Operation Noble Foster

Our organization is proud to be an "America Supports You" Team Member *

* Our effort was mentioned by Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld in his press conference on April 21, 2003 *

Many thousands of requests for the fostering of pets have come in from members of our armed forces, National Guard and Reservists, that are being called to active duty as a result of the War on Terror, including the deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our foster volunteers are proud to have provided so many caring cat foster homes and for making it possible for there to be many very happy reunions, and many have continued to foster for other military pets.

While many animal shelters and rescues reported some increased numbers due to the call up, the increase has been far less than expected, especially when compared to the animal disaster that occurred with Desert Storm. The need still continues to be great, and this need will continue to some degree as long as we have an active military.

Operation Noble Foster: Who We Are

This website is provided as a public service and staffed by Purebred Cat Breed Rescue volunteers. While our primary focus is Purebred Rescue, our desire is to help the US military and paramilitary personnel retain ownership of their cats, have these pets cared for in a loving manner in an individual foster home while their owners are absent, and have these cats returned to their owners once their owners return. We consider prevention of relinquishment to be an important aspect of rescue. As a result, we operate Operation Noble Foster to provide our military with an alternative to relinquishment if their duty-call means they must leave their cats for a prolonged period of time. Another of our websites, NeuterSpay.org provides a searchable database of affordable spay neuter resources as well as information about kitten neuter and spay to help with prevention of unwanted kittens and hormonal complications which may cause owners to relinquish their cats.

Purebred Cat Breed Rescue represents the efforts of Cat Fanciers to provide a safety net for Purebred cats as well as support all cat rescue. Our alliance of cat fanciers, rescuers, and cat lovers has successfully provided safe havens for more than 1900 cats in the last year. We are actively supported by many cat fanciers from the Cat Fanciers' Association, Inc. (CFA),  The International Cat Association, Inc. (TICA) and the American Cat Fanciers Association, Inc. (ACFA), as well as by cat lovers from all over the world.

We are a purely nonprofit, volunteer 501c3 organization and all donations go directly to help rescue at-risk purebreds - administrative costs are covered by the cat registries who support us. Every cat we rescue is spayed and neutered before placement.

Though we routinely do business as Purebred Cat Breed Rescue, we are incorporated in Minnesota under our original name, CFA Purebred Rescue, Inc., reflecting our early roots in the CFA Purebred Rescue Committee in 1999. Our organization has charity 501c3 status with the IRS so all donations are tax deductible.

Our activities include working with shelters to arrange rescue of at-risk cats, arranging for and often funding initial and emergency vetting, working with animal control agencies to rescue cats who are at imminent risk of seizure from hoarder and cruelty/neglect situations, and providing and/or coordinating transportation of at-risk cats to safety. We do not take owner relinquishments except in exceptional cases or unless working with animal control authorities.

As well as providing a safety net for those purebred cats in shelters all over the country, we often actively work with animal control to take purebred cats at imminent risk of seizure, when the owners consent,  from hoarders and other situations of neglect and/or cruelty (and in such cases, we arrange for the vetting and transport to rescue of the non-purebred domestics that may be involved.)

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Foster: to give temporary nurture, care and shelter
Home: individual or family's dwelling - also see, "where the heart is"

Some people assume that there is little need for more foster volunteers to sign up. Actually, troops will likely be stationed abroad a long while and the military continues to deploy to replace those returning home. Even after the War on Terror is over, there will always be a need for such military pet foster programs as military are deployed abroad even in peacetime, sometimes with little or no notice.

Many in the military and paramilitary have pets and many do hope to have their pets returned to them when they come home.  So there will be a continued demand for foster homes all across the United States. If enough foster homes aren't available, our service men and women may have no choice but to take their beloved pets to local shelters, many of which which are already overflowing.

Do you know anyone who can  find room in their heart and homes to foster a cat for the military? Purebred, or domestic? If so, please sign up! If you are considering fostering for a military cat and have any questions, we do offer an FAQ which answers the most commonly asked questions. If you don't find an answer to your question there, or if you need to change your listing in our database, please feel free to contact us.

Operation Noble Foster is coordinating the cat foster for military pets using a private interactive, searchable database listing homes volunteering to foster and rescues with such foster homes available. If a military person has the need for a long term foster for their pet, please contact us so we can direct you to the database, provide the required ID and Password to view the database, and help advise you on arrangements and screening.

Another America Supports You Team Member, NetPets.Org MilitaryPetsFoster provides individual foster homes for the other (non-cat) pets of military and para-military personnel that will be going overseas during these trying times. To offer to foster a dog, bird, ferret, reptile or pot belly pig, please sign up here.

THANK YOU FOR CARING! AND GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR ARMED FORCES!

What is a foster home?

A foster home is the most important part of this program! Without the dedication of people who open their homes to care for these military owned cats, the cats might be in peril and the military people who own then could not look forward to returning these companions!

A foster home provides the "between" time: the time the cats spends while their owner is away after being called to duty. When a cat is temporarily relocated, it will likely be scared and depressed because the owner is missing and the surroundings are not "home". This is a stress for the cat. A foster will take this poor frightened cat in and give it good food, fresh water, protection and love! The foster may need to have patience, allowing the cat to re-acclimate after such a drastic change in their life.

What is involved in becoming a foster?

Simply, dedication and commitment to the cat and respect for the military owner who is sacrificing for our country ...mixed in with a desire to provide care for the cat and solace for their owner far away! The foster needs to be willing to open his or her heart and home to a kitty.

The foster must be willing to care for the cat from the time the cat is put into foster care until the owner returns. This could be weeks or months ....and occasionally a a year or more if a duty call is extended.

The foster must be willing to put the time and effort into the care and reacclimation of the cat. Sometimes these animals come from are quite stressed by the changes in their lies, and need to understand they have not been abandoned! Sometimes they see the new home as threatening and take lots of patience and kindness to adjust.

If the foster is a family, the whole family must be dedicated to these goals. Being a foster home can, at times, be difficult. A successful foster home is one in which everyone works together for the welfare of the cat! Please make sure that everyone who will be involved in caring for the cat will be dedicated to it’s well-being!

What are a foster's responsibilities?

Foster homes are responsible for providing a loving home, premium food, fresh water, healthy treats, and safe toys for the cat. Who pays for food, litter, and amenities for the cat should be negotiated with the military owner before they leave. The military owner should arrange to cover any necessary veterinary bills while they are gone by making arrangements with a veterinarian all parties agree upon.

Foster homes are also responsible for protecting their own cats until it is determined to be safe to relax such safeguards. We do provide suggestions in our Foster FAQ regarding how to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats or with cats and dogs.

A foster will be responsible for evaluating the kitty's heath daily and assess the cats’ needs and provide for them.

What is the foster not responsible for?

1. In the vast majority of cases, any necessary "vetting" costs are paid by the owner and payment for same is prearranged  with the veterinarian agreed upon by the owner and foster home.

2. Food and litter costs are the responsibility of the owner, though many fosters offer to cover those costs themselves. We provide a suggested contract which may well be modified to fit what all parties agree upon.

3. If it becomes impossible to continue to foster a cat, the foster is not required to keep the cat indefinitely. The foster is responsible, however, for informing the owner and Operation Noble Foster, helping to find an alternative foster home for the cat, and holding the cat safe and secure until an alternative foster home can be found.

Are there any risks involved in fostering?

There can be. That is why it is necessary to ensure that, as a foster home, your own cats are fully vaccinated, and of course, healthy and that the military owner provide the vaccination and FIV/FeLV testing history on the cat.

Spayed and neutered cats are less likely to have problems or cause problems, so it is strongly advised that the cat to be fostered is spayed or neutered before entering the foster home. If that is not possible, the military owner and foster are advised to make arrangements for spay and neuter soon after foster home takes the cat.

It is also important that a quiet area for the cat is initially provided and that introductions to other pets are gradual and monitored. This is the best and safest way to evaluate the needs of the rescue cat, as well as provide the best care possible for each individual situation.

There is also a BIG risk that you will experience a sense of loss when the owner returns and reclaims the cat. All good fosters realize this risk. However, the sense of accomplishment and eventual joy that comes with knowing that a cat has been returned to their owner, that a service has been provided for our brave military, and that the cat is back in a loving home far outbalances the initial risk!

Summary... The cold, hard facts...

Fostering is not always an easy job,
Fostering can sometimes be exhausting,
Fostering is often challenging,
Fostering may sometimes cost you money.
It can be painful to say goodbye to a foster cat when the owner returns.....
BUT, fostering can be THE MOST rewarding and fulfilling thing a true cat lover will ever do to support our military!

What are the steps to becoming a foster?

Step 1. Fill out the Foster Volunteer Form
Step 2. Wait for a military cat owner to call or email you, making sure to keep us updated if your email address or phone number changes. This wait varies depending on locale, the owner's choice from available foster home applications, and the number of military being called up at any given time.
Step 3. When called, discuss the cat in detail, ask for a "cat resume" or detailed information on the cat's likes, needs, veterinary history. Ask about the length of the deployment, what should be done if for some reason the situation changes and you cannot foster throughout the deployment,  and the terms of  the contract, making an agreement about who pays for what and how that payment is arranged.
Step 4. Make mutually agreed upon arrangements with the owner as to how the cat will get to you and when.
Step 5. Proceed to foster in the knowledge you are doing a service to the cat and to our country.

Okay, sign me up!

Thank you for taking the time to read this information and for caring!

Realistically, the more foster homes that are available, the fewer military owned cats will end up in shelters and more of the military can look forward to return home to their pets. Please consider helping, by becoming a  foster home! To offer a foster home for a military cat, sign up here.

One more thing!

If you are also interested in becoming a foster home for an at-risk cat rescued from a shelter for Purebred Cat Breed Rescue, you can learn more about fostering for a rescued cat here.