Vicky Schooler, Communications Manager at Procter & Gamble, knows all about the joys (and occasional messes) of fostering kittens.  Vicky began volunteering as a kitten foster mom in the late 90s after her beloved cat passed away from a heart condition.  Left with toys, food, and an open heart and home, Vicky started welcoming two to four kittens at a time. She nurses them to health, socializes and cuddles them to ensure they are ready for the families that eventually adopt them. 

“One of the most rewarding things about fostering kittens is the unconditional love they give you, especially after a hard day,” said Vicky.  “I get a little teary-eyed when the kittens no longer need to stay with me, but I remind myself that this is exactly why I volunteer as a foster mom... so they can be adopted into their forever home.” 

Vicky has cared for more than 20 kittens and cats since the beginning of her foster parenting days.  That said, those many years of cherished memories with the kittens come with some laughable messy moments.  Vicky warmly recalls the time she took in four kittens at once in her home.  “I opened the door and found this adorable herd of kittens had left trails of food all over the floor, and one of them decided the bathtub served better as a litter box!”  Vicky finds it easy to clean up these inevitable messes with Bounty. Bounty paper towels are more absorbent, which means the roll lasts longer and she doesn’t need to use as many to tackle pet accidents.  She keeps several rolls throughout the house so she can quickly clean up messes anywhere and get back to cuddling with her kittens.

When asked what advice she can give to others considering becoming an animal foster parent, Vicky shared the  following three tips:

• Make sure you have a place for the animal to feel safe, such as soft bedding on which to curl up.
• Have different kinds of toys available so they figure out what they like to play with. This helps the adopting family know what their pet likes to play with from Day 1. 
• Keep a steady of supply of cleaning supplies, like Bounty paper towels, on hand as there will be messes! 

For more tips and articles about how to tackle pet messes, check out www.BountyTowels.com.

To learn more about fostering and volunteer opportunities, please contact Lee Ann Luxenberger at spca cincinnati at lluxenberger@spcacincinnati.org

The joy of cuddling with kittens after a long day at work is why Vicky continues to foster.