Reply #7: I foster cats and kittens [View All]

[Lorien]

if you cruise around the threads in this forum, you can read about various experiences I've had fostering the little ones (just look for the threads that I've authored). My most recent experience was heartbreaking, but it hasn't made me want to stop fostering. I usually have the kitties here for a week to two months. I adopt them out myself at a local holistic pet food store. Usually I have potential "new parents" fill out an application. I then follow up with email and phone calls, and if I like the answers they give me to my questions, they get the kitty. I call a week or two later to see how it's going.Some new owners send me regular updates on their own, complete with photos. So far, all of my kittens and cats have been the perfect match for their new homes and have brought a great deal of joy to their new owners, which is really fulfilling. One older cat was adopted by RedDemFl, and is doing beautifully in his new home. An older kitten-Khephra (named for DU's own Khephra)was one that I thought I would NEVER get adopted out, but the family that chose him has fallen in love with him. He is their first pet as a family (their eldest-a girl named Heather-is 16 and has lobbied for a cat since she was 3 years old)! He goes on family vacations with them and is perfectly behaved. Reading Heather's emails about Kef (they kept the name) is truly heartwarming. Another foster-Goblin-went to a young man living alone with his adult female cat. His girlfriend tells me that Goblin and Matthew seem like "father and son"; they couldn't be more attached to one another. Things like that make it all worthwhile.

The first few adoptions are tough, but once you see how well they're doing, it gets easier. It's also good to know that once the nest is empty it only takes a phone call to refill it. :-)