Cat Foster of the Year: Beverly Oakes

Beverly Oakes says her first word was “cat.” San Antonio Pets Alive! (SAPA) named her Cat Foster of the Year, and in this award video she explains how she became a kitten foster and what she finds most rewarding.

In 2016, after losing her therapy cat, Beverly saw a Facebook video of foster kittens. One lay on his back, waving at the others. The kitten had been abandoned at eight days old. She adopted him the next day, and a year later he became a therapy cat too.

She remembers three sister kittens, all named after flowers, who all ended up with the same family, whose last name was Bloom. Her biggest reward is watching a kitten that was slated for euthanasia open up and thrive in a new home.

Some people hesitate because they’re afraid they couldn’t give the kittens up. Her answer: for every kitten you adopt out, you can save another. Her advice to anyone considering it: “do it.” It’s one of three Foster of the Year videos we made for SAPA. The rescue has also used our videos in grant applications to other nonprofits, such as Petco Love.