Purpose
If you’re not ready to adopt a cat permanently, or are not sure, fostering a cat might be a good way for you to help cats that have been rescued. In fostering, you provide the cat with all of the love and care that you would a pet of your own for a period of time. Living in a home, rather than a shelter, helps the cat adjust and socialize in preparation for a future permanent home. It also helps with the burden of animals on the shelter.
The Basics
If you are considering fostering a cat, we can invite you out, introduce you to some cats and ask you to participate in a short interview and questionnaire.
Once we’ve decided if fostering will work for you, we will bring the cat to your home. Having us along makes the transition to the new environment much easier for the cat. You’ll be asked to sign a fostering agreement so that all of the conditions are clearly understood.
We can lend you a carrier and litterbox, but your fostering responsibilities include buying daily supplies, such as cat food, cat litter, treats, scratch pad, toys, etc.
If a concerning health issue arises, we ask that you notify us right away. We may be able to offer a remedy ourselves. If a vet visit is necessary we have a preferred vet and we will pay for the vet bills.
In case of an emergency, where you must go to a vet immediately, please use your best judgment and call us as soon as possible.
General Guidelines
1. You must agree to provide a good humane standard of care which includes a good diet and constant access to clean water; a suitable, clean, and safe environment for a cat of its age; affection and playtime; prompt attention to potential medical issues; and an environment free from neglect, mistreatment, or abuse by yourself or others.
2. Fostering may require special patience. The cat will need to get to know you and the new environment. Some cats transition very quickly, others may behave nervously until they settle in.
3. One of the goals of fostering is to encourage socialization in a home setting. If you notice inappropriate behavior, such as scratching things other than a scratching pad, not using the litter box properly, excessive crying, etc., notify us right away so that we can help you take immediate measures to curb the behavior.
4. We ask that the cat be kept entirely indoors, and that if the cat escapes accidentally, you notify us immediately so that we can help you relocate it.
5. If you will be away from home for more than 48 hours, please notify us with your care plan. We’re happy to stop in to check and feed if there isn’t another suitable person available.
6. Keep us updated on your current telephone numbers, address and housing situation. Also if you are adding a child to the household, or adding another pet please contact us, since that may significantly change the situation for the cat.
7. If you are in the final 3 months of your time in Japan, be sure to let us know when the cat will be returning to us. If you are considering an adoption, we can talk with you about signing an adoption agreement and about getting the cat back to your home country.
8. If another person contacts us with interest in adopting the cat you are currently fostering, we will ask you first. If you choose to adopt permanently, you’ll have priority over anyone else.
9. If you can’t continue fostering for any reason, notify us and we will pick up the cat. Don’t ever send it to a new home. If you want to recommend a new home that person should contact us.
10. Generally we do not place kittens in foster homes. Kittens have high priority for adoption, and need to be readily available for rehoming events. There are some cases in which younger kittens need round-the-clock care. If you are available, have specific experience in this kind of situation, and are home most of the time, please let us know.
11. We really appreciate your willingness to invite a cat into your home. When these cats leave our shelter, please know that each one carries its own rescue story, some longer and more harrowing than others. We are highly invested in these cats now having a safe and happy life and will want to check in with you regularly to hear about their progress. We’ll also need to visit to see how their behavior is coming along and how they interact with this trial environment.
Fostering Contract
If you are ready to foster a cat, please have a look at our fostering contract.