Can someone explain what "fostering" is?

sillywabbit

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I really don't understand what it entails. How is this any different than formally adopting a cat or kitten?
 

catpack

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When fostering a cat, they are not yours. The shelter/rescue handles the veterinary care and the cat is still available for adoption.

Our rescue uses fostering and we pay for everything...food, toys, litter, vet care. Our fosters are just expected to provide love and a nurturing home until a forever home can be found.
 

StefanZ

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The word fostering has two meanings, as people including me, uses it rather loosely.

1.   Fostering = socializing of a semiferale cat.  Helping it to be people friendly, etc...   Which you usually do at your home.   Most of our forumites are doing it this way or another.

2.  As CatPack said, you are doing this fostering as volunteer to a shelter or rescue group, them being officially in charge, and taking most or even all expenses..

Compare with foster child, where you do it on behalf and payment from  the Social Security Office, comparing with adoption, where you  legally adopt this child as your own, on your on expenes and often enoough, even paying for it = paying ALL  the expenses involved, not just your own expenses and costs.
 
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sillywabbit

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Do you cry when a kitty gets adopted ? I'm...considering this , but for selfish reasons, kind of . My cat is lonely , and I simply cannot afford the vet care for another cat . I can, however, provide lots and lots of love. But lord, I fall in love with animals easily , and I worry about stressing my own kitty if he , too , falls in love, so to speak.
 
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ondine

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You are going to need some time to introduce your cat and any new or foster cat.  That could take up to two weeks, so you will have to foster for longer than that.  Your kitty is going to be stressed whether your keep the new kitty or not.  It will be short term, of course, but any change stresses most cats.

Do we cry when the fosters leave?  Of course!  But I cried when each of my kids left home.  I knew they were going on to a new life, though, so it made things a little easier.  Same with fostering - especially if they have a new forever home.

Talk to your rescue group or shelter about their policies.
 

mrblanche

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I have fostered many kittens/cats.  Two I've ended up keeping.  Only one, a little black kitten, ever failed to live and get adopted.  But right now I have two little kittens who brought ringworm into the house, and the two previous are back home because one of them has ringworm. 

Over the years, I've spent a lot of money on fosters, too. 

But there are rewards: 

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/259379/our-little-foster-zz
 

stillife

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I fostered two kittens this year, from July to November.   A friend had found them but couldn't keep them.  I had a spare room where they could stay for awhile.  She contacted a rescue and I worked with them.  I was able to afford it so I paid for the vetting but if I hadn't been able to, the rescue would have paid.  Eventually, once the shyer of the two kittens was  socialized, I sent pictures to the rescue, they posted them on various websites and the kittens were adopted within a few weeks.  I cried a lot.  It was my first experience with fostering and I got super-attached to the little guys.  I had been hoping to keep the kittens, but my husband said, "no way".  We have two grown cats and I do have to admit that four cats was a bit much.  I stay in touch with the guy who adopted them and they are doing really well.  

Now I am fostering again.  I have posted about it here.  I have two feral kittens, a brother and sister.  I was hoping to replicate my experience with the first two kittens which was difficult at times but also fun and rewarding, but this is much different because these kittens are older and quite feral.  They're getting a bit better but it will be a slow process.  One good thing about working as a foster is that you get support from the rescue organization.  If the foster situation doesn't work out, the rescue organization should be able to find somebody else to foster the cats.  That's important if you end up with a difficult cat.  I'm committed to keeping these new kittens till they get socialized but it sets my mind at ease to have an exit strategy, just in case.  
 
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