Many times a good foster-mother has saved a litter of valuable kittens. Young cats are sometimes delicate, or they become very excitable when the kittens are born, so they get neglected and die.

Personally I am not in favor of introducing other cats into my cattery amongst my kittens. They usually have fleas, worms, and perhaps a spot or two of mange, which is non discovered until too late.

I prefer to keep my queens in such condition that they are able to raise all their own kittens, and if they only breed once a year, this is not too much. Should you want to take two litters from your queen, then a good, strong, short-haired cat is very useful; if she has kittens the same day as your own cat, so much the better. A few days, or even ten days before, is better than after, for the queen should not be allowed to nurse her kittens at all, if they are to be taken away.

If you cannot procure a foster in time, then let your queen nurse all her own kittens until you can get one - say within a week or ten days. In this case it is better to allow the thoroughbred queen to raise one of her own kittens. Most short-haired cats will take strange kittens easily, but on their arrival it is better to place them in a quiet room, with their own kittens, a day or two before introducing the new ones.

Always be careful how you introduce the little strangers. First place one up by her face, and if she begins cleaning it, then you will be safe in placing the new kittens with her, removing one of her own as you do so; and do not leave any of the short-haired kittens with the cat.

If, on the other hand, the foster shows a dislike to the new kittens, growling and swearing, you must be more cautious. Take two or three of the foster-cat's kittens, and place them, with those you want to give her, in a warm bed, and leave for several hours together; then take them all to the foster, and she will usually accept them. Do not leave her without a kitten all these hours, unless you find her still disagreeable; then try shutting her away from both litters of kittens; remove the short-haired kittens, and let her return to the thoroughbred kittens, using all the time the same bed. If this proves unsuccessful, then you may give up any further attempts. It is seldom you will find a bad-tempered foster; they usually take any and every kitten.

Do not mix the two families unless you are obliged, as any fleas the short-haired cat may have had prior to the birth of her kittens flock on to the newly-born kittens, and by destroying these kittens your thoroughbreds do not stand much chance of getting the fleas.

Always have the little short-hairs humanely destroyed. This is best done in a small wooden or cardboard box, about a foot square. Place them on a soft bed, which should first be lightly sprinkled with chloroform; shut the box for a few minutes, then open and pour in about an ounce more of the chloroform. Then shut the box up tightly, and wrap up in a thick cloth, leaving for several hours. If they are to be drowned, they should be tied in a cloth or bag, which must be weighted to keep them under water; then drop into a large pail or bath of water. But to chloroform them is quicker and far less painful. Always feed and care for the foster as you would for your own cat. Remember, she is filling the same place, and if she is not properly fed she cannot raise good, strong kittens.

I need hardly suggest that a good home be found for her when she has finished with the family, for surely no one who raises animals would be inhuman enough to turn her into the streets.

Provided the late owners do not want her returned, it is well to find her a home near, where you can have her back another time, paying a dollar or so for her use. You may also find your friends would gladly loan you their cats every year, if they find they are carefully cared for, and it is certainly better to always obtain a good, strong, short-haired cat to raise the long-haired kittens, if it is possible to get a healthy one.

I do not advise obtaining any cat picked up in the street, or from a "Cats' Home," as their condition would not be good enough to raise a family of kittens properly; there is also the fear of infectious diseases.