Opinions about fostering

[jenluckenbach]

I want to continue to foster cats (kittens) especially since I should most definitely NOT be adopting any new cats. But is it fair to the fosters to have only the run of one room? On the one hand, if they were not here they would probably be in a one room shelter, a cage in a shelter, on the street or dead. So, being in a home with people who can love them is certainly better than that, right? But on the other hand, a lot of other foster homes have their fosters running freely in their homes (something I may not be able to do because of starting a pee-ing problem again). I read once (here, on someone's thread) about kittens being raised in a bedroom and the comment back was "What kind of life was THAT for a kitten?!?". I felt guilty because Bonnie raised her babies in a bedroom, by herself. On yet a third hand, there are organizations in my area that REQUIRE that you keep fosters separate from your own animals. They must have their reasons for that and maybe I should not feel guilty.

So tell me the honest truth, in your opinion, is it fair to keep these fosters in a single room or should I just not accept any more fosters?

[Pam]

Jen I agree with your thinking 100%. When I first got Andy I kept him in a room separated from Trevor for a few weeks because I didn't want to let them be together unless I was home to supervise and then they only interacted at night. Also, these foster kitties are not going to be spending their whole lives in one room. It's a teeny tiny part of their lives. I only have one question - where did you get that third hand? I didn't notice it when I met you at the PT meeting!

[momofcats]

Dont' feel guilty. I think your fostering cats is wonderful. You are giving them what they need: shelter, safety, love, food.
If you didn't have the cats, where would they be? In a tiny cage, outside dealing with the elements and not so nice of people, hunting for food?
Is it the "ideal" situation for the cats to be confined to one room? maybe, maybe not, but compared to what they could face....I think they would pick your one room and all the love you have to give them to the alternative. And, yes again, it is only for a short part of their life and you are making it more peaceful for them.

[Uabassoon]

I see nothing wrong with having your fosters in a seperate bedroom, that's what I did when I fostered Little Grey. You fosters are in there for a few months max, then they get to live 15+ in a nice furrever home. A room is a much better alternative then a cage or the streets. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for raising your fosters in a seperate bedroom.

[PayItForward]

I looked into fostering a couple of months ago, they all recomended keeping the foster cats in the spare room to prevent spread of disease and illness and to prevent upsetting the ebb and flow of multi cat relationships.

If you still want to foster.. go for it. Keeping the cats to one room on a temporary basis will not hurt them and it is 100% better than living as a stray.

(PS. I decided against fostering.. I am too weak and would end up with 50 cats)

[jenluckenbach]

Did you notice the vote for NOT taking more fosters? Why didn't that person speak his/her mind in a post? I can take both sides of the story! If you want to validate your response to a poll you need to TELL us your feelings. Not just disagree and run away. So, if you vote NO please tell me why that was your choice. OK?

[Tonya]

Don't feel guilty, you are doing a good thing. Really, my cats practically live in one room anyways. They love sleeping in my bedroom and don't seem to care much about going anywhere else. I don't think cats would mind as much as a dog would. And at least they have a home!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Originally posted by PayItForward
they all recomended keeping the foster cats in the spare room to prevent spread of disease and illness and to prevent upsetting the ebb and flow of multi cat relationships

I also agree with this because the health of your resident cats should be considered first. It's not like the foster's will have to live in the room forever either because hopefully they'll all be able to find great loving forever homes.

Before I adopted Cirrus, he had been in a few foster homes but since he didn't get readopted very quickly, he was then sent to a vet's office to live in one of their kennel cages in the back. I felt so bad for him. It was like he was in kitty jail. This is why I believe that a separate room would be much better than a cage or other terrible alternatives.

[Kirsten]

I voted for "it's better than the alternatives", and I really think it is!

One room for fosters can't be worse than some of the cages I saw in some shelters!

How good are your options to find permanent homes for them btw?

Kirsten

[jenluckenbach]

I'd say the kittens have a fairly good chance at being adopted. Look at Bonnie's 4. Adopted the first time they went to an adoption day event at 8 weeks old. This is why I prefer kittens. Long term adult fosters would be even harder to send away. (you know, like Bonnie )

[aly]

Originally posted by jenluckenbach
On the one hand, if they were not here they would probably be in a one room shelter, a cage in a shelter, on the street or dead.

I think that statement answers your question.

It is NOT cruel to keep cats in a bedroom, especially since its just a temporary thing until they find their forever home.

My foster kittens are always kept in a bathroom for at least 2 weeks before I let them run loose in my house. These two I have now I actually kept in the bathroom for 3 or 4 weeks before I let them out. I have to keep the safety and health of my own cats in mind first and foremost.

Bathrooms, spare rooms, or laundry rooms are playgrounds compared to the cage they would be in at a shelter.

[dukedogsmom]

I don't think there's anything wrong with the foster kitties staying in one room. Cats don't mind being by themselves a lot. Sometimes, they prefer it. And as long as you didn't completely ignore them(which we know you wouldn't) I don't see anything wrong with it at all. They're not bigtime sociable animals like dogs who would hate being locked in one room.

[moosmom]

Jen,

I didn't vote because I'm sort of in between.

As you well know, I've fostered plenty of cats and kittens from the shelter. I have a spare room that I can keep them in. But my MAIN concern is the health of MY cats.

It seems that everytime I bring in a foster from the shelter, they come down with a URI which spreads to my cats. Fostering is a wonderful thing. But in my opinion, they're better off at the shelter where they can be seen by people who are looking for a pet rather than having to notify the foster parent and make arrangements to go to their homes.

You do whatever YOU think is best. I have given up fostering because first of all, my cats health is the most important. Secondly, if anyone of them got sick because of the foster I took in, the shelter is surely not going to pay for the vet bill of my personal cat.

[BastetsMum]

I think you should foster kittens most definately. I would however consider it personally difficult if you were to foster adult cats in one room.

I think stick to kittens if you only have available one room.

[jazzcat]

At the rescue where I adopted both Jazz and Scout they really encourage people to take a cat home to try it out for a week or so before officially adopting, of course only if your application qualifies you. Anyway, their theory is it's the best way to make sure you are getting the right cat for your home and even if it doesn't work out at least the cat had a week or so out of the cage to get some exercise and a bit of a normal life. Some of their cats are confined to cages for months at a time so anything is a great break for them.

On that note I believe your fostering is a great break for them and so much better than the alternatives. Plus you are helping to socialize and increase their chances of adoption. I know a lot of people would like to know things about the cat before adopting, like behavior, temperment, how they are with other cats, etc. Fostering is really the only way to know these thing. I think you are helping them in so many ways.