Foster
Fostering a cat is an extremely rewarding experience, and can save lives. During FY25, Cat Haven fostered out over 3,200 different cats and kittens. This represents over 40% of the cats we received.
If you have a cat already, this is not a barrier to fostering!
A fostered cat will often bond with resident cats, and become more sociable and happy as a result. Having your own pets is often an advantage, not a disadvantage.
As of September 2025, Cat Haven is lucky enough to have a network of 1,100 active foster carers, who support and uplift each other throughout the foster process. You can join this amazing network today!
Fostering cats and kittens can help them to get through a difficult time in their lives.
- For adult cats, it can give them a quiet and safe place to recover from a medical procedure.
- Cats and kittens alike will need treatment and time to recover from common medical conditions like ringworm. Taking care of cats with these conditions may not be as difficult as you think - and it is very rewarding to gain the trust of a scared and sick cat.
- Older cats may take a while to find a new home, and will thrive after some time in a temporary home. By improving their health and happiness, you will directly improve their chances of being adopted.
- Cat Haven receives many cats whose owner has passed away or moved into an aged care facility. These cats need time to grieve the loss of their owner, and adjust to their new lives. Giving them a temporary home is an amazing gift.
- During kitten season (November through March) Cat Haven relies on foster carers to look after kittens who may be too young to be adopted formally. Some of these kittens may still be feeding from their mother cat; others might be orphaned, or separated from their mother cat.
Fostering is also a way to give cats a break from a busy shelter environment. Cats would much rather be in a home than in a shelter! There is more space and they will typically be less stressed with fewer cats nearby.
During peak season, Cat Haven receives over 70 cats every single day. Fostering out cats is the only way that we can accept every cat that comes in.
All food, veterinary care, enrichment tools, bowls and bedding will be provided to you as a foster carer. Cat Haven will also provide support to you - from the Foster team, the other staff at Cat Haven, and the large and tight-knit foster community.
The only thing a foster carer needs to provide is a space for the cat. By giving a cat the chance to experience normal household situations (children, dogs, other cats, the vacuum cleaner, the car, and more) a foster carer can quickly learn what type of home will suit the cat long-term. This will directly improve a cat's chances of being successfully adopted.
Please note that acceptance to the foster care program does require acknowledgement, and an agreement to the terms and conditions, as stated on the application. Please read these carefully, and if you would like more information, you can contact us at fostercare@cathaven.com.au.
See our Fostering Brochure for more information about fostering cats.
For more information about foster care and general cat care, please see our Foster Carers Handbook.