Fostering Information

for those considering becoming a cat carer 

 

 

Fostering rescued cats and kittens can be one of the most rewarding experiences anyone can have. It can be very enjoyable for many people including the elderly. If you are working part time, or full time, it can be so nice to come home to the company of a cat.

All veterinary costs are covered by Best Friends Felines, this includes two vaccines, desexing, microchipping and any other veterinary needs the cat or kitten may have. Working from home? The love of a foster cat is like no other. They will keep you good company. Children, dogs and a busy house? That’s also great, we have cats with all kinds of personalities that we are looking to socialise in a loving home. If you thinking of getting a fur friend for your family fostering is a great way to find a perfect match! It’s like try before you buy and often our carers do find that special one and we call it a ‘Foster Fail’ and the cat and carer both get to enjoy their happy ever after.

The only perfect home for a foster cat or kitten is a loving one. We are a ‘no kill” rescue, so all of our cats and kittens will remain in foster care until a home is found for them. This can take a day, a week, a month or a year, sometimes less sometimes more.

You will need to ensure you are going to be able to keep the cat secure inside your home, we here at Best Friends Felines have an ‘Indoor Cat Only” policy. The only exception to this rule is a large enclosure or well-constructed cat run. This is to ensure the safety of all of our cats. You will be required to travel to and from our nominated veterinary clinics for the cats required vet care, so a reliable car is a must. Please check our listed vets under the Our Vets tab to ensure you are within a comfortable travel distance from your home.

You will also need a reliable mobile phone or home phone with and answering machine or service. Our coordinator Nikki will need to inform you of any inquiries we have about the cat in your care. You must be willing to make appointment times with prospective new owners to come into your home on an agreed time and day for them to meet and greet the cat/s in your care. Hungry tummies need feeding too, so you will be required to purchase food for your foster cat/s, so please keep this in mind when considering how many you would like to foster, it may not reflect well on your budget if you have a low income. Then there is the tail end of things!

You will need to have good hygiene for your cats litter trays. They will need to be cleaned daily by removing fecal matter and changing the entire litter every second day to fresh clean litter. There are also special needs cats and kittens that come into our care, so if you have any prior experience in the areas of whelping, flu, ringworm, neglect care, abuse rehabilitation, colony rescue and taming or abandoned kitten care, we would love to hear from you!

Please ensure that you have read and understand the information above prior to filling in this form to become a cat or kitten foster carer for Best Friends Felines.

Most cats will be coming either directly from their owner or an urgent rescue situation, in some cases cats may not have been vaccinated and health checked beforehand. It is very important that your own cats be up to date with their vaccinations, to keep them protected against possible diseases such as Cat Flu.

If you are able to have an isolation room such as a spare bedroom or bathroom when taking in a cat, that is an ideal way for them to settle into their new environment and reduce the risk of any cross-contamination to other cats. As a foster carer you will be required to keep in regular contact with Best Friends Felines, either via phone, text or email.

We require a minimum of 3 clear photos and detailed information on the needs and personality of any cat in your care, for their adoption profiles. We update these profiles every few months and you will be required to provide that to your coordinator each time. The more information you provide the better, as we want to ensure a 100% perfect match for their forever home. You may also be required to transport the foster cat to and from a Best Friends Felines approved vet for vetwork.

Please check that you are within a reasonable travelling distance to one of our vets by checking here.

We hope your experience fostering with Best Friends Felines is an enjoyable one and look forward to saving many little lives with your help!
Not too sure about it all and would like some more information? We are more than happy to have a chat to you and answer any questions that you may have! Please email Nikki at [email protected], she will be happy to answer all of your questions regarding fostering.

To apply to meet one of our cats or kittens with the view to potentially foster, you must complete the below form first.
Someone from the coordinating team will contact you as soon as they are able to, however as we are very busy, it may take up to 48 hours for us to get back to you.
Forms will only be accepted that include correct documentation and only for our rescue cats currently needing a foster carer.
Please note that you will get an email confirming your application – please be patient for this to arrive and for the form to submit potentially.
 

Please complete the Foster Carer Application.

 

Please note that you will get an email confirming your application – please be patient for this to arrive and for the form to submit.