Woman who disliked cats becomes foster carer for two kittens

It is peak season for abandoned kittens in Denmark, and foster families are stepping in to care for them with bottles and round-the-clock feeding.

Kristiane Lykke Hagemann, 24, from Gjern near Silkeborg, never liked cats. But after seeing a Facebook ad from animal welfare group Dyrenes Beskyttelse seeking foster carers, she attended an introductory course and took home two kittens the same day, reports DR.

Her kittens, named Røde and Tunmousse, require bottle-feeding every six hours. Newborns without a mother cat may need feeding every two hours initially.

Hagemann, currently on sick leave, says the kittens give her daily purpose without the pressure of leaving home. “I never expected it to be so rewarding,” she said. “The shelter makes it clear that the kittens are ultimately their responsibility.”

Demand for foster carers is high. In June alone, 193 cats and kittens were found or surrendered to Dyrenes Beskyttelse in Tranbjerg near Aarhus. Nationwide, 902 cats were surrendered in June this year, matching 2025 figures, with 250 more in the first week of July. Last year, numbers peaked at 1,135 in August.

Communications officer Stine Skov Jensen says the summer surge comes as unsterilised cats give birth, and people abandon kittens in boxes, by roadsides, or at rest stops. Some arrive with their mothers; others do not.

The Tranbjerg shelter has around 200 foster families, but not all are available at once due to holidays or work. More are needed.

Hagemann plans to continue fostering. She photographs each kitten with a Polaroid camera and dreams of creating a gallery wall of all the kittens she has cared for.

Dyrenes Beskyttelse advises cat owners to sterilise pets to prevent unwanted litters. Those who find abandoned kittens should call the animal welfare hotline at 1812 for guidance. If a litter is found in a safe cluster, observers should wait, as the mother may be nearby.