A question for cat fosterers ...

[Asmoto]

Inspired by some of the lovely pictures that have been posted recently of foster cats and kittens - how do you cope with having to let them go?

I would love to foster cats, but I know I would grow too attached to them and end up with fifty cats of my own because I wouldn't be able to surrender them for rehoming.

I have my fifth foster with me now. It is a little sad to say goodbye but it is also lovely to know they are moving on to a good forever home, especially if they haven't had a great life before coming in to care. And you know that another cat will be on its way soon. Having said that there have been three failed fosters since I started ie people who couldn't bear to part with a cat and adopted themselves.

I am sure that would be me! I've never met a cat I didn't like.

Agree with chemenger, and also because you know they are only temporary you keep your heart locked in a box!

I suppose it must get easier to retain an element of detachment once you get used to cats coming and going. I got my last rescue cat directly from her foster home, and the fosterer was fostering about 15 cats (she had a huge house and garden). I nearly ended up taking two home as it was, but I thought my other cat would have enough to cope with with one youngster intruding on his patch.

i foster mainly ferally kittens but sometimes mom and kittens for a rescue,
my way of looking at it is
they are not my kittens they belong to the rescue
they are on holiday at my house
while they are here i will give them all the love, attention, food and toys they need,
i get them at the cute stage every time, no growing up in my house to the horrid henrys that are my own cats,
no lifetime of food, vet, and litter bills,
when they go back to the centre they are then on thier furever home journey,
and its not long before i have another hissy spitty to turn into a nice member of cat society,
yes you do feel awful taking them back but its so rewarding and can be very addictive, three weeks ago i took one hissy spitty back and came home with another one lol

It must be really rewarding to teach feral kittens to trust humans, issey - challenging as well because presumably they have already learned feral behaviour from their mum. I take my hat off to you!

no what i do isnt that hard, i take a no nonsense approach with them, the rescue supplies a pen for them , i leave them in peace with food, water and litter tray for 24 hours in the kitchen which is best room in our house, as the other cats eat in there,

then they can hiss and spit all they like, i have fleecy pjs on and a big fluffy dressing gown and the go into the dressing gown gor compulsary cuddles, dont care how much they protest its part of the taming process

then treats in the pen
then freedom of the kitchen after a week or two when they are not so hissy
then when they strat behaving like proper kittens they get freedom of the front room as well
i dont always succeed some go back still a bit shy but most of them go back friendly purry kittens

if your thinking of fostering get in touch with your local rescue and see what it involves each rescue has different ways of doing fostering

Well, one of my cats is 17 now so too old to cope with newbies coming and going, but I would certainly consider it in the future, especially once I am retired and have lots of time.

:) my 12 year old girl turns into a kitten again when we have fosters, she plays with thier toys, and after the intial swipe to let them know she is the boss in this house she goes all mommy cat and lets them eat her food, (mind you she pinches thiers too) washes them and generally bes nice to them, but she knows they wont be here for long

Fosterers with Cats Protection have to keep their own cats separate from fosters. If you have your own cat then the fosters have to be in a special room. We don't have a cat of our own so fosters have the run of the house. They are not always easy, the first cat we took in was a stray who was terrified, hiding and hissing. Watching him learn to trust us and remember how to be a pet was fantastically satisfying. Seeing him meet his new mum, which was love at first sight for both of them, was heartwarming.

It must be lovely to see someone fall head over heels in love with one of your fosters!