Thank you for opening your home and heart to help cats and kittens decompress from past experiences of pain, neglect, or uncertainty. By giving them patience, safety, and love, you’re helping them heal, build trust, and prepare for their purrfect forever home. What you do truly changes lives, one quiet moment and gentle step at a time.
Resources
Contact Information & Emergencies
Maria Powers
text or call 908-327-7444
maria@mariasmeows.org
Contact Maria
If your foster cat becomes lethargic, low energy, vomiting, diarrhea or stops eating, drinking, pooping or peeing for more than 24 hours – or if you feel something is not right or they are regressing or taking a turn for the worse in any way, mentally or physically.
if you have any questions or need any supplies.
In case of any emergency
Emergencies
In a life-threatening medical emergency, if you call Maria and she doesn’t answer, immediately take the cat to Kenilworth Animal Hospital, 741 Boulevard, Kenilworth, NJ 07033, (908) 245-8776. Tell them to bill Maria and ask them to call her when you get there.
Initial Isolation in Base Camp
All cats and kittens require an initial period of quarantine, either in a bedroom, bathroom, or office, depending on their needs. This is for socializing purposes, allowing the cat to decompress and settle in, and so as not to spread any illness to resident cats. Click here for more info on a successful Base Camp.
The starter room, or base camp, should have a bed, scratching post, food and water, litter box and a box or something they can hide in with a bed or blanket inside. The duration of the stay in base camp will depend on the cat, but usually a minimum of 2 weeks and can be longer for shy/feral cats and kittens. Do not upgrade your foster cat to more freedom without first checking in with Maria.
Veterinary Appointments and Health
If your foster cat becomes lethargic, low energy, vomiting, diarrhea or stops eating, drinking, pooping or peeing for more than 24 hours – or if you feel something is not right or they are regressing or taking a turn for the worse in any way, mentally or physically – call Maria immediately, day or night, at 908-327-7444. Keep calling until she answers.
When a veterinary visit is required, Maria will direct and coordinate ALL veterinary appointments. Maria Meows uses specific vets with which the rescue is comfortable. Fosters may not take a Maria Meows foster cat to the vet unless directed by Maria (unless it's a medical emergency - see above).
Deworming and or Other Medications
Most of our cats will require some degree of deworming once they arrive in your home. Any needed medications will be provided by the rescue. You may need to give the cat medicine, either orally, or mixed in with their food depending on the cat and the medication, on the agreed upon dates.
It’s important that in addition to being in a separate room from any resident cat while deworming, you also use a separate litter scoop during this time as well, to avoid any cross contamination.
Time Commitment
A minimum of 45 minutes twice a day should be spent with the foster cat. This is an active 45 minutes of petting, cuddling and playing. Any longer you can spend with them is great. Especially shy and feral cats and kittens will benefit from this time.
Communication Requirement
When fostering, we require you check in with Maria or check in with the organization as a whole on Discord or in email with an update on the cat, along with photos, a minimum of once a week. More frequently the first couple weeks while the cat settles in is appreciated.
Contact us immediately if you notice behavioral or health issues issues.
Supplies
Maria Meows is able to provide all the basic supplies needed to foster. Items such as food, litter, litter box and litter scooper, and a crate/playpen (if needed) can be provided.
It is your job to let Maria know when you are running low on any supplies, so she can order you more. If you wait until the day you run out of food and litter, you will have to purchase it on your own, and we cannot guarantee reimbursement.
Providing Photos/Videos/Information
Once your foster cat/kitten is socialized and fully vetted, they can be listed for adoption. We need your support to do that as quickly as possible and to promote adoptable cats on social media, Adopt-A-Pet and Petfinder.
Bio: Please post a bio of all of your fosters on Discord in the #cat-intros channel, including good photos (see below), name, age, location of foster and a 4-6 sentence bio describing their personality. You can find example bios on our Adopt-A-Pet.
Good photos: Good photos are a must for getting foster cats adopted. Photos with natural daylight, where the cat is looking up at the camera are best. Photos of the cats being petted, cuddling with humans or other pets, laying on your lap, bed or couch are also great. Soft, colorful backgrounds look good in pictures. Examples of good photos:
Taking Photos that get Pets Adopted
Roza the Catsitter on Instagram
Helping with the Adoption Process
Maria Meows will interview potential adopters, contact references and review applications. If an adopter is approved, we will connect them with you to meet the cat at a “meet-and-greet” in your home.
This is just the first meeting to assess compatibility. Maria Meows will advise whether you are to release a cat from your home. You may not give a cat to anyone without express direction from the rescue.
NOTE: If you have concerns or red flags about any potential adopter, please relay them to us ASAP.
Friend or Family Want to Adopt?
You or your friends/family are welcome to apply to adopt your foster cat! They can click here to apply. Fostering does not guarantee adoption approval, and we reserve the right to deny any adoption application for any reason. The adoption fee per cat will apply.