Do you get attached to your strays?

frankthetank

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For anyone who brings a stray into their home and tries to find it a home...do you get attached? If not, how do you not??

We have two strays we brought in a few weeks ago, and maybe we are not as attached to them because they hide. They stay up in our guest room all the time, do not enjoy cuddling or anything really, they are loner kitties. We are worried we will have trouble finding them a home because of this, but I guess it helps us to not get attached.
And than last night, we find a baby boy kitten outside and bring it in...and my husband and I are in love already. He is a tiny orange furball, medium to long hair, and the sweetest thing. He follows me around and cries when he is left alone. We are definitely still actively trying to find him a home, but I worry if we have him here too long we will be too attached. He just climbs into laps and wants petted and loved, and trots after us when we are around the house...and just looks at us with these loving trusting eyes like he knows he is finally safe.... it makes me so sad. I hope we can find him an awesome home with someone who loves him as much as we do.
 

goonie

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we had 4 cats and i've been feeding strays in an office parkinglot since april '04. BTW, they all been TNR'ed. anyway, in february '07 this shy pregnant Tortie shows up. my husband finally agreed to let me trap her and bring her home, let her give birth and then find forever homes for the kittens. she had 4 kittens a week later, it was kitten season, i couldn't find good homes for them and i couldn't see them sitting in a cage at petsmart etc....soooooooooooooo now we have 9 cats.
my husband told me if i bring home one more he'll divorce me.
 

kailie

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We have had SO many different foster cats over the years and I get attached to every, single one of them.
I love every cat who comes through my door. I can let them go though knowing that when they are gone, I can help another kitty who needs me.
 
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frankthetank

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The new little orange furrball stray is sleeping behind me...he follows me around. If I leave the room, he cries at the gate. If I am in the room, he sleeps next to me, or will play at my feet. He is loving being inside and safe...My husband has not spent as much time with him but he even says he loves the little guy and its only been a couple days. So I am worried if we don't find a home soon, we will keep this one. Not that it would be a horrible thing...but we JUST had the discussion last week that we can't afford more cats until we own our own place.
Oh why do kitties have to be so darn cute!!!
 

ldg

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We keep the ones that are hard to adopt out, and now have 8 in the RV so can't foster any more... but fostering was NOT our calling. We definitely got too attached. I think everyone who fosters does - just some people are better at keeping their commitments on cat limits set before beginning the process, and are better at dealing with the attachment when it comes time to adopt them to their new homes.

When they go to their new homes, and they adjust and do great and are so happy, it always feels like they're so very traitorous!


So now we work with ferals... and coordinate with a foster network for the adoptables - while it's not the same kind of attachment, we constantly worry about the ferals that don't show up if they were regulars.
 

ldg

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A quick thought. Look at it this way... that "attachment factor" will help you be thorough in finding the right homes.
Do you have an application and an adoption contract?

Make sure at a minimum to check a vet referece and obtain the paperwork that shows they own their home or the lease allows pets. If you're not adopting them out spayed and neutered and with all their vaccs (including the distemper follow up) - dewormed, &etc., then make sure it's in the agreement.
One thing we always do is get the distemper vaccination just prior to adopting out. That way in three weeks we require a follow-up from the adopters to show they got the distemper follow-up, which usually comes with an update. If they're local, they often use our vet practice anyway, so we additionally get the take from the vet on how the kitty looks &etc.
 
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