Fostering FAQ
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Every cat on this page needs a safe place to land until adoption. Fostering is one of the most direct ways to save a life. We provide the supplies and vet care, you provide the love. Because we are strictly a foster-based rescue, every new foster home multiplies the number of cats we can save. The impact is real: more fosters mean more lives rescued, more cats socialized, and more chances for them to find forever homes. Your support doesn’t just provide a temporary home, it changes lives.
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Fostering is a temporary way to provide a loving home for a cat or kitten while they wait for adoption. At Despurate House Cats, fostering is simple and rewarding. Once you submit a foster application, our team will help match you with a cat that fits your home, lifestyle, and experience level. Some cats may need a quiet space to adjust, while others may be playful kittens who just need supervision and love.
We provide everything your foster cat needs, including food, litter, bedding, toys, and all veterinary care such as spay/neuter, vaccines, and wellness exams. You provide the home, the attention, and the patience. When your foster cat arrives, you give them time to settle in. Some cats adjust within a few days, while others may take weeks. Your role is to provide a safe, calm space and help them gain confidence.
Throughout the process, our team is here to support you with guidance, check-ins, and advice whenever you need it. When your foster cat is ready for adoption, we handle the meet-and-greet and adoption process. Some fosters are even lucky enough to adopt their foster themselves and this is always celebrated!
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Fostering a cat doesn’t require a lot of space. A quiet room, a bathroom, or even a cozy corner can be enough to help a cat feel safe. Mentally, fosters need patience and flexibility, as each cat adjusts at their own pace and may be shy or uncertain at first. Emotionally, fostering asks for kindness, empathy, and a willingness to celebrate small victories, from a timid cat taking their first confident step to the joy of seeing them thrive and eventually find a forever home. While fostering can be challenging at times, the rewards of helping a cat grow, heal, and blossom are immeasurable.
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Fostering is one of the most rewarding ways to make a real difference. Every cat in a foster home gets a safe, warm space to heal and grow. A space they wouldn’t have on the streets, where survival is a daily struggle. For shy or fearful cats, fostering gives them the chance to learn to trust, gain confidence, and discover what love and comfort feel like. There’s nothing like watching a timid cat slowly blossom under your care, gaining courage, curiosity, and affection, and then taking their first steps toward a forever home. By opening your home, you’re not just saving a life for a day or a week, you’re giving a cat the chance to leave fear behind and experience everything a happy, healthy life can offer.
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When you foster with Despurate House Cats, you’re never alone. Our team is here to guide you every step of the way: from helping match you with the right cat to answering questions about behavior, socialization, or medical care. We provide all the supplies and cover veterinary costs, and we’re always available for advice, troubleshooting, or just a little encouragement. Whether it’s tips for helping a shy cat gain confidence, guidance on introducing a foster to your other pets, or support during adoption transitions, we’re here to make fostering as smooth and rewarding as possible.
Meet the cats in need of a quiet place to grow:
Saffron (1/2 of a pair)
Saffron is one half of a handsome bonded pair, alongside his brother Turmeric. At around two years old, he’s neutered, vaccinated, and FIV/FeLV negative. The brothers came from a colony in Bridgeport, where they found comfort and safety in each other before joining our rescue four months ago. They arrived with ringworm but are now fully healthy and thriving.
Saffron is a gentle, shy soul who tends to scurry away when people get too close. He has hissed on occasion, but has never swatted or bitten, even during medical care. He would do best in a quiet, patient home where he can slowly build trust and confidence. Saffron has coexisted peacefully with cats, dogs, and even birds, and is best in a home without young children. He and Turmeric are closely bonded and are looking for a foster who can care for both brothers together.
Mitzi
Mitzi is a 3-year-old, spayed, vaccinated, FIV-positive girl who has come a long way from her days living under a porch. For the first three years of her life, she raised two litters outside with the help of a kind feeder who made sure she never went hungry. When that feeder moved earlier this year, Mitzi officially became a Despurate House Cat.
In her current foster home, Mitzi is doing surprisingly well — she coexists peacefully with other cats, the resident dogs, and even the bird. She’s comfortable having people around, but she’s not quite ready for close contact; when approached too quickly, she simply shrinks back and tries to make herself small. She has never shown aggression, just caution rooted in a life spent surviving outdoors.
Mitzi would truly thrive in a quieter home with someone who understands that connection takes time. With patience, consistency, and gentle socialization, she has every chance to blossom into a cat who finally feels safe with people.
Turmeric (1/2 of a pair)
Turmeric is a handsome two-year-old who’s inseparable from his brother Saffron. Both boys are neutered, vaccinated, and FIV/FeLV negative. They came from a Bridgeport colony where they relied on each other for comfort, and after recovering from ringworm in our care, they’re healthy and ready for the next chapter.
Turmeric is shy and cautious, often scurrying away when people get too close. Like Saffron, he has hissed a few times but has never swatted or bitten, even for medical treatment. He would thrive in a calm, quiet home where he can take his time coming out of his shell. Turmeric has done well with cats, dogs, and even birds, and he and Saffron are best fostered together so they can continue supporting each other.
