The Foster Files

DIY Cat Shelter: How to Build a Warm Winter Home for Stray Cats Using Storage Bins

When temperatures drop, stray and feral cats in your neighborhood face life-threatening conditions. While these resourceful survivors are tougher than house cats, they still need protection from freezing temperatures, wind,... Read more...

The Cat Breed Guide: Colors, Coats, and Personalities

If you've ever wondered why your friend's Siamese won't stop talking while your Persian barely makes a sound, or why that Maine Coon down the street acts more like a... Read more...

What You Need to Know About Foster Failing

A "foster fail" is what happens when someone fosters an animal and ends up keeping them instead of adopting them out. And despite the name, it's actually one of the most... Read more...

When Your Heart Has Four Legs and Is Missing: A Guide to Finding Lost Cats

It happens in an instant. A door left open a second too long, a screen with a tiny hole that suddenly became an escape route, or a usually content indoor... Read more...

Two Hearts, One Home: Why Leo and Xena Had to Stay Together

When I first received the call about Leo and Xena, I thought I was just fostering two kittens who happened to be siblings. What I discovered was something much more... Read more...

From Street Cat to Leash Walker: Why Indoor Life is the Way to Go

When Vasiliy showed up at my door in the summer of 2020, he arrived with the swagger of a cat who knew the streets. This tabby had clearly been living... Read more...

A Week in the Life of a Foster Fail

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but I'm pretty sure it's actually paved with foster applications. What started as "just helping a few cats" has... Read more...

How to Keep Your Couch Safe From Claws (Mostly)

If you've ever shared your home with a cat, you've probably experienced that heart-stopping moment when you hear the unmistakable rip of claws meeting fabric. Read more...

How to Socialize a Shy or Semi-Feral Cat

Some of the most rewarding relationships I've had with cats started with a terrified little soul hiding under furniture, hissing at any movement, convinced that humans were the enemy. Read more...

Best Enrichment Toys for Indoor Cats

Living with four cats has taught me a lot about keeping indoor kitties mentally and physically satisfied. When you're responsible for entertaining multiple personalities with different play styles, energy levels,... Read more...

10 Signs You're a Professional Foster Failure

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat: being a foster failure isn't actually failing at anything. It's succeeding so hard at loving cats that you've created your own... Read more...

Home Hacks For Living With Multiple Cats

When you have one cat, your home accommodates a cat. When you have four cats (plus the occasional foster, plus those community cats you're definitely not supposed to be letting... Read more...