Big Boy Yarrow Needed a Little Help

At 9.4kg, Yarrow was a very big boy when he arrived at Ten Lives!

But his size wasn’t the only thing he needed help with. Yarrow was also experiencing some toileting issues and needed a quiet home without children where he could feel comfortable.

That’s where foster care came in.

Yarrow was placed with a foster carer who could support his weight loss journey and give him the calm environment and care he needed.

He was put on a diet using Hill’s Metabolic Diet food. And while he was working on his waistline, Yarrow revealed himself to be an incredibly sweet boy.

This delightful tabby and white cat, with his wandering eye, was a very snuggly cat who loved belly rubs. Despite his size, he was convinced he was a tiny lap cat and would happily curl up on his carer whenever the opportunity arose!

He loved sleeping with his paws stretched out like Superman and somehow managed to squeeze himself into the smallest, cosiest spaces for a nap. He was also keen to make friends with his foster carer’s resident cat.

When he wasn’t napping, Yarrow liked putting his clever mind to work. He was known to open cupboards and was fascinated by door handles and light switches, often trying to figure out exactly how they worked!

Over his 35 days in foster care, Yarrow began to lose weight at a healthy pace, and his toileting problems resolved.

Soon, he was ready for adoption, and on 1 September 2026, the first day of spring, Yarrow found his new home. A fitting new beginning for this very good boy.

Yarrow’s story shows just how important foster care is in a cat’s journey.

We’re looking for foster carers who have the space and ability to care for cats like Yarrow. People who can help cats with cat flu or ringworm, support cats on specialised diet plans, experienced carers who can provide the specialised care needed by neonatal kittens, and households with no other pets or small children.

Every foster home offers something different, and sometimes that difference is exactly what a cat or kitten needs.

Learn more about becoming a Ten Lives foster carer and sign up at tenlives.com.au/foster/