# questions about being foster parents



## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

My family has talked lightly about being foster parents. We are a long way off from doing it if we decide. We would most likely wait until Sasha has gone to the bridge as it doesn't seem fair to her at her age and she isn't a big fan of the kittens (though we are getting better!)

So my basic "starting" research on fostering... 

Does the foster parents assume medical cost of the cat or does that get handled by the rescue group? I love animals but would be hard pressed money wise to cover $1000.00's of dollars for pets that I am trying to foster, if that makes sense?

For those who work with rescue groups, can you explain some of the good and bad stuff on fostering and the basics to how its works.

Thanks!


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

It all depends on the rescue group what their policies are. When we formed Paws Patrol all of us had volunteered at shelters. We knew the short comings and created policies to avoid going down the same path.

We decided when someone is fostering and they feel a cat needs to see a vet, then they get to do it. We had all experienced shelters not willing to pay for medical attention for cats. We ended up digging in our own pockets to get the vet help the cat needed. We go the extra mile to make sure a cat has a clean bill of health before they are adopted. We've even paid for vet visits after the kitten or cat was adopted.

We pay for food, litter, supplies for all foster parents. We are on call 24 hours a day to any foster parent. We will assist in medicating if the fosterer isn't confident they can do it. We ask foster parents to drop off their cats at adoption events.


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

I didn't want to sound like a cheapo but I really need to figure out the plans for financial issues. If I am a revolving door for homeless pitiful babes I don't want to bankrupt my family :wink

The food, litter and normal stuff wouldn't bother me. I just want sure about medical. Some of those poor babies have had a rough life and need extensive medical treatment. That could put us in debt after a while lol


Do most rescue groups handle the medical? 

I guess here is my worry... I am brought a kitten to foster only to find out it needs massive medical care and the bill reaches 3 grand. That would be a huge pill for me to handle ... especially when the cat wasn't mine. If that makes sense?


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Here is another thing I am trying to work for a fostering budget.... 

Example would be Sparta's accident. Her vet bills were 2 grand (and counting...) There would be no way I could take on that kind of responsibility on any kind of regular basis. That would just be too hard for my family to endure.

Do you keep a savings type account with emergency money it? How much would be a good amount to put in the old cookie jar before starting fostering? 

As I said, we won't be doing any fostering until Sasha leaves us. In no way would it be fair to her. I ask too much as is for her to get along with the kittens. 

Since I am planning ahead (I always do..) I would have time to start a little budget/nest egg for emergencies.


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

I am currently fostering 3. When they came to me 2 had URIs and severe eye infections. 

I pay for all basic supplies, food, litter, ect. I also paid for the initial Vet checks and meds including all flea treatments and worming for 2 of them. 1 the vet covered as our deal on me fostering her and of course she was the healthy one. I get their meds at Walmart pharmacy which is $4 each luckily. But I get their spays paid for through a special program for TNRs. 

I guess it really depends on who you are fostering for.


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Thanks for explaining the money part of things. I think any responsible person should consider the expense before fostering. Do you keep emergency money to the side, in the house? If so, how much do you normally keep to the side?

Also, what about any special equipment or supplies... do you keep anything on the side for possible fosters? Things such as cat cage or birthing boxes for stray mama's?

Also where do you keep your fosters? There is a concern for me to intergrate fosters with my own cats due to medical and health. I know its better for them socially so its something I want to have a plan in place to address.

The medical treatment of injuries also worries me. I am not a nurse. I am doing the best I can with Sparta's leg but am a nervous wreck. I am good with illness and giving meds but treating wounds scares me.. Is it normal to give a list of what you will and will not foster? I don't want to sound cold but really, a wounded cat would do better with someone else. :? I bust out crying just irrigating the wound lol 

Example to what I mean:

I can foster kittens that are 2 weeks old or over that have no injuries or have anything contagious due to my own cats. Does that make me sound like a horrid bad foster parent? I am guessing there are still tons of kittens that fit within my requirements to foster but due to my restrictions a rescue group might find that mean?


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

I think you would do best through your local SPCA. It's who I talked to about fostering. They match you up with a cat of your 'ability level'. They cover all veterinary costs. You have to pay for cat litter and food. The food that they require me to feed is Science Diet and it is offered at a STEEP discount to foster parents from them.

They do intake and vet checks before cat is sent to foster so you know it's been tested and is healthy(except for any tag alongs like fleas or ear mites).


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

I have nothing against the SPCA and I think they are a great group. I don't think I could work as a foster parent for a kill shelter. Our local SPCA works with animal control. I would have a breakdown and lose it if a kitten I raised from a tiny baby ended up being put to sleep due to not finding a home.

I am not 100% against animals being put to sleep as I think in some cases its the best thing. At the same time I would not be able to handle it very well and think every animal needs a chance.

I am sure that makes me sound heartless but I promise you I am not. I would just not be able to cope well having to deal with the put to sleep topic of our SPCA.

If I do foster, I will go with the group we got the kittens from. They are a private no kill group. I don't want to contact them until I am sure I want to do this. I would hate to have a litter of kittens dropped at my house the next day :wink

I also want to see how other rescue groups handle the foster parents so I know what to look for when picking a group to foster with.


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## KittieLover (May 2, 2011)

What do you mean as to being foster parents? To look after other kittens?


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

I am not sure if its called fostering in other parts of the world, but in the states we have fostering. You are basically taking a pet from a shelter cage and keeping it in your home. This can be because the pet needs some extra training, time to heal mentally or physically or is not weaned. The goal is to care for the cat and give them the best chance possible for finding a new home.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Be firm with the rescue or shelter how many cats or kittens your willing to take on. If your willing to do bottle babies let that be known. That is probably one of the most difficult volunteer to find available. Bottle babies are so round the clock labor intensive plus the factor of deaths even if you did everything right. There is a high burn out rate with BBs. 

One of the possible down falls is you feel certain medical tests are merited and the rescue wont go any further in spending money to treat the cat. Trust me it can be as simple as a blood test or xray. You know they have the money because you've looked at their financial. 

Another downfall is the sheer ignorance in understanding a cat is sick but they don't have the will to learn what is necessary and unnecessary to save it because they are dog people mostly.


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Thanks for the honest answers.

I do not think BB's are for me. I am a housewife so the time could be handled if need be but its the stress and my abilities that would worry me. 

My mother was fostering a mare through the SPCA once that was grossly neglected. She was also about to foal =( She looked like one of those horses you see on Animal cops, starved. The mother only made it for a few hours after having her foal, leaving my mother to nurse a newborn foal. That is beyond difficult especially at her age. I spent a lot of time at the ranch those first few weeks helping out with the around the clock feedings and care. 
The foal did make it which was a miracle. When I was up there helping, it was extremely heart wrenching to try and force milk down this baby. 
I know from my experiences that BB's are too difficult for me and I would be burned out after the first one and most likely in the nut house :wink


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

You and your mom are animal saints to take that on. I would have fallen apart if I had to experience the death of a mare. Im on overload in that area this year!


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## KittieLover (May 2, 2011)

How many kittens are you planning on keeping and caring in your household?


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

I looked at one of the local shelters here and here is basically what is in thier foster agreement 

"Foster care parents provide safe shelter, fresh water, plenty of food (often at their own cost), and socialization (TLC!) to their furry foster family. All medical supplies, and if needed, formula for infant animals, are provided by LHS and specific instructions and care are thoroughly explained to the foster parent prior to taking an animal home."


they also require a class before approval of fostering application. 

I am not fostering for a shelter. I am actually fostering with a Vet. who works with several rescues. I chose to pay for their initial checks because I received a few under rather unusual circumstances and with a weekend coming up it was easier for me to get their meds myself then to track someone down for them. 

Be sure to ask any place you foster animals for their guidelines. Most pay for all Medical that arise, but expect you to be able to pay for daily necessities, although It is now becoming common for them to supply food if you ask for it a few days to a week in advance.

Most of the time what you need is a safe/isolation room (size doesn't matter) and plenty of time on your hands. Most are vetted before ever reaching the fosters home and checked for most diseases. They do require any resident pets up to date on their own vaccines. 

Most healthy animals will go into the adoption pool immediately. So expect to get very young, special needs, and unsocialized needing the most help.

The main thing you need to have in mind is that THEY WILL NOT BE STAYING. If you go in with that in mind and make sure you remind yourself occasionally, then when they leave is going to be easier and you will cheer when they move on to a good home. Its good to remind yourself, you are giving them a good start to be well balanced and happy in their new life. 

Alot of time you will have to provide your own crates and carriers, blankets, ect. as most rescues are always short these items in an emergency like we had recently. which is one of the reasons I chose to pay for some of the kittens meds. everyone was swamped.

Something to be aware of before you begin fostering is that sometimes foster animals become ill and pass away in foster care. The fatality rate for kittens is high-- 1 in every 5 doesn’t make it. This is the hardest thing about fostering and if this is a possibility that you don’t think you’d ever want to risk encountering don't foster. Remember the ones that need the most help are the ones that usually come in with severe medical issues. and they are fostered so they get round the clock care.


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

All kittens should be kept completely separate from your resident cats. This is for the safety of your cats. Kittens cannot be tested with high accuracy for feline leukemia or FIV until they are 6 months old. We test kittens for feline leukemia at 6 weeks of age, but results should be taken as indicative and not conclusive. It possible for a kitten that tests negative for feline leukemia at 6 weeks to test positive if retested in another couple of weeks or if retested at 6 months with the more accurate blood test.

This is why I have a seperate bedroom for the kittens i currently have. My cats are in their teens and i want to see them into their 20s.. I want to help others, but will not risk my own resident zoo.

sorry edit would not let me add this to my last post.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

I pay for all food, litter, and supplies. My rescue group pays all vet expenses, and will provide food and litter but I prefer to use my own stuff. I would think that if you are fostering through a rescue or a shelter, that they should cover the vet expenses. I've never heard of fosters being expected to cover vet care, unless you are doing "private" fostering not through a rescue group.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

When you foster do it as a gift to future families who will adopt this cat or kitten. Youre handing over a well socialized, well handled, balanced and healthy feline. My Ms Tess I adopted when she was a year and a half. The foster family did a fabulous job with her. There were never any issues except she loved people, esp me but she did a wide berth around my fosters. She had no interest in the felines in the house. She never once started an altercation. There is no doubt in my mind it was the year she spent in quality foster care. When im fostering I try to play it forward and give that gift, like I was fortunate to receive, to others with the cat coming into their lives.


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

Talk to your vet. Most of the bottlebabies I've raised came from my vets. I like working thru the vet since they handle the medical. I pay for the food & litter. The final adoptions come thru the vet clinic.


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

Mitts & Tess said:


> When you foster do it as a gift to future families who will adopt this cat or kitten. Youre handing over a well socialized, well handled, balanced and healthy feline. My Ms Tess I adopted when she was a year and a half. The foster family did a fabulous job with her. There were never any issues except she loved people, esp me but she did a wide berth around my fosters. She had no interest in the felines in the house. She never once started an altercation. There is no doubt in my mind it was the year she spent in quality foster care. When im fostering I try to play it forward and give that gift, like I was fortunate to receive, to others with the cat coming into their lives.


This is my concern as well as my way of thinking. Having Sparta and Mouse so used to handling and love is such a joy. I am so thankful that a foster mom took them in from day 1 and worked with socializing and handling. They are big piles of goo when you pick them up lol

At the same time a huge concern for me is the attachment part. If I handle them all the time and socialize them and all of that good stuff I will develop a bond. I have to mentally prepare myself for the idea of "They ainte staying no matter how cute or how much we fall in love with them" :wink


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## SpellQ (Dec 12, 2010)

One thing to be mindful of with the rescue fosters is you don't get to choose the vet. Do you know if the vet used by the rescue group is one you can get along with if you have to deal with them regularly? For me I am not able to foster right now with the group I help with fundraisers, etc for because the vet is 35 min drive from me & without a vehicle it is about 2+ hrs on a bus AND I really have a personality clash with not only the vet, but a few people at the clinic. We're hoping to add my fave vet to the group's go-to vets very soon so that will help. Also, SCARS pays vet bills, but fosters pay for food, litter, etc.

Also, SCARS requires that the foster animals be kept separate from the household animals for at least 30 days. While all the animals are vetted & altered before going to foster (unless they are bottle feeders, but there is another rescue in town that does specifically and only bottle babies), there is always the concern that there might be incubating illnesses that hadn't yet presented for diagnosis. Waiting the 30 days before introductions means these illnesses have a chance to come forward without risk to the pets.

Also, does the group allow the fosters to have a say in placement? This could help prevent foster failure for you. Of the 400 or so kitties placed by SCARS most parents are still involved in some way and there is some sort of contact - even if it's just the facebook group. Pedro's sibling & Mom are placed with a friend & an ex. Several of Apple's cousins are with others I know around town as acquaintances. There is plenty opportunity to see that the babies are happy and healthy in their new homes. Apple's sister's meowmie is one of few who seems to have purposefully cut herself from the group - she's a bit strange, but even still there are pics of her floating around Facebook now and then. 

The rescue group you would work with, do you know if they are primarily hoard rescue, feral rescue, or kill shelter rescue? This could make a big difference in what might be needed of you and whether you might be called on to foster kittens or adults and how that will play out in your household.


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## its.alice (Jun 15, 2011)

I foster for an organization here on base called PAWS (Pets are worth saving) and my fosters will be going back in a month.

PAWS only expects me to care for them. If I hand them a reciept with cat supplies, they will reimburse me. I don't, but I could. The vet clinic here has a tab with PAWS that gets paid from donations from the other groups on base, mostly Officers' Wives club and whatnot. 

Honestly, I have a bond with these kittens too, but I am so grateful to have someone for Alice to play with. In your case, Sparta and Mouse could teach any fosters their manners and what not to do. :3 These kittens have been tested and came back negative for anything, and I'll just have to settle with that. In this small of an apartment, I can't bring myself to confine 3 growing kittens to one room and leave MY kitten alone when she could be spending time with others.

Now I'm gonna go pass out as it is 0120 and I need sleep.


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

I am sure Mouse and Sparta would have fun, it would be Sasha that would have the problem and I don't want her to have to stress out in her old age.

The rescue group here I am thinking of working with is HUGE. They have several programs set up. They have a specific kitten program along with a special needs ones. They also have a Seniors for Seniors program where the elderly foster elderly cats. They even have a cat sanctuary on several acres of pasture. They have 6 buildings and except for the medical building, all of them have cat doors. There are about 20 full time people and several volunteers on the weekends. I think they have close to 300 cats. 
They do not put kittens here, only adults. Its a no kill shelter and unless needed for medical or trauma, none of the cats are confined except by the property line which has a huge cat fence surrounding it. It has been called the Taj Mahaul of the feline world lolol

My debate in working with them is any cat or kitten that comes to them is in the lap of luxury forever. They even have a full time vet on staff there. 
My only issue is would I really be making a difference helping them? I mean they have this fostering/rescue thing down pat and lots of help.


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

praline said:


> My only issue is would I really be making a difference helping them? I mean they have this fostering/rescue thing down pat and lots of help.



Fosters are ALWAYS needed. And good fosters make a difference.


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## KittieLover (May 2, 2011)

How long would you keep them for? 2 week's maybe?


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

I am sure its as long as the foster needs a place to rest its head.


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## KittieLover (May 2, 2011)

Good point, Praline! Those poor little baby kittens. How many would you have at one time?


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## praline (Jun 3, 2011)

I haven't gotten that far yet in deciding. As I said, it will be a good while as Sasha is pretty feisty for her age and has no plans of going to the grave just yet 

I want to wait until she leaves us to start. She deserves that respect.


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## KittieLover (May 2, 2011)

Feisty Maine ****! They can go abit feisty sometimes, can't they?! If I rub Catty on the head or back, she goes all licking and play-biting.


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## KittehLuv'n (Feb 19, 2011)

I just recently began fostering for a local rescue group. I had looked at fostering for my local Humane Society, but their fostering was mostly for nursing sick kitties back to health so they could go back into their cages. They also made you take classes before fostering. I am sure every group has their own rules.
I decided to help foster for the group that I got one of my cats from. This group has arrangements with several high kill city pounds where we can "pull" an animal for no fee. I had to speak with one of the board members and get "approved" to be a foster mom. Since I am already a "cat person" it made it easier. I do have a dedicated room for my fosters for integration/personality testing, etc.
There are rules for every group. In this group I am allowed up to 3 fosters at a time- a momma and her babies counts as 1-. The rescue pays for all necessities- food, litter, medical bills. They work with several area vets at discounted rates. If something major comes up, medically, I need to get authorization for vet bills (like your little ones leg- but they would have approved of that immediately). As the foster mom, I am the person to screen applications for my cats. I also am the one to check references, get a feel for compatibility, etc. I have the right to approve or deny an application since I am the one the "knows the cat". I can take my foster to events, or ask another volunteer/foster to take them. We also have habitat space at a local PetSmart if I feel I have a cat that will "show well" there.
I did my first "pull" last Friday- a beautiful "stray" female main **** looking mix. Since I am not well versed on kittens (mine were all adults when adopted) I pulled a young adult- est age 1-2 years. I had her combo tested on my way home from the pound. She will go for her shots and spay on Thursday and come home Friday. I hope to have her on Petfinder and our rescue's site the following Monday- want to make sure she recovers well from her spay.

OH- this rescue group also has in their contract that if you ever can not keep your adopted cat you must return it to our rescue- that will keep the animal out of any "kill" situation. I know I will be both sad and happy when my little "Misty" finds her forever home.

Kudos for you for thinking ahead, and for wanting to help find homes for these deserving animals.

My best advice is just to talk to the rescue you think you would like to work with and find out about all their rules and things. Mine will pay for everything, but since they rely on donations for all their expenses, I pay for food and litter myself- but that's just me.


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