A Cambridgeshire-based pets charity is appealing for volunteers in Peterborough to foster pregnant cats and their kittens.
Woodgreen Pets Charity’s ‘Moggy Midwives’ campaign hopes to find people who are willing to volunteer their homes to look after cats during their pregnancies.
The charity currently has over 150 cats in its care at its Snowden Cat Care Centre, in Cambridgeshire, which opened in the month of March earlier this year.
Many of the pregnant cats in Woodgreen’s care are already at foster homes, but the charity is taking in new cats every day and needs your help.
Volunteers will be expected to settle their fostered cat into their home, supporting them through labour and looking after their kittens until they are around nine weeks old and ready to be rehomed.
The process is completely free, with full training and all supplies provided by the charity.
‘Moggy Midwives’ will foster the pregnant cats and their kittens for around 10-12 weeks in total.
‘Best decision I’ve ever made’
Michelle Hurley, from Cambridgeshire, has been a Woodgreen fosterer for three years.
She said: “I have a lot of love to give, but I can’t commit to having more pets, so this is the perfect solution.
"I’ve had three cats give birth in my family’s care and, although each time is different, building a bond with a cat at her most vulnerable time and getting her trust is amazing.
"The hardest part is giving the kittens back as you invest a lot of time and emotion into them but it’s the best decision I’ve ever made and our whole family now gets involved.”
Many of the volunteers will go on to permanently adopt cats and kittens in Woodgreen’s care.
Emma Carey, from Cambridgeshire, has welcomed three litters into her home.
She said: “My last foster pets were a mum, Tila, and her four two-week-old kittens: Peanut, Walnut, Pistachio and Pecan. It was brilliant to watch them grow from tiny things with their eyes only just opening to bouncy, energetic balls of character.
“I now have the very beautiful and affectionate Cookie on foster, who’s due to give birth any day now. She’s an absolute darling who unfortunately only had her last litter of kittens 12 weeks ago and is now ready to pop again.
"Cookie hasn’t been here long and we’ve already been cuddling, playing and feeding her up with nutritious food. I’m really looking forward to
experiencing birth and newborns.”
The Peterborough Telegraph has put together a collection of the best pictures of mothers and their kittens:
