Unsung Hero: Boswell fosters to give kittens a good start at life

“He does a great job,” said Christina Alves, assistant manager and animal health care technician at the humane society. “His kittens come back so friendly and so lovable as compared to kittens who sit at the shelter and wait to be adopted.

“We have four to five on staff during the week, and we don’t have enough time to cuddle and hold them as much as we’d like to.”

That’s where Boswell comes in, helping socialize the kittens so they’ll be more adoptable.

For his work with the humane society, Boswell has been selected as this week's Traditional Bank Unsung Hero.

“I love helping the humane society and finding homes for them,” Boswell said. “I want people to know that dogs aren’t the only thing.”

Boswell first started fostering kittens, and occasionally their mothers, two years ago. He took a break last fall when he became an assistant manager with the FCHS football team, but he resumed fostering this spring when COVID-19 hit.

Boswell and his mother, Jayme Boswell, pick up the litters at the humane society, and once they are finished fostering, they take the kittens to Feeders Supply, which has an adoption center, on U.S. 127 South.

“I take pictures of them and tell about their personalities,” he said. “You have to learn that by taking care of them. Cats have different personalities once you get to know them.”

In addition to the fosters, the Boswells have two cats who are permanent residents.

“Ross the Boss I fostered two years ago,” Boswell said. “He had failure to thrive, and he was mistaken for a girl. I nursed him back to health by giving him a lot of loving and holding him on my shoulder. Now he’s spoiled rotten.”

When Boswell brings a litter to Feeders, he tells the staff all about the cats — “what they like, what they do,” he said. “They really appreciate it. They say my cats are the healthiest cats they’ve ever seen.”

Boswell is working with the FCHS football team again this season, and he’ll continue to foster.

“It’s not that hard,” he said. “When they go I don’t even cry. I wait for the next round.”