Question 1

What are the duties of a foster carer?

Accepted Answer

We ask that foster carers are compassionate, empathetic and adaptable to the needs of the animals that come into their care. This care includes feeding, training and taking the cat to any necessary appointments. You don't need prior experience as Battersea will give you all the training, support and guidance you need. However, a lot of the animals that would benefit from foster care may need a little more work, so we really welcome people who have cared for more challenging animals. Battersea will provide you with everything you need to care for your foster animal, including food, bedding, toys and veterinary care. We have a dedicated fostering team who are on hand to answer any queries or concerns and give ongoing support.

Question 2

Does my location impact the type of foster care I can provide?

Accepted Answer

We are recruiting both dog and cat foster carers to offer respite to our animals while they await rehoming. The type of foster care role you apply for will depend on your location.If you live within an hour of one of our three centres you can apply for dog or cat fostering:London (SW8 4AA) – London post codes & surrounding areasOld Windsor (SL4 2JN) – Reading, High Wycombe, Richmond & surrounding areasBrands Hatch (TN15 7HH) – Maidstone, Tonbridge, Orpington & surrounding areas

Question 3

What are the costs associated with being a foster carer?

Accepted Answer

There are no costs, Battersea will provide you with everything you need to care for your foster animal, including food, bedding, toys and veterinary care.

Question 4

How long will I be fostering an animal for?

Accepted Answer

The length of time varies, and depends on the individual animal. Generally, animals will be fostered until they are rehomed and we don’t always know how long this could take. This could be a couple of weeks to a month or two. Our foster animals often need consistency and predictability, so it's ideal that foster carers can take animals for longer than just a few days. But we do always try and make fostering as flexible as possible for our amazing volunteers so they can enjoy a well-deserved holiday.

Question 5

What training do I receive?

Accepted Answer

We hold monthly group inductions online where we cover everything you need to know before fostering your first animal. This includes general information, animal behaviour, body language, identifying stress signals, and appropriate handling. We will also go into detail about each animal’s background and behaviours before you foster them.

Question 6

Where do I need to live to foster for Battersea?

Accepted Answer

We are recruiting both dog and cat foster carers to offer respite to our animals while they await rehoming. The type of foster care role you apply for will depend on your location.If you live within an hour of one of our three centres you can apply for dog or cat fostering:London (SW8 4AA) – London post codes & surrounding areasOld Windsor (SL4 2JN) – Reading, High Wycombe, Richmond & surrounding areasBrands Hatch (TN15 7HH) – Maidstone, Tonbridge, Orpington & surrounding areas

Question 7

I haven't had much experience with cats, can I foster?

Accepted Answer

You don't need prior experience as Battersea will give you all the training, support and guidance you need to look after the cats you'll care for. However, a lot of the animals that would benefit from foster care may need a little more work, so we really welcome people who have cared for more challenging animals. Whether you're experienced or not, our dedicated team is always on hand to answer any questions.

Question 8

I have pets already, can I foster?

Accepted Answer

We are currently unable to accept foster applicants who already have their own cats or dogs in the home. We try to be flexible with this where we can, but due to having a significant number of foster homes with their own pets already we are currently only able to accept pet-free foster homes.For smaller animals these can be considered on a case-by-case basis, and they would need to be in secure housing away from the foster cat. Please note that foster homes with existing pets may have to wait longer to foster as the majority of our dogs and cats need pet free homes.

Question 9

I have young children, can I foster?

Accepted Answer

If you have children over 8 years old, you can apply to help with our mums and kittens. In addition, if you have children 13 years old and older, you can apply to help our adult cats. Foster cats must not be left at home unsupervised with anyone under 18 years old and must only cared for by household members who are 18 or over. This is by no means a reflection of your child, more about what our animals are comfortable with.

Question 10

I am out all day, can I foster?

Accepted Answer

Time alone for foster cats needs to be kept to a minimum. For our adult foster cats can be left for a working day. For our foster kittens, we ask for a leave time of no more than four hours daily.

Question 11

Can I leave my foster cat with a pet sitter?

Accepted Answer

For safety reasons, foster carers aren’t permitted to leave their cat with anyone who hasn’t been on the Battersea fostering induction or leave the cat in another household.

Question 12

What happens if I am going on holiday?

Accepted Answer

We understand that foster carers have their own commitments and may not always be available. If you know you have holidays or other commitments coming up, then please let us know of this and we will try to work around these dates when considering foster cat placements. If you have had a cat on foster for a while and an unexpected commitment comes up, then please let us know as soon as possible and we will make alternate arrangements for the foster cat.

Question 13

Do I need a car?

Accepted Answer

It is always ideal if you have your own transport, particularly if you live further away, but we understand that this isn’t an option for everyone. We don’t test dogs on public transport so we don’t know how they might react, therefore when you take a dog for the first time we can arrange a taxi.If you are applying to foster for Old Windsor or Brands Hatch, then having your own transport is required due to the rural location of these sites.

Question 14

How can I help if I am not eligible to foster a cat?

Accepted Answer

If you are unable to foster but would still like to help the animals in our care then you can sponsor a dog kennel or sponsor a cat cabin with a monthly donation.

Question 15

Do I get to choose which cats I will foster, what if I've seen one I like on the website?

Accepted Answer

Not all of our animals qualify for or need fostering, so we prioritise those that will most benefit from being in a foster home environment. From our three centres we only foster those who have compromised welfare due to stress or medical issues, or those animals that are too young to stay in a cattery environment. Our fostering team work hard to make sure the right animal is paired to the right foster carer, so rather than select your own animal our fostering team will contact you if they find a suitable match.

Question 16

Can I specify which type of cat I foster?

Accepted Answer

Over the course of your time as a foster carer, you may get asked to care for lots of different types of cat. We encourage all our foster carers to look beyond breed stereotypes and see each animal for their own individual, perfectly imperfect, self. And as always, we'll give you the training and support you need to get the best results for your foster animal. Our team will match you with a foster cat who is appropriate for your level of experience and you never have to take a foster cat that you feel is not a good fit for you.

Question 17

Can I rehome my foster animal?

Accepted Answer

Fostering is not meant to be a means to rehoming. We really need foster carers who can commit to fostering long term so that you can help many different cats who need foster homes. We generally ask for a minimum six-month commitment to fostering. If after this time you have a foster animal that you would like to adopt, we can then discuss this with you. If you’re interested in owning a cat, find out how to rehome a cat.

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