# General question about fostering



## Marcia

Has anyone fostered for their local Animal Control tax supported shelter? I'm curious because I am just smitten with a 17 year old that is in Animal Control foster care but my DH has put his foot down because it could cause so much distress with my two elderly cats if I took her in. 

My question is will this cat be allowed to stay in her foster home or will AC recall her to euthanize her after a set period of time if she is not adopted. I'm ok with her being in foster, but I don't want to ask this question of the AC here - I'm afraid of the answer.


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## LadyK

I'm sure someone else will have a more knowledgeable response, but I can't imagine they would recall her just to euthanize her if she was in a safe foster home. She is not taking up space in the shelter, so there would be no reason to euthanize her to make room for a newly-arrived cat.


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## emilyatl

I've fostered through my local animal shelter (through a non-profit that works with the shelter). They do not recall animals to euthanize after a period of time. You have to be willing to commit to indefinitely fostering them. I would give them a call.


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## Cat'sHouse

perhaps not my place to question this remark but............

but my DH has put his foot down because it could cause so much distress with my two elderly cats if I took her in. 

it troubles me.....how would one know how much stress this would cause to your elderly cats? What would one base this on? Is there another reason your DH objects to bring another member into your house? I think cats adjust and using a line from a movie, "well, we just have to work it out."

I just brought a young feral who I had been getting to know in my yard...my other two cats haven't had a problem tho I thought the young female might....oh there have been a little hisses but nothing serious. Our 21 yr old female just shrugged and turned her back as if to say....:"What? Again? I'm going to ignore you all."

Besides, the change might bring back some of their youth. who knows?


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## Marcia

Cat'sHouse said:


> perhaps not my place to question this remark but............
> 
> but my DH has put his foot down because it could cause so much distress with my two elderly cats if I took her in.
> 
> *it troubles me.....how would one know how much stress this would cause to your elderly cats?* What would one base this on? Is there another reason your DH objects to bring another member into your house? I think cats adjust and using a line from a movie, "well, we just have to work it out."


Since we adopt old cats here, we know exactly the type of reaction Missy and Zipper would have to someone new. Missy is losing her eyesight to corneal sequestrums and has had several surgeries rendering her almost blind now. Her breakouts are mainly caused by the herpes virus and can be caused by stress. She can barely tolerate the cats that are here now - that is the main reason it would be so totally unfair to her to cause more distress at 18 years old by bringing in an unfamiliar cat. 

Zipper is sweet and somewhat shy - it takes her a long time to warm up to anything new and at almost 16 we just don't want to put that kind of stress on her. So DH's comments are not out of line - he is totally supportive of just about anything I decide, but on this call he is right - I tend to get emotional and he is able to make a valid point and reasoned argument - I do think he is right on this call.

I routinely adopt seniors, so have done this many, many times with Missy and Zip here but I think at their advanced ages they deserve a break from the stress of integration - which can last for months. 

I recently learned the senior cat at Animal Control is part of a bonded pair and are happy in their foster home so I'm at peace with this decision now.


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## Cat'sHouse

Thank you for the good explanation. I was a bit leary of bringing in a stray who was acting feral in that she took awhile to accept me outside when I started feeding her. She fought when I first tried to pick her up but I worked with her gaining her trust.

Our Eliza is 21 yrs old now, almost deaf and getting blind. We know she will not last much longer but has a room (wife's in there a lot on the computer and that is where all three get fed) pretty much to herself with a feeding area and bed near a radiator.

Kermit is 12 and has a good attitude especially two years ago when we brought in Marble from outside...She was probably under a year old and going to have to spend her first winter outside. Abandoned we think when she started defending herself against toddlers? Maybe, cause she has a temper and sticks up for herself.

So I was curious. Eliza hardly notices Annie whom I brought in now and Annie has the balcony and our bedroom for now but we let the rest co-mingle. Kermit is jealous of my attention to Annie but he can live with it..he swats sometimes but no fighting. Marble hasn't done much either so I guess they will all get along. They were out on the glassed in balcony as I was caulking and sealing up cracks etc for the winter.

I brought in a larger (medium size) metal kennel for Annie to sleep in and learn to use a litter box. The first one was too small and so was the litter pan but now she has head room and a larger litter box. She peed in her bed in the first one so I threw out that miniblanket and made a fresh bed in the larger kennel. I got some pee from the blanket by wetting it and put a small amount in the new litter and hope that might help. I may change from clay litter to something else because I have to have Annie litter box trained or she can't stay in the house. I thought it was natural and didn't expect her to use the other litter boxes the other cats use so I have two for her...one on the balcony. We will have one more week of mild temps and then the cold nights will be here but I can kennel her in our bedroom at night till she learns proper bathroom etiquette so to speak.

Any advice from your experience? I want to find a good home for Annie but she has to learn the litter box first. Other than that she has turned into an adorable young calico cat and is very affectionate and lets me carry her around or back to the bedroom if she gets out and explores. Not ready for that yet.


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## Tiliqua

Glad that the senior is in a good foster home. 

I couldn't foster if they might get taken from me and euthanized! It is sometimes a long commitment because they are much less likely to get adopted if they are in foster care and not in the store to get seen...


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## Venusworld21

The shelter I foster for here is Animal control/taxpayer supported. How it generally works is that ALL incoming cats are screened for basic health and temperament. If they "pass," but there is no room in the shelter to hold them, they are offered to foster homes. (If they don't pass, they are euthed and never get a chance.) I have ONLY ever seen kittens/queens with litters offered for foster. If a 17 year old cat came into this shelter and there was no room, they'd euth her, I'm sure of it. 

Once a cat has been "accepted" (passed health/temperament screening), they won't put it down unless something changes. That is, a cat will have an unlimited amount of time to find a home, if it makes it up for adoption. Since my fosters are all kittens, they generally are just with me to get big enough for adoption, so I don't ever keep them very long. 

In order for something to change, the cat would have to do something that makes it no longer "pass" the initial screening. I got my very first mama cat foster ever back because when they put her in the adoption room she "bit" someone's child. The shelter agreed that it was provoked and brought on by stress, however for liability reasons, they couldn't put her back in the adoption room so it was a choice of me taking her back and fostering her until she found a home or them euthing her. I took her back and found her a lovely home with a nice lady from Seattle (the adoption still went through the shelter, but the cat stayed with me instead). Another way to change it would be to get very ill. If the litter were to come down with something like FIV (my shelter will NOT adopt out FIV+ cats), they would all be taken from me and euthed, and I would have no say in the matter. Luckily, that hasn't ever happened so far. Basic illnesses like worms, coccidia, ear mites, etc would all be treated. I had one foster who was a 6 month old kitten who'd been hit by a car and had her leg amputated. She stayed with me to heal and learn to walk on 3 legs. Generally, once the shelter "accepts" a cat, they'll get it adopted.

In the case of your potential guy, my guess is that the foster home knows perfectly well that he might die there (basing that solely on his age) and I wouldn't think he's in danger of being brought back to the shelter for euthanasia, unless some problem came up and he couldn't stay in his foster home.

Could you perhaps notify the shelter of your interest...tell them that it's not good right now, because of your girls, but you are considering him if anything happens to your girls, and to please notify you if his status with his foster home changes? That might cause them to keep you in mind for any future oldies too, even if this particular one doesn't work out.


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## Marcia

Since I originally posted this thread, I have since submitted my paperwork for a police background check so that I will be able to volunteer at the shelter. I'll find out soon enough all ins and outs of this place. I'm looking forward to helping out there and at the nearby Petsmarts.


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## lisak_87

omgosh I could never foster for a shelter that recalled animals to euthanize them. I hope none do that - that's a horrifying thought....


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## Mitts & Tess

*Marcia* every animal control is different. Depends on the person running it. Hopefully you are volunteering for a good one. Wow, a background check! Ive never heard of that. I wonder why they go to that extent before letting people volunteer or foster???? You are very brave to volunteer there. It would break my heart to see animals being pulled to be put down. I dont know how to handle that. It rips me up. You are a strong person. Best of luck on your endevor. Hopefully you can influence them for the good and help them make possitive changes and be an advocate for the kitties.

Do any of the rescues pull cats from your animal control? THat is always an avenue for the future if you see an elderly cat brought in, to work with a rescue to pull it for you if the animal control doesn't want people to foster the elderly cats.

*Cat'sHouse*, Ive never had a cat from outside or even fully feral not be willing to use a litter box. Not sure why your kitty is doing this. Have you thought of using Cat Attract litter in the kennel. How big is the kennel? Is she stressed out being held in there? is the kennel covered if it is a small one or if its a larger one do you have a box or igloo for it to hide in while becoming acclimated? I love your avatar. Makes me think of Christmas in Minneapolis.


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## Venusworld21

I had to pass a background check before I could foster for our shelter here, because they are county-run and deal with animal seizures (and therefore court cases) as well. Every volunteer is background checked by them prior to being able to volunteer.


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