I need a foster home for my cat

October 26, 2005 9:36 AM

Please help me find a foster home in the Twin Cities for my very nice lovable cat.

I am in the Army Reserves and have been mobilized for six months, possibly longer. A friend agreed well in advance of my departure to care for my cat while I'm away. She called last night to tell me that it wasn't working out and that she has put him in an empty apartment in the back of her restaurant. No one that I know will take him. I've tried the military pet foster sites with no luck. One site requires that I give them my social security number, which I don't feel good about. I'm afraid that she will take him to the pound where he will be killed. I'm really at my wits end.

I purchased enough food, treats, litter, pan liners to last six months.

Does anyone know of a foster home that would take him? Felix is a really nice cat. Here's Felix's stats:

Male
15 y.o.
gray/white
7 lbs aprox.
nuetered
declawed (I didn't do it, done before I adopted him)
He likes to sleep, eat treats, lick tuna from cans, chew cellophane, and chase the ocassional invisible mouse. He doesn't mind being alone during the day and will greet you at the door with a few good natured meows.

I love my cat. He's really nice and he doesn't scratch or destroy anything. He also does not jump onto counters or tables. He does like to curl up on the end of my bed.

posted by Juicylicious to Pets & Animals (8 answers total)

Here is a short list of shelters/no kills. Ask your vet. Your vet knows people in your area, and may know someone who's recently lost a cat or who is looking for a cat. You've prepared for him for a while, which is nice, and anyone taking him on will really appreciate that. If you have to give him to a shelter, I would say make a donation to the shelter. Being older, he may just become the vet's or shelter's cat -- a sweet old guy that just hangs around. My vet has two or three of those. They're fat and happy. Felix sounds like a sweetheart, and I'm so sorry you're having to leave him.
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:55 AM on October 26, 2005

Also check out Home For Life. I don't have any experience with them personally, but a cat-fanatic friend highly recommended them to me (when I thought we were gonna have to give up one of our cats because it had Leukemia).
posted by jodic at 9:59 AM on October 26, 2005

Try Craigslist...hopefully you might make a connection with someone. Good luck.
posted by apple scruff at 10:26 AM on October 26, 2005

Have you tried posting in the Minn/StPaul Craigslist? There's got to be some pet lovers who'd like to help out a serviceperson.
posted by phearlez at 10:32 AM on October 26, 2005

A friend of mine who works at a cat shelter in the Twin Cities offers up the following:

There are lots of no-kill shelter recommendations at my shelter's site on petfinder:
http://www.geocities.com/mnpawprints/Orgs.html

and tips on placement
http://www.petrescue.com/library/place-pets.htm

Unfortunately, my shelter's full to the gills at present--our waiting list wouldn't help him/her, as the situation's more urgent. If my Rusty wouldn't eat Felix, I'd take him myself.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:05 AM on October 26, 2005

Hi, I e-mailed you, but I also wanted to add a link to the City Cat Clinic in St. Louis Park. They're a great little place and have a few cats that live there on a permanent basis. Even if they couldn't take him, I bet they could suggest someone who could.
posted by Zosia Blue at 11:09 AM on October 26, 2005

Here's an article for a Cat Hotel - and the caption of one of the photos mentions that the cat in the picture is there until his owner gets back from Iraq.

It's in Madison, Wisconsin, which is about a four hour drive from where you are.
posted by ugf at 4:55 AM on November 1, 2005

Whoops, I'll include the link this time (must.drink.coffee.). Here's the start of the article:

"Buddy is a pudgy 16-year-old tomcat whose owner is serving in Iraq until January, and no relatives are willing to look after him while his owner is gone."

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/features/index.php?ntid=59882
posted by ugf at 4:57 AM on November 1, 2005