your foster animal:
Blankets (not large beds)
Medications, if any
Food (make sure they have enough food for 1 week)
Any veterinary records you have
Foster folder
Supplies that DOES NOT go with your foster animal (and should be returned to the rescue):
Kennel
Beds
Food Bowls
Enrichment Toys
Litter Boxes
Litter Scoops
THE ADOPTION PROCESS
As a foster, you have first rights to adopt your foster cat. Grey Face requires that you alert us if you will be completing an adoption application and adopting your foster cat prior to any meet and greets with other potential applicants.
As a foster family, your involvement in the adoption process is essential. This happens through the meet and greet – a time that allows the cat and applicants to get to know each other and it also allows you (the person who knows the cat(s) best) to meet potential adopters and see if they would be a good fit to adopt your foster cat. A member of our adoption team will be in contact with you and the potential adopter to arrange all the details about the meet and greet.
Please know that we really value your input on the potential adopter and we ask you to let us know about any concerns you have at ANY time. Your thoughts and, in particular, your gut feelings are important in the process! That said, even if the fit feels right and/or if the applicants have already made there mind up that they want to adopt, you will not be leaving the foster cat with the applicants on the day of the meet and greet. Every applicant has to have a completed home visit prior to approval, plus they have to fill out paperwork prior to adoption.
Here is what happens leading up to a meet and greet: Potential adopters submit their application online and go through the same process that you did during the foster application. Grey Face works to match families with dogs and cats most appropriate for their desires, experience and situation. We make no guarantee that they will be approved for a specific cat. Once a potential adopter is approved for your foster cat, a meet and greet will be scheduled.
Your meet and greet should be a two-way dialogue with the applicant rather than just a one-sided Q&A session for the potential adopter. This is an opportunity to learn more about the family, the lifestyle they lead and to find out if they are a good match for your foster cat.
Talk about what kind of personality your foster cat has and ensure they are a match to the potential adopter. Discuss how it was for the cat when they transitions into your home. Ask questions about their past experiences with cats. Even if this is their first cat, how do their friends or family approach cat ownership. Will the animal have plenty of support from those important in the adopter’s life?
The adoption fee must be paid and paperwork completed and back with Grey Face before the cat can officially move to their adoptive home.
Thank you for opening your heart and home to help these wonderful dogs!
Removal from our foster program
At times, unfortunately, we have to remove foster families from our program. It’s tough but these decisions are made with the best interest of the animals in mind. We understand wholeheartedly that fostering can be difficult and down right frustrating but that’s why it is so rewarding! We take in animals that would otherwise cross the rainbow bridge and give them a second chance at a forever family. In some cases, that comes with some struggles.
In order to help our families, we have created tools and resources for our fosters to utilize to make the experience of fostering easier. This portal is filled with resources and content, as well as, our Facebook Army Group which is to be used to connect with other foster families when needing advice or encouragement. We also partner with the best veterinary practices that continue to work hard to provide care for our animals.
Reasons for removal:
Not providing proper care to your foster animal.
Not responding to communication efforts made by the Grey Face Team.
Breaking of confidentiality
Failure to adhere to policies or follow procedures
Inactivity
Inappropriate drug or alcohol use
Inappropriate or unprofessional conduct during your time of fostering. We ask that all fosters show professionalism during events, interviews, meet and greets.
Excessive “no-show”or cancelations of veterinary appointments.
Misrepresentation of Grey Face Rescue & Retirement
Theft and/or not returning all supplies that is the property of Grey Face Rescue.
Violence or implication of violence.
Requesting removal of an animal for convenience.
Leaving your foster in the care of an unapproved foster family.
Depending on the situation, you will be either become inactive for 30 days or removed completely from our program.
We truly hope that the relationship with our foster families never has to result in removal but we have to make the best decisions for our animals and their care. We hope when that decision is made the family respects it and we continue to move forward.
By signing below, you understand and have read the training materials provided to you.