Letting go is one of the hardest parts of fostering — and one of the most beautiful. Because when a kitten you’ve raised goes to a loving forever home, it means you’ve done your job perfectly.

If you work or volunteer in animal rescue, you’ve probably heard the terms compassion fatigue and burnout. They’re often used interchangeably — but they’re not quite the same thing.

Foster parents pour their hearts into caring for the tiniest, most fragile lives — and sometimes, despite everything, those lives slip away. At Esther Neonatal Kitten Alliance, we want to say this clearly: You are not alone. You are not a failure. And your love mattered.

Here are our favorite self-care tips for foster parents during kitten season.