24 Questions You Should Ask Before Fostering a Cat

I recommend fostering cats to just about anyone who will listen. But jumping in feet first, purely on emotion and without doing your homework, is a mistake — one I admittedly made when I started fostering. But after fostering more than 50 cats and kittens with multiple rescues and shelters, I’ve learned that the difference between a rewarding experience and a stressful one comes down to the questions you ask before the carrier opens.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned pro, here are the questions to ask before fostering a cat — first about yourself, then about the rescue organization, and finally about the individual cat you’re being paired with.

Should I foster a cat?

First, let’s sort out if fostering is right for you.

1. Is my lifestyle a good fit for a cat, even for a short period?

At a minimum, expect to commit one month to a foster cat, though shorter stays may be arranged in advance with individual shelters and rescues.

2. Is my housing situation suitable for a cat? And can I get additional documentation from my landlord, if needed?

The good news about cats is that they don’t need a ton of space, as long as you provide vertical places for them to rest and explore. However, landlords and homeowner associations (HOAs) may have no-pet policies or limit the number of pets you can have.

3. Have I considered my family or housemates?

Whether your existing household includes people, pets, or both, everyone needs to be on board before fostering cats. The good news is you can absolutely foster while having resident pets. In fact, shelters and rescues often love pairing fosters with homes that have friendly animals for socialization. I was frequently paired with kittens because my friendly adult cats were perfect mentors. Just add one item to your to-do list first: Schedule a vet visit to discuss necessary vaccinations and parasite prevention before bringing your foster home.

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4. Can I take on additional responsibilities?

Being a foster pet parent doesn’t have to be demanding, although caring for a cat temporarily still requires daily feeding, play, and litter box maintenance. But exactly how much work it requires largely depends on the organization you choose. 

When I fostered with one rescue, I was responsible for fielding hundreds of adoption applications, driving an hour to an approved vet clinic, and housing cats for a few months. With a different organization, cats stayed with me for about a month or less. I never touched an adoption application or drove more than 20 minutes for a vet appointment.

Asking questions upfront about what’s expected of you (see below) will help you find an organization that fits your capacity.

5. Am I prepared for difficult situations? 

Fostering is incredibly rewarding, but it’s important to be realistic about what you can handle. In my five years of fostering, I lost one kitten and an entire litter in utero. These situations are rare, but they do happen — and they’re heartbreaking.

Before you start, think honestly about what kind of cats you’re able to take in. Are you comfortable fostering pregnant cats, knowing there’s a risk of complications? Are you up for bottle-feeding newborns, who are among the most vulnerable populations? Are you prepared to work with unsocialized cats who need more patience than most? What about cats with medical needs or terminal illnesses (called hospice)?

There’s no wrong answer here, because all types of foster parents are desperately needed. But knowing your limits now will help you have honest conversations with organizations down the road, so you can be matched with fosters who fit your abilities. 

6. Am I ready for the goodbye?

“The goal is ‘goodbye’” is the fostering motto, and it’s both the hardest and most rewarding part of the job. If you’re fostering with kids, it’s important to prepare them for this reality well before getting them excited about bringing home a foster cat. That said, we all do love a good foster fail story.

Thinking About Fostering? Let’s Make It Happen.

Fostering helps pets feel safe, loved, and prepares them for adoption. Find out how you can become a foster parent.

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Questions to ask a cat shelter or rescue before fostering

OK, you’ve done the hard part — now it’s time to find the right shelter or rescue to foster for. Depending on where you live, there may be several within your preferred radius. Not sure where to start? You can use Adopt a Pet’s Find a Shelter tool to locate one near you.

7. Is there a minimum age to foster? If so, what is it? 

Some organizations require foster parents to be 18 or 21, while others allow minors to foster with parental consent and supervision.

8. Can I choose the cat I want to foster — or meet a cat before committing to foster them?

Some shelters and rescues may let you meet cats first or choose from available fosters, while others match them with you based on your home setup and their most urgent needs.

9. On average, how long do cats stay with foster families?

Whether or not an organization has a physical location can make a big difference here. One organization I fostered for had a public shelter, so after about a month with me, the kittens would move to the shelter where the public could meet them. Another rescue I worked with had no physical location, which meant cats stayed in my care until they were adopted — sometimes for several months.

10. Are cats fully vetted and tested for diseases such as FIV and FeLV before going to their foster homes?

This is especially important if you have other pets in your household. I learned this from personal experience, when I stopped working with one organization after they placed a cat with FIV in my home without testing or disclosing it beforehand. In many cases, FIV-positive cats can absolutely be fostered and even safely live with other cats, but this information must be shared upfront so you can make an informed decision, take appropriate precautions, and ensure the safety of everyone in your household.

11. Are vet visits handled on site at the rescue or shelter, or do I need to travel to an outside vet?

Some organizations have in-house vet clinics where you can drop in during business hours. Others partner with specific vet clinics.

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12. Am I responsible for any vet appointment costs upfront that will later be reimbursed?

Some organizations cover all costs directly, while others require you to pay and submit receipts for reimbursement. 

13. What supplies do you provide for fosters, and how do I access them?

From personal experience, I found one organization that had everything at their physical location, making it really simple to pick up litter, food, toys, and bedding whenever I needed them. However, another organization without a brick-and-mortar space relied on volunteer hubs to stock supplies at their homes, requiring coordination with whoever was nearest and had what I needed. 

14. What support and educational resources do you offer foster volunteers?

Is there a chat group or Facebook page? How easily can you reach shelter staff, if needed? Do they have a 24/7 emergency contact if something goes wrong outside business hours? Although we all could use support — like if a newly transitioned cat stops eating — this is especially important if you’re fostering a vulnerable population, such as unsocialized cats, pregnant cats, bottle-fed kittens, or those with medical conditions. 

15. What happens if it’s just not working out?

If your foster cat doesn’t get along with your resident pets, or you’ve had a life change, you need to know the organization’s policy and how much notice they’ll need.

16. Can I choose to adopt my foster cat if I decide to keep them?

Some organizations encourage “foster fails,” while others have policies requiring fosters to go through the standard adoption process — or they even prohibit foster-to-adopt arrangements. If there is a chance you may want to keep your foster, you should clarify this upfront.

17. What is your adoption process, and how involved will I be in it?

Will you be writing adoption bios, fielding applications, or coordinating meet-and-greets? Cats and kittens can receive literally hundreds of applications depending on where you live. Consider both your mental and physical capacities — do you have time to screen hundreds of applications? — as well as how much you’d like to be involved in where your foster goes next. 

Questions to ask about the cat before fostering them

You’ve found your shelter, and you’re ready to be paired with a cat. Great — we’ve got one more set of questions for you. These questions will help you nail down logistics and get to know the cat, so you can provide the best care and smoothest transition possible. 

• 18. Have they been evaluated by a vet, and are they up to date on vaccinations and parasite preventatives?

• 19. Do they have any special needs, whether medical or behavioral?

• 20. What’s their known history — and why and how did they end up here?

• 21. What is their personality and temperament like?

• 22. How do they behave around other animals and people?

• 23. Are there any known behavioral quirks or triggers I should be aware of?

• 24. What supplies or setup does this specific cat need?

Ready to foster a cat?

You can locate reputable shelters and rescues by searching the Adopt a Pet database. Search by location, radius, or type of animal, and you’ll find contact information for shelter representatives — so you can reach out about fostering. Don’t be surprised if you don’t start fostering immediately. Many shelters and rescues require a foster application, reference checks, or even a home visit or orientation session. Trust me, the wait is worth it: You’re about to change lives, including your own.