Anita Roman, a 25-year-old animal carer, has transformed her fifth-floor apartment in Cahors into a foster home for rescue kittens needing medical care and socialisation.
Over the past year, Roman has taken in 12 wild and skittish kittens to rehabilitate them before adoption, volunteering alongside local French animal welfare charities Aima Lot and Nos Chats du Lot. She moved to Cahors after leaving her job at an animal shelter in Haute-Garonne to join her partner, making an agreement with him that leaving her dream job meant they would foster cats in their new home.
Cahors is a town in the Lot department of southwestern France, where local animal welfare groups depend heavily on volunteer networks to care for abandoned pets. Roman, who holds formal qualifications as an animal carer, currently shares her apartment with six cats in total, including her own pets and two foster kittens named Alya and Arthemis.
Childhood passion for cat rescue
Roman said her dedication to helping cats began during her childhood in her parents' village, where she grew up alongside two pet cats. By the age of 15, she was already working to assist local stray cats, acknowledging that while she loves animals deeply, she understands she cannot save every cat and contributes her time where possible.
She explained that while her household avoids non-urgent placements to manage space, she immediately accepts any kitten facing a life-threatening emergency. The two kittens currently residing in her apartment present contrasting personalities and medical needs.
Alya, who is nearly one year old, remains very timid and struggles to coexist with two of Roman's female cats, prompting Roman to post regular adoption notices for her. Arthemis arrived as a baby with chronic feline coryza, a respiratory condition that left him looking like an old cat, but he has since recovered and formed a close bond with Roman.
Apartment facilities and adoption process
Roman has dedicated an entire room of her fifth-floor apartment to fostering, equipping the space with a socialisation cage, cat trees, and toys. Although she expressed a desire to host more animals, she sets strict limits on numbers to guarantee the well-being and development of each kitten.
To ensure suitable placements, Roman carries out two home visits prior to every adoption and has previously rejected applicants when the living environment was not right for the cat. She noted that adoption speeds vary according to age and coat colour, with black cats experiencing unpredictable adoption rates due to lingering superstitions.
In addition to her volunteer work, Roman works full-time in the agricultural sector and offers cat-sitting services during weekends and holidays. She recalled two previous foster cats who stayed with her for five months, noting that their beauty made parting with them particularly difficult.
Shortage of foster families in Lot
Prune, the secretary of Nos Chats du Lot, said the charity currently has no available foster families remaining and can no longer take in new kittens. The organization shares a limited pool of 10 to 15 foster families with Aima Lot, despite growing regional demand for animal rescue services.
Prune explained that foster carers sign a contract with the association to ensure coverage under its insurance policy. The charity offers partial or full financial support for food, cat litter, and veterinary expenses based on individual volunteer needs, with the primary requirement being a sustained commitment to keeping kittens indoors and meeting prospective adopters.
Local residents interested in becoming foster carers can contact Nos Chats du Lot by email at [email protected] or by telephone at 07 83 92 12 96.
