October 24, 2026 — 5:00am

Q: I am a cat foster carer and I’ve noticed that some of the other foster carers don’t follow the strict “rescue rules”. One lets her foster cat go outdoors, which is strictly forbidden. Another feeds her foster cats on the kitchen benchtop. Should I say something? S.B., Waverley, NSW

Photo: Illustration by Drew Aitken

A: We got our dog through a foster carer, so I know what great work you guys do, taking in rescued pets, then matching them with suitable owners, like some kind of animal-human dating service: OkCute-pet or Rin Tin Tinder. Even more amazingly, you do all this for no financial reward, just the joy of helping a sad, unloved little critter embark on a happier life with a rescued pet in their home.

So because foster caring is an unpaid, thankless, time-consuming job, I’m sure most of us would forgive a few tiny lapses of judgment, like letting a cat go outdoors now and then.…