Animal Welfare League QLD(AWLQ) foster carer Gemma West isn’t your typical cat owner. When she was living in Germany, with her German husband, she fell in love with a cat she named Lamington. “My husband and I adopted him from a farm in Germany.”
We brought him home to Australia from Germany with us. Quarantine stuff was quite the adventure! Lamington was bilingual. I would speak English to him, and my husband would speak German to him. And Lamington would respond to both of us!” After her beloved Lamington passed away, avoid was left in her life. Gemma wasn’t ready for another permanent feline friend, but her love for cats remained.
This is how Gemma found her calling as a foster carer for AWLQ. For the past three and a half years, Gemma has opened her home to countless cats and kittens in need (97 in fact!). “I wasn’t really ready to have another cat of my own,” Gemma explains, “but I really liked cats and kittens, and I sort of wondered about having a feline friend around me again.”
One of Gemma’s most special fostering experiences involved a mama cat named Puss Puss. Rescued from a caravan park on the Gold Coast, Puss Puss arrived heavily pregnant just before Christmas 2022. Gemma lovingly cared for Puss Puss and her six “Christmas bundle” kittens. Each kitten had a festive name, perfectly complementing their arrival time.
Gemma describes Puss Puss as a “great mama cat” who raised her kittens with love. After 14 weeks, the time came for the kittens to find their forever homes. While Gemma admits it’s always difficult to say goodbye, she views it as a success. “I see it as graduation day,” she explains. “They’re ready to go off to their forever family.”
Having so much cuteness at her home has made Gemma quite the popular figure for visitors. “A friend of mine and her daughter (I call them socialisation officers) often come over to have a cup of tea and play with the kittens. The kittens get exposure to different people. So when they do go for adoption, they’re already socialised.”
FOSTER CARERS NEEDED
Fostering with AWLQ is rewarding in many ways. The organisation covers the cost of all the necessities for the fostered animals, including food, litter and even litter trays. Gemma highlights the educational aspect as well, with AWLQ providing training on caring for neonates and other special needs cats. Perhaps the biggest perk is the joy Gemma brings to others. “I’m known as the crazy cat lady at work,” she laughs. “I work remotely, so I spend my entire life on Zoom calls. When I’ve got kittens, I can keep an eye on them all day.”
Her colleagues are constantly requesting photos and updates on the feline residents that grace her home office. Even the CEO demands to see the kittens before meetings get underway! Gemma’s passion for fostering is contagious. Her story not only highlights the heartwarming bond between humans and animals but also the sense of community fostered by organisations like the AWLQ.
For more information on becoming an AWLQ foster carer, please visit: www.awlqld.com.au/fostering
