Our pawesome Foster Carers are vital to the running of our Home and to the lives of our furry residents, and adorable Roundy’s story highlights just this.

Fostering not only gives our animals a break from shelter life, but also frees up space at The Mayhew, meaning we can take in and help more animals.

Our Animal Welfare Officers were first alerted to Roundy, when they received a call about a feral cat that had given birth to one kitten in a shed in Roundwood Park during our busy kitten season.

As the mother was feral, and therefore cannot be taken in and rehomed, we left them there making sure that they had a regular feeder and proper shelter. We then made arrangements to return when Roundy was older and so we could Trap, Neuter and Return the mum.

The cut-off point to domesticate feral kittens is eight weeks, so we knew we needed to return to collect Roundy before he reached this age in order for him to be able to be domesticated and found a home.

If a kitten is any older than eight weeks then it can be unfair to domesticate them as the process would be very difficult and slow, and they will probably be anxious around humans all their life. A feral kitten is born into the wild with no human contact and will usually always have a fear of humans. Domesticating a feral kitten can be a long and difficult process, which needs to be done by an experienced person as it requires a lot of patience and preservation.

We could not take Roundy before he was old enough to be domesticated, as it was important that he received the proper nutrients from his mum’s milk, which is essential for health and growth. Also at such a young age, kittens need help from their mum to urinate, defecate and also learn how to act like a cat.

Unfortunately though, when Roundy was old enough to be taken into our care, we were completely full to the brim with cats. We had no space to put him in our Cattery, and knew that the only option would be to find him a Foster Carer.

We began an urgent search to find a Foster Carer who would have enough time on their hands to socialise this little bundle of fur at such a short notice. As he had been raised so far by a feral cat, Roundy was scared of humans at the time and was hissing and spitting, and we knew his Foster Carer would have to be prepared to put the hours in.

Thankfully at the last minute, we managed to find the perfect foster home for Roundy, and we also returned to neuter his feral mother.

After just a few days of TLC from his Foster Carer, Roundy started to relax and was happily receiving cuddles.

Once Roundy was old enough and had been neutered, he found a home in no time and has since settled in wonderfully. He is now living by the seaside with his new bunny friend and a Morkie called Tilly, and has even been given a new name, Jasper.

Our Cat Welfare Coordinator, Georgina Disney, said: “We were so thankful that Roundy’s Foster Carer stepped in during this crucial time. With her help, Roundy is able to grow up into a happy, adult cat and has now found a loving forever home.”

“Our Foster Carers are so important to the running of our Home, and so far this year they have helped a whopping 159 cats.”

Very simply, fostering saves more animals lives by freeing up space. We are always looking for more foster carers to join our pawesome team, so if you’re interested in joining, please head over to our webpage here to find out how to apply, or you can call us on 020 8962 8000.