Cat Foster Carer

We’re looking for cat- loving volunteers to play a vital role in helping us improve the wellbeing of the cats in our care whilst they wait to be rehomed.

Can you help them by providing a calm and caring home whilst we find their ‘purrfect’ forever home?

As a cat fosterer, you would be supporting the RSPCA North Wiltshire and Newbury District Branch in providing our cats with the safety of your home whilst tending to their welfare needs such as feeding and grooming. In addition to this, by providing a temporary loving environment, you will play a crucial role in a cat’s wellbeing and socialisation, which will significantly improve their chances of successful rehoming.

Once everything is in place, we will guide you through the fostering process and ensure you have all the necessary equipment, food and veterinary care for your fostered cat.

We are also happy to reimburse any other pre-agreed expenses that you may incur through volunteering for us.

WHILST OUR CATS ARE IN YOUR CARE, YOU WILL: 

• Provide them with care, suitable housing, and a safe environment as per our policies and guidelines. 
• Feed, water and groom them in line with our advice. 
• Transport them to any veterinary appointments when required. 
• Provide them with your time and patience. 
• Playing and cuddles are also a must!

WHAT WE CAN OFFER YOU AS A VOLUNTER CAT FOSTERER 

• You will be making a huge difference to the lives and welfare of the cats in your care. 
• Learn new skills with support from the branch. 
• Enhance your CV and increase your employability by adding your volunteering experience and newly acquired skills.

It is worth mentioning that our cats do have different needs as whilst some are ready for rehoming fairly quickly others may require rehabilitation or ongoing medication. Therefore, we also aim to understand your situation and circumstances to ensure that we match you with your perfect foster cat.

Cat foster caring will be within the volunteers own home but there will be the requirement to travel to a vet as and when required.

About RSPCA North Wiltshire & Newbury District Branch

The North Wiltshire & Newbury District Branch is an independent branch of the RSPCA, (we are a separate charity to the National Society), raising money locally to support our animal welfare work. We're one of 152 branches in England and Wales which works with the national organisation and it's inspectorate to care for sick, injured and neglected animals. We raise money in our charity shops to assist with the running of our wildlife rescue centre Oak & Furrows in Cricklade plus offering veterinary financial support to local owners in receipt of benefits for their pets.

Oak & Furrows admits around 4000 injured and sick wildlife casualties to the centre each year for care and rehabilitation as well as providing valuable welfare funding for domestic animals in need within our branch area.

The branch is now expanding its welfare activity to start a fostering network for cats within the Swindon and Newbury area, providing cats in need with a temporary loving, home environment whilst we find their forever home.

What skills do I need?

• Volunteers aged 18 or over who have had some experience caring for cats. 
• Fostering experience is beneficial but not essential as training is provided. 
• For their wellbeing, our cats need to be kept in a separate room, so the whole family should be on board. 
• Any existing pets or animals need to have been neutered/ spayed and vaccinated, flea and worm treated as appropriate for the animal. Ideally, we would like our foster cat to be the only animal living in your household.
• A commitment to the time needed for this role

Our voluntary roles are subject to an informal interview and trial period. We will ask you to provide contact details for two referees and you will need to sign an agreement and undergo specific training before starting the role.

Our cats would usually be delivered to the foster carers home by an RSPCA logistics driver, some of the training will be delivered at the foster carers home and some is done on an online platform that we use, it can be completed at a time that suits the individual, if anyone hasn't got the means to be able to complete the training this way we would make suitable alternative arrangements.

When is this role available?

This is a flexible role available on various days/times.

Where does this role take place?