Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity and our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. Cats are at the centre of everything we do and our objectives are: homing, neutering and educating people about cats and their care. We help thousands of cats across the UK each year thanks to our network of dedicated volunteers, staff and supporters.
Across the UK, many cats are cared for by volunteer fosterers who provide a stable, safe and loving environment in their homes or in purpose-built pens in their gardens. They provide vital hands-on care and accommodation to stray or abandoned cats or cats whose owners could sadly no longer keep them, and are part of a dedicated team of volunteers committed to finding new homes for cats in need. Our fosterers carry out this role with support from their local branch or centre.
Most of our fosterers care for one or two cats at a time and enjoy providing lots of TLC to those cats, who have been pre-loved or have had a difficult start in life. Some of our fosterers look after new mums and kittens and provide round-the-clock care to newborns to give them the best start in life.
Got a question about fostering with us? Take a look at some of our FAQs below.
Q: I live in a flat with no spare room or garden. Can I foster?
A: Yes! Foster cats must be kept secure at all times, in either an outdoor cat pen or indoors, so not having a garden or suitable outdoor space isn’t a problem. A new foster cat should have a quiet space to settle for their first few days, but this doesn’t have to be a spare room. Many of our fosterers use their whole flat/house. Our team review each application individually and will be able to advise you further based on your specific home.
Q: What if I get too attached to my foster cat? Can I adopt them?
A: We know how easy it is to fall in love with cats! One of the reasons fostering is so rewarding for our volunteers is because they know that by helping their fosters move on to a forever home, they have the time and space to help more cats in the future. If you do want to adopt your foster, your local branch will be happy to discuss.
Q: Can I take holidays or breaks?
A: Of course! It’s very important that our volunteers take breaks. Arrangements can be made to care for your foster cat when you go on holiday, all you need to do is give your branch plenty of notice. We also recommend taking at least a seven-day break between foster cats as an infection control measure, although if you’d like to take a bit longer have a chat with us.
Q: How long will I be taking care of a foster cat?
A: We believe it is important for the welfare of our cats to find a forever home as soon as possible, but there are lots of reasons why that isn’t always the case. Some cats may be with you for a few days, others might take a few months.
Q: I have no experience of looking after cats; can I still foster a cat?
A: Yes! You don’t need to have previous experience of cat care to become a foster volunteer. If you love cats, have space to spare, and are prepared to take on the responsibility of caring for animals, you can still foster with Cats Protection. We provide full training to all our volunteer fosterers.
Q: Can I foster if I have pets of my own?
A: Yes! Foster cats must be kept away from other animals, but as long as you have a suitable foster room in your house or space for a pen in the garden or suitable outdoor space this is fine. We do ask that you vaccinate any cats you have if not done already.
Q: Do I have to have members of the public in my home?
A: We do ask our fosterers to facilitate visits from potential adopters. However, we will always agree dates and times with you as far in advance as we can and all potential adopters will have been thoroughly checked by us before visiting your foster cat. Some centres may be able to facilitate visits themselves, but you will need to drop your foster cat off at the centre for their visit.
Q: Can I choose my foster cats?
A: It is possible to specialise in the type of cat you’d like to care for (for example, mums and kittens), the best thing to do is get in touch with your local branch. They will be able to discuss the range of cats in need of help with you and decide the best kind of foster for your circumstances.
You will develop new skills, expand your knowledge and make a significant contribution to improving the lives of cats and kittens in need by caring for them before they find new, loving homes. You will also meet new people, make new friends and be part of a dedicated team of volunteers.
Our volunteer fosterers usually spend one and a half hours per day on average (around 10 to 13 hours per week) in this role, but this might vary depending on the number of cats or kittens in care. In order to help you feel confident in your fosterer role we ask that prior to looking after your first foster cat you complete some online cat welfare learning modules.
At Cats Protection we believe our volunteers should be happy and confident in their roles. We provide support and guidance from our National Cat Centre and through our regional and local volunteer groups and teams. We offer engaging online and face-to-face training, expenses and have policies and processes to help volunteers get the most out of their time with us.
The wellbeing of our people is important and at Cats Protection we are committed to safeguarding children, adults at risk and all those that we come into contact with as part of our activities.