Bob was a very sweet and charming young man. He came to us in October last year, with a very nasty wound on his neck. He had been living rough on the cold Oxford streets after getting lost from a safe, but unidentifiable home.

It was apparent that he had been attacked by another animal and was certainly in bad shape. Bob was taken straight to the vet for treatment, and it seemed his luck was looking up, but he was still nervous, dirty, and underweight.

Then, Bob was placed into foster care with the RSPCA, where he was given all the love and affection he needed.

Soon, our little man began to come out of his shell, and we saw the incredibly loving, gentle, sweet, and confident boy that he is. He ruled the roost in foster care and developed a very sweet bond with his carer: He followed her around, talking to her sweetly, asking for pats or to be cuddled. When he wasn't being a social sweetheart, Bob could be found sleeping in his favourite spots: the bed, or the top of the couch.

“I loved little Bobby, he was a sweetheart, and I’m so glad we found him the perfect home. I will miss him, but I am so excited for his secure happy future.” Foster carer, Jess. Pictured, Jess, with her ‘Bobby’

Jess is a seasoned foster carer, starting out in her home country of Australia, and thankfully finding room in her home and life in Oxford to continue by helping us. Jess will eventually return to Australia following her post-doc studies, so owning a pet at this stage in her life isn’t an option. Foster care gives her the joy of pet ownership, without the long-term worries.

We’re so grateful to Jess for helping Bob to come out of his shell and find him a forever home.

Just before Christmas, a family that had been looking for a cat to rehome came across our Bob. He was happily settled in to his new family life in time to enjoy the quiet festivities together.

Foster care is essential for many of our rescue pets. Whilst we work with a cat shelter, we prefer to place cats in a home with someone who can help them settle their nerves and regain that confidence in humans.

If, like Jess, you can’t commit to ownership, but would like to welcome a cat into your home, please contact us to talk about how you can become a foster carer. If you have existing pets or a schedule that make fostering difficult, you can still help, and donate to RSPCA Oxfordshire branch. Even a small, one-off donation goes to helping pets like Bob live in a caring environment until they meet their new families.