Fostering one of our many wonderful cats is an extremely rewarding experience, especially if you have done some feline fostering before. Many of our volunteers have been with us for years because they receive a lot of support and get a chance to deal with breeds they might otherwise never experience! However like any fostering of any kind there can be moments of frustration, sadness and happiness all within a short period of time...just like life! If you are interested in fostering read on!

What are the requirements for fostering?

Most of our requirements are the same for fosters as they are for adopters.

1). We do require that all pets in the home be spayed/neutered and current on distemper and rabies. 

2).We also require that the foster home have a separate room in the household for fostering cats so that our cats and personal pets DO NOT MIX. This is NOT a cruel thing to do, but rather the most compassionate as most foster cats that come into rescue are very scared, sometimes sick, usually in bad condition, and they need a quiet, secure atmosphere in order to get well and acclimate. Having to deal with a foster home's nosey Boxer immediately after having been picked up from a scary shelter is NOT a good way to start off a rehabilitation stint. Our cats need quiet, patience and lots of love in order to blossom to their full potential for another forever home. Also, quarantine just makes sense for a new animal recently from a shelter. They often have no histories and could have something you don't want your own pets to potentially be exposed to.

3). A foster application must be submitted and we will contact veterinarians for references and do a home visit before allowing foster care. We do prefer a home ownership situation rather than renting (though we take each situation individually) as animals can have accidents, get sick, etc. and if it's not your property that can be a problem.

4). Because this is an extremely busy rescue with many cats being transferred to different foster homes, we do strongly prefer homes within easy driving distance of Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee, Burlington, Madison and northern Illinois. If you are further out than that it will probably be too   difficult to coordinate things within the parameters of this rescue.

 

WHAT ARE MY RESPONSIBILITIES AS A FOSTER HOME?

All foster homes are required to:

1). Provide litter and litter boxes for the cats as needed.

2). Provide food/water bowls and good quality dry food as needed (we get a great deal of canned donated to us so that is provided to all foster homes)

3). Provide toys and brushes/combs as needed.

4). Temperament test cats in care (information will be provided regarding this)

5). Care for the cat in a manner consistent with care for your own felines.

6). Do some driving from time to time (picking up cats from another foster home, taking it to a designated vet as needed, etc.)

7). Have access to a digital camera and the knowledge to be able to submit digital pictures of foster cats.

8). Have access to a reliable computer for rescue communication and photo submission.

9). Be willing to allow screened adopters to come into your home to interact with an adopt foster cats.

WHAT ARE THE RESCUE'S RESPONSIBILITIES?

1). The rescue provides for all vet and grooming bills. We have a network of veterinarians and groomers who kindly offer discounts to us and cats will be taken to those in the closest vacinity.

2).This rescue is covered under liability insurance which includes foster homes.

3). Foster people are never left to deal with difficult issues alone. Someone is always on call to help and our mission is not only cat rescue but volunteer support to the best of our ability. The director is a feline behavioral specialist so information is always available. We are very proud of our network of wonderful people and they tend to stay with us for a long time.

4). Our group participates in animal rescue expos in Milwaukee and Chicago, as well as cat shows and training opportunities are offered during the year for learning new skills.

FOSTERING MAY NOT BE FOR YOU IF:

1). You are torn between fostering and adopting. It's important to remember that this is not a "try one on for size" situation. In the event that a foster home does adopt a cat, they pay the same adoption fee as anyone else. Fostering is strictly for those who want to help the cause and feel they have the time, space and heart to do so.

2).You don't feel you can withstand the emotional turmoil of caring for a cat and then have to give it up for adoption to a new home.

3). You have fabulous furniture and don't want cat hair on it. Any kind of fostering, whether it be for cats, dogs, birds or anything else means dealing with unpredictable creatures that can sometimes vomit, urinate, shed or do other things that may make fastidious family members upset. If you can't cope with that possibility, fostering is not for you.

4). You have family members that are not wild about the situation. Fostering IS a "family affair" which can be extremely rewarding for everyone, especially children. But if your husband barely tolerates your cat as it is and you want to "push it" a bit with a foster cat, DON'T. The most successful foster homes are those with a high tolerance level and "don't sweat the small stuff."

If you think you are interested in the adventure of fostering, please go to the "contact us" page and drop us a line. THANKS!