An insight into what it’s like to be a Foster Volunteer at Mayhew, from Louise: 

From an early age, I loved being around animals, at the local 4H farm, on the street, at friends’ and family homes, you name it. Back then, rescue animals weren’t something I was familiar with. Why wouldn’t anyone want an animal? The thought hadn’t even occurred to me.

I was in my 20s when I first read an article about a pair of abandoned kittens. I reached out to the organisation mentioned and signed up to foster. Two tiny kittens arrived, skinny, sick, and in desperate need of care. I didn’t really know what I was doing, and it was scary at times, but caring for them day and night was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Both kittens pulled through and were eventually adopted. I cried for days, tears of joy that they’d survived and found their forever families, and of sadness because I missed them. That was my first taste of some of the emotions that come with fostering.

After moving to London in 2013, I came across Mayhew. At the time, I was sharing a flat but knew that to foster, I’d need my own space. So I found a tiny studio in Clapham and not long after, my first London foster family arrived: a mum and her seven kittens. It was absolute chaos. And I loved it.

Twelve years, five flat moves, four jobs, a couple of heartbreaks, and one pandemic later, I’m still fostering. I’ve lost count of how many cats I’ve looked after, because when a new one arrives, they’re the only one that matters. Sure, I’ve been peed on, scratched, bitten, and had a few personal items broken or destroyed, but none of that compares to the love I’ve received from the cats and the joy I’ve seen on the faces of their adopters.

Saving one cat might not change the world, but for that cat, it changes everything. And honestly, what more could I ask for than that?

If this story has inspired you to volunteer with us, we’d love to have you!
Please visit https://themayhew.org/get-involved/volunteer-with-us/ to find out more.