Our Foster Program
Foster homes are a critical part of our rescue program. We are able to pull more cats from shelters and keep them healthier and happier with foster homes.
As a Meowtropolitan foster, you will have the full support of our staff and volunteers behind you. We’re here to answer your questions, share resources. We want your experience to be a good one, because happy fosters make for happy, healthy, and well-socialized cats.
Please read the Foster Program overview below to see what it entails before applying.
Thank you for helping us help cats and keep them healthier and happier. We couldn’t do this without our foster network.
Becoming a Foster Parent
Fosters parents are responsible for providing temporary care for cats in their homes. Cats are placed in foster homes in the following situations:
New cat quarantine: 2 week quarantine to monitor new cats for any signs of illness (URI, diarrhea, skin lesions, etc.) prior to their stay at the cat cafe. (MOST COMMON)
Medical stay: longer term management of a cat's medical issue that may require closer monitoring
Behavioral stay: typically for cats that have trouble adjusting to the bustling lifestyle of the catfe and would do better having their own space
Basic cat care supplies including food and litter are provided by Meowtropolitan Foundation.
Requirements:
Ideally have a home without any pets, or if you have pets, you must have the ability to keep foster cats indoors and separate from your household pets (ideally a separate room with easy to clean flooring)
Have at least one hour twice per day to spend caring for and socializing foster cats
Be able to make a minimum commitment of at least 2 weeks
Access to a car and willing to pick the cats up from the cafe at the beginning of the foster period and return them at the end. Fosters must also be prepared for the possibility of driving a cat that becomes sick to the vet on short notice
If you have other pets, they must be spayed/neutered, up to date on vaccines, and free of health conditions that could pass on to foster cats
Willingness to adhere to cleaning and sanitization protocol and learn cat health basics
Experience taking care of cats and familiarity with cat behavior and body language
Duties:
Spend at least one hour twice a day taking care of foster cats in your home. Tasks include:
Socializing cats by playing with them and getting them familiar with human interaction
Feeding cats twice a day
Cleaning up after the cats: scooping litter, washing food dishes, cleaning up vomit/urine/feces, sanitizing surfaces, washing dirty blankets/beds, etc.
Monitoring cats for health and behavioral concerns
Respond promptly to communication from Meowtropolitan staff and be proactive about communicating updates on the foster cats
Transport foster cats to and from Meowtropolitan at the beginning and end of the foster period as well as to the vet during the foster period (if needed)
If you are interested and this seems like a good fit for you, go ahead and put in an application!
Our rescue work
Our non-profit arm, Meowtropolitan Foundation began our new rescue program and our own rescue in 2024, after a change in management practices with our prior shelter partner. We rescue and find home for shelter cats, with the help of an incredible network of foster families and volunteers. We welcome new fosters!
We pull cats from our local shelters and provide them with a cage-free, enriching environment at the cat café while they wait to meet their forever families. The cat café allows the cats to learn more about them and show us their personalities which helps us match them with the suitable, furrever homes.
We aim to help our local shelters keep their kennels empty, reduce the load on their capacity and provide medical and socialization help for the shelter kitties that need a little extra assistance.
Meowtropolitan Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization (EIN: 83-1847991) and you can make a tax-deductible donation to support our work.