Cat Chat Feline Forum

We are moving abroad at short notice, but the cats can't travel yet due to rabies booster and blood test timings. So we need a foster home for 4 cats whilst they wait to be cleared by the vets for their flight from Heathrow. We live in the Huntingdonshire area.

You could try Catcuddles They sometimes foster cats. There is a charge, which helps to fund the rescue, but it will be a lot cheaper than using a cattery. I don't know the ins & outs, but a phone call won't hurt. Good luck. http://www.catcuddles.org.uk/contact-us" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

How long do they need to be housed for? Have you considered a local foster or cattery if you know it's going to be short term? Or if it's very very short and you're keeping your house have you considered a cat sitter? If a close friend or family member is available I'm hoping they'd cat sit for you for a few weeks. If not I'm sure local sites like Gumtree would help you out. Or try putting up an advert in your local pet stores. People respond to them very well, just make sure if you don't know the person that you remove anything you can't afford to lose from the house to a relatives house or storage area.

I agree that CatCuddles would be a good place to start.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT USE GUMTREE. It is frequently used by people looking to offer cats a 'free' home, the cats are then used as bait to train fighting dogs. This isn't just a scare story, Celia Hammond can tell you it's a very real problem. One of my cats came from her rescue and he lost a leg to dog baiting. He was lucky, a lot of cats lose their lives.

I never knew that was how Hops lost his leg! Poor boy, give the big ginger menace a fuss from me (and one to Lady P). xx

The same thing happens round here, and people also steal cats for dog baiting. Several people were prosecuted for it last year.

Omg! I've never heard of using cats as bait. That's awful.

We are not keeping the house, so a sitter isn't an option. It will be for about 4 months, which is a long time for 4 cats to be couped up in a cattery. Which is why a thought a foster home would be good, but I don't know how to find one.

I have tried family and friends, but I don't have a wide social circle. I tried Woodgreen, but emigrating doesn't meet their criteria for caring for owed cats, and anyway it would be the same as a cattery, the cats couped up for a long time.

I will phone cats cuddles, thanks, but I would love to find them a home to stay in but catcuddles sounds better than just leaving them in a normal cattery.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT USE GUMTREE. It is frequently used by people looking to offer cats a 'free' home, the cats are then used as bait to train fighting dogs. This isn't just a scare story, Celia Hammond can tell you it's a very real problem. One of my cats came from her rescue and he lost a leg to dog baiting. He was lucky, a lot of cats lose their lives.

I've never heard of that! That's terrible to hear! I'm sorry for my first post, I only recommended it because I've had friends that have had good vacation fosters in the past.