Questions about fostering cats/kittens

I don't have room right now but after I move next summer I want to start fostering a cat or two with a rescue group. I think that Chloe would welcome any new cat pretty quickly, but Mattie really would probably not come around to having new cats in the house every so often.

I'm wondering how foster parents with their own cats handle this? Do you keep your cats seperate from the foster cats?

Also, how do most rescue grous bring in cats? Do they go to an animal control shelter and rescue cats or do they mostly have cats that people surrender? What about paying for vet care, is that something that the foster parents do also?

How do you deal with not getting too attached?

I foster on a fairly regular basis. My cats are fairly used to new arrivals and don't really seem to care. After the fosters are tested for potential diseases and spayed/neutered/vaccinated etc. they are introduced slowly and then are allowed free run with the permanent cats... provided there are no serious behavioral issues.


I have my own rescue group, so I pay for all vet bills myself. Adoption fees go to pay back a portion of the vet bills. If you foster for certain rescue groups or shelters, those groups will pay for vet bills, food bills etc. while the animal is in your care. I mainly take in owner surrenders and strays. I rarely go to shelters, mainly because I'm usually full from other sources. But every group is different, some rescue only from shelters.

And as for getting attached, it is hard. Perhaps that's why I've kept so many! LOL