Foster a Cat

We always need foster homes for cats. We don’t have a shelter or cattery to house our cats. Even if we don’t have a cat for every person willing to be a foster, it’s important to have people ready and available to foster a cat on a moment’s notice. We can’t rescue cats without having foster homes to care for them while awaiting forever homes. We rely on people to open up their homes.

If you are interested in becoming a cat foster, please complete an application. You can also view our list of cats that need a foster home.

Cat Foster Responsibilities

We work closely with foster parents to find the right “match” between the foster cat(s), your home environment (e.g., your own pets, kids and other family members, space), and your work schedule.  As a cat foster parent, your responsibilities would include the following:

Providing a Temporary Home

Providing a safe and loving temporary home.This means keeping the foster cat(s) indoors at all times, cat-proofing your home, and taking other reasonable precautions to provide a safe and healthy environment for your foster cat(s).

Providing Food and Litter (SPCA Provides Most Other Supplies)

Providing food and litter, unless the cat is on special prescription food which SPCA provides. We will let you know the appropriate type of food that meets your foster cat’s needs, taking into account what you are feeding your own cat (if you have one). SPCA provides fosters with most of the other supplies they will need such as carrier, litter box, bowls, toys, scratching boards or posts etc.

Ensuring Quarantine

Keeping the “new” foster cat(s) separate from resident cats for 10 days as a precaution to protect your cat(s) from potentially contagious diseases. “New” refers to cats that SCPA has not yet quarantined. If your foster cat(s) has already been in SPCA’s care for longer than 10 days and appears healthy, you will not need to quarantine the foster cat in your home.  After quarantine, if the foster cat is healthy, foster parents should integrate the foster cat(s) with family pets for socialization purposes. SPCA will advise you on whether kittens should be kept separate from or integrated with resident pets depending on their age, health, socialization needs, and your home environment.

Monitoring Health and Tracking Vet Care Needed

Monitoring the cat’s health, seeking approval from SPCA regarding follow up vet care, and recording all medications and health issues. All authorized medical expenses are covered by SPCA. All foster cats are examined by a vet prior to being placed in foster homes. They also receive age appropriate care such as testing for feline AIDS/leukemia, vaccinations (FVRCP/distemper and rabies), deworming, flea treatment, and spaying/neutering. It is common for foster cats to need follow up vet care.

Monitoring Behavior & Ensuring Socialization

Monitoring the foster cat’s behavior and discussing any issues with SPCA.  We work very closely with foster families who are fostering shy or scared cats and kittens (especially feral kittens).

Facilitating the Adoption

Following SPCA’s adoption policies and actively facilitating the foster cat’s adoption (e.g., providing a write up and helping to get photos for the website, responding to pre-screened adoption inquiries about the foster cat(s), making the foster cat(s) available for prospective adopters to meet in your home, and/or bringing kittens to adoption fairs if you live relatively close to an adoption venue).