Rescue Vent (Very Long) Advice Please...

I am SOOO angry right now. I spent months and months looking for a rescue that I liked their policies so I could foster cats. Well I have been fostering with them for over a year now and am even on the board of directors. All of a sudden things are starting to change and I am really angry about it and want to know if I am overreacting or if this is normal.

We have always vaccinated all cats and kittens with FVRCP & FeLV starting at 9 weeks and again in three more weeks. Now all of a sudden we are no longer vaccinating against feline leukemia at all.

Next, the policy always was any incoming goes to the directors house, she quarantines them, gets them tests for luekemia and aids and then they go to which ever foster home has room. Now, I was just told yesterday we are no longer going to be testing for Aids for whatever reason but only leukemia because it saves us money. I also just found out our vet isn't doing tests on kittens under 10 weeks old. Well that puts my cats at risk doesn't it!! I mean I get in kittens around 3-6 weeks old all the time and you are telling me that these kittens haven't been tested AT ALL!!!! Luckily when they turned 10 weeks old everything turned out fine with the test but still. I am really really angry about this. That means I have to keep a 3 week old kitten I get in quarantined for 7 weeks! And what if it tests postive, who is going to take it then??!

I mean I understand rescues have trouble with raising money, etc. but come on, I cannot continue to foster if it is going to endanger my cats in any way. I am scared to death I am going to end up giving my cats some horrible disease because I wasn't told the entire truth. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE fostering. I love the feeling and I love helping but I just am at my wits end. I feel like I am the only one putting forth effort here. I even schedule all the fundraisers.

Then of course we have the fosters that aren't really adoptable that I am EXPECTED to keep. My husband is getting ready to join the Air Force, which means in about a year we will have to move. I have 7 cats of my own and 2 dogs. That is enough to move without having to keep my foster cats forever. I mean I wish I could but I just don't think I can. I currently have three foster cats that will probably never get adopted. I have one feral cat living with me, one former feral that only is very scared of other people but with me is very very very sweet and is even a lap cat, and I have a feline herpes cat that because of the herpes he will never get adopted because his face is always all crusty and scabby looking and puffy eyes and hair loss. He was actually born in my house and has never known anyone but me and two of my cats just LOVE him to death so I will probably take him because he is a sweetheart but is it selfish of me to say no to the other two? Should I be taking these ferals with me? How in gods name am I going to move two feral cats across the U.S. with me?!! One cat I have never even touched and I am suppose to put her in a carrier and travel!! On top of that, that would be 10 cats!! We are already going to have a problem finding a place to rent with the 7 cats and 2 dogs we already have..... (Don't worry I would never in a million years give up any of my guys)

Now my problem is this. We have been around since I believe 2002. From then to now we have saved over 500 cats. This year alone so far we have rescued over 150 cats with me personally saving over 30 cats this year. We have three major foster homes. We have the directors house, my house which I usually have about 10 foster cats at a time, and another lady who usually has about 10 foster cats at a time, then we have a couple homes that just takes one cat at a time. If I stop fostering I feel like I am letting these cats down, that they are going to die because of me. How can I stop? There is absolutely no other rescue at all in my entire area that I would be willing to work with.

What should I do. I am so upset by this. On one hand I would certainly love to take a break and just have my guys for a while but then again I don't want to have any cat be put to sleep that I could have helped. I am so torn on this and just would like to hear what you guys have to say. I am just soo upset and overwhelmed today. I just feel like I can't help enough but that on the other hand I am going to burn out if I don't slow down.....

If you are one of 3 of the major foster houses - then these decisions should NOT have been made without consulting you. Period.

I think you need to be on the lookout for another foster group.

Inform the rescue group that since you will be moving in a definite period of time, any rescues you take from now on, must have a specific end date. In other words, any rescue you take must be moved after a specific period of time, short term only. And that after a pre-determined date, you will not take any rescues at all to give them time to relocate those you are fostering.

As for the vet care and vaccines, I agree with the posting above. If you are one of 3 major homes, you should have been involved in the decision. Let them know you will not take any cats that have not been tested for any communicable diseases.

Not only am I one of the three foster homes I am on the board of directors as marketing director and share the responsibility of financial director with the other major foster home who is fundraising director (even though she doesn't do anything) and quarterly when we have board meetings we get to see a spreadsheet with financial info but not a real breakdown of where the money is going. I was told this week that the director had to put $500 of her own money into the account this month. Adoptions have been really good lately and I am not aware of any surgeries or special needs right now so I have know idea where this money seems to be going!!

I feel like the board never gets to vote on these important issues. URGH!! I feel like just pulling my hair out. Why oh why does saving cats have to be sooo difficult!!

Unfortunately I don't have much advice, but I have total sympathy. Right now I am a sort of "freelance" foster because I was unhappy with my last one and not sure where I wanted to go next. The woman who trapped the kittens I have now keeps trying to get me to adopt one, but I have let her know that I will NOT take anymore kittens until the four I have right now are adopted. No matter how long that takes.


Good luck, wish I could be more help.

I agree with all the comments above. In addition I think there needs to be better accounting of what monies are coming in and going out.

I dunno how you guys do it. I look at those four foster kittens, and, if I'm honest, Satan would be ice-skating to work before I could give any of them away.

It sounds as tho your organization needs a reworked vision, mission statements and committment to policies that everyone understands. If you use the Carver Model, I can see an executive director or CEO making some decision BUT in a non profit like a fostering situation, - and this seems like a small group??? - I would suggest policies are voted on, adopted and discussed by the entire membership. Bring this up at a Board meeting where everyone can discuss it! If this continues, your group will be dysfuctional and no cats will be helped!

That's not good. I have read that kittens shouldn't be tested for FIV/FeLV till they are 16 weeks old, so if that has been stopped, I can sort of understand it. You should still be consulted though. Is there anyone else you could foster for?

I have had simillar things come up in the organization i foster for. Especially the feeling that you are being cornered into adopting your unadoptable fosters. My best advice to you, personally, is to take some time off. Take a break from saving the feline world and just enjoy your own cats and yourself. Otherwise, you will certainly get burned out and then you won't be able to help any cats from any group. Thank you for doing all that you do!

Well, I'm a little confused!

I saw your post about wanting to adopt a special needs cat. Why don't you just keep one of the fosters?

And if you are on the board of directors, and have questions about the money, you should be able to get a complete printout. Maybe at the next meeting you could bring it up, and you can all vote.

As for the medical changes, I would ask a vet what s/he recommends. If it doesn't help, no need to test. With my agency, the kittens aren't tested until 8 weeks. Until then, I keep them quarantined to prevent them catching and/or giving anything to the resident cats. After all, I don't know if the Momma was up on her shots when I take her in.

Not everyone who fosters is as paranoid as me. But last year, I took in Garfield and his brother Odie at 8-10 weeks old. They had been vet checked. Within a few days, Odie had died of distemper. Luckily, my kittens had started their vaccinations, so they just had a light case, easily treated with antibiotics. To me, there is no safe kitten. I just keep them away from my kits.

I only foster one litter one to two times per year. I understand that if you are going to save hundreds, you can't be as picky.

Also, if they won't do things in a fiscally responsible way, and in a way that keeps your cats safe, yes you can just quit. Return the fosters to them. If they threaten to euthanize, that is on their conscience. Stand firm. ?What is that saying? All it takes for evil to win is for good men to do nothing. You have a chance to stand up and let them know what is necessary!

We don't have any real special need cats in my organization right now except Nickolas who is my 15 year old himalayian persian foster that can't really walk to well because of a spinal cord injury, but he is in bad shape and we aren't expecting him to be around to terribly long, I am just making him as happy and comfortable as I can.

I have been talking with the director and the board to try to get things straightened out because they don't want me to leave so I did actually get a financial breakdown of everything today. We are also going to continue to test for aids and leukemia because there isn't that much cost difference. We are talking to different vets in the area to try to determine the appropriate age to test the kittens without getting false test info too.

One of my fosters which was diagnoses with feline herpes I am sure I will keep and I don't mind because I love that cat to death. He came in with a pregnant mama and she had babies the very next day (no time to even have her spayed or checked by a vet to see when she was due) and he is one that was born into my house, the only one that had herpes severly and couldn't be adopted out.

But the feral fosters are a little more difficult because I plan on moving in the next 2 years and possibly 2 years after that as my husband is going into the miltiary. I just don't think having feral cats moving with me is going to be best for them or me.

Thank you guys for all the support and help, I greatly appreciate it..

Originally Posted by ryobious

We don't have any real special need cats in my organization right now except Nickolas who is my 15 year old himalayian persian foster that can't really walk to well because of a spinal cord injury, but he is in bad shape and we aren't expecting him to be around to terribly long, I am just making him as happy and comfortable as I can.

I have been talking with the director and the board to try to get things straightened out because they don't want me to leave so I did actually get a financial breakdown of everything today. We are also going to continue to test for aids and leukemia because there isn't that much cost difference. We are talking to different vets in the area to try to determine the appropriate age to test the kittens without getting false test info too.

One of my fosters which was diagnoses with feline herpes I am sure I will keep and I don't mind because I love that cat to death. He came in with a pregnant mama and she had babies the very next day (no time to even have her spayed or checked by a vet to see when she was due) and he is one that was born into my house, the only one that had herpes severly and couldn't be adopted out.

But the feral fosters are a little more difficult because I plan on moving in the next 2 years and possibly 2 years after that as my husband is going into the miltiary. I just don't think having feral cats moving with me is going to be best for them or me.

Thank you guys for all the support and help, I greatly appreciate it..

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For the guy with herpes, have you heard of using L-Lysine? I've heard it can help reduce symptoms. I think my Garfield has feline herpes, he always has a runny nose! But he can't tolerate lysine. For one thing, although it is practically tasteless, he tastes it in foods and won't eat it. And he gets diarrhea from it. But it may help reduce symptoms in your guy!

I've heard of Lysine and tried it with no avail. I honestly believe the vet has misdiagnosed this cat because we have tried over 10 different treatments to no avail. I believe the cat has a mixture of feline acne and allergies (like pollens, dusts, and stuff like that) so I started extensive research on it and my own treatment since the vet we use for our rescue isn't that bright (in my opinion) so we will defintely see in the next couple months if I am right or not.