We say it often at Cat's Club Benidorm, and we mean it: without foster homes, there are no rescues. We don't have a shelter or premises. We're a group of volunteers, mostly women, who take cats off the street and care for them in our own homes until they find a family. Every cat you see up for adoption has been through someone's living room, kitchen or spare bedroom. So when someone offers to foster, they open the door for us to say yes to the next cat that turns up, in an urbanisation in l'Alfàs or on a patch of waste ground in La Nucía. If you've ever thought "I'd love to help but I can't adopt right now," this one's for you. Fostering is exactly that: real help, for a while, without the lifelong commitment.
What fostering actually involves
Fostering means caring for a cat in your home temporarily, either while it's waiting for adoption or while it recovers from something. You give it a safe spot, food, affection and routine; we handle the rest. The cat stays Cat's Club's responsibility the whole time. Your job is to give it a roof and pay a bit of attention: does it eat well, is it friendly, does it spook at noise, how is it with other animals. That kind of information is gold when we're matching a cat to the right family.
You don't need experience or a big place. Plenty of our fosterers do this from an ordinary Benidorm flat, terrace and all. What matters is that the space is safe, with protected windows and balconies, because all our cats live indoors. That protection is non-negotiable: cats do fall, and a drop from the fourth or fifth floor rarely ends well. The idea that they always land on their feet is a dangerous myth.
What we cover and what you provide
This is the part that puts most people's minds at rest. Cat's Club covers the vet costs for the cat you foster: vaccinations, worming, tests, neutering when it's due, and any treatment it needs. If something urgent comes up, we coordinate it. We also guide you the whole way through. There's always a volunteer you can reach for any question, however small it feels.
- We provide: vet costs, treatment, neutering, and depending on the case, food, litter or a carrier to get you started.
- You provide: the space in your home, your time, patience and affection, and a watchful eye to tell us how the cat is doing.
- We decide together: how long, what kind of cat suits you, and how visits from potential adopters are handled.
Let's be honest: the lovely bits and the harder bits
We're not going to oversell it. Fostering is wonderful, but it has its moments. A kitten can keep you up at night for the first few weeks. A newly rescued adult might hide under the bed for days before it trusts you. And then there's the question everyone asks: how on earth do you cope with letting them go?
It's hard, we won't pretend otherwise. But most of our fosterers tell us the same thing: watching "their" cat head off to a good home, knowing that frees up space to rescue the next one, more than makes up for it. We fondly call it foster fail in reverse: one leaves and you're already thinking about the next. And if you fall for one and decide to keep it, that's fine too. It happens more than you'd think, and we completely get it.
Types of fostering
Not all foster placements ask the same of you. Depending on your life, your home and how much time you have, one of these will suit you better:
- Kitten litters: babies who need warmth, play, socialising and sometimes bottle-feeding. Lots of work and an awful lot of cuteness. Best if you're home a fair bit.
- Mums with kittens: a queen who has given birth and needs somewhere quiet to raise her litter until weaning. You give her peace; she does most of the work.
- Recovery cases: cats coming out of an operation, a course of treatment or a fright, who need a few weeks of controlled rest before they're ready for adoption.
- Adult cats: the often overlooked ones. They want calm and a sofa. Usually the easiest placements for people who work out of the house, since they ask less than a kitten.
How to get started
It's simpler than it sounds. Get in touch and tell us a bit about yourself: what your home is like, whether you have other animals, how much time you can give, and which type of fostering appeals to you. From there we talk it through calmly, no rush and no pressure. We find a cat that fits you together, not the other way round.
If you can't foster right now but still want to help, that counts for a lot too: spreading the word, donating, or adopting. It all helps, and it all keeps us going.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to foster a cat?+
The vet costs aren't on you. Cat's Club covers vaccinations, worming, tests, neutering and treatment for the cat you foster. You provide the space, your time and your affection. Depending on the case, we can also help with food, litter or a carrier to get started.
How long does a foster placement last?+
It depends on the cat. A recovery case might be a couple of weeks; a kitten or an adult up for adoption stays until a family comes along, which can be anything from a few weeks to a few months. We agree it with you around your availability and never leave you to it on your own.
What if I get attached and don't want to give the cat back?+
It happens more than you'd think, and we understand completely. If you decide to adopt, we'd be delighted: the loveliest kind of foster fail. And if you do say goodbye so it can go to another family, you've freed up space to rescue the next one. Either way, the cats win.
Can I foster if I already have a cat or a dog?+
Yes, but the cat has to be kept separate for at least 3 weeks first, to see out the quarantine period. After that it is tested and vaccinated, and you can start introducing it to your other cats and/or dogs. We'll talk you through exactly how to do that introduction.
I live in a small flat in Benidorm. Is that enough?+
It's absolutely enough. Most of our foster homes are ordinary local flats. The one essential is that windows and balconies are protected, because our cats live indoors and falls are a genuine danger.
Every time someone offers to foster, we breathe a little easier at Cat's Club, because it means we can say yes to the next cat that needs us. If you're on the fence, take the step. Get in touch and we'll talk it through, no commitment. And if fostering isn't possible for you right now, lend a hand with a donation or share this with someone you think might. Without foster homes there are no rescues, and with you, one more becomes possible.
