Fostering
Feline Friends does not have a cattery; all our cats are kept in foster homes until a suitable permanent home can be found. Sometimes this is a matter of days and some times weeks, it has been known to just be hours but this is rare. We are always on the look out for new foster homes as it means that we can help more cats and kittens.
We can promise you that you will not be left holding the cat for ever, our turnover is generally quite fast; in 2005 we found permanent homes for 799 cats and kittens.
Fostering is a very satisfying and rewarding task; you get to take in a cat or kitten that nobody wants, care for it and ensure that it goes off to a loving permanent home.
If during their stay with their foster families they have to be taken to the vet it is up to the fosterer to arrange the appointment and let our homing coordinator know so she can ring the veterinary clinic and authorize the visit. The fosterer can then take the cat to the vet and care for it after the visit. Most vet visits are for vaccinations or sterilisation.
If you are interested in fostering please read the questions and answers section below before you contact us either by email or the helpline; it may answer some of the questions you have.
Everyone has questions about fostering here are a few of the most common ones:
Q. Can I choose the cat I want to foster?
A. We endeavor to place a cat or kittens in a foster home that suit their environment; we wouldn't give a cat that loves the outdoors to some one who lives in an apartment. We always ask if you would prefer kittens to older cats and also how many would you like to foster at any one time.
Q. My circumstances mean I can't adopt a cat therefore would fostering suit me?
A. If you have the love and the time to give a foster cat the care it needs of course it will suit you. However if while the foster cat is with you we find it a good home it will then leave your care, but don't worry there is always another one waiting to come in.
Q. If I have a foster cat in my care how is it homed?
A. we have open days in one of our supporting veterinary clinics each month at these days we normally have 30 to 35 cats for homing. You will be asked to bring your foster cat along to some of them. We also have a column in the Gulf News Tabloid each week advertising some of the cats we have; this of course generates calls for adoption; in instances such as this the potential adoptee will be asked a series of questions to ascertain their suitability; they then may be given your contact details to arrange a suitable time to come and see your foster cat and possibly adopt it.
Q. If I foster and have to go on holiday what happens to the cat I have in my care?
A. As long as you give us plenty of notice we will move the cats in your care to either another foster home or to a vet clinic. If you have to go away urgently we will do everything we can to re-house the cat in foster care, we understand that life is not predictable.
Q. What will I have to pay out if I foster?
A. We do our best to provide you with a plastic cat carrier, litter tray and bowls if we have some donated food you will be asked if you'd like some the same goes for litter. All routine vet bills are paid for by us, health checks, vaccinations and sterilizations. We will also pay for most treatments for sick cats but even we have to have a price limit for each cat. We do ask for you to pay for the food and litter that the cat needs if no donated supplies are available.
Q. I only want to foster Persian cats. Is this possible?
A. No. You can choose to foster either adult cats or kittens but you can't choose to only foster certain breeds.
If you have any other questions on the subject of fostering please contact us
either on the help line or by