Social Media Saves Lives: How Social Media Helps Your Foster Cat Find a Home
Fostering a cat is a generous and lifesaving act, but if you are not sharing that cat online, you may be missing the most important step in helping them find a forever home. Social media has become one of the most powerful tools in animal rescue. By posting your foster cat on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or even TikTok, you are giving them visibility they would not have through traditional shelter listings alone. Here is why it makes such a big difference.
Visibility leads to adoption. The more people who see your foster cat, the higher their chances of getting adopted. According to a Petfinder survey, 71 percent of adopters said they first saw their pet online (Petfinder.com). The ASPCA found that social media posts with photos and videos of adoptable pets are shared 2.3 times more than those without (ASPCApro.org). A post with a cat’s face and story can reach hundreds or even thousands of people within hours, and all it takes is one of those people to fall in love.
You can showcase their personality. Rescue sites often rely on short, general bios, but foster parents have the unique ability to show what makes a cat special. Whether your foster is a lap cat, a playful goofball, or a quiet observer, you can paint a picture that helps potential adopters connect with them. According to a 2023 Petco Love and BOBS from Skechers study, animals with social media content created by fosters are adopted twice as fast as those without (PetcoLove.org). People want to know who they are bringing into their home, and a well written post or short video can be more powerful than any shelter profile.
You show them in a real home. Shelter environments can be loud and stressful, which affects how animals behave in photos. Social media allows you to show your foster cat in a calm, comfortable home setting. This helps potential adopters imagine what that cat would look like in their own home. Whether they are sunbathing on a windowsill, curled up on your couch, or playing with a toy, seeing the cat outside of a cage builds trust and connection.
You expand the rescue’s network. When you post a foster cat and tag the rescue organization, you are not only helping that individual cat, you are helping the entire rescue. People who may never have heard of the rescue are now exposed to it, which could lead to more adoptions, donations, or future fosters. Social media is a form of digital word of mouth, and every share or like contributes to that momentum.
Tag us @purrfect_catpanion in your posts and we’ll reshare or like them to help your foster get seen even more!
Posting your foster cat may seem like a small task, but it plays a major role in helping them get adopted. Take a few minutes to snap a photo, write a few sentences about their personality, and hit post. You could be the reason they find their forever home. ♡
Sources:
Petfinder. “Pet Adoption Statistics.”
ASPCApro. “Using Social Media to Promote Adoptions.”
Petco Love and BOBS from Skechers. “Foster Diaries Campaign.”