Caroline's SWAR Foster Caring Experience

My partner and I have been cat foster carers since October 2007. When we moved to Bunbury from the goldfields, we brought with us a cat we had rescued as a kitten (who barely acknowledges our existence) and a vague idea that I wanted to do *something* to help animals. I had no idea what, but as both of us are shift workers, it needed to be something that fit easily into our lifestyle. For us, fostering cats for SWAR has certainly fit the bill.

We had no idea what sort of animals we'd be getting from SWAR, and were expecting them to be much like our own half wild moggy. We were so wrong. Our first foster cat was a tom named Charlie. He was so beautiful and friendly, we joked to each other that this was the 'starter cat' that SWAR sent out to all their new foster carers. He wasn't. I'm not sure how many dozens of cats have come through our door on their way to their forever home, but they have all been a delight. Each has it's distinct personality and story, and many have arrived hungry, scared and missing their loved ones. The one thing they all have in common is that once they feel safe and comfortable, they are friendly and eager to give and receive lots of affection.

We tend to foster only one or two cats at a time, although before Christmas we had four little kittens, which was sooo much fun! While it usually averages us about a month to rehome each cat, we've had some for less than a week and one (my all time favourite cat - the ubiquitous Chocolate) we had for three months.

When people find out we do this, the question we are most asked is 'Isn't it hard to give them up' and the answer is yes, sometimes it is hard to let a cat you've gotten attached to, go on to their new home. But, the wait is never very long before the call comes through asking if we would take a new cat, or - as is more often the case - me calling Tanya asking where the next cat is!

We get a lot more out of foster caring than we put into it, and not just because it feels good to know you are trying to do some good, or that the animals SWAR saves would otherwise be put down. It's for that purely selfish reason that we get to have a cat and pat it too, without the 18 years of responsibility.


- Caroline Franklin, SWAR Foster Carer