Duckling, a cat born at Battersea and first adopted in 2021, has found a new home after seven months with a foster carer. Battersea reported the happy outcome on 11 September.
She had returned to the charity’s Old Windsor centre when her previous owners could no longer care for her. Cattery life proved difficult, so the team arranged a quieter spell in a foster home.
Confidence arrived on her own timetable
Her foster carer, Emily King, described a gradual change: Duckling first accepted a stroke at around five weeks and was sitting on her lap after two months. By the end of her foster stay, she was seeking company.
Her new owner has since reported cuddles and a cat who sleeps on the bed. A fairly substantial promotion from hiding.
The lovely part of this story is the unglamorous middle: someone making room, being patient and letting a cat decide when she was ready. There is no particularly cinematic way to wait five weeks for a stroke. It still counts.
If you are considering it, Battersea explains how fostering works. For a permanent arrival, our first-cat essentials checklist covers the practical preparations.
Source: Battersea’s account, published by VetClick on 11 September 2026. Checked 13 September 2026. The report does not give the exact adoption date.