Adopting Out Foster Kitty

My little foster cat, Princess, is on the verge of being adopted.

I am considering a young couple that has never cared for a cat before -- not even as part of their families. Can you give me some advice on what to say to them to make sure my baby is well cared for? I'm considering them because they seem intelligent and sweet, but I'm not sure because of the instability of an unmarried young couple --he's an out-of-state student, (I think she's a student too but her whole family is local) and their inexperience.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Originally Posted by katie=^..^=

My little foster cat, Princess, is on the verge of being adopted.

I am considering a young couple that has never cared for a cat before -- not even as part of their families. Can you give me some advice on what to say to them to make sure my baby is well cared for? I'm considering them because they seem intelligent and sweet, but I'm not sure because of the instability of an unmarried young couple --he's an out-of-state student, (I think she's a student too but her whole family is local) and their inexperience.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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Have they had any type of pets before? If so, ask for a letter of recommendation from their previous vet or family/friends. If anything, follow your gut and do what YOU think is best for Princess.

I would be hesitant to adopt out a lone kitten to an inexperienced family. People with no pet experience often don't understand the importance of creating a safe environment for their pets, and get frustrated and upset when the pet doesn't learn to follow their "rules" (nor really cares to).

In my experience, paired kittens are much better behaved than lone kittens, for starters, because they can play with each other rather than with drapes, flower pots, and shoes, and are a much better option for those who are inexperienced at being owned by cats.

I agree - they probably have no idea how energetic a kitten can be, and salso if htey are young they will want to be out a lot, maybe even go away, and that is unfair on a young cat on its own.

One thing you might want to consider, whoever you end up adopting your kitten out to, is to provide him with an information package when the time comes. Write out all of the pertinent details that you have on him - facts such as date of birth, number in litter, age when weaned, vaccinations, etc. Then on a totally separate page write out a personality profile of things you have noticed about him and things that they can expect about young kittens and as they grow. Then on another sheet provide care information - what type of food he is eating, on what schedule, what his likes and dislikes are so far and offer suggestions on feeding, brushing, trimming claws, etc.

Then on a final sheet just useful information for new cat owners. If they are the intelligent young couple you think they are, they will welcome the information and you can also ask if they would just let you know how the kitten is doing at certain times - ie, after neutering, at a year old, stuff like that.

Good luck with your kitten and finding him the best new home.

Kathryn

Hi! I'm part of a college aged unmarried couple. And its not as unstable as you might think. We have 1 cat and are getting another and we've been together for a year or so and we've discussed who will take responsibility for the kitties if we break up multiple times. I can understand your concern, because I myself was concerned at first. If you think they have not talked about this, you may want to discuss with them who will be taking ultimate legal responsibilty for the cat. As would be the case with roommates, they cannot jointly adopt the cat, so one of them is adopting the cat and the other is really along for moral support and the added cat cuddling bonus.

Also I think including info about the cat etc is a great idea. And you may want to discuss her temperment and energy levels at length with them and make sure they know what they are getting into. The more information you provide for them the better decision they can make and vice versa for you. If you are really concerned then I would provide as many tips and hints as possible. (Refer them to this website?)

Also don't be afraid to ask questions about their relationship, if they are taking responsibilty for your Princess's life then they should expect you to want to make sure they are the right parents for her. (My boyfriend and I went and met our new kitty this weekend, we walked in and the woman "knew" we were animal people. We are, but I don't know how she "knew" it. But if she had grilled us about our status etc I wouldn't have minded because I fell in love with that little kitty, even as I was dragging her out from underneath a shelving unit.)

I hope Princess has a happy home wherever she goes.