Cat Fosterer

We are looking to recruit fosterers for some of the animals that come into our care. Some cats, who are waiting to be rehomed, don’t respond well to cattery life and thrive much better in the care of a quiet foster home. Other cats for various reasons may not be ready or available for rehoming but would benefit from a home environment whilst under our care.

For whatever reason the cat has come into our care, being in a home environment is far more beneficial to their welfare. We are currenlty mainly looking for homes that do not already have existing cats or dogs or have a spare room that can safely house pregnant/nursing mums/young kittens.

As a cat fosterer you will play a vital role in looking after cats under our care, giving them companionship and exposure to a home environment. You'll be fostering cats in your own home and ensuring a safe environment that will cater for their individual needs, these can include daily grooming for long haired cats, safe spaces and hands off approach for nervous cats, socialisation for kittens and basic medication giving. This will include allowing them to take the time to become accustomed to their new surroundings and people in those surroundings, feeding them and taking them to a vet (as required, costs will be covered by the RSPCA). The care and interaction you will provide will help the cats in your care develop the socialisation skills which can aid a successful rehoming.

This is a great opportunity to make a real difference to the welfare of cats. Having animals in foster homes help us help more animals by freeing up space in our Centres and Branches.

What is required:

Be able to transport fostered animal to Vet appointments if needed Have time to spend with them or be around for them A spare room at home for fostering a cat (they will not be allowed outside of your home environment, so would need a specific space) Have lots of love, time and patience to give the animal whilst they are with you. We’re looking for experienced cat people who have owned or fostered cats before, and understand their behaviours and needs. All necessary equipment, and Veterinary care will be supplied and funded by the RSPCA.You will have the support of our staff on hand should you need it. We are currently mainly looking for fosterers that do not currently have any existing cats or dogs or have a spare room that can safely house pregnant/nursing mums/young kittens away from existing pets.

To apply, please complete our application form which will ask you to expand on your experience and home environment. Our application process is very thorough as fostering is a very responsible but rewarding role. It may take up to 30 minutes to complete the application, so make sure you have a cup of tea to hand as you complete it.

If successful, you’ll be added to our team of fosterers. You’ll get online access to all the necessary training for your role and we ask you to keep this up to date. We have a suite of wellbeing resources available and can make reasonable role adjustments to support you in your volunteering.

We celebrate and respect the diversity of our RSPCA team and embrace the individual qualities, skills and experiences that everyone bring