Cat fostering

WezV · September 2022

I already have 4 cats. 3 indoor and 1 outdoor. We've had a few other rescues stay with us for weekends.

We decided it was time to officialy start fostering with a rescue after seeing them repeatedly post about how many cats were being handed in. They had 26 kittens on one friday afternoon a few weeks ago.

Anyway, first ones came yesterday morning. The owner apparently had a litter of 5, gave 2 away, kept "the good one", and was threatening to drown the last 2 if the rescue didn't take them.

We think they are about 9 weeks.

Meeting the other cats

They are already socialising quite well, and using litter tray so should make some nice pets for someone

Kittyfrisk · September 2022

"The owner apparently had a litter of 5, gave 2 away, kept "the good one", and was threatening to drown the last 2 if the rescue didn't take them."
Fuck! some people don't qualify on any known scale to be described as human

Good on you for doing the right thing & enjoy them while they're with you

blobb · September 2022

How do the older ones take to having the younger ones around? Do they engage / interact or is it more curiosity?

WezV · September 2022

The big Maine Coon is very sociable, and seems to be very patient with the others. The other 2 indoor cats are rescues we adopted as small kittens. Both abandoned for one reason or another. They are all quite young, the Maine Coon is only just over 2.

We have one 8 year old tom who stays out of the way.

We have got pretty good at integrating the younger ones now and they all get along most of the time. Its taken less than a day for all posturing and hissing to stop with these kittens.

Probably wouldnt be such a good environment for an old cat that is used to being alone, but perfect for younger cats that need some socialisation.

Philly_Q · September 2022

Oh my god they're pretty.

CavemanGrogg · September 2022

Good on you, not something I could do, I'd end up adopting them all myself

fastonebaz · September 2022

Can't... help... myself.... must... hold.. back....

I've never seen so much pussy on the fretboard in my life!

.... dammit

Blaendulais · September 2022

We have 5. Cats are like guitars though you can never have enough. They are lovely.

WezV · September 2022

CavemanGrogg said:

Good on you, not something I could do, I'd end up adopting them all myself

We tested it out first by taking some that already had homes to go to.

My partner runs a veterinary referral center. Not the sort of local vet practice that gets loads of cats handed in, but they still get them occasionally. We have had a few stop with us where someone in the practice has claimed the cat, but had plans that meant they couldn't take it straight away

Our agreement is that we will not keep any more permanently if we think they can find good homes, but might hold on to some of the ones that have issues and are difficult to rehome.

The black and white one above nearly lost her eye to cat flu, and we just found out that she has no ear drums and various other sinus related issues. She has wonky ears, falls over a lot, and sometimes smells of ham. She was also very scraggly, but a good diet has fixed that, but made her a little overweight.

She came to us because someone pulled out on adopting her at the last minute. They probably made the right decision financially as she would have cost us £3k last week in diagnostic procedures and another £4k for an op she needs if my partner was not in the position she was in. None of it would be covered by insurance because it relates to a pre-existing condition that doesn't go away. She is a lovely cat.

stickyfiddle · September 2022

We have 3 rescues here. The first 2 were simple adoptions, but the third was technically a foster for a couple of years before we realised we really didn't want to let him go. He did find a trial home for a few days at one point but he hated it and the "owner" clearly had no idea about cats - she thought he was wheezing but we're 90% sure he was just purring...

cowmoo · September 2022

Thanks for doing a wonderful thing for these cats. I know someone who runs their own rescue, he’s put everything into it, tens of thousands of pounds in vet fees over these last 5/6 years of his own money, no time to run his business. Out until early hours with thermal image camera and traps. Keeps getting people offloading kittens while still rescuing,TNR and feral colony care. Why can’t people spay and neuter. There are schemes available.

Strat_a_tat_tat · September 2022

Great work, Wez.
You're one of life's good guys.

Benm39 · September 2022

A beautiful pair of kittens and lovely cat family you have. We likewise have rescues albeit down to two now, both getting on (16yrs and 14yrs).

How anyone can threaten to drown cats is beyond me- what a despicable excuse for a human, but thank heavens you've been able to save these two. Good on you, you star!

Switch625 · September 2022

Good on you. I was interested in fostering earlier this year when I moved in to my own flat but after talking to the shelter I thought it would be difficult juggling work with fostering duties. They mentioned taking the foster cat to the vet weekly for a checkup (on a Monday during specific hours), doing a deep clean after each cat was rehomed which could be every week or every couple of weeks (washing bedding/furniture covers, mopping all the floors with a special disinfectant to get rid of the scent of the previous one), and also giving the cat a room to settle in - which I had planned to be my spare room/office but I was told I wouldn't be able to work in there whilst the cat was settling in.

So overall it just didn't seem feasible for me though I would've loved to have done it.

Mellish · September 2022

I applaud you @WezV. That's a wonderful, caring thing to do.

Benm39 · September 2022

I've a soft spot for all cats but I have to say that calicos in particular are a favourite, and tabbies

Rob1742 · September 2022

If we are talking about cat fostering, I think my cousin deserves an award.
So he went to a Greek Island a few weeks ago on holiday and he rang me a few times talking about the stray cats over there.
At one point he rang me as his wife was pissed up in the hotel room and so he left her in the hotel room to go out and feed the cats and call me to tell me about them:

He was particularly fond of one, and when he got back home to the UK he could not get this poor cat out of his head, and he just doesn’t want to see it scrounge for food daily.
On Friday he is taking a flight back to Greece with the sole intention to try and find a way to bring the cat home and look after it.

I have sent him the guidelines from the government website which are complicated and I am unsure he will be able to achieve his goal. But today he spoke to someone in Greece and he believes there is a way and he leaves on Friday with the sole intention of bringing the cat back to the UK and giving it a life of food and love.

He has never been bothered with cats ever in his life, he previously had dogs but last Sunday 5 days after his holiday he rang me to tell me he just can’t get this cat out of his head and he is going to do everything possible to help it.

Kittyfrisk · September 2022

Rob1742 said:

If we are talking about cat fostering, I think my cousin deserves an award.
So he went to a Greek Island a few weeks ago on holiday and he rang me a few times talking about the stray cats over there.
At one point he rang me as his wife was pissed up in the hotel room and so he left her in the hotel room to go out and feed the cats and call me to tell me about them:
He was particularly fond of one, and when he got back home to the UK he could not get this poor cat out of his head, and he just doesn’t want to see it scrounge for food daily.
On Friday he is taking a flight back to Greece with the sole intention to try and find a way to bring the cat home and look after it.
I have sent him the guidelines from the government website which are complicated and I am unsure he will be able to achieve his goal. But today he spoke to someone in Greece and he believes there is a way and he leaves on Friday with the sole intention of bringing the cat back to the UK and giving it a life of food and love.
He has never been bothered with cats ever in his life, he previously had dogs but last Sunday 5 days after his holiday he rang me to tell me he just can’t get this cat out of his head and he is going to do everything possible to help it.

Sounds like he would definitely benefit from some unconditional affection.

Maybe a 'one for one' swap is on the cards?

WezV · October 2022

Now they have had first vaccines they can be put up for adoption

https://www.harleyshounds.org/get-involved/animals/fiona-and-cake/

WezV · October 2022

Those 2 are off to a new home on Friday.

4 more just turned up

Kittyfrisk · October 2022

Adorable. Good on you

WezV · October 2022

A week ago they were all hissy spitty little angry goblins. We had a few days of hand feeding them to get them used to food and had to give them a good clean every day.

Now they are exploring the house, meetings the other cats, eating well and becomming very sociable. They will now make good pets for someone.

One of the residents has stepped in to help teaxh th to clean themselves

And my meetings have a few extra participants

So far so good.

DefaultM · October 2022

I got 2 kittens from my neighbour because their cat had a litter and my wife said that if we didn't she was convinced she'd drown them.
She didn't have anything done to the cat after this, it had another litter, but I said we couldn't have any more cats and not to worry as there's no way she'd kill them. Unfortunately I was wrong. Shortly after all the kittens plus the mum cat had gone and she said "Oh yeah, I dunno, they just all died suddenly". Sick bitch.

WezV · November 2022

This bunch were all ready to go off to new homes, but the person having the girls has apparently backed out at the last minute.

Link to the rescue below, just in case anyone wants to help a couple of kittens looking for permenant homes.

https://www.harleyshounds.org/get-involved/animals/delaney-and-valentin/

Benm39 · November 2022

They're adorable WezV and you're a star for fostering them.

The first 3 cats we had when we got our house were feral rescues, sadly only one gorgeous Tabby boy just now but he's kept company by another who adopted us several years ago.

WezV · February 2023

The next fostering is a big adolescent boy called Tate.

He's had a couple of homes already bit not settled.

They said he is Maine Coon. I'm not convinced he's full breed, but certainly has a lot of that in him. He has the behavious, size, tail, coat and voice, but not the face shape or ears.... but some of that does sometimes come in later.

WezV · February 2023

WezV · February 2023

Kittyfrisk · February 2023

Wow, he is a big beautiful boi.
Does he always prefer to drink Australian reds?

WezV · February 2023

That's the girlfriends. We had a fancy South African Grenache just before that bottle

Benm39 · February 2023

He's a gorgeous boy!

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