08/03/2025
✨ PAWS FOSTER SPOTLIGHT: Meet Linda!✨
Linda started her journey with PAWS in 2023 as a cat volunteer at our Grays Ferry location, which is what inspired her to get involved as a foster last year!
"I could see how stressed the cats were in the shelter,” shares Linda, “Then I learned about PAWS Safety Net program. I couldn’t even contemplate having to surrender my pets if I got into a situation where I couldn’t care for them. The combination of helping cats and helping their owners led me to start fostering."
Linda enjoys how much she learns about cat behavior, which has not only helped her better understand her own cats, but also helps her make better adoption matches for her fosters. A recent pair of bonded cats she fostered was absolutely terrified at the shelter, "but once they decompressed they were the sweetest, most loving cats I've ever known. The family that adopted them was a perfect match for these kitties...I didn’t realize how meaningful it is for people to adopt a pet."
Plus, she really values the connections she’s formed with others - “Sending pictures and little stories to Safety Net parents made bonds with people I don’t even know personally.”
When reflecting on memories, Linda recalls when she fostered a very large and active Safety Net cat, Cassius! He ran the house, and “there was no closet, cabinet, or drawer he did not squeeze into to explore”. He was so big that he broke a door lock by banging on it, and when he would jump on her, he’d literally take her breath away. “In fact, friends came to visit just to experience this cat.”
Linda would advise potential fosters to “be patient with any pets they foster, as they all need time to show their true, loving personalities.” She finds that setting routines and designated spaces can make life easier at home, and also emphasizes that you can absolutely foster if you have other pets at home. "The experiences of fostering are really wonderful, and remember that you’re helping both the pets and people."
Thank you, Linda, for all you do to help these animals find their way to loving homes! We are incredibly grateful to Linda and all of our fosters for devoting so much time, care, and love towards the pets who most need it.
🐾 Ready to transform lives and become a PAWS foster parent? Sign up at phillypaws.org/foster!
