Fosterers
Can you help?
We are desperate to increase our fostering numbers as we always have more demands for cat and kitten care than we can manage. Many of our cats/kittens are either the product of uncontrolled breeding or simply have lost their novelty and are dumped away from the home they have had. Others are genuine cases where their owner can no longer care for them, and in some cases the owner is having to plan for what happens to the cat after they are no longer alive.
Fosterers are a vital part of our work, they are able to care for the cats/kittens in between times while they are being checked over and waiting for new homes. Anyone who fosters gets the joy of looking after a cat or kitten (sometimes more if you have space) and providing a safe, secure and loving environment for them. All costs are borne by Cats Protection, all treatments are organised by Cats Protection, all transport is provided by Cats Protection so all you need to provide is a space and some caring for these cats or kittens.
If your circumstances are you would love a cat of your own, but cannot commit for whatever reason to your own then here is a chance to 'adopt' one for a brief period and enjoy the companionship and the feeling of having made life a lot better for them
If you have cats of your own but have a spare room where another could be accommodated then that is also great. The only key point here is the cats must be kept separate and not allowed to interact - this will cause unnecessary stress to them all, and also runs the risk of transmission of disease between them.
How long would you foster for? As long as you wish to is the answer. These cats are going to be rehomed, some are found homes very soon, others may take a few weeks. Once a cat is rehomed then you can either have a break, or request another one.
Requirements
Cat Fostering Volunteers provide daily hands-on cat care in their own homes, either in provided purpose-built cat cabin in your garden or in an adapted spare room. This is a key role to ensure the needs of each cat being cared for are met appropriately and in good time in accordance with CP Policies and procedures. In addition to looking after the health and wellbeing of each cat, time is spent grooming and socialising the cats. From time to time, liaison with other group members, vets or potential owners may be needed. This role involves some record keeping to ensure we have an accurate record of each individual cat’s health and social needs which helps us to monitor their progress and match them with their ideal new home.
Experience/Skills
A good working knowledge of basic cat care and an understanding of the importance of following care and hygiene standards are needed for this role. Good interpersonal skills for dealing with members of the public and vets are essential. The nature of this role means that emotional attachments to the cats do form; therefore Cat Fostering Volunteers need to be level headed, practical and committed to finding new homes for all the cats in their care.
Volunteering can be very rewarding, whether you are doing it for enjoyment, or to gain valuable employability skills for your CV. As a volunteer you give as little or as much time as you are happy with, and will never be expected to be out of pocket for the work that you do.
Contact Us
Please do consider if this might be something you can do for the cats and get in touch. We need you. There are a huge range of opportunities on offer through cats protection and if you feel you can offer your time in any way then please fill in the online contact form and add to the comment box which area of volunteering you are interested in or email enquiries@eastnorthumberland.cats.org.uk with your name, address, phone number and the area of volunteering you are interested in.
Please see our leaflet about fostering here for further details regarding the role.