Thank you for your interest in becoming a foster to a PPOM cat or kitten. We appreciate your time and dedication to make life better for the cats and kittens in Mobile. PPOM is 100% volunteer, which requires volunteers who will agree to allow PPOM cats/kittens to live in their homes until they are able to be adopted or go on transport. This might take a day, a month, or longer.  The length of time you commit to house your fosters is completely dependent on your schedule and convenience. Important responsibilities include the following:

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Commit to open your home to foster cats/kittens

• This commitment can be for a few days, a week, months, or even a weekend. It is entirely up to you.

• If you need to change your commitment, please give us as much notice as possible.

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Care for your fosters

• We expect you to provide adequate food, water, and a clean litter box. It should be scooped daily and cleaned weekly.

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Protect your foster

• Do not let your fosters outside at any time for any reason because they…..

  • may get lost or killed by a dog or car

  • should not get used to being outside or develop the desire to be outside

  • are likely to get fleas and other parasites

• For the first 24-48 hours provide a safe, quiet place so they acclimate to a new environment. They may have gone through trauma and need quiet time to adjust.

• Introduce to your family slowly.

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Socialize your fosters

• Every cat socializes at a different speed so please be patient with them.

• Cats need physical touch and conversation to become good family members, so lots of contact and attention will help them become desired pets and be adopted quickly. 

• As a foster parent, we ask that you evaluate your foster's behavior, temperament and energy level.  We require that you provide the necessary time, attention and exercise for your foster cat/kitten, spending a little extra time each day teaching your foster cat/kitten the socialization skills needed for his forever home.  

• Let us know if there are any problems so that we can work with the cat/kitten before he goes to a permanent home.  

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 Health of your foster and vet appointments

You are required to bring your foster(s) in to our location when scheduled for a clinic visit.  You will be notified of the date and time by text messaging and/or email. When the kitten is young it requires a series of vaccinations, deworming and flea prevention.  When older it will require monthly flea prevention and periodic deworming.

• Check your fosters regularly for any of the following signs: appetite loss,  runny eyes with discharge, runny nose with discharge, scaly, hairless patches regardless of how small, fleas, ear mites (scratching ears and shaking head), wheezing, respiratory labored breathing, lethargy, limping, favoring one leg, or anything that looks unusual.  

• Please do not wait until something becomes an emergency.

• Check your kitties in the mornings/noon so if something is wrong it can be a regular office visit charge and not an emergency visit.

• PPOM covers veterinary expenses, including monthly flea control. 

• You are required to contact PPOM for any and all medical issues that may arise while the cat/kitten is in your care.  

• IN CASE OF EMERGENCY:  Do not take your foster to your vet.  In case of emergency, please contact PPOM.  We have our own medical staff and we have arrangements with many local vets who offer us special rates and fees for their services.  If you have an emergency call our Medical Director immediately at (251) 605-0883 for instructions.  If no answer, call (251) 604-8991.  For all non-emergencies, please email medical@ppomcats.org and someone will contact you within 24 hours.  

• Please don’t change the name of your foster.  If you want to call them something cute at home, that is fine, but please keep up with their “PPOM name”.  It causes confusion with vetting, scheduling and transferring from foster to foster.

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Your personal animals

• Before you bring a foster animal into your home, please be sure your own cat/kittens/dogs are spayed/neutered and are up to date on their vaccinations and deworming, so as not to expose cats or kittens to illness or pregnancies.  This is not only for the health of the foster animal, but for your own cat/kitten(s) and dogs as well.  

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Photos and descriptions

• Please send photos and biographical information about your fosters to bios@ppomcats.org at any time.  We love new information to help them get adopted.

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Adoption

• You are not permitted to place your foster cat/kitten for adoption or transfer it to another foster person.  All adoptions and transfers must be handled through PPOM.  This is the case even if this was a cat or kitten that originated from you.

• Your foster cat/kitten will be listed on our website and Petfinder as available for adoption. 

• Any persons wishing to adopt must submit an Adoption Application through our website and follow our normal adoption application screening. All adoption applications must be approved, adoption fees collected and medical records transferred before the adoption is complete.   The cat/kitten cannot physically leave your care until confirmed from PPOM that the adoption process is complete. 

 

FAQs 

Can I pick out which cat/kitten I would like to foster? 

• Absolutely! We want you to find the perfect fit for you, your family and any other cat/kittens you may have. We have many volunteers who are happy to work with you on this. 

What if I decide to adopt the cat/kitten I am fostering? 

• Hooray for you AND your foster cat/kitten! Simply email info@ppomcats.org to make arrangements to finalize your adoption! 

What is PPOM’s adoption fee and what does it include?

• Our adoption fees range from $125 to $200, which includes alter, age appropriate vaccinations, combo test, microchip, dewormer and flea prevention.

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If you still have questions about fostering, please email info@ppomcats.org.

 

Next we need to get some information from you.  Please click the following button and fill out the application to become a PPOM foster.