Fostering home check today - what to expect?

[littleladyluna]

Very excited and nervous for our home check today, hopefully we'll be able to foster a cat soon! Does anyone know what to expect from a home visit? Anything that the charity will be looking for specifically?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Probably making sure you don't have any dangerous house plants or unrealistic expectations about cat furniture destroying furry tyrantsownership.

I hope it goes well.

[SunnyAgain]

Probably too late reassure you, but when we had our home check before bringing two young cats home from the rescue centre, the woman barely came in! She stood in the hall, peeped round the doorway into the kitchen and that was it. I think she wanted to check the location of the house much more than the inside of it. Hope all goes well with your fostering!

[walthamcross]

I foster for Cats Protection. They check your home is hazard free and that you have a separate space for your cat if you already have cats. You sign an agreement and all being well, the first cat arrives quite soon.

We're on our fourth cat; this one is scared of everything and a bit hissy and bitey, the other three were easy and laid back.

[littleladyluna]

Thanks all! The lady had a quick look around and that was it, checked our back garden was walled as we had told her before, and asked us where the cat would sleep (I think our answer of "wherever it likes" was what she was looking for!)

Anyway, we get our first foster cat tomorrow evening. Absolutely thrilled to bits :)

[cozietoesie]

I'll start the book here for a 'failed foster'. (That means that you fall in love with them and can't bear to give them back up again. )


Well done, anyway.

[walthamcross]

My first one was this amazingly lovely big ginger and white tomcat. Friendly, full of character and really well behaved. Was so hard to let him go! He went to a really lovely family though which was a comforter.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I couldnt foster, I'd end up with 40 failed fosters and one very pissed off Bengal hating me.

You're going to make those cats so happy to be out of a shelter.

[littleladyluna]

We got given a supremely beautiful, skinny, and nervous two year old to love, and I've attached a pic

I've already been warned by the foster coordinator that these abuse/neglect cases who need more that extra effort to come round to people again are especially hard to give up. Fostering is probably one of the best and worst ideas I've had for a while!

[cozietoesie]

That is one beautiful cat.

[code]

That cat is soo pretty! Failed fosterer I bet!!!!

[Fluffycloudland77]

Good grief, those eyes are full of hurt.

Poor girl, how long do you have her for?.

[littleladyluna]

We have her for as long as she needs to come out of her shell and trust people again. Right now, despite being gorgeous to look at, she is mistrustful of people and so many permanent homes understandably want a cat who at least likes a stroke and a fuss.

The first evening we had her she managed to get behind the baseboards in the kitchen and hide behind the washing machine, we couldn't get to her so left some food out and headed to bed. I tossed and turned all night worrying about her! In the morning she was happily snuggled in the little cat-cave we'd made her out of a cat carrier draped in a towel, and DP's old woollen scarves as a mattress. She came out for breakfast, and after a very graceful stretch, investigated me from a safe distance.

She's getting bolder everyday, and I am in deep emotional trouble!

[Fluffycloudland77]

I think we all would be.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Lovely cat

This is why I don't foster cats, I'd end up with a dozen

Ive got one very elderly cat left - all my others have passed in the last couple of years (but ive had 6)

[code]

That one will be staying...

[Fluffycloudland77]

It would be nice but what about all the other cats who need fostering?.

[code]

She'll take those too...and they will stay...

[cozietoesie]

By this time next year, she'll be emulating TCN, that's what.

[littleladyluna]

Fluffy now that I've been introduced to this "pre-permanent adoption limbo" that some cats find themselves in I'd feel horrific if I decided to keep her and block off a foster home for another cat. She came from a multi-cat household so I've been told she's good with other cats...

[cozietoesie]

Uh Huh.

[code]

Yep, this time next year 50+ cats and a guest spot on Animal Hoarders

[walthamcross]

I too am currently fostering a ten month old neglected cat. In the one week he has been here not a day has gone by without hissing and claws. Today he felt brave enough to sit on me (having been bribed with copious numbers of Dreamies) for two minutes. Still not brave enough to let him out the cat room overnight!

[littleladyluna]

walthamcross my foster girl is currently eating Dreamies off my knee and tapping me impatiently when I'm slow to produce them! I'm looking forward to being sat on

[cozietoesie]

She's found her home, I think?

[littleladyluna]

I can't imagine anyone else having her let's put it that way