Current Fosters

Current Foster Information

If you are a current foster with FFF please see helpful links below for all your needs.
We are a 501c3 charity organization and we will issue a “volunteer letter” if you need evidence of volunteer hours for community service.

So, you just joined the FFF Foster Team?? CONGRATS! Follow the steps below to get started.

  • Our Fosters & Volunteers Facebook Group Information Page is Available HERE. It is highly recommended that you join this group to stay current on when you can pick up free food, litter, and supplies for your fosters. You can also see new events FFF is hosting, new volunteer opportunities, raffle opportunities, and ask helpful questions, because face it, every cat is different! This group is a one stop shop for everything FFF. Additionally, joining our Management Announcements chat is mandatory to make sure that you don’t miss anything important! Only management will send time sensitive messages here. All messages will have a corresponding post in the group where you can respond, ask questions, or make comments. Responses should not be sent on the chat to eliminate “losing” the main message. Please join that chat via this link HERE.

Get Foster Cat Assigned in Petstablished (Within 24 hours) 

  • If your foster is coming into rescue from a shelter, or surrenders, you must complete the  intake form, which will give them a PSID. If you do not see a PSID (PS followed by 7 digits) after your cat’s name in their chat, do the intake form.
  • Adding a kitten to an existing litter? Use the add form.
  • Taking an internal transfer? If not, complete the change foster form.  
  • Cats PS IDs are used for scheduling spay/neuter, vaccines, and snap testing. They will be after the cat’s name in the FB chat title. If you don’t see them ask!
  • Now make an account on https://petstablished.com/ with the email you applied to foster with. Automatically your foster cats profiles will be assigned to this email. 

Track Medical Needs

  • Keep this form updated and pinned in your cat’s chat for vaccine and procedure tracking.
  • Need vet care? Submit a vet request. This form is both for well care, like a rabies vaccine, and for sick visits.  
  • Looking for specific medical guidelines? Check out our medical protocols

Create a Bio

  • All foster cats must be published on our website before adoption. Please update the cat’s chat weekly with photos, videos, and personality details. Please submit the Bio form at least 2 weeks before the cat is ready for adoption. A bio team member will join your cat’s chat to get them published on the website
  • Cute pictures & videos are imperative to getting your cat visibility on social media. If you have extra cute videos or photos that can be used for social media posts you fill out this  form to get your foster cat posted across FFF’s social media pages!

Promoting Adoption

  • Please review our adoption meet and greet policies when a screener reaches out with an application
  • Share extra-cute photos/videos here for social media. Avoid tagging FFF content on personal accounts.
  • To place them in a high-traffic store location, put them on the store list. 

Troubleshooting Foster Challenges

  • Medical Issues:
    • Not urgent? Post in your cat’s chat or refer to these resources.
    • Urgent but not life-threatening? Fill out the vet request form.
    • Imminent danger (e.g., extreme lethargy, broken bones)? Complete the urgent form. 
      • If you do not get a response within 1 hour or you do not think your cat will make it if you wait and you have exhausted ALL efforts to reach someone for help then please follow our after hours ER policy. This policy can be located here.
  • Reassigning Cats:
    • If a foster cat isn’t working out, or if you have a healthy, friendly foster that could be moved to a new foster so you can take another medical/behavioral foster, submit a transfer request form. Wait time varies depending on the needs of the cat 
  • Annual Updates:

Update your foster agreement yearly here.

You’ve been a foster with FFF long enough to learn the ropes and you want to help even MORE?!?! That’s awesome, see below for upgraded foster opportunities!

Medical Foster

Our medical fosters are located around the Chicagoland area and surrounding suburbs. We supply them with key items such as dewormer, antibiotics, flea treatment, FVRCP vaccines, and fluids. Our medical fosters are available for our foster parents to come to them to pick up supplies, advice, needed items, or in some instances medical care. The ability to give an injection or administer subq fluids is required. Please fill out the application HERE to be considered for the medical foster role.

Foster Buddy

This role requires the ability to oversee a foster parent or small group of parents based on your availability. You are the first line of questioning and you are able to answer typical foster questions such as how much dewormer do I give? When do I get their vaccines updated? This role requires good communication skills, the ability to de-escalate a situation and bring a calming and reassuring voice to the discussion as many first-time fosters may panic when they are exposed to a sick rescue cat. This can be a time-consuming role. If you’re interested in helping new fosters learn the ropes you can fill out an application HERE.