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BECOME A FOSTERER

Fostering is a wonderful way to make a real difference to a cat's life, without the long-term commitment of adoption. Whether it's giving a nervous cat time to settle, a mum and her kittens a quiet space, or a poorly cat somewhere comfortable to recover, our foster carers give West Dorset's cats exactly what they need, when they need it most.

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Foster a Cat

Give a cat a safe place to land, for however long they need it

Not every cat that comes into our care is ready to go straight into a new home. Some are recovering from injury or illness, some are too young or too small to be rehomed yet, and some just need some one-to-one time in a home environment to settle, gain confidence, or be ready for adoption. That's where our foster carers come in.

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Fostering a cat with RSPCA West Dorset means opening up your home on a temporary basis, giving a cat the comfort, stability and TLC of a real home while they wait for their forever family. It's one of the most rewarding ways to help animals in our care, and it means we can help more cats than our centre alone has space for.

 

Why we need foster carers

Our Taylors Rehoming Centre does incredible work, but a home environment is often exactly what a cat needs — whether that's:

  • Young kittens too small to be neutered and rehomed yet

  • Mums with young litters who need a quiet, settled space

  • Cats recovering from illness, injury or surgery

  • Nervous or under-socialised cats who need one-to-one time to build confidence before rehoming

  • Cats awaiting space at the centre when we're at capacity

 

What's involved

As a foster carer, you'll provide day-to-day care, company and a safe space for your foster cat, while our team continues to manage their veterinary care, behavioural support and the search for their forever home. You won't be doing this alone — we're on hand throughout with guidance, advice and support whenever you need it.

 

We provide:

  • Food, litter and any essential equipment

  • Full veterinary care and treatment

  • Ongoing advice and support from our team

  • Guidance on introducing your foster cat to your home (and any resident pets)

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You provide:

  • A safe, quiet space in your home

  • Time, patience and TLC

  • Regular updates to our team on how your foster cat is settling in

  • A willingness to let them go when the right forever home is found (the hardest part, but the most important one!)

 

Is fostering right for you?

Fostering is ideal if you love animals but aren't in a position to commit to permanent ownership right now — whether that's due to work, travel, or simply not being ready to take the leap. It's also a wonderful option if you'd like to help multiple cats over time rather than just one.

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You'll need:

  • A settled home environment with space to keep your foster cat safe and comfortable

  • The ability to keep foster cats separate from resident pets where needed (we'll advise on this)

  • Time to dedicate to their care and settling-in period

  • Transport to and from the centre for vet visits and check-ins (or the ability to arrange this)

 

How to become a foster carer

Getting started is simple. Fill in our foster enquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch to talk through the process, answer any questions, and, where needed, arrange a home visit to make sure we can match you with the right cat for your household.

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