The Powerful Impact of Cat Fostering: Heartfelt Stories of Kitten Rescue

Ever imagined opening your home to a furry four-legged friend temporarily and profoundly impacting their lives and yours in return? In the latest episode of 'The Story of My Pet', we talk about all things cat fostering! We have an engaging chat with Sam Proof, a cat lover and a live streamer, who reveals how fostering cats and kittens can save lives and make space in shelters. Experience the whirlwind journey of fostering through Sam's stories and learn how his love for these adorable felines turned into a live 24/7 cam show capturing their charming antics.
Sam, and his wife Amanda, have made it their mission to foster  and have helped over 170 cats through Kitten Rescue LA. They share their heartwarming tales of nurturing bottle babies, adult, and senior cats, alongside the unique challenges and gratifications that come with it. Learn how even fostering one cat can make a huge difference in the animal rescue world, and why working with reputable rescue organizations is an advantage. Don't miss out on their poignant narrative of a devastating experience with a litter of sick kittens.
The exciting path from live streaming to podcasting about pet rescue and fostering. Listen to their anecdotes about the chaos, joy and the bittersweetness of fostering and how community support plays a significant role in caring for these rescued animals. We wrap up our chat with Sam, as he talks about his upcoming Catmus interactive experience that combines fun and philanthropy. So, listen up and get ready to be inspired, educated and entertained, and who knows, you might just find yourself fostering a little furball soon!
 To learn more about Cute Avalanche and watch the 24/7 feed via their Website, on Instagram, and on Facebook.
To learn more about Kitten Rescue LA, check out their Website, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

Chapters

• 0:09 Importance of Fostering Cats and Kittens
• 8:31 Fostering and Making a Difference
• 18:27 Fostering Pets
• 29:02 Catmiss Interactive Experience With Kids

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:09

Hello, my friends and fellow animal lovers, welcome to another episode of the story of my pet podcast. I am your host, julie Marty Pearson, and I'm happy to bring you a brand new episode all about cats and kittens and the importance of fostering. I hope you enjoy this interview and I hope it inspires you to think about fostering some cats or kittens in need in your local community. I am happy to be here with a new guest. I'm welcoming Sam proof to the podcast. Hello, sam, thank you so much for being here. Oh, thank you for having me. I definitely have to say I think you're the first person I'm having on that has a 24-7 live cam of cuteness for cats. Oh, that's something I actually found out about you and then we connected to be on the podcast. So can you talk a little bit about what you call the cute avalanche that is, your 24-7 cat cam?

Speaker 2: 1:12

Yeah, sure. So I have been a live streamer for a very long time. I was like an early adopter into the whole YouTube world and at that time there was a site called Stick Am that did live streaming and I was very active on that myself. And then life happened I got married, became a dad and had to put all of that fun stuff away. And my wife started talking about fostering cats, to which I reply if we do that, can I live stream? That's the condition. And she was like a little hesitant at first but she was like sure.

Speaker 2: 1:46

So a year or two later, when we actually started fostering, I set up a live stream and originally it went out to Facebook and then we modified it and went to different places until we landed on Twitch and technically we landed on Mixer, but Mixer doesn't exist anymore. But now we're on Twitch, where it's 24 and our live stream has about seven different cameras that our chat can actually control, so they can just, through the prompts in the chat, decide what's on screen at any given time. And yeah, it's the room that our fosters are in, which also happens to be our master bedroom. So at night time it either goes to a very specific camera that they can't change, or if we can't get to that for reasons, it goes to a playlist, but for the most part it is just live chaos or live napping, which is the only two extremes with cats.

Speaker 1: 2:37

Absolutely. Those are the two channels. Cat lives on Chaos or sleep.

Speaker 2: 2:42

Yep.

Speaker 1: 2:43

Have you always been a cat lover, a pet lover? Did you grow up with pets?

Speaker 2: 2:48

Oh yeah, we've always for the most part always had dogs and cats. Like when I moved out on my own, I was in an apartment, so for a long time it was something that I always wanted, and then I just couldn't bring myself to do that for one reason or another. And eventually one of my friends found herself in a weird living situation and she had three cats and she was like I really need someone to just house them for a while and she was like would you do that? This ended up being like two years, so I had cats again and then, after that, went and got married and then we had cats again. Yeah, I've always pretty much been a cat person, but also dogs. I like dogs.

Speaker 1: 3:27

We are an equal opportunity animal lover podcast, for sure, but I feel like with cats, once you get one, it just doesn't stop.

Speaker 2: 3:35

Yeah, and especially when you're fostering it is very hard to not take them all. But early on in our fostering process we really got a glimpse at what was happening in the local shelter scene and just how important it was to take cats out of that so other cats that needed that could be there Every litter worth of cats. Somebody comes on the stream and is like you're going to adopt this one and we're like if we adopt this one, at least a dozen this year can't be fostered Right.

Speaker 1: 4:09

I think that's an important thing to talk about with fostering, because there's kind of two sides of it. There's the one side that people are afraid to foster because they think they have to or will automatically want to keep them, and then, there's the other side of when you do fostering a lot and people follow you and love the content, it's just the automatic response. Well, are you going to keep it or which?

Speaker 2: 4:30

one are you going to?

Speaker 1: 4:31

keep, and it's like I would say it's a balancing act. What do you think about?

Speaker 2: 4:35

that, oh for sure. I mean there are people that go into fostering with the hesitation of I want a cat, but I just have commitment issues, so maybe fostering is a good idea, and then they end up adopting that cat because really that was what their subconscious wanted all along. But I think if you go into it with the mindset of I am trying to do good in the world of animal rescue, then yeah, you have to make that sort of established mission of I can't, I just can't take more, because the more I take, the less I save.

Speaker 1: 5:09

Absolutely yeah, and I think that's so true. Fostering is great in a lot of ways. Like you said, if someone's considering a cat or a dog and they're just not sure and they don't know what that life is going to look like, it is a great stepping stone to figure out is it right for you, is this the right animal, and all of that. But ultimately, people who are dedicated fosters, like you and your wife and do it constantly or time after time, it's more about, be that in between, from the shelter and the adopted home, that allows the cat to socialize and have a safe space and all of those things and allows the shelter more space.

Speaker 2: 5:46

Yeah, for sure, I think, a misconception people have with shelters themselves.

Speaker 2: 5:51

If you put kittens in there, they're going to take care of them. Kittens are, like almost always the first on that euthanasia list because they require so much more attention, especially the very, very young kittens like eight weeks and younger. And we're seeing so many of them in Los Angeles right now in the shelters and like it hasn't stopped. So at the time of year that would be done, like kitten season would be over. We're still seeing just bottle babies showing up in the shelter and it's because during many years they're going to have to pay about 20 today because even more mice are coming out doing their medical services. The recent pandemic all the shelters closed down and told people to just put the cats back and now there's just an explosion of cats everywhere and you almost want the shelters to only be taking in those lost pets and things like that that have microchips and that are just waiting for their owners to find them again. And if you do find like kittens or ferales or things like that, contact a rescue first and see what they want you to do.

Speaker 1: 6:52

Right and yeah, so many yeses to all the things that I live in Kern County, which is just north of LA County, and we are in desperate, overcrowded shelters crisis for more so for dogs, with the same is true for cats.

Speaker 1: 7:06

And the same thing I fostered this time last year and it was a litter that came in there about two weeks old and it was pretty uncommon in October for a litter to be coming in, because there is this thing we call kitten season, that in the warmer months, spring and summer, is when kittens, cats, are more active, get pregnant, have babies, and I mean now in California it could always be that.

Speaker 2: 7:30

Yeah, pretty much.

Speaker 1: 7:31

But there's still is always a natural slowdown in the cooler months. We still have that ebb and flow, but I keep seeing my shelters posting. We need cat fosters, we have singles, we have doubles, we have litters that have upper respiratory that need this or that, and usually this time you're not seeing that pleading for the kitten fosters. So it is definitely a time. If anyone out there is listening to this and is thinking about being a cat or kitten foster, please look into it. We will link the shelters in both of our areas as well as kitten rescue LA that Sam works with this time is better than any, because they are desperately needed.

Speaker 2: 8:09

Yeah for sure, get involved If it's just something you've thought about doing. No matter what your hesitation is, there's going to be a way to make it happen.

Speaker 1: 8:18

Absolutely, and most rescue shelters are going to give you all the supplies, the food, everything you need. You're literally just giving space in your home and time.

Speaker 2: 8:27

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:28

The amount of time depends on how young they are. Bottle babies take a little more time. Have you guys thought of bottle babies?

Speaker 2: 10:29

Yeah, so early on, when we really got started, we realized that one of the best things we could do is focus on those kittens that were eight weeks or younger, including bottle babies, to clear shelter space, because it's not something that the typical person's going to come in and do, because that is a much more skill set of things you have to be able to do. It's just easier for the person that is fostering for the first time to come and get an adult cat that does not have special needs of any kind. So we take in those bottle babies and my wife has specialized in all of that kind of stuff. We recently, like the last year, took in a cat. It was part of a bigger litter and we got this one cat that just wouldn't eat and that cat would normally die Any normal person, any shelter situation. That cat would have been dead in 24 hours, 48 hours, and she had to learn to tube feed this cat. Oh wow, and it didn't stop. It was like a two week process of like every three hours throughout the night.

Speaker 1: 11:33

So yeah, like we've made it our mission to take in the smallest, and that's so important because, like you said, I don't think people realize in shelters most shelters, yes, the cats get fed maybe twice a day. I know the one that I volunteer with they clean and feed them in the morning and they clean and feed them at night and the rest of the time they're just in the cages. And so you can imagine a two or three week old that's not going to work because one they don't know how to get on their own, and the shelter staff, they're already so overextended they can't get bottle feeding and, like you said, unfortunately those youngest ones end up on the euthanasia lifts, not because there's anything wrong, but there just isn't anyone to care for them and that is.

Speaker 1: 12:16

I would say some of the hardest part I've had just being in a shelter and realizing the process and what happened.

Speaker 2: 12:22

Yeah, there's plenty of adult and senior cats that just need a place to live. They don't have any special needs. So if you can take on a foster, you do it.

Speaker 1: 12:32

They just need maybe some socialization. They've been in the street. They may not be feral. Maybe they got left outside on purpose or accidentally. There's so many different situations and sometimes if I was a cat I'd be a little scared of the shelter it's loud and uncertain and you're in a little metal cage. So many ways people can help. So when you guys first got started as fosters, were there any stories? You have that? Maybe you realized this is what we should be doing or maybe we made a mistake at first.

Speaker 2: 13:04

So the second litter we got was a mom and like five or six babies. Like within 48 hours or so of being under our care, they all started to get sick. They stopped eating mom got lethargic and pretty much stopped nursing and we found out through our rescue contact that they thought they might have Pan Luke, which ended up being the case. Anyone who doesn't know Pan Luke kind of like Parvo and dogs, it is. At that time this was 2017, there was no treatment whatsoever. Really, there's still no actual cure. It's not been approved by the FDA. There are things out there. It's just a devastating disease with almost zero survival rate almost zero.

Speaker 2: 13:52

So we ended up turning the entire litter over to kit and rescue and they worked on trying to save those cats. Like they had staff dedicated to them 24, seven and just day by day we got updates of this. One passed, that one passed until they were just all gone and it was just devastating and my wife was like don't do this. And that was the second litter. So we almost stopped completely, but we didn't. And here it is, six years later. We have fostered 170 cats now.

Speaker 1: 14:25

Wow, 170. Group esasn't prizes rising in the back. That is a huge impact that you guys have had. I've only, at this point, done seven, so a hundred and seven.

Speaker 2: 14:37

That's still good.

Speaker 1: 14:38

And, like I say, I always say, every single animal counts. We even had a possum for a while, so it all matters. That really shows your guys dedication and continuing to do it and making an impact. And I know LA County is so overrun with need in terms of cats and kittens. So how did you guys get connected specifically with Kitten Rescue LA?

Speaker 2: 15:02

So one of my wife's best friends, who was actually at the time a pretty popular YouTuber, bridget Dale, had actually fostered through Kitten Rescue and when we started fostering it was something that almost accidentally happened. Where she had reached out to someone on, it was either Nextdoor or a Facebook post and that actually didn't happen that particular cat that she had tried to foster. But somebody saw her comment and replied to that and was like hey, I have other cats if you're interested. So we got these just random cats with no rescue really directly involved. But once we got started, bridget was like this is the rescue that we did Kitten Rescue and here's the contact for that an X, y and Z. And she got us set up with that and yeah, we never looked back. Kitten Rescue has been great and it's a really awesome organization. They are just California based at this time but yeah, we've been involved so much that it's like I don't know that we could ever go anywhere.

Speaker 1: 16:03

Right. Well, I know I followed them for years and I've always heard really great things about them and everything that they do. And if you're not in the LA area or California area, there are Kitten Rescue wherever you live. Trust us and you can also do like I did. I've fostered directly through one of my shelters, so there are many ways you can sign up to foster. But it's also great when you find a good shelter or rescue and you get to know the people and you know the process, because then it's just very smooth transition bringing the cats in and out and new ones and all of that and they get to know you and know what you can handle and the best ways for you to help them in terms of when they get new kittens in, I'm sure.

Speaker 2: 16:44

Oh yeah, for sure, and there's some really good, I think. I just want to point out Best Friends Animal Society, which is a national rescue which we've done a little bit of other stuff with. So if you can't, if for some reason you're in an area where it's just I can't find anything, I bet you can find that.

Speaker 1: 17:00

Yes, absolutely, as well as SPCA, they have places.

Speaker 2: 17:04

Yeah, spca is for sure. Between those two you're gonna find something in your area. Yeah, NQMain Society yeah.

Speaker 1: 17:10

So I know that you recently started a podcast, just getting around, so you can talk a little bit about why you started that and what kind of your purpose is with it.

Speaker 2: 17:19

Yeah, so we'd been going for six years with the stream and I'm always looking to do more stuff and more interesting things, and I was starting to focus on a YouTube channel and this kind of came out with that intention of doing things outside of the Twitch and made all these contacts at this point to other people in the rescue world. I feel like I think part of this is straight out of imposter syndrome, where I was like I guess I have a lot of this knowledge, but I feel like these other people have the credentials to be like they have the knowledge, so I can just pull that knowledge out of them. And that was the thing.

Speaker 1: 18:05

Totally get what you're saying. I've always felt like I know a lot, I'm an animal lover, I know these things, but then I'm like but they really know it and I want them to be the one to share that.

Speaker 2: 18:16

Yeah, plus I think just doing podcasts that are interview and conversational style are just more interesting to absorb that kind of information.

Speaker 1: 18:27

What have you found in doing the podcast? Are you just being connected to more incredible pet people, or you just find that you're able to spread more awareness and education?

Speaker 2: 18:37

I mean I think it's a little bit above. We're only two episodes in. We've been really taking our time with it to analyze, do what I do and then analyze it and be like is this the direction I want it to go? So I'm being a perfectionist completely about this whole thing. But yeah, I just I wanted to make it something interesting and be able to curate it as I went. So I think a lot of it is pulling in on those connections I had and getting those people involved and just making something educational, whereas a lot of our other stuff is just cute and fun.

Speaker 1: 19:13

It's something I've struggled with too. Like I started, I love pets. Let's talk about pets, it's fun. And then through that process it has become more advocacy and education and so I want to make sure people get the information. But we still want to just share the fun stuff, the cute stuff, the reason that we love those animals and how they help us get through hard times. So, as somebody who's been doing live streaming for a long time gaming, obviously in talking about podcasts I have a lot of friends who listen, who have their own podcast or who thought about it. I'm working with some people starting their own. What would be, as a person who has been doing the live streaming in that side of it and moving into more of the podcast side, what would do you think would be like one piece of advice you would give to someone who's like I don't really know what I'm doing, like that imposter syndrome.

Speaker 1: 19:59

But they know they want to put out something into the world.

Speaker 2: 20:03

Yeah, I think as far as advice goes is don't stand in your own way, get started, just do it. If you have that inclination to do it, just start doing it and watch back everything you're doing and be like was this good, do I wanna change this? Do I do this a different way? And I actually do. I host a show with a friend of mine every Friday on my own channel about video and live streaming, and something we say is you may find out that this is not for you. You don't want a live stream, you don't want a podcast, whatever it is, but you'll get that knowledge early on, as opposed to I'm gonna work on preparing this idea for six months until I actually do it. Don't do that, just get started.

Speaker 1: 20:45

Absolutely. And I say and this is what I did. I always say just start messy, and then you figure it out as you go. I mean the first few episodes of my podcast. I didn't do any editing at all and so please don't listen to this, but there's dogs barking, all sorts of stuff going on, but that's okay. Podcasting is really just about sharing your story and your voice and whatever that passion is for you.

Speaker 2: 21:11

Yeah, I mean our podcast is recorded live. We actually do stream it live to the YouTube when we do it, so there is almost no editing whatsoever, because I just again perfectionist, if I go down that road, I'm gonna spend way too much time doing it.

Speaker 1: 21:27

Okay, so I know one thing that you guys, I think, are currently doing is a food drive.

Speaker 2: 21:32

Yeah, it's ongoing right now. We do a lot of mini fundraisers throughout the year and because we just brought in a mom with seven kittens, like we need to do a food drive because those kittens won't be eating off of mom for very long, which they're already weaned at this point. I think they still nurse once or twice a day, but for the most part they're eating four meals a day. So, yeah, we're running a food drive, which may only cover these cats but yeah, the reason we were able to get to 170 cats fostered is because we do have this amazing community that watch the live stream and do donate either monetarily or off our Amazon wish list, and because of them we're able to foster like three to five times the amount of cats that we'd be able to do if it was just based on my own salary.

Speaker 2: 22:24

Yeah, kitten rescue itself is amazing. They cover all of the medical needs. They cover like vaccines and dewormer and flea meds and the microchips and the spay and neuter surgery. If we can't get vouchers for those, those are covered by kitten rescue. But they don't actually cover like food and litter and toys and nutrients and supplements all that stuff we supply, so like when our community can come in and drop those things on. It helps out immensely.

Speaker 1: 22:51

Yeah, I did a litter of six kittens this time last year. And you cannot imagine how much food people who've never done it six kittens go through in just a day. Yeah, I was going to the shelter two or three times a week, because once they're on wet food, wow, they go through it Like nothing you've ever seen.

Speaker 2: 23:10

Yeah, I mean they're eating three, if not four times a day, depending on who's doing it. We're doing four times a day and it is. I can't do the math right now. We go through a case of food a week, something like that. I don't know. It's crazy.

Speaker 1: 23:25

It is crazy, but it's also so wonderful because as you see them grow and become more active, it's just wow. You little being are coming, this kitten that unfortunately may not have made it if they hadn't been rescued or brought into the shelter.

Speaker 2: 23:41

And right now our kittens have entered full on into chaos mode.

Speaker 1: 23:45

so oh chaos. Yes, Remember the point at which my husband looked at me and said I think it might be time for you to take him back to the shelter.

Speaker 2: 23:55

Yeah, there's generally a time where I get to like my wife is a little more patient than me. I love everything about it, but there is a point where I'm like these are ready to be adopted now.

Speaker 1: 24:07

Yeah, when the activity level gets to a height where it's okay, there's not enough space for all of you in here anymore.

Speaker 2: 24:14

It's exactly what it is. Yeah, because they're confined to one room and it's seven cats, not enough room.

Speaker 1: 24:20

When they get to that six to eight week and they're approaching that two pound mark, that's when like, okay, you guys all need your own space now.

Speaker 2: 24:27

Yep, that's exactly where we're at. Yep.

Speaker 1: 24:29

Yeah, I totally feel it. She was just in here. My pumpkin is actually the foster fail of that litter. I did end up adopting one from there and I was looking back on some photos and videos recently, realizing she was just so little when I got her and she continued to grow and I just think of all those other cats and think they're each in their own home doing the same things and it was hard in a lot of ways doing it and I'm sure it is for you guys. I know you have human kids as well.

Speaker 1: 24:59

You have your lives, but the rewards of fostering, I think, far outweigh any of the stress that can come with it.

Speaker 2: 25:08

Yeah, no, we love it completely and we love all of the cats and it gets it. There gets to be a point where it's hard to give up certain cats, like we recently took on our first blind, fully blind cat. Her name was Monet, that named after Monet, who went slightly blind as he got older and at first, like I, was like I don't think we should.

Speaker 2: 25:29

I feel like blind cat. We can do it. It's so much work and by the end of it I was like maybe we just adopt out one of our house cats. We keep this one. She's so awesome and like she's her own entire show. But we just started getting the updates from her new adopter yesterday and it's just so great to see her thriving in her own place.

Speaker 1: 25:54

That's so great. I think that's so important, because a lot of people are afraid of those things are differently able cats and dogs and everything I've seen. I've never experienced myself that. Even animals that are born that way, without sight or hearing, whatever it may be, they are animals and they innately, their other senses make up for it and they sometimes are more extraordinary than our own norm cats.

Speaker 2: 26:17

Oh yeah.

Speaker 1: 26:19

It sounds like that was the case for you.

Speaker 2: 26:21

Definitely. It's so funny because you go into it thinking, oh, this cat's gonna need all these special things, but like really beyond clinking the bowl when you put it down so she knows food is there, she had no qualms about being sightless and would do anything that a normal cat would do and I was like she's like jumping up on things and like running full speed around the house and like, okay, she just dad. That's her learning curve. Is I run into a wall Sometimes?

Speaker 1: 26:54

it happens and she bounces right back.

Speaker 2: 26:56

I'm sure and totally.

Speaker 1: 26:58

I'm sure being in your house and being in a home environment versus a shelter was probably so much of a easier transition for her.

Speaker 2: 27:07

Yeah, I mean, I think, god, if she had stayed in the shelter, in just like that little room, I don't think she'd have learned nearly anything about being a cat for forever and would be totally like disjointed from the world at this point. So, yeah, I think having had a foster taker in was like beneficial to her ability to stay alive, right.

Speaker 1: 27:31

Absolutely. Yeah, I've seen it over and over where people say or I've seen it firsthand where animals can come their personality changes in a shelter, it's the unknown, and I can imagine, especially for an animal that has been in a home and then, for whatever reason, are not anymore and then they're in this different place where it's a confined space. There's so many things that fostering helps them with in terms of whatever trauma maybe they've been through, or just the environment. Learning a new environment, being more adaptable, helps them in the long run, and it sounds like it's exactly what you did for her and she's in her forever home now.

Speaker 2: 28:06

Yeah, for sure. And I mean yeah, it's just being out in an actual space gives them the challenges that they need to like. I think that applies to just even humans. Like you couldn't live in a box, right so? Like you just need external stimuli and different challenges every day so that you can grow and become a problem solver. And if you're just stuck in like a crate for 24 seven? Yeah you'd be developing more trauma, right? Oh yeah.

Speaker 1: 28:35

I mean sometimes for an animal you may be considering adopting or fostering. We never know their backstory and sometimes it affects them more than not. But they're so adaptable and the great thing about animals is they're just so. All they want to do is give the love they just want. Their person, their home, whatever it may be, and you'll get that tenfold back with whatever effort you give to helping them.

Speaker 2: 28:59

Oh yeah, for sure it's a highly rewarding emotionally.

Speaker 1: 29:02

The other thing I know that you had given me some info. In December, you guys will have a catmiss interactive experience. You want to talk a little bit about that?

Speaker 2: 29:13

Sure, yeah, we decorate our stream. There's a big virtual sort of frame that's filled with about 50 baubles like ornaments and they have like defaults image and then our viewers on Twitch can donate. I believe it's $5. That sounds about right and it will replace that ornament with their user avatar and it'll stay up for the entirety of the month. On one side of the screen there is a catmiss tree which has like a cat face and some tinsel and lights and they can actually change the color of the lights and the tinsel with a few chat prompts and then the face reacts to different emotes that are placed in chat. And there's also a cat tree topper, so a hat or a star or if you pay a donation of $25, our friend Insomnia Doodles will do a cat based on your own fur pal that will be on the tree.

Speaker 1: 30:06

Oh, that's so great. I am definitely going to be doing that Nice. I always love it when I can. I love creative, artistic people who focus on animals and are able to create images or whatever it may be. It's always so fun to see different versions of our fur babies created for us, so that sounds like a lot of fun, a great interactive way for people to be involved and donate as little as five, because every $5, that's a lot of food for kittens.

Speaker 2: 30:34

It all helps. We do really hope that in the next year or two we can establish our own nonprofit. We've talked a lot about the future five year plan of becoming like a cat-calf, so if anyone wants to partner on that kind of situation, let me know.

Speaker 1: 30:50

Yes, I've definitely seen. I mean I know some went through hard times with COVID, but I'm seeing more of that and maybe more connections with cat cafes and rescues and I think it's such a great way to have cats interact with people and get to know them and socialize. And I know you mentioned that you have kids. How do they fit into your fostering process? Do they love the animals or they over it?

Speaker 2: 31:14

No, they both probably. They do love it, but they're also of the mind of a mom and dad. You spend all this time doing this. Can we play more? But at the same time they've picked out their favorite foster and they want to do what they can do and help more. It's been pretty good. They're eight and 10 at this point, so the focus is not really there to actually help too much, but they do help a little bit here and there, which is great. They're definitely helpful on the socializing side of things and it's a good barometer because they are not super young, but young enough that we can see how cats react to them and when we go out to adopt them we can be like they get along with kids or they don't, absolutely. We've had cats where it's absolutely no, that's too much for them. They need less stimulus.

Speaker 1: 32:05

And that is such an important thing. I know when I did dog adoption, that was always something people would ask us do they get along with other dogs, do they get along with cats, do they get along with kids? And it's like, well, in the shelter, we just don't know, you just don't know. But in a home, in a foster home, you get to see so many more aspects of an animal's personality and for you, for your kids, to be able to interact, I'm sure first of all, that is like you said, socializing them just by that interaction. But you get to see how they individually react to it.

Speaker 2: 32:33

That's true.

Speaker 1: 32:35

And I also think postures like you guys who have kids. Then you're also showing your kids the importance of what you're doing and how it's just become a part of your everyday life.

Speaker 2: 32:46

Yeah, I think they've really learned a lot about just responsibility in that vein and even just creating routines, because there is a lot of structure to this.

Speaker 1: 32:56

Right, I want to thank you, sam, for being here. I really appreciate your time. It was great to meet you and learn about your journey with the cute avalanche of cats and kittens. You guys have in your home and I'm excited for listeners to learn more about you guys and be able to follow along in your fostering journey too. Yeah, thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 2: 33:20

And yeah, if you find your way over to our 24-7 stream, let us know that you found us through here.

Speaker 1: 33:25

That would be great. Okay, listeners, I will see you next time. Thank you for listening. Thank you, my friends and fellow animal lovers, for listening to this episode of the story of my pet. I hope you enjoyed it. Please share the podcast with your family and friends so more people can hear these inspiring pet stories and learn how to advocate for animals in need through rescue, fostering, adoption and volunteering. Make sure you hit, follow or subscribe wherever you are listening to this episode so you don't miss any new upcoming episodes. You can also now subscribe to the podcast on YouTube, so please go over there, hit, subscribe. Remember to rate and review this podcast wherever you are listening or watching, whether it be on Apple, spotify, now on YouTube. The more ratings and reviews we get, the more people will see the podcast and share these pet stories. Thank you for listening. Much love to you and your pet.