Thinking about fostering...

mom2salemisis

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Ok well as mentioned in another thread DH has given me strict instructions about not adopting anymore cats while he is gone (to texas) to take care of his sick father. It was actually more of a command lol. Sooo I decided there was more than one way around that. I told him that while he was gone I might just foster cats and kittens for our local shelter (were Merlin came from). ummm yeah he just rolled his eyes and kinda grinned and said "you always get your way anyway i dont know why i even bother." then he said in a very stern voice " but you have to stop when i come home" .
ok ok i gave in and said that i would stop when he came home the thing about that is that he will be gone for about 2 years before he gets to really "come home" again. the situation with his dad is bad he has a pacemaker with a dying battery and no way of replacing it. they have given him 28 months before the battery runs out but he keeps having these blackout spells where he just passes out and charlie is scared that he is gonna have one and not wake up he has also had 3 heart attacks in the past 2 months so that is the situation behind him leaving. can you imagine though what good i could do in 2 years? plus charlie is one of those people that will tell you he dont like cats but once he gets to know them he loves them and will claim them as his own (like he did salem) lol. so what do ya think if i only take in one or 2 fosters at a time i should be ok i cant take whole litters and stuff like that cause i do work alot and wouldnt be able to care for them properly. cheyenne has also said that she would like to help me with this too. she loves animals just as much as i do. do you think we would be good foster meowmys?
 

sarahp

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You're probably better off taking off whole litters, because they have each other to play with and socialise with. We've got a single foster at the moment, and our kitties are too big for her to play with, so she's locked in her cage on her own all day, and can only play with us in the mornings and evenings.

But anyway, you'll have a great time fostering while he's away, and they'll certainly keep you company while your hubby is away.

Just be prepared for the fact that fostering can be heartbreaking, and it can be hard to give them up....
 

booktigger

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ooh, how exciting (although not good that your bf will be away for so long). I dont foster kittens for that reason, I take our adults as I can give them more space than the resue can - people say it can be hard to let them go, I have never found it hard personally. I would try and prepare yourself mentally though.
 

white cat lover

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I am fostering 2 cats. Don't know about the whole "give them back thing" as I haven't had to yet & likely will not have to at all. I would consider fostering a cat that has been at the shelter for a long time that needs to get out of the cage. It may be hard to take home two adults at a time as they may not have two that get along, but you could easily foster 2 adult cats if you could keep them seperate....I think it is a great idea for you to foster! It really does help potential adopters if the cat is in a foster home as the foster parents know so much more about the cat than could be learned if the poor kitty was in a cage.

Once again, I wish you were closer. We are in desperate need of foster homes here...I won't go into detail at to how desperate, but it ain't good. Sadly, I image the shelter there needs the foster homes as well.
 

beckiboo

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I say GO FOR IT! It is a good way to have extra "temporary" kitties, and help out,too. Be sure the agency you foster for will pay vet bills. And enjoy the extra kitties!
 

4crazycats

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I think you fostering is a great idea. Even if you can oly do it for a short time. It will help out some cats that would otherwise have no one else. I love fostering. But if you arent going to foster adult I would advice on litters of kittens. It's very very tough teaching only kittens manners. Because alot of times they are to small and not healthy enough to be around your own adult cats. And you are their only companion. So I would go with litters or adult cat. Kittens usually go faster though and then you can help more of them.
 

catsknowme

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I like the idea of fostering!! Now, I apologize if this is thread-hijacking, but I wanted to let you know how touched I was that Charlie is going to take care of his dad - it's usu. daughters who have the strongest sense of familial duty. And it's a great sign that he would take care of you, too, if you ever (God forbid) have health troubles. And you aren't resentful, but are being so understanding - what a great gift you are giving to your DH! A special person like you was just MADE to be a great foster mom
 
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mom2salemisis

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Originally Posted by catsknowme

I like the idea of fostering!! Now, I apologize if this is thread-hijacking, but I wanted to let you know how touched I was that Charlie is going to take care of his dad - it's usu. daughters who have the strongest sense of familial duty. And it's a great sign that he would take care of you, too, if you ever (God forbid) have health troubles. And you aren't resentful, but are being so understanding - what a great gift you are giving to your DH! A special person like you was just MADE to be a great foster mom
aww thank you so much. it is nice to have friends that are understanding. i too appreciate the fact that he is taking responsibility and taking care of his dad. i know exactly what he is going through. if yall remember i too took care of my sick grandmother until she passed away. i know he has a long road ahead of him. i appreciate him even more because his exact words were that he doent want me to have to go through that situation again so soon so he is not moving the whole family. he is going by himself so i can stay here with my family who i have not had in my life for a long time. no wonder why i love him so much.
 
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