"Won't you be my foster mom?"

Felix

Handsome Felix has a history of urinary crystals. To help this problem, this 13-year-old must eat only a special canned food -- no dry food. He also has early stage kidney disease, so he must see the vet yearly. Felix had a tendonectomy from previous owners, so he must have regular nail trims. He would do best in a home with no cats.

Please call us at the shelter, (219) 785-4936, if you can foster any of our wonderful cats.

Foster Care

Cats admitted to the shelter often include those who need special medical attention, are recovering from injuries, or are expecting kittens.

Because these cats need frequent attention and a quiet place to recuperate, they’re cared for in the loving homes of our Foster Care volunteers.

Foster Care volunteers care for these cats until they’re feeling better, or until new moms have delivered and weaned their kittens. They are then spayed and neutered, and taken to the shelter for adoption.

Want to be a foster parent?

Are you a work-at-home mom or professional who loves animals? An empty-nester with a spare room and love to give? A retiree looking for a volunteer project?

We’re always looking for dependable people who can be temporary foster parents for pregnant cats, newborns and orphaned kittens, or cats who can’t live at the shelter because of an illness or injury. We also need permanent foster homes for cats who can not adjust to shelter life, or with chronic diseases like diabetes and kidney failure or other health issues that would be better managed in a foster home.

Foster care parents should have a car to transport the cats to veterinary appointments when necessary. Expenses, like medications and veterinary care, are handled by the Independent Cat Society.

If you’d like to foster, but have pets of your own, the foster cat can live in a comfortable extra room in the home until he or she is well enough to return to the shelter for adoption.

If you’d like to foster, call the shelter at (219) 785-4936, and leave your name and telephone number. Or complete the Volunteer Form and mail to: Foster Care, Independent Cat Society, P.O. Box 735, Westville, IN, 46391.

The foster care coordinator will contact you for an interview and possible home visit.

Purrfect Partners

The health and emotional benefits of pets are well-documented, yet many seniors don’t feel that they can share their homes with a pet. Some are worried about who will care for the pet in the event that they can’t, and others may not be able to transport them to the vet when needed.

Our older and special needs cats yearn for a warm lap and a human to cuddle but many may never have that chance.

Though older cats are often calm and loving, most people looking to adopt are interested in kittens or younger cats.

The Independent Cat Society has a win-win solution—seniors can partner with senior or special needs cats for the benefit of both!

Here’s how it works:

• ICS will place a Purrfect Partner cat in permanent foster care with qualified seniors at no cost.
• Participants can choose their Purrfect Partner from a book of available cats.
• ICS will be responsible for all costs associated with veterinary care an transportation to the vet as needed.
• A Purrfect Partner Counselor will come to your home once a month to trim nails and do a health checkup. Counselors will also be available by phone incase of problems or questions.

Should it ever become necessary, the cats will return to the ICS.

Do you or someone you know have a spot on your lap for a good friend just waiting for somebody to love? Give us a call at 219-785-4936 and leave a message for the Purrfect Partners Program Coordinator. Click here for the flyer in PDF.

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