FAQs for Current Fosters
General Info
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When you get a new foster, please complete a new bio within the first few weeks using this form: Bio Form. Even if the cat isn’t 100% socialized, some adopters are willing to work on that!
If you have updates or new photos, those can also be submitted through the Bio Form. You can do a whole new form, or leave anything that isn’t updated blank.
Please submit updated bios every 3-4 weeks!
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As a foster, you are the best person to tell your kitty’s story. You know exactly what makes them so special and why they’d make a wonderful addition to a family. Don’t worry about being a professional writer—just follow our guidelines to make it easy and fun!
What to Include in a Bio:
Grab attention with a fun or unique opening line.
Highlight their personality—are they playful, snuggly, curious, or shy?
Share basic details: age, gender, spayed/neutered, and vaccinations.
Suggest the type of home they’d thrive in: quiet, active, with kids, other pets, etc.
Bios can be written:
In first-person, from the cat’s point of view (e.g., “Hi, I’m Whiskers, and I’m the snuggliest lap cat you’ll ever meet!”)
In third-person, from your perspective as their foster (e.g., “Whiskers is a sweet and gentle boy who loves cuddling up after a long day of play.”)
Your goal: Help a potential adopter picture your kitty as part of their family!
Thank you for your dedication—your photos and bios are the key to helping more cats find their happily-ever-after. Let’s make it happen!
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Do you have a great photo or video of your cat? Share it with us! You can pop them in the “SOS Prairie Rescue Foster Support” group on Facebook, join the “SOS Adoptable Cat Pics Only” chat on Facebook, or send them directly to Katie!
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Our amazing partners at PetValu collect donations of food, litter, treats, and toys for our foster cats.
Supplies in Saskatoon are found at McGills Industrial at 105 Melville Street between 8 am to 5pm during the week. Drive through the fence to the left of the building - there’s a grey sea can on the left side full of supplies! Please keep it neat and leave it better than you found it.
Ashlyn and Maaike work at McGills and can help if the gate is closed. Unfortunately, they can’t provide updates on what’s available because they are working at their day jobs!
If you can’t make it to McGills, contact Virna to make alternate arrangements.
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We all want to save all the cats! Unfortunately, we also always have a waitlist of cats who need to come into care. We need to consider things like urgency (age, wellness, weather), finances (are we caught up on bills with our vet partners), and foster capacity.
If you find a stray, you can fill out the intake form on the website (https://www.sosprairierescue.com/intakes) or call Animal Control.
Vetting
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If you have a medical emergency for a cat, text Ashlyn at 306-280-1391. She will authorize an appointment wherever you can get in fastest.
Examples of emergencies: a cat is injured, a kitten is lethargic or not eating.
In Saskatoon, the WCVM Small Animal Clinic is open 24 hours. In Regina, the South Saskatchewan Animal Hospital is open 24 hours.
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The SOS vetting coordinator will reach out to fosters to advise them to book routine vet appointments.
Schedule an appointment with one of our partner clinics and then fill out this form. We will use the form to contact the clinic and “authorize” the appointment (meaning SOS will cover the cost).
Please ensure you are on time for all vet appointments! This helps us maintain great relationships with our partner clinics.
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If your cat is due for vaccine boosters and dewormer, text one of the following people. They can administer.
Sydney: 306-716-8613
Maaike: 306-370-9704
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When you book with a partner clinic, be sure to fill out the appointment request form so SOS can authorize it. Also ensure you arrive on time for your appointment - this helps us maintain our relationships with these amazing clinics!
Acadia Veterinary Clinic: #4-3421 8th Street East, 306-477-1222
Brighton Veterinary Clinic: 163 Gibson Bend, 306-382-6909
City Park Vet: #1-706 Duchess St, 306-518-4206
Corman Park Vet: Highway 14 West, 306-384-7676
Delisle Veterinary Service: 300 2 St E, Delisle, 306-493-3143
Erindale Animal Hospital: #11-410 Ludlow St, 306-384-2287
Omer Veterinary Services: 37003 Range Rd 3081, Corman Park No. 344, 306-651-2877
Emergencies only - WCVM Small Animal Hospital, 52 Campus Drive, 306-966-7126
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BEFORE you book with a partner clinic in Regina, fill out the appointment request form. Appointments in Regina must be authorized before you book. Also ensure you arrive on time for your appointment - this helps us maintain our relationships with these amazing clinics!
Animal Clinic of Regina: 1800 Garnet St, 306-525-5244
Sherwood Animal Clinic: Highway 1 East, north of CTV, 306-525-3763
Victoria Veterinary Clinic: 628 Victoria Ave, 306-522-8802
Emergencies only - South Saskatchewan Animal Hospital, 1846 Victoria Ave, 306-761-1449
Sending Cats to BC
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Cats that we send to BC go to one of our wonderful partners, Kitties and Cream Cat Cafe in Nanaimo, or Catelowna Cat Cafe in Kelowna.
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1) Get familiar with the carrier. Place the carrier in a familiar area the night before the trip. Let your cat explore it at their own pace—this will reduce anxiety and make it easier when it’s time to load up.
2) Skip breakfast. Avoid feeding your cat on the morning of travel. An empty stomach helps prevent nausea and motion sickness during the drive.
3) Line the carrier with care. Use an absorbent puppy potty pad as the base layer inside the carrier, and add a small towel or blanket for comfort. This setup keeps things clean in case of accidents and ensures your kitty stays cozy.
4) Choose the right carrier size. Select a carrier that’s just the right fit—not too big and not too small. Your cat should be able to stand, sit, turn around, and lie down comfortably without sliding around during transport.
5) Label the carrier clearly. Label the carrier with “SOS” and the cat’s name (eg “SOS - Muffin”).
6) Optional - if you’d like, you can include a favourite toy in the carrier, or a note with any care instructions. It’s difficult for the cafes to keep toys & blankets matched up to cats long-term, but they will have them for the drive.
7) Optional - If you’d like to send toys or a keepsake blanket that stay with your cat, place them in a sealed ziploc bag taped to the outside of the carrier with the cat’s name on it. That will keep the items clean help the cafes ensure they go with the kitty into foster and then to their forever family.
8) Optional - If your cat has treats they love, or a type of toy, or anything else you think will help your foster adjust to the change, write a note and attach it to the outside of the carrier.
IMPORTANT: If you notice any health or behavior concerns before the trip, please report them immediately. Early communication helps us ensure the safety and well-being of all cats during transport.
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Before the trip, please ensure your cat meets the following health requirements:
1) Fully Vaccinated — 2–3 boosters depending on age
2) Dewormed within the last 4 weeks
3) Free of Upper Respiratory Symptoms — no sneezing, coughing, or runny noses
4) No Digestive Issues — free of diarrhea
5)Healthy Skin & Coat — no sores, wounds, or suspicious bald patches
IMPORTANT: If you notice any health or behavior concerns before the trip, please report them immediately. Early communication helps us ensure the safety and well-being of all cats during transport.
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We do have volunteers from BC in the SOS Foster Support group on Facebook. They care deeply about the cats as well, and will do their best to update when possible.
The best way to see updates is to follow Kitties & Cream and Catelowna on social media. Both post about cats in care and cats who are adopted!
Contacts
SOS is staffed solely by volunteers who have full-time jobs. We try to respond to messages within 24-48 hours, but please be patient with us.
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Ashlyn (President) - text 306-280-1391
Emergency contact only.
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Sydney (Vice President) - text 306-716-8613
Foster support, questions, direction, and escalation.
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Maaike (Treasurer) - text 306-370-9704
Billing, invoices, reimbursements, and financial questions
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Katie (Communications Director) - text 639-317-7996
Social media, website, bio and photo updates
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Danielle (Adoptions Coordinator) - text 306-580-8449
Handles all things adoption
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Virna (Volunteer / Transport Coordinator) - text 693-470-1439
Cat transport (appointments, point A to B); help with getting supplies
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Sera Thompson (Vetting Coordinator)
Submit Appointment Request Form ASAP after booking. Same-day/last-minute requests for emergencies only.
Cat Behaviour
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If you have a cat that’s peeing or pooping outside the litter box, here are some things to try.
Different Litter Box
Some cats prefer enclosed litter boxes, some like open. Some like top-entry. One foster had a cat who liked its box inside a giant Rubbermaid tub - she wanted privacy. You can also try different sizes - some cats like bigger litter boxes.
More Litter Boxes
The golden rule is number of cats plus one = how many litter boxes you should have. If one cat is guarding a box, having multiples makes it easier for other cats to go.
Different Location
Where is your litter box? Is it near anything noisy? Is there privacy? Some cats like nice open spaces while they poop, and some want their privacy.
Litter Refresh
Try dumping out all the litter in the box, cleaning it, and filling it with fresh litter. Cats have sensitive noses and might be turned off by the smell.
A different type of litter might also help!
Jail
Sometimes kitty jail helps! Try keeping the cat in a large kennel with a litter box inside. Alternatively, try putting the cat in a bathroom with the litter box for a few days.
Health
Not using the litter box can sometimes indicate health problems. If you’re worried, book an appointment at one of our partner clinics and fill out the Appointment Request form.
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Lots of foster cats take time to warm up! Be patient - often, all it takes is time for cats to build confidence and trust. Here are some other things to try:
Jackson Galaxy “Wallflower” Videos
Cat expert Jackson Galaxy has a lot of VERY helpful videos on this subject, such as this one.
Treats
Offer the cat a small treat every time you enter the room. If they associate people with treats, food-motivated cats will build trust with you. Tube treats are great for this because the cat almost has to eat out of your hand.
Playing
Once your cat comes out of hiding, play with them as much as possible. Playing and “catching prey” helps them build confidence. Wand toys are great for this!
Smaller Spaces
If your shy cat is in gen pop (loose in your house), try keeping them in one room for a while. If they have fewer spots to hide, they get used to humans faster.
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If two cats aren’t getting along, don’t let them “fight it out” - cats don’t resolve issues that way. Here are some things to try:
Feliway
Feliway pheromone diffusers can make a big difference. Feliway Friends is intended to help cats get along.
Separate Resources
You can reduce competition among cats by providing extra food bowls, beds, and litter boxes in different areas of the room / house.
Reward Desired Behaviour
When the cats are playing nicely or getting along, have some treats handy to reward them with.
Separate Cats
Keep the cats in separate rooms. Give them a few days to chill and then try a slow reintroduction over a period of a few days or weeks. Try daily reintroduction sessions where you gradually bring them closer together while distracting them with treats or toys. Keep sessions short and separate them again afterward. When they can peacefully eat and play within a couple of feet of each other, you have success.
Note on Play Aggression
It’s common for kittens and young cats to engage in rough, active play. Cats stalk, chase, sneak, pounce, swat, kick, scratch, ambush, attack and bite each other—all in good fun. If they’re playing, it’s reciprocal. They change roles frequently. Their ears are typically forward in play, their claws may be out but they don’t cause damage, and their bodies lean forward not back.