Volunteer Cat Fosterers Volunteer Roles in Belfast

Cats Protection Lifeline is a specialist fostering service for survivors of domestic abuse. 

Lifeline offers temporary foster care for cats whose owners are fleeing domestic abuse, the service enables both survivors and their pets to get to safety and then aims to reunite them once the owner has secure housing in place.  Through a network of volunteer foster carers, temporary accommodation is provided for the cat until they can be reunited with their owner. 

Our volunteers care for the cat/s in their own homes, providing peace of mind to families fleeing domestic abuse who know their feline friends are in receiving the care and attention they need. 

Fostering for Lifeline comes at no financial cost to the fosterer and they would be supported by the team throughout the placement. The service is unique in that we offer long term foster placements of 5 months or more, asking our volunteers to allow the cat/s access to their whole home, whilst keeping them indoor only due to safety. Due to the nature of the role, we ask that our foster carers have no free roaming pets, but if you have animals in your home who reside in tanks or cages, and we can discuss this. 

We have seen that having a pet in the home can bring a lot of joy to people and we find that the service benefits our foster carers as much as it does our owners. It can be hugely rewarding for them to know they’re helping not just a cat, but their owner and often their family as well. 

The service is only made possible because of our amazing volunteers who provide a home from home for the cats while their owners are in refuge or temporary accommodation. This role would be a great place to start if you are thinking of owning a cat but want to gain some hands on experience first. Many of our volunteers choose to join us as they may not be able to commit to owning a pet themselves. Our foster cats don't need to be supervised at all times, so this opportunity is also great for people who are out at work during the day.

This role is completely home based. We will provide all transport for the cats, and all supplies will be delivered directly to your home.

You will have access to our online training portal called Cat-Nav. Here you will find lots of free training including cat welfare and behaviour courses.
We will provide holiday cover when you foster a cat for us meaning you can still enjoy a well-earned break! 
We will cover the cost of everything that you need and we will bring all supplies directly to your home.
Any foster cat that you take on will be neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and up to date with flea and worm treatments. We will also register you at a local vet, and cover the costs of any treatment that may be needed.
You will be able to have a cat in your home completely free of charge. This opportunity is great for people who rent, or people who aren't quite ready to commit to owning a cat full-time.

If you are interested in becoming a foster carer for Cats Protection Lifeline, or have any questions, please do get in touch with us, wo would be delighted to hear from you.