Becoming a Foster Mum for Cats Protection

[Desley (booktigger)]

Ah, I didn't realise the cage would be in a separate room, I thought you meant you would use a cage instead. Fingers crossed everything goes well today

[Kamilicats]

it is a bit of a no go area already for them. They have access to an outside pen from the dining room and are quite content to use the rest of the house for their sunbathing and sleeping so that won't be a problem. I will meet with them tomorrow and see what they think, it's not worth doing something that might cause potential problems where there are none! 

[Millys Mum]

You ultimately wont know how your cats will be until you try but i think with indoor cats you do have to respect their territory abit more. The room you have the cage in will be a no go area for them, is it a room they use much? If its their best sunbathing room then yes fostering may well be met with upturned noses!
I wouldnt introduce short term tennants to existing cats, as imo its not fair to keep exposing your pets to potential problems, not everything will show its face in 2 weeks seperation period

[Kamilicats]

No spare room as yet, waiting for one of the kids to move out!! My litter were fine in the cage though, it is huge! I will just have to ask CP tomorrow and see what she thinks, she knows my situation as regards the room and the cage and seemed fine with it. I am more concerned at stressing my cats out though and if that is a possibility I will have to step down.

[Desley (booktigger)]

CP will insist that cats are kept separate from yours, do you have a spare room that kittens could be kept in? It is much better isolation than a cage, as you dont know what kittens will have come into contact with, and they will have more space than in a cage. I have fostered for nearly 6 years and it is very rewarding, I have introduced some fosters to my cats, but my girls live upstairs through choice, so dont know/care who is downstairs, and show no interest in teh cat room, whereas some cats will really bother with new smells in one room, so an outdoor pen would be better in that situation. The hardest thing with fostering is letting them go, but fortunately, I have never struggled with that, as you are letting them go to a fantastic home, with more time/space than I can give, and it also frees up space for another needy cat.

Helen, most spare rooms are bigger than pens in rescues, and most cats are fine with it.

[Tiggy's Mum]

  to Purrs

Fingers crossed all goes well tomorrow for you, I'm not involved in rescue but from what I've read on here foster cats and resident cats are usually isolated from each other, certainly in the case of short term fosters. The main aspect to consider would be cross-infection, then there is the consideration of how stressful it would be to your resident cats to be introduced to 'new' cats on a regular basis.

I would have liked to foster but I have two essentially indoor cats (they have access to the catproofed garden) who have never met any other cats so I worry about them feeling stressed with the new scents of foster cats in their house, the foster cats would have to be confined to the spare room so probably only suitable for kittens and I work full time so not suitable for kittens!

Hopefully one of our rescues will be along shortly and will give an 'expert' answer so to speak.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I am sure this will all be covered tomorrow when you meet and make sure you ask them.

Good luck 

[Kamilicats]

I have volunteered to become a foster Mum for the local Cats Protection League and am meeting with them tomorrow. I have said I can take kittens as I have hand reared my own litter as I used to be a breeder and also can take adult cats as they will provide a cabin/shelter in the garden for them. What I would like to ask is what effect it may have on my 3 BSH cats that are indoor cats? I can isolate them as I have the cage etc from when I bred but don't really want to put their noses out of joint! Is this likely and do you introduce them at any point? I have heard you do as the older cats can play and teach the kittens but not sure how 'pc' this is? Any advice gratefully received.