For most people, the arrival of spring means sunshine streaking through windows and flowers in gardens. For PAWS Foster Care Coordinator Ann Watkins spring means the insistent mewing of hundreds of hungry kitties, and dozens of daily phone calls attempting to line up foster care parents for the expected 600 kittens that she will need to find temporary homes for.

“We place them as young as a day old,” says Watkins. They need round the clock care, with feedings every 2 or 3 hours, along with monitoring of their body temperature.”

Watkins also places older kittens into foster care homes. “Some foster families enjoy the lively six-to-eight week stage where the kittens are all over everything and playing and are really cute,” says Watkins. “Some kittens need special care because they’ve been recovered from a feral colony and need additional socialization.”

Watkins talks to many people who show an interest in fostering, but don’t believe that they have the time or ability to care for kittens. “But we have a niche for almost anyone, regardless of how much time or experience they have,” says Watkins. “I have many foster parents who work. Because young foster kitties need to be crated and kept on a heating pad, people can take them to work and let other people meet them. It’s a perfect stress reliever for the people and a great way to help socialize the cats.”

People interested in fostering PAWS kittens are encouraged to call Watkins at (425) 787-2500 ext. 822, or download a foster care application on-line from the PAWS web site at www.paws.org.