Fostering a cat: expectations vs. reality

1. Fostering a cat: expectations vs. realit When you foster a cat from your local animal shelter, you may have some expectations  based upon what other people have told you. So we’re here to set the record straight  and share with you the reality of what it’s like to foster a cat.  Expectation: Shelter cats are feral – Many people wrongly believe that all of the cats in  animal shelters are feral or wild cats that do not make good housemates. The reality is  that your local animal shelter is very experienced with socializing cats to get them  adopted and they know a thing or two about feral cats as well. Reputable animal  shelters have established Trap Neuter Release (TNR) programs to catch, sterilize and  then release feral cats back into their community. They know that feral cats will not  make good house pets no matter how hard you try and they won’t ask you to foster a  feral. They’re also great at socializing younger kittens to people early on so that they  develop that trusting relationship. So you can rest assured knowing you won’t  unexpectedly get paired up with a wild animal.  Expectation: Shelter cats carry diseases – Perhaps one of the  most common mis-conceptions is the expectation that when you foster a cat from your  local animal shelter, that they will be full of diseases. So if this is one of your  expectations, we invite you to visit your local animal shelter to get an inside look at their  operations. Animals that come into their care are evaluated and vaccinated from  diseases just like they do at your local veterinarian’s office. Some animal shelters have  on premises clinics for everything from spay and neuter to more complex surgeries so  simple vaccinations are a routine task for them. Your foster cat will likely be fully up to  date on vaccinations and your local shelter will be glad to keep them current for you.  Expectation: Shelter cats don’t like people – Many people expect that their foster cat will  not like people and will hide under the bed all day. While it is true that some animals are  more outgoing than others, the reality is that cats thrive in a foster environment when  they are out of the animal shelter. Cats are social creatures and you can expect that  once they get comfortable with their environment after a few weeks, that they will be out  and about and likely following you around your house. Some foster cats will want to sit  in your lap, others will just want to be near you but either way, once they know you’re  their people you’ll wonder how this myth came into existence. 

2. Expectation: Shelter cats are loners – Often I hear people say  that cats from local animal shelters do not get along with other cats and need to be  ‘only’ cats. While every situation and every cat is different, your foster cat may be  well-socialized with other cats. Definitely ask your local shelter professionals about the  best way to introduce your foster cat to your owned pet to make sure that it’s a good  match and that you understand the nuances of cat behavior. You don’t want to just toss  your foster into the kitchen with your own cat unless you enjoy the hissing and  high-pitch squealing noises common with cat fights.