If you have some spare room in your house and are looking for a bit of company, you could consider becoming a foster parent for a cat in need.

NOTL Cats Rescue is a volunteer-based organization in Niagara-on-the-Lake that helps stray and abandoned cats and kittens find new homes.

It does this by providing proper medical attention for the animals as well as putting them in safe foster homes until they are adopted.

Currently, the organization is seeking at least three foster homes for its adult cats.

Being a foster parent to a rescued cat is simple and has many advantages, says Tanya Rice, a volunteer with NOTL Cats Rescue.

“It’s of no expense out of your pocket,” she said. 

Rice said the rescue provides food, toys, a scratching post, litter and transportation to and from medical appointments.

She said it’s a great option for someone looking for a companion who doesn’t want 100 per cent of the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Fosters are important, said Rice, so the rescue can continue helping cats in need.

The rescue tries not to refuse any cats, she said, but if the rescue’s facility becomes full and there are no available fosters, then they have to refer people to Lincoln County Humane Society.

The rescue currently has five adult cats in its care and more than eight newborn kittens.  

“I would say, right now, if we could find some three new foster homes, that would be wonderful,” she said. 

But as more kittens, strays and rescues arrive, and they will, the more foster homes will be needed, she said. 

People from outside of NOTL have reached out, said Rice, but the rescue is hoping to have foster families in town, to make it easier for veterinarian appointments and meet and greets with potential adopters. 

“As a local rescue, we would never refuse the help (or) the assistance, but we would prefer the foster homes to be in Niagara-on-the-Lake,” she said. 

The rescue is also looking for more volunteers to assist with driving cats to appointments. To become a foster or volunteer, reach out to NOTL Cats by heading over to Notlcats.weebly.com.