Fostering a cat

Providing a foster home for a little feline friend is one of the most rewarding opportunities in life—providing you and your home are ready...

14 Mar 2016 By Andrew Clarke Comments

Cost:

While some cat shelters and rescue groups provide the necessary items (including the food and medicine), this is not always the case. You might also have to pay for the vaccinations and the desexing of the cat. Likewise, if you are taking in more than one animal, for example, a litter of kittens, the costs will of course multiply.

Make sure that you can definitely afford to care for the animals before signing up for a feline foster program.

Temporary home:

Being a foster parent for cats means that you do not get to keep them permanently; you just need to provide a temporary yet loving home to prepare them for adoption. This can be quite challenging mentally and emotionally, especially if you develop a close bond with the animal.

Keeping it in the family:

If you live with other people or family members, make sure that they are also up for the fostering process. Don’t turn up one day and say “Look who I brought with me!” Keeping a pet is a responsibility to be shared by all.

Territory:

Cats can be territorial and having too many cats in a single household can result in fights. Make sure that you have ample space for the cats to feel safe without resorting to fighting with your own pets or hurting other animals.

What are the responsibilities?

  • Spend regular quality time with your feline wards, in order to make sure they are stimulated and properly socialised.
  • Ensure your own household cats are vaccinated and segregated from the foster cats that you have taken in.
  • Have enough knowledge of cat care, which you can then pass on to the future owners of the foster cats.
  • Provide care for the cats, in accordance to the standards set by national animal care organisations.
  • Have a good understanding of the cat’s behaviour, so you can share the details of the foster cat’s personality with its future owners.

Taking in a cat for a temporary time and giving it the same level of love, care, and attention as you would a cat of your own is a monumental task. But getting through it will help out your local animal shelter and definitely give you the warm fuzzies.

14 Mar 2016 By Andrew Clarke Comments

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