Rehome a healthy one or wait for another sick one?

[Potentialmadcatlady]

I long term foster/rescue 'sick' cats plus have one 'healthy' cat and a rescue dog. We sadly had to have a very special boy PTS about three months ago and now we have recovered from losing him a little (miss him badly- he was a v special cat and was very ill towards the end) I,m itching to take on some more fosters.
Unfortunately I don't have a spare bedroom so can't take in pregnant Mums etc and recently our area has had a (welcome) drop in pregnant mums/kittens being rescued ( maybe message is finally getting through??).
Anyway I was talking to rescue centre today and they have basically offered me a kitten from a litter that will be ready to rehome in a couple of weeks. I would love to take him/her on BUT if I did that I would be full up again so wouldn't have space for another long term foster/sick one/single sick kitten if I was needed. Part of me really wants to take the kitten on because he/she needs a home and I have been offered one but the other part of me knows that healthy kittens are easy to rehome and sick ones aren't and because I'm prepared to take on sick ones I should keep my 'free' space for one that really needs me??
Talk some sense into me!

I think wait for a sicker one that they would struggle to find a place for. As you said kittens will easily find a home. Special fosterers are more difficult to come by.

I think you have already rationalised it. When I adopted my cat,I chose him because he was judged to be hard to rehome ( reality friendliest cat I have ever known) and I felt the kittens and sociable cats would get homes anyway. You specialise in difficult cases (and thank goodness someone does), so maybe hang on for some of those?

Yes I know you are both right..I should wait shouldn't I...but the thought of going getting a new kitten is hard to resist. Taking on the sick/damaged ones can be very hard but very rewarding and to be honest makes much more sense financially for me because the rescue centre covers all their vet fees..time/love/patience I have in bucket loads, money unfortunately I don't.
I will have to resist even going seeing them because I won't be able to walk away..

How about a pair of black kittens or black adult cats? They are a lot harder to home and generally spend a lot longer at shelters than any other colour cats.

Potential I could have written your post (almost). We have room for a mum and kittens if the need arose, however we specialise in the sick (high needs) fosters too. We lost our very special and very unwell boy about a month ago. We received a very ill old girl on Friday night and I am so glad we agreed to have her over the young and infinitely rehomeable boy cat we were meant to get yesterday. It is so hard to find fosterers at all, let alone ones who are happy to administer medication and nurse a cat back to health. Lots of people do not have the experience or the skills to do it at home.

As an aside, would you mind if I pm'd you? I know no one else who chooses to look after sick ones, and my boyfriend doesn't really understand what I'm talking about with treatments and medication regimens lol.

I get where you are coming from, but it is about you too. If you want a kitten to bond with for you then that is OK too.

Sorry I'm only getting back to this now...iPad crashed...

Dotandstripe...centre I help is full of b/w or black cats...I have no idea why no one likes them? I never go by colour but by who needs me most or who chooses me..if centre phone me I never even ask what colour they are..fosters have all been b/w..unfortunately all the cats they have at Min have to be housed as single cats or are in bonded pairs that don't get on with other cats..
Yetanotherspartacus...my youngest cat is one I 'choose' as a kitten specifically because I knew she would get on with the other fosters ( she's a Devon) now I have space because of losing one I want to rehome one...am still resisting going to see the 'normal' litter because I wouldn't be able to walk away.

Acatcalledluna...I'm so sorry about your boy...it doesn't matter how prepared we are to lose them it still hurts doesn't it..my boy was only supposed to be with me 6/8 weeks..he survived ( and had a happy life until he was dreadful near end ) over a year and half...I'm happy for you to pm if I can work out out to access it..my iPad is on its way out so is misbehaving badly..not sure how much use I will be to you but happy to try..hope your latest girl is settling in and is peaceful and content

I know you're torn, but I would think there aren't that many people out there willing to take on a sick cat. Some might want to rehome a middle aged/older cat but at the back of their minds I think they'd want to enjoy a healthy one for a year or two. It takes time, patience, compassion, holding your nerve and money (which you'd have covered) to take on a sick cat, all of which you have.

Having said this, you've had time to sleep on this, so I hope you make the right decision for you.