It’s a Foster Family Affair: Kristen, Tom, Kids, & Cats

Kristen Hall learned about TKR as a cat volunteer at SFACC. TKR founder Toni Sestak — who can spot a good kitten foster from 100 yards — had a cat chat with Kristen soon after she started volunteering. And what do you know, for the next 7 kitten seasons (7 years), Kristen has fostered from 5-12  kittens each season for TKR.

Kristen’s foster technique involves a goodly amount of help from her pit crew of cuddlers, four-legged behaviorists, and human cat beds.

“My family – kids, hubby and cats are so important to my fostering” says Kristen. ” They help the kittens get used to all kinds of things. Husband Tom provides a lot of lap and couch time. My kids Everett and Emily love to cuddle and play with them. And my three adult cats — Kika, Moe and Chester — introduce the kittens to the cat code. I even have friends who come over just to play with my foster kittens. I couldn’t do it without all of them.”

Toni and TKR also get a thumbs-up from Kristen. “Toni is fabulous and TKR gives me so much support as a foster,” says Kristen.

Kristen had her first cat as a child in second grade. “His name was Tiger. He was the meanest cat on earth, but I loved him” she recalls. Her second cat, a stray kitten called Sammy, was “the nicest cat on earth” and lived to be 19 years old.

Folks who have adopted Kristen’s foster kittens often send her updates on how they are doing. As all fosters know, these glimpses into a happy ending for formerly orphaned kittens make all the 2 am feedings and endless dirty litter box cleaning worthwhile.