Caroline Springs resident Leona McQueen is a foster carer of a different kind.
The 25-year-old dedicates her time to looking after abandoned cats and kittens as part of the Forever Friends animal rescue group.
Forever Friends relies solely on foster carers to care for felines rescued from pounds and shelters.
Ms McQueen said she loved animals and had always wanted to do volunteer work. Now, with a little time on her hands, being a cat foster carer was the perfect fit.
“It’s such a rewarding thing to do,” she said. “I just wish I could help them all.
Ms McQueen has been caring for cats and kittens since November and recommends it to others who want to help out.
She has so far looked after three cats and is now caring for four kittens. They will stay with her until they are ready for adoption.
“You’re rewarded with lots of love and cuddles. The happiness it gives you is priceless,” she said.
Last weekend, the Cat Napping Suburban Retreat in Ravenhall, a boarding facility for cats, held an adoption and fundraiser day.
The event helped raise funds for Forever Friends and celebrated the commitment of its foster carers.
Cat Napping owner Ebony Centazzo said she wanted to bring more attention to cats in a world that she says is focused on dogs.
She said that between October and April each year animal shelters and rescue groups were inundated with abandoned cats. Female cats that were not desexed could have up to three litters a year, adding to the thousands already abandoned.
More details about foster caring can be found at www.foreverfriends.org.au.
Yasemin Talat
