Fostering Felines: A Lifelong Commitment to Rescuing and Rehoming Cats

For 12 years, Irena Mervar has opened her home and heart to Zagreb's stray cats, acting as a dedicated foster parent for the Castro association. She has provided temporary refuge for over a hundred felines, offering them a crucial bridge to a better life.

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I am a foster mom and that's how I help the Castro association in Zagreb, which cares for street cats.

Mervar's commitment goes beyond simply providing shelter. She meticulously works with each cat, many of whom arrive frightened, unsocialized, or in need of medical attention. Her goal is to socialize them, treat their ailments, and ultimately prepare them to find loving, permanent homes. She describes herself as "addicted" to the process, embracing the chaos and love that kittens bring.

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I'm addicted to it, I love kittens and the mess they leave behind, although I've also had older cats temporarily.

Her own deep connection with cats began in childhood. While she has always been surrounded by animals, cats hold a special place in her heart. Mervar emphasizes the profound emotional and psychological support she has received from her feline companions, viewing them as personal therapists during difficult times.

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No matter how much love I give them, and I love them endlessly, cats have given me much more love, especially in some difficult life moments when they were my emotional and psychological support, like personal therapists.

She recounts the stories of several cats who have touched her life. Naomi was found abandoned in a backpack on a hot day, while Moonie is a timid black cat. Betty, she says, captured her heart instantly. Maverick, a "ginger boy," faced life-threatening illness multiple times but fought through, earning a permanent place in Mervar's home and even taking on a fatherly role to new arrivals.

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Naomi was found 11 years ago in a plastic backpack at the Trešnjevka market, at a temperature of 35 degrees. The whole family was in that backpack, a mother cat and four little girls. They were all with me, and Naomi quickly 'won me over' with her character so I quickly adopted her and, of course, spoiled her.