Animal Welfare Professionals

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  • 1.  "Fospice" for cats

    Posted 04-22-2025 07:08 AM

    Hello,

    We have a current foster that is interested in doing cat hospice care. We occasionally do have cats and dogs that we send to foster in a hospice capacity but it's usually geared towards finding out if the dog or cat is able to be managed well and humanely. She wants to take in a cat as an end of life adoption to give them their best end and she wants to find a rescue that has that as one of their main purposes. Does anyone know of a group that does this? Of course, I worry that a whole organization that takes in these end of life dogs and cats might lean towards a hoarding situation but that's my own bias and I apologize in advance for that. We are in Michigan but I suspect she might travel to help one of these cats out. She has fostered for us a few times and is loving and does a good job, complete with scrapbooks made and all that good stuff but she wants to move away from temporary fostering of healthy-sick and go to fostering terminal cats.

    Any advice is appreciated. (We do have a renal failure cat up for adoption plus the current hospice foster so I think maybe those 2 will be options for her now but in the future, we probably won't be able to fulfill her wants).


    #FosterPrograms

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    Ellen Gratch
    Capital Area Humane Society
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  • 2.  RE: "Fospice" for cats

    Posted 04-23-2025 01:44 AM

    May want to suggest she seek out a sanctuary? Such as that takes fiv/felv+ cats??
    I realize it's more common now to adopt these cats out, but like anywhere, there are more kitties than homes for them.
    A sanctuary may be grateful to be able to have someone who can give one of their kitties a home hospice experience.



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    Teresa Corner
    medical/first aid foster, feline
    Leesburg IN
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  • 3.  RE: "Fospice" for cats

    Posted 04-23-2025 06:03 AM

    How quickly do your serious medical cats get adopted?  While we limit the dogs and cats that we define as hospice and unable to be adopted to those with a very short time left, those that are considered "adoptable hospice" or "adoptable medical" do often ultimately stay with us until the end, due to less demand.  That may be a way to fulfill her needs, as well as the organizations', even if it isn't exactly labeled as a cat that isn't able to be adopted.  Otherwise, a sanctuary or a group that deals with Feline Leukemia might be a good option for her, if at a future point, you don't have any serious medical cats.



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    Kim Kay
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  • 4.  RE: "Fospice" for cats

    Posted 04-23-2025 08:20 AM

    I've served as a fospice for Purrs Abound in MI. It wasn't intentional, but the cat they pulled ended up having issues beyond what we initially thought. I've never worked with/heard of an org that only takes in hospice cases, but I've had several from other orgs as needed. I have one old man now who has FIP so he'll stay with me until his QOL declines. He's from a shelter with municipal contracts, so they don't focus on any certain type/condition. They just happened to get him in as a stray.

    Perhaps a rescue that focuses on medical/seniors? While many of those animals are able to be adopted out, I'm sure they get some that are near end of life and just need a place to live out their last days in comfort.



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    Sam Maurice
    Humane Society of Jefferson County
    Jefferson WI
    https://hsjc-wis.com
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  • 5.  RE: "Fospice" for cats

    Posted 04-23-2025 12:08 PM

    I found a few possibilities, but I would also suggest just reaching out to any of the local shelters/rescues. While they might not be specific to hospice cats, oftentimes they just happen to have one or more available. I'm currently fostering one that I found because of a story the shelter did trying to find her a home. I told them I would love to take her but I couldn't afford to adopt her, so they decided I could "forever foster" for however long she has. Some places might not even be advertising hospice cats but would love for someone to foster. Here's a few I found, 2 are in Canada and the third I'm not sure where they are.

    https://www.milossanctuary.org
    https://beforethebridgescs.ca
    https://superseniorcatsanctuary.org



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    Sincerely,
    Johanna Spielman
    Founder of Jamie Brianna's Legacy Fund
    https://jamiebriannaslegacyfund.org/
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  • 6.  RE: "Fospice" for cats

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 04-24-2025 10:07 AM
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    I you have a senior pets/senior bonded pairs, I recommend checking out Senior Pet Adoption grants, and Emergency Medical Grants. This might help get hospice animals or senior animal out the door and into a loving home faster.