1. Kittens in foster homes are constantly around humans and therefore are typically very socialized and familiar with people. These kittens seek out human attention and are used to being handled, pet, and cuddled. In the shelter, the kittens' cages are opened once a day for a clean, change of food, water, and litter. Of course if time permits staff will spend more time with them, however, these kittens still tend to be more timid and standoffish than those raised in foster homes.
2. In foster homes, kittens grow up in a home environment, and therefore their transition into their adopted homes is usually fairly seamless. Kittens raised within a shelter environment typically take longer to become comfortable in adopted homes; houses can be very overwhelming compared to the cage they have lived in.
3. Foster volunteers work on litterbox training with the kittens starting at a young age. Typically all foster-raised kittens come back to the shelter using their litterbox without an issue. Litterbox training can be trickier to teach within the shelter. Although their instincts and mothers help, they're more prone to having accidents once adopted as they're used to having their litterboxes only a couple feet away from them in the shelter. Adopters of kittens raised in the shelter are recommended to keep them in a small room for the first couple of days, gradually introducing them to the home so they always have knowledge of where the litterbox is.
4. The personality traits of each individual kitten are written down throughout their stay in foster homes, which allow for more personalized adoption bio's and better matches when placing them with adopters.