If you live in SE London (boroughs of Bexley, Greenwich or Lewisham) and have a car and a spare room and would like to be considered as a fosterer please let us know by completing our enquiry form below. All fostering volunteers must be aged 25 or over.
We started our charity work in Greenwich (London) at the home of our founder. Soon, other volunteers joined the Catcuddles fostering network and our team has been growing ever since. Our volunteer foster homes are currently mainly in SE London.
Fosterers are amazing people. They literally save lives. The more fosterers the charity has, the more abandoned, unwanted and homeless cats we can get off the streets and out of bad situations, and then on the path to new, happier lives. Read our Fostering FAQs.
About fostering
The job of a Catcuddles fosterer is to care for a cat, or cats (sometimes a pair or a litter) temporarily in their home, until a permanent loving home can be found. We are always looking for individuals who are willing to dedicate their time to this special cause.
Fostering cats is immensely rewarding but not for everyone. We follow set guidelines on the kind of space and commitment required to be a Catcuddles fostering volunteer, the most important being having exclusive space to allocate to the cats inside or outside your home, and the time to properly "care & cuddle". It is not as simple as it seems, but if you have the will, we have the way.
Our fostering volunteers usually dedicate one room (or suitable outbuilding) to fostering their Catcuddles cat. This room is equipped with everything the foster cat needs, such as a litter tray, bedding, bowls and toys, all supplied by the charity. The idea of the fostering room is to replicate the kind of space that a cat would be provided with in a shelter environment, minimising all risks to the kitty until they can be adopted into a loving new home.
Keeping a foster kitty temporarily in one room also has the added benefit of minimising any stress caused to a fosterers' own cats by having a temporary visitor in their home. With the door kept closed, this isn’t usually an issue. Doors and windows in your fostering room will need to be kept closed at all times, and it’s important that you do not let your foster cat outside. It can take months to safely introduce a cat to the outside - since a foster cat is staying with you only temporarily, making this introduction is not worth the risk.
A key requirement of fostering is being able to spend some daily time with the cat(s) to ensure they are comfortable with human company. Some cases require more dedication or experience than others but many require only a love of cats and can be successfully managed around a normal working schedule.
Occasionally, carefully vetted prospective adopters will want to visit the cats in their foster homes, which will be pre-arranged by the adoptions team at a mutually convenient time. Having a car and being able to take your foster cat to our new clinic in Hither Green for vaccinations, or any other necessary treatment, is an added bonus!
Saying goodbye to a foster cat can be tough, but there is always a huge amount of comfort to be taken in knowing that the cat will be happy and loved for the rest of their days, and that you – their foster carer - have played a pivotal role in making that happen. We will say it again; foster carers are amazing people!
You can also read our Frequently Asked Questions about fostering, or this blog by one of our fosterers about her experiences.
“Fostering cats with Catcuddles has been a hugely enjoyable and rewarding experience. Before fostering I hadn’t fully appreciated that each cat is very different, all have unique personalities. Bonding with the cats and gaining their trust has been lovely. Although it is somewhat sad when they go, it is very nice to know that we have helped to find them a home.”
“The most surprising part of fostering is how much cats differ as individuals. No two fosters have been remotely the same! Seeing a cat grow in foster care (especially if they’ve come from a more difficult background) is really fulfilling. If they can become happier in foster care, it’s exciting to think about what they could achieve in a permanent, loving home.”
Enquire about fostering for Catcuddles
If you are interested in joining the Catcuddles Volunteer Fostering Network, please read our fostering faqs and then get in touch by completing the form below.
Please note that we are not currently in need of temporary or emergency fosterers. If you have already submitted an enquiry a member of the fostering volunteer team will be in touch soon.
If you live in the boroughs of Bexley, Greenwich or Lewisham and have a car or car club membership and would like to be considered as a fosterer please let us know by completing our enquiry form below. All fostering volunteers must be aged 25 or over.