I've fostered lots of cats and kittens over the last 18 months, with a pretty constant flow in and out of my house. I found it really difficult at first to let go, but soon got into the swing of things. But every so often you get those cats that just get hold of your heartstrings and pull them really hard.

I've been fostering a mum and her 4 kittens for the last 10 weeks. Mum was only 6 months old when she had the babies and they were 2 days old when they arrived at my house. Mum had somehow lost her tail too, so has had a really adventurous life so far, poor thing.

The RSPCA took them back today to get them rehomed and wow has it hurt! I managed to hold the tears back until they had actually been put in the van and then couldn't stop them. I've been fine since then until I just looked on the adoption site and saw them. I feel as if I've given my children away!! I want to go and bang on the doors and ask for them back :(

I tell people who ask about fostering that it gets easier and that you just don't get as attached, but I'm eating my words now. Does anyone else get like this still or am I just being soft? :roll:

You're being soft, but that doesn't mean that it's wrong ;)

One of the ways that I cope with letting my babies go is that I'm involved with the process of rehoming and I love getting photos and updates of them when they're all grown up and living a happy life.

It's still a wrench when they go, especially those for whom I was midwife, but this too gets easier when you're used to it. I usually have far more trouble letting the mummy cats go actually- everyone loves the kittens but I tend to identify with the mummy cats and their need for support and love whilst rearing their babies.

Just look at it this way- if you didn't put all of the love into the job, how good would you be at it?

I dont think id beable to do it-id want to keep them all but hope this cheers you up:

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14/cuddlycats/Molly-1.jpg

She is a prolific hunter though. Everyday mum gets a new present. The best was a massive wood pigeon which she dragged up the path leaving a trail of blood behind it :gag:

Spoilt rotten that cat :)

I dont think id beable to do it-id want to keep them all but hope this cheers you up:

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14/cuddlycats/Molly-1.jpg

She is a prolific hunter though. Everyday mum gets a new present. The best was a massive wood pigeon which she dragged up the path leaving a trail of blood behind it :gag:

Spoilt rotten that cat :)

Aah bless her. She's got so big!! Yuk about the pigeon though! I'm getting live and dead mice at the moment, it's just great isn't it!

You're right Medusa, it is so much easier when you get updates on how they are doing. Two of my friends also have cats that I looked after as kittens and I still feel as though I'm their real mum!

She is all fur-light as a feather when you pick her up!

Well Joey I tell you the truth, I can't do it :hihi: each and every time it tears me apart to let them go and often I never do in the end, I am an absolutely useless foster carer that is why I very rarely even offer, and like you I still love all of mine even when I only had them for a short time...maybe if I did it more I would harden to it but hmm don't hold your breath :rolleyes:

I think that you and others like you do fantastic work, you must have a very big heart, the difference is that you wanted to pound on the doors to get them back...well I probably would have done lol!
You will feel happy again when the next lot come through the door :)

I couldn't foster either animals or children! I do respite for children which works well for me but all the animals I have fostered have become part of our family lol I just can't let them go.

Well Joey I tell you the truth, I can't do it :hihi: each and every time it tears me apart to let them go and often I never do in the end, I am an absolutely useless foster carer that is why I very rarely even offer, and like you I still love all of mine even when I only had them for a short time...maybe if I did it more I would harden to it but hmm don't hold your breath :rolleyes:

I think that you and others like you do fantastic work, you must have a very big heart, the difference is that you wanted to pound on the doors to get them back...well I probably would have done lol!
You will feel happy again when the next lot come through the door :)

Ha ha! I've been thinking for a while that I really need a break from fostering, just to get my carpets cleaned and the house decorated. But I'm sat here planning how long I'm willing to wait before I get the next lot. That said, I may feel better tomorrow when all the toys and litter trays are put away for the first time in a year! All that space!!!

I've only given in once so far and kept my lovely Oblee, making me go over my limit of 2 for the first time ever - never thought I'd adopt a full grown cat until I met him. So I've not done too badly up to now.

Well done Joey for playing your part in helping something so less fortunate and totally dependant on the kind nature and generosity of people like you.
If it wasn't for you putting yourself through it - so many more would have to die.

People have often said to me - how can you do it and not keep them all - ha - i'm bad but not THAT BAD - i would have hundreds by now.

I never ever think of them as being potential 'house mates' - which is different for me as they dont actually share my home - I know that is so much harder to do. Spottie who has been a Rain Rescue fosterer now for a long time, and fosterered over 14 dogs - cries at every single one when they leave her - but knows its needed to be done.

Like you - i only gave in with one of them my Ozzie and he was the best poundie and the best dog I had a priveledge to own (not everyone thought so though as he was a very bad lad sometimes). It was destiny that he crept in and stayed.

Well done you - and well done to the RSPCA for being able to have nice foster homes like you to give them a helping hand.

I'm like it even with animals I've only transported sometimes- I moved a pair of staffies on part of their journey from pound to rescue a couple of months ago and they were both such fabulous little dogs that it was hard to feel anything but love for them.

Part of the amazing thing about moving them, looking after them, fostering them, is their total acceptance. Those two little dogs didn't know me from a bar of soap but snuggled up in the car and couldn't wait for a love. I fetched them out one by one at the service station change over and they were both having a roll on the grass and a chew on the rawhide bones I'd brought for them.

That's one of the payments for fostering actually- the acceptance that comes back from animals that really ought to want nothing at all to do with the human race. Mummy cats trusting me enough to help them look after their babies is just amazing, especially bearing in mind that most of them have been abandoned whilst pregnant and they really should be shunning humans as the least trustworthy of species.

It can sometimes be difficult, I find with dogs, some you take to, whereas others you don't, but you're just glad to see them going to a good home.

We've kept a foster cat before and Zack, the collie we had over Christmas 2008 so nearly stayed with us. If he'd had to wait a few more weeks for a home, I think he'd have stayed, but, a home came along at just the right/wrong time. Seeing him go was such a mixed thing, he'd done so much with us over the weeks he was with us, spent Christmas day with us, then he was gone, but hard as it was, it was good to see him go to a (hopefully) fantastic home.

Rosco who's with us now is going to be just as hard to say goodbye to I think! He's off to meet my mum and dad soon, so I'm hoping they fall in love and take him, but I doubt it, they're not really in the market for a dog at the moment :(

I dont think id beable to do it-id want to keep them all but hope this cheers you up:

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14/cuddlycats/Molly-1.jpg

She is a prolific hunter though. Everyday mum gets a new present. The best was a massive wood pigeon which she dragged up the path leaving a trail of blood behind it :gag:

Spoilt rotten that cat :)

I WANT that cat! :love:

Looks just like my old cat.. I NEEEEEEED your cat! :love: :love:

:love: Im in love!

It can sometimes be difficult, I find with dogs, some you take to, whereas others you don't, but you're just glad to see them going to a good home.

We've kept a foster cat before and Zack, the collie we had over Christmas 2008 so nearly stayed with us. If he'd had to wait a few more weeks for a home, I think he'd have stayed, but, a home came along at just the right/wrong time. Seeing him go was such a mixed thing, he'd done so much with us over the weeks he was with us, spent Christmas day with us, then he was gone, but hard as it was, it was good to see him go to a (hopefully) fantastic home.

Rosco who's with us now is going to be just as hard to say goodbye to I think! He's off to meet my mum and dad soon, so I'm hoping they fall in love and take him, but I doubt it, they're not really in the market for a dog at the moment :(

I totally agree with haddock-it depends on the animal. I often find it pretty easy to let animals go, as awful as that sounds, because I know they aren't mine to keep. Every so often one really gets to you though. I will never ever forget Zac, he was so wonderful, and the only foster animal I've ever thought we'd made the wrong decision about. Jeremy stayed because he was too special to let go, but regulars of this group will know how that ended. :( I can't bring myself to regret keeping him though, the time we had with him was great. There's some animals you just don't "take" to. I know that doesn't sound very nice, but some just don't fit in with your lifestyle or on a more selfish note, what you want from an animal. I'm not suggesting for a minute we take any less care of these animals, only that you know from the start that keeping them would be impossible, and that they would be better off in another home.

Wouldn't it be lovely if Roscoe did end up with your mum and dad? Specially as they live in the Lakes-what an amazing home he would have. We will wear them down one day :hihi:

Its true im the worlds worst fosterer ever lol
I cry and cry and vow im never going to do it ever again and then i cry some more. The only way i justify it to myself is that they are going to somewhere who can give them more than i can. Thats not hard being bed ridden at the mo lol
Every foster leaves me a little piece of there heart and its nice to know they have gone to there forever home and i just let them find there way.

I WANT that cat! :love:

Looks just like my old cat.. I NEEEEEEED your cat! :love: :love:

:love: Im in love!

Its my mums cat. Its one of Joey's former foster cats. Someone abandoned Molly and her sister last year and some posted on the good ole SF and Joey took them in. She is a lovely cat.

I printed photo off and left in on mums kitchen table :hihi: Love at 1st sight.

Its my mums cat. Its one of Joey's former foster cats. Someone abandoned Molly and her sister last year and some posted on the good ole SF and Joey took them in. She is a lovely cat.

I printed photo off and left in on mums kitchen table :hihi: Love at 1st sight.

We had to leave some of our cats at our old house, had to get a police escort out etc long story! We left Mickey, Minx and Mrytle. Wish I could get them back but a neighbour (Who was nice to us!) put them in a rescue. Your molly looks just like Mickey :love:

I NEEEEEEED a cat like Molly :love: Big and fluffy, just like my Minnie :D


I need my head testing but im in love :love: :love:

Just for you Gina

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14/cuddlycats/Molly.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc14/cuddlycats/PB070058.jpg

My mum wont give her up though. It took her 2 years to get Molly after her 15 year old cat died.

Make her cuddly :D Tell her I need her :hihi:

Ive been fostering for almost 2 yrs now and I love it- yes, there are the ones you can't bear to part with but as Medusa says, it's great to get cards and emails from the people whove adopted a furry you've cared for and to know you've played a small part in helping that cat or kitten to find a loving forever home. Love it, wouldn't stop it for the world- even if I have already adopted 2 of my own fosters.