# First time fostering



## ohbry (Mar 13, 2015)

I figured fostering would be a great idea since I'm not ready to adopt again after the loss of Indy last month. I'll help socialize a kitty and get it out of the shelter until a forever home comes around (if it ends up being here, that's fine too). The people at the shelter know I'm a sucker for the special needs kitties and even though I stressed how playful Madison is, they thought Crash would be a good match. As you could've probably guessed, she was hit by a car and is now missing a third of her tail and her back feet turn outwards so she has a little waddle. She's a tiny girl, but they said they think she's about a year old (although her appearance makes me think she may be older). She's been on medications for a URI and is a bit underweight, but doesn't need any other special attention. She's a little timid, but doesn't mind being picked up or held. She hasn't been very active, but I'm guessing she probably isn't feeling well because of the URI. I can't wait until she's comfortable enough here that I can give her a bath... it smells like I brought the whole shelter home! Hopefully some TLC is all this little girl needs. I will try to get better pictures of her as she becomes more active.

Side note: How do foster parents do it?! I had a hard enough time leaving with only one! Every kitty that came over to me made the list of ones I wanted to take home. I also feel like I would end up getting a new family member whenever a foster didn't find a forever home.


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## kbear (May 12, 2013)

oh I'd have to keep her. I love the black and whites! I just adopted my very first foster kitten so I really suck at this


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## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

Adorable! So glad you are taking care of her after her ordeal.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Oh, I see foster failure written all over her. Fostering is tough - ESPECIALLY when you make them part of the family like you are doing. Just one look at her cute face and I melted! I'd be a sucker for that, that's for sure. The missing tail won't bother her at all and if the feet are well healed then turning won't bother her either in the long run. She may have difficulty jumping but plenty of steps to places of rest will be fine. She is lucky to have found a loving home to rest in for sure. 

First I'd change her name to Waddles.
Second, even though stinky, I would give her several days to settle in before we do anything out of the ordinary. Cats won't play, eat or do much of anything in a new environment until they feel secure. Can take days for this to lessen depending on temperament. 
Third I would NOT bathe, but get some of those kitty wipes from Petsmart or another local store and wipe her down. Nature's Miracle makes some awesome wipes. This is much less stressful. MUCH less. Within a day or so she may bathe herself (by licking not jumping in the tub) and that is preferred.


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

She is a cutie! Good luck with the forstering!! Wipes are great for quick cleaning. Hopefully she will feel better soon and start grooming herself!


My fist step in fostering is.. I don't give them a permanent name. Something descriptive works for me LOL Pixie was a elfenliitle cutie with big eyes. Mocha was a black with orangey stripes, Honey was just sweet.. Spaz and Frantic.. were well just spazz and frantic. LOL 

I also keep young ones in a "kitten room" away from all my others until they are s/n age (2-3 months old). with daily visits from myself, kiddies, dog and whatever aunt/uncle cat I have willing. then I release them whole-sell into the household before they go up for adoption. Most foster adults are kept out of general population to reduce stress and sent for adoption as soon as they recover from S/N. unless they are special cases. which varies. 

And I keep in mind. the more I keep, the fewer I can help save. I love to see them go onto permanent homes. In 23+ year. I have kept one.. yes 1 kitten for myself. It was right after my oldest senior and soulmate died. followed by my mom dying a week later. My oldest cat doted on her and she was there to help with the emotional roller-coaster.


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## ohbry (Mar 13, 2015)

Thanks for all the advice. I think the people at the shelter knew I wouldn't be able to give her back. It was a setup from the beginning! She let me clean up her face a bit (eyes and nose) with no fight, but I'm going to leave it at that for a while. As I mentioned before, I really wanted a playmate for Madison and I am so surprised at how patient she's being! Madison tries to lay with Crash and when she hisses or growls Madison's only reaction is to back away. Last night she brought her toys into my room (like she always does) but instead of putting them in my bed she dropped them by Crash!

I got a better picture so you can see just how small Crash is (Madsion is not a giant, she's average :wink


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

Just remember it is never just a Foster Failure. It is always a Foster Win. The cat gets a loving home. you get a new companion. Nothing to be ashamed of!


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## ohbry (Mar 13, 2015)

I would absolutely love to find a home for Crash. When I said I wouldn’t be able to give her back, I meant if adopters don’t come along I don’t think I’d have the heart to send her back to a shelter to live in a cage. I think starting with a kitty that has a different appearance than what most people are looking for will make it a little more difficult, but that just makes me want to try even harder. (That’s also how I decided on Madison. She sat in the middle of her cage, ignoring every person that tried to pet her, so we started looking at other cats and as soon as I overheard a couple that was looking at her say “ew, there’s something wrong with her eye” I knew she was coming home with me!)


Wow BotanyBlack, it’s amazing that you only kept one in all those years! Did you have ones that didn’t get adopted and ended up back in the shelter?


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

most of mine were fostered for a Vet office, that also placed adoptions through rescues. So I got the sick, little ones and semi ferals. They all got to go to adoption days and weekends. the ferals/semi-ferals got jobs as stable cats in quite a few of the local horse farms! Thoroughbred horses seem to love cats!


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

The one I kept the day I got her










6 months later


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## ohbry (Mar 13, 2015)

That's great to hear. I hope I'm that lucky!


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## ohbry (Mar 13, 2015)

She's adorable!! I love her crazy whiskers. I think I would've had a hard time letting her go too! (especially with everything you were going through when she came into your life)


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## 10cats2dogs (Jun 16, 2013)

Ohbry,
She is just a Cutie Pie! What a precious little girl! 
Sharon


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