Announcing the New “Catology” Program By Royal Canin
One of the unforeseen consequences of the coronavirus pandemic has been the increase in pet fostering and adoptions. With most of the nation under stay-at-home orders, animal rescues have been hard-pressed to tend to the animals in their care and at the same time, maintain the social distancing rules we’ve all come to live by.
Animal rescues all over the country called on people to open their hearts and homes to shelter animals in need. And thankfully, many people heeded the call for help and opened their households to these animals and organizations. From New York to California, and everywhere in between, people are fostering and adopting in record numbers – and many of them are first-time foster parents.
Springtime is Kitten Season
Despite the huge surge of fosters and adoptions, kitten season is upon us again. Shelters will soon be inundated with litter upon litter of kittens. The need for fosters and adopters remains as social distancing rules persist and will continue to impact animal shelters for the foreseeable future.
Kittens require extra vigilant care. Many come to shelters still nursing and sometimes orphaned or sick – so special training is often necessary to care for these tiny babies. The better the care and socialization a kitten receives in foster care, the better adjusted the cat will be for a future adoptive family.
Kitten Trivia – Did You Know…?
Kittens need to be socialized very early. The prime opportunity for socialization is between two and seven weeks and continues up to 14 weeks. This is the time that they are most receptive to training (litter box, cat carrier, etc.) and being handled by humans.
Royal Canin Steps In To Help First-Time Fosters
In addition to the amazing support from the public, companies like Royal Canin have also stepped in to help first-time fosters of cats and kittens with a new educational series on fostering and kitten care called “Catology.” The company has teamed up with internet sensation Hannah Shaw, “The Kitten Lady,” to offer a series of free, interactive livestreams covering a variety of topics affecting foster parents of cats and kittens.
Mark Your Calendars!
The series of free sessions will be offered every Saturday from April 18th through May 9th at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT.
Catology Line-Up
- April 18 – Caring for Itty Bitty Bottle Babies
- April 25 – Beyond The Bottle: Caring for Growing Kittens
- May 2 – Kittens Healthy: Caring for the Most Fragile Felines
- May 9 – Feral Felines: Helping Kittens Found Outdoors
Where do I register?
Register for your free tickets on Eventbrite at catology.eventbrite.com. You’ll need to register for each session individually. If you can’t make the livestream, you’ll still be able to watch the session after the main, interactive live event on Royal Canin or The Kitten Lady’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
New To Fostering? Get Free Food!
The news for kitty foster parents (and their cats and kittens) gets even better! To support all of you brave and generous kitty foster parents, Royal Canin is offering support in the form of free cat and kitten food. Claiming your cat food is easy[1].
- Purchase any Royal Canin cat or kitten food up to $30 MSRP
- Visit Royal Canin’s website at royalcanin.com/foster to get the rebate code (it’s located about 2/3 of the way down the page)
- Claim your rebate on their site.
- Pat yourself on the back for being the best kitty foster parent ever 👏🏻
Have You Considered Becoming a Foster But Are Still Unsure?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Many people have contemplated fostering but are worried about what’s involved. Whether you found a litter of kittens outside or just want to help out amid the coronavirus pandemic – Royal Canin is committed to supporting the cat community through their new Catology Facebook Group. This new community will feature a variety of cat experts including veterinarians, nutritionists and other feline experts. By joining, you’ll have free access to hosted chats, success stories and other resources for cat and kitten foster parents.
Many shelters have adapted to social distancing guidelines and are offering foster pet delivery (so you don’t have to leave your home) or “low contact” pick up options. Check out StayHomeAndFoster.org and more kitten care guidance at kittenlady.org/webinar
[1] Limited to the first 1,000 sign-ups. New fosters and adopters can receive a rebate for the MSRP price (up to $30 back) for any purchase of Royal Canin Cat, Kitten or Mother and Babycat product(s). Learn more at royalcanin.com/foster.
