This ASPCA pro webpage describes humane cat holds.

Short video from Cat Town

Did you know healthy neonatal kittens do NOT need to be fed every two hours? Learn about the latest guidelines for kitten feeding and other kitten care in this course. The course was developed by the Kitten College at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington in Arlington, VA to help their foster caregivers raise happy, healthy kittens. The first kitten nursery of its kind, Arlington went from saving 92 kittens a year in 2016 to over 1500 kittens in 2023. Since its inception, the Kitten College program has been implemented in a growing number of shelters and rescues across the country.  

Watching kittens grow up and become ready for their own homes is a rewarding experience. Kittens are vulnerable and require special care and daily monitoring, which you'll learn about in this course.

After successfully completing this course you will be able to:

• Prepare for the arrival of your kittens
• Monitor your kittens' health
• Provide age-appropriate housing
• Bottle feed and syringe feed
• Stimulate your kittens to eliminate
• Wean your kittens 
• Bathe your kittens
• Socialize your kittens

The course was authored by Marnie Russ, National Kitten College Program Administrator, a recognized expert on caring for at-risk kittens. In 2023, Marnie assisted UC Davis and the University of Wisconsin in updating their neonatal kitten guidelines for mass distribution.

Housing pets in foster homes lowers their risk of getting sick because it reduces the amount of stress and exposure to infectious disease.Following proper cleaning and disinfection protocols helps lower this risk even further and prevents the spread of disease if a pet in your home is already sick. During this short class your will learn:

• The importance of proper cleaning and disinfection in foster homes
• How the type of housing and supplies affects cleaning and disinfection
• The proper way to clean and disinfect the home and supplies
• Additional considerations for infectious diseases that are harder to get rid of in the foster home

The OHS kitten foster manual contains many details you'll need to care for your kitten, including kitten medical conditions, what situations rise to the level of emergency and contact information. Please read the manual and then answer the short quiz that follows. 

Thank you for helping the most vulnerable population in our shelters!