Volunteer Cat Fosterer

Our Lifeline service offers temporary care and accommodation for cats owned by families fleeing domestic abuse. 

Our Lifeline fosterer volunteers provide that temporary care and accommodation until the families can be reunited with their beloved pets.  Volunteer fosterers care for these cats in their own homes, providing peace of mind to people fleeing domestic abuse, assuring them that their feline friends are receiving the care and attention they need.  Our Lifeline volunteer fosterers aged 18+ are ‘whole house’ fosterers and treat the cats in their care as members of their family. Although the cats cannot go outside, whole house fostering means their time with our fosterers is as much like home as possible. However, this does mean that our fosterers aren’t able to have pets of their own.

What can you expect to be doing?

Meeting the needs of the cats in your care

• Maintaining minimum veterinary and cat care standards

• Cleaning and looking after the environment and equipment used by the cats

• Feeding, grooming, and administering medication (such as flea and worm treatments)

• Spending time enriching the cats experience in care, including play, exercise, and stroking

• Liaising with Cats Protection volunteers, staff, and vets

• Providing monthly written reports and photos of the cats in your care

We are looking for someone with:

• Basic knowledge of cats and cat care

• An appreciation of cat hygiene standards

• Good interpersonal skills

• Patience, perseverance, and empathy

• Willingness to be part of a team

• A level headed, practical approach

• A commitment to reuniting cats in care with their owners

Time commitment:  Our Lifeline fosterers usually spend 1 to 3 hours per day in this role.  However, this might vary depending on the number of cats in your care.
Expenses reimbursed:  All out of pocket expenses are reimbursed - food, litter, all cat equipment including vet bills, flea and wormer.
Training provided: 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.
Selection procedure: Informal discussion, application form completion, 2 references and a disclosure and barring check (cost met by organisation).
If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact us using the form below.