In Desperation

I have a friend, a former neighbor, who lost her husband to cancer and a nasty bacterial infection a year and a half ago.

She was quite devastated by this, and I'm sure her feline companions helped her through many a tearful night.

Four months after her husband's death, she was given notice that the house she was renting had been sold.

So, she uprooted herself, packed the house up into storage, and moved to Chicago to live with her daughter... taking her 4 cats with her.

Unfortunately, the Chicago apartment was really too small, nor did my friend care for the lifestyle.

So, she packed up her stuff, including her 4 cats, and went to Florida to stay with a cousin there.

Florida didn't pan out either, as she had difficulty finding work.

So, she packed up again and drove to CA to stay with her siblings.

Her siblings don't like cats.

None of them do.

She is now being pressured to give up the cats that she has faithfully cared for and kept with her through thick and thin.

She has an adopter lined up, but is still reluctant and heartbroken to give them up.

She has been saying for quite some time that she wants to return home to re-situate herself. 

She is hoping to find work with her former employers and get herself a little townhome or apartment.

What we are wondering is this.... would it be possible to foster the cats in her home city (Las Vegas) temporarily until she gets back on her feet?

Unfortunately I am not in a position to do this myself, but is that a possible scenario?

I think it is a very possible scenario. I would contact all the cat rescue organizations and see if there is a foster willing and available to do this. I think it would be a similar situation to taking in pregnant cats or a litter of kittens to socialize. If someone is set up for fostering, it can't be that different to provide a home and care for cats temporarily.

There are people who do "in home boarding" for short periods of time.  Often they can be found through pet sitting companies in larger cities, or through your vet's office.  Usually the animal owner pays them in advance for a certain amount of time (two weeks, for example, or one month) while the person is moving, for instance.  It's also possible to live in a "residence motel" for awhile, one that allows animals, and keep your cats with you.  I did that when I moved to Denver years ago.  If she was guaranteed a job with her old employer, that might be a way for her to go.  She should really keep her cats if she possibly can.

vball91 said:

I would contact all the cat rescue organizations and see if there is a foster willing and available to do this.

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I just don't know which ones would have a respectable reputation here.

Las Vegas is... "unique".

The population is very transient.

A lot of businesses are out for the buck, not necessarily for building a community.

We were one of the hardest hit by the housing bubble burst, and have been slow to recover.

Consequently, there are a lot of "forclosure pets" out there (so sad).

So, these factors have led me to be... wary.

Red Top Rescue said:

 
There are people who do "in home boarding" for short periods of time.  Often they can be found through pet sitting companies in larger cities, or through your vet's office.  Usually the animal owner pays them in advance for a certain amount of time (two weeks, for example, or one month) while the person is moving, for instance.  It's also possible to live in a "residence motel" for awhile, one that allows animals, and keep your cats with you.  I did that when I moved to Denver years ago.  If she was guaranteed a job with her old employer, that might be a way for her to go.  She should really keep her cats if she possibly can.

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Since she has been bouncing around this last year or so, I don't think she is exactly flush with extra income.  I highly doubt she could afford a pet sitting "service", though she did mention that she would be willing to pay a small amount to a foster home to help out..

She does not have a guaranteed job, she is "hoping" to be able to work with her former employer.  If not, then she will have to do some job hunting... from CA, where where she is now.

See, this is also sort of a problem of logistics.  She is currently living in CA with her siblings (who hate cats), she can't move back to LV until she has work lined up. But she is being pressured to give up her cats NOW.  She wants to see if it's possible to foster the cats in LV, while she works on getting set up... from CA.

She desperately wants to keep her cats.  I wouldn't be posting here otherwise.  She as fought tooth and nail to keep them with her over the last year and a half.  Unfortunately, she is now in a bad position with a weak hand for negotiating.

Upon further reflection (and some sleep   ) it makes more sense to me to see if she can foster the cats where she is at in San Jose.  

Google has turned up a few results for me to investigate:

STAR

13th Street

Animal Advocates

Furry Friends

What do you guys think?  Am I on the right track?  Anyone have any experience with any of these groups? 

What kind of questions should I ask when I contact them? 

Or should I just pass the info on, and make my friend do the work? 

Boarding locally does make a lot more sense.  I don't know anything about the organizations you listed since I dont live anywhere near California, but I do have a cousin who has a pet sitting service which is way north of where you are but she might be able to give you pointers or advice.  Her name is Dale Thall, and if you contact her, tell her that her cousin Kaia referred you.

Dale Thall
The Furry Godmother of Conejo Valley

Licensed, Insured, Bonded, Pet First Aid
805-241-1965
805-358-2181
[email protected]
www.furrygodmotheronline.com

As to whether you should do the research or let her do it, perhaps a little of both.  You can pre-screen and rule out the ones that are not helpful and then pass the helpful ones on to her for follow up.  Also, since she has an adopter lined up for four cats, would it be possible to work something out with that person, to foster for awhile, and maybe after she gets work she might take two of the cats and leave the other two with the other family.  It's hard to imagine she could find one person to take four cats unless it's a farm situation somewhere.  As for paying someone to foster her cats, if it were a friend, then the very least she should do is pay for their food and litter and any vet expenses.  If it is a stranger, they certainly should make a little money for their efforts in addition to expenses. 

It does sound like she needs to get on with her life, hard as it has been, even if she just finds a job in California and moves into her own apartment with her cats. 
 

Thank you so much for your willingness to reach out.  You guys are all awesome.

My friend texted me to say that after meeting with her adopter, she decided to let them go. 

It was a very difficult decision, and she is heartbroken over it.

She is also more than a little angry at her family for their lack of support on this front.  To quote:  "they are on the s*!t list for a long time... if not forever."



All I can do at this point is try to be a good friend.

I agree with your friend in that her family is no family at all ,  They are on  MY s**t list too   This is just unthinkable after what she has been thru that they would insist she give up her cats, the furry little beings that probably kept her sane through all this .  I'm just so sorry to read that she has decided to give them up at this point.  So sad. 

At this point, I do think she should count her blessings if she found someone willing to give four cats a good home.  If she were my friend, I would suggest she get busy putting her life back together and let go of any resentment she has towards her family -- resentments always hurt the resentER, not the resentEE, so she is only hurting herself if she hangs on to that.  She needs to put all her efforts into becoming independent and self-supporting again, and at that time she can tell the person who adopted her cats that if for ANY reason the person wants or needs to return the cats, she will then take them back..  That way she won't feel guilty or like she's a failure -- if she found the cats a good home when needed, and if she can also provide a back-up home if they ever need one again.  As John Lennon so wisely said, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans."

Red Top Rescue said:

 
At this point, I do think she should count her blessings if she found someone willing to give four cats a good home. 

... let go of any resentment she has towards her family -- resentments always hurt the resentER, not the resentEE, so she is only hurting herself if she hangs on to that. 

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The adopter originally only wanted to take two, but eventually agreed to take all four.  Hopefully, that will not backfire.

Totally hear you on letting go of anger, experienced that myself. 

However, I also understand that it may be easier said than done in some cases; took me ten years.