# 3 Kitties at once...



## JustOneMore (May 4, 2012)

Hi all I have a chance to adopt 3 kittens this fall. One is a bengal and the other two are sphynx. I am curious does anyone here have experience with adopting 3 kittens at once? What are the downsides?

I know it can be a lot of work and I am expecting it to be. But what should I expect? My hope is that by adopting them all together instead of a year apart that they will learn to love each other faster and have a stronger bond. 

Any advice would be appreciated thank you. :smiles


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

omg

Kittens are hard work. I love my bratz, but I don't think I will ever adopt kittens again. Not saying _never_, but I really REALLY doubt it. Three? I think my head would have exploded. You'll have three kittens to train NOT to bite, climb on curtains, eat cords and wires, etc. Three kittens to clean up after when they have diarrhea or are walking in their own poop in the litter box. Three kittens crying because.....well, just because. I could go on and on.

You'll also have three times the cuteness and fun and laughs.


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## JustOneMore (May 4, 2012)

marie73 said:


> omg
> 
> Kittens are hard work. I love my bratz, but I don't think I will ever adopt kittens again. Not saying _never_, but I really REALLY doubt it. Three? I think my head would have exploded. You'll have three kittens to train NOT to bite, climb on curtains, eat cords and wires, etc. Three kittens to clean up after when they have diarrhea or are walking in their own poop in the litter box. Three kittens crying because.....well, just because. I could go on and on.
> 
> You'll also have three times the cuteness and fun and laughs.


:lol: my thoughts exactly. 

I'm not saying it's not going to be a lot of work. I am expecting it to be. But I do want three. I could do all the training at once or go through it two or three separate times. 

Also the bond between them is a big motivator for me. Cats are picky picky about change. I worry if I wait to get the third kitten later the resident cats wont want to accept him/her. I've read several stories about it not going well and talked to people who say they cats still don't get along. I don't want to get a kitten the cats would tolerate but not bond well with either.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

The rescue took too long to respond and I had already fallen in love with my bratz, but if they had been faster, I would have adopted these three (I didn't have the heart to break them up):


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## JustOneMore (May 4, 2012)

*CATS Pro's and Con's QUESTION*

I want 3 cats. I have never had a cat before. I do cat sit my sister-in-laws cats on occasion to become more familiar with cat care. My question is what are the pro's and con's of cat ownership with one cat? And with multiple cats?


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## dweamgoil (Feb 3, 2010)

You WILL have your hands full. Not only 3 kittens, but 2 sphynxes....good luck to you


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

So you're a complete noob to cats and you're thinking of taking on 3 kittens of breeds known to be extremely active. I have three words for you...

YOU ARE INSANE!!!

If you're really bent on doing this....some advice:

Pack up every knick knack you own.
Take the curtains, rods and blinds off the windows.
Take the pictures off the walls.
Get rid of all your electronic gadgets and equipment
Install overhead lighting in every room, get rid of the table lamps.
If you have nice furniture, put it in storage for 3-5 years. Go to the thrift store and buy some well worn rejects.
Take the shower curtain off the tub. 
Put the trash in a cabinet or closet.
Put baby latches on all the cabinets, closets, dresser drawers etc.

I'm sure there's more, but this will get you started.

And yes, I can tell you a kitten story or two or three that supports every one of these suggestions and I've never had more than one kitten at a time. I'm not cured of kittens yet, but I know enough to never get 3 at once. They have synergy...


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## spotty cats (Sep 23, 2011)

Coming from a good breeder they won't be all that much work. They'll already be litter trained, scratch pole trained, shouldn't chew wires or destroy your home. You will need to give them heaps of attention and playtime and of course kitten proof your home but that's the same for one or three

I breed Ocicats so have kittens around several times a year, I have an intact shower curtain, photos on the wall, electronics, table lamps....

Many times it's recommended to adopt in pairs especially if there are no other cats in the home, three is simply adding one more


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

ILuvSphynx&Bengals said:


> I want 3 cats. I have never had a cat before. I do cat sit my sister-in-laws cats on occasion to become more familiar with cat care. My question is what are the pro's and con's of cat ownership with one cat? And with multiple cats?


how old are you and do you have any children? if you're under 50 and have no children, i'd say go for it.

multiple cat pros: they play with each other. you don't have quite as much entertaining to do to keep them out of trouble. another pro: once they're grown, you don't have to do the kitten thing again for a very long time. to be honest, after my experiences with cats, i'd adopt in pairs if possible. i always want at least two cats. why? well, when one dies, you have a spare. sorry if that sounds weird, that's just how i am. and hopefully they'll all get along when they grow up together. probably a better chance that they will than won't.

cons: the trio of terror. seriously, do put up everything fragile if you want to keep it. don't ever think, "oh they can't get it _there_." expense. just like you have to get all their shots at the same time, they'll all get old at the same time, probably. having three geriatric cats at once is probably fairly expensive.

expect to maybe get overwhelmed a little, but it could also be kind of fun.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Someone mentioned "reputable breeder"...so there's a major consideration. The initial cost of kittens of these breeds from reputable breeders will be significant...$750-$1000 each for pet quality. You definitely get what you pay for when it comes to purebred pets. Bargain prices will typically mean unhealthy kittens/cats. The issues may not show up for years, but they will show up. Then there's the cost of spay/neuter...another $300-$350 or so each unless you use a low cost clinic. But I just can't imagine spending that kind of money on a cat and then using a cut rate service for the surgery. 

BTW...while my other post was a bit over the top, there is a fair amount of truth to it. I've had curtains ruined from climbing, blinds broken from trying to get behind them, lamps knocked over and broken, pictures knocked off the wall, lots of knick knacks and glass objects broken, curtain rod pulled out of the wall, shower curtain liners shredded, throw rugs destroyed, garbage strewn throughout the house, kitchen cabinets opened and stuff inside torn open or a cat sitting in the pots...the list goes on. 

Also, kittens don't do the worst damage when they're little (under 6 months)....it's the teenagers/young adults that are the hellions. When they're young enough to have kitten exuberance in nearly adult size bodies.


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## spotty cats (Sep 23, 2011)

doodlebug said:


> Then there's the cost of spay/neuter...another $300-$350 or so each unless you use a low cost clinic. But I just can't imagine spending that kind of money on a cat and then using a cut rate service for the surgery.


Ah, but a good breeder includes that in the price. Kittens should come neutered, vaccinated at least twice and microchipped.

Agree with the rest, do your research on the breeder


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## JustOneMore (May 4, 2012)

WOW thanks for all of the advice!!! And Marie73 cute cute pic. Sorry you couldn't keep them. 

About the breeders. They are both reputable. Both sphynx and bengal breeders test for HCM, they put work into socializing them, they both come with breeder support AFTER I have the kittens and the list goes on. Another thing the sphynx breeder does is the spay/neuter before I get them. Which also means I am going to have to wait a little longer to get them home but that's ok. The bengal breeder does not spay/neuter the kittens before but has a pet contract that you have to spay/neuter by a certain age. I have done my work on reputable breeders and the two breeders I am dealing with are the real deal. 

There are some things I was unaware of that I am glad I am hearing now like that it's not kittens I will have to worry about but juvenile cats. Also the amount of damage they can do. Destroying shower curtains? Man o man. It helps me adjust my expectations though so I know what to expect. It's great to hear this now before I get my kitties. 

If you want to tell me a story of what it's like having kittens in your home, or you want to give me any other advice please do. I won't be offended, you don't have to worry about hiding the truth from me. After all I will learn sooner or later and it's better that I am fully aware now then to be surprised later. I welcome the advice, your just helping me which is what I want. :thumb


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I don't think a breeder who doesn't spay/neuter before adopting out is very responsible. That's a red flag to me. Especially with bengals. How old will they be when you get them? They're wonderful, gorgeous cats, but very, very energetic -- and two of them? Wow. I would *want* them to have the extra time with their Mom. From what I've read, they also need a lot of room and they love (even more than most cats) to be up high, so you should have some tall cat trees, perches, etc.

They're gorgeous cats, but for a first-time cat person? I don't know. 

No matter what, you should definitely buy _Think Like a Cat_ and _Cat vs. Cat_ by Pam Johnson-Bennett.


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## JustOneMore (May 4, 2012)

marie73 said:


> I don't think a breeder who doesn't spay/neuter before adopting out is very responsible. That's a red flag to me. Especially with bengals. How old will they be when you get them? They're wonderful, gorgeous cats, but very, very energetic -- and two of them? Wow. I would *want* them to have the extra time with their Mom. From what I've read, they also need a lot of room and they love (even more than most cats) to be up high, so you should have some tall cat trees, perches, etc.
> 
> They're gorgeous cats, but for a first-time cat person? I don't know.
> 
> No matter what, you should definitely buy _Think Like a Cat_ and _Cat vs. Cat_ by Pam Johnson-Bennett.


Thanks for the books recommendation. I will definitely look into both of them. 

The bengal is to come home at 12 weeks.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Oops, two sphynx, one bengal. Got that backwards.


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## JustOneMore (May 4, 2012)

Do you think 12 weeks is to early? I will look more into the Bengal breeder.


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## spotty cats (Sep 23, 2011)

12 weeks to come home? That's the earliest we are allowed to let our kittens go here and quite standard for breeders in the US too. 

I just feel on the neutering topic, it's our responsibility to ensure our pet kittens can't accidentally produce a litter. It's also better having all vet work done, then kitty can just go and settle into their new home without interruption of surgery.


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## JustOneMore (May 4, 2012)

spotty cats said:


> 12 weeks to come home? That's the earliest we are allowed to let our kittens go here and quite standard for breeders in the US too.
> 
> I just feel on the neutering topic, it's our responsibility to ensure our pet kittens can't accidentally produce a litter. It's also better having all vet work done, then kitty can just go and settle into their new home without interruption of surgery.


Ok great so 12 weeks isn't too early. I thought maybe I had missed something important. I will get him/her spayed/neutered. I don't want to contribute to the pet over-population. It would be nice if she fixed the bengal before it came home but I am not the breeder. It's nice knowing though that I will never have to worry about a possible pregnancy or the surgery and recovery time with my sphynx's.


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## sunset97 (May 24, 2011)

You are going to be very busy fore sure. I don't know if I would take on either of these breeds being a new cat owner. My other concern is you are getting two different breeds. Make sure they are going to be compatible. Because you are getting a odd number I would worry about one of them being left out. At one point we had three cats (two siamese and one mixed breed). We started with one and kept adding over a couple years. Eventually the two siamese became really close and the mixed breed was never really close with either one of the siamese. We could tell he really wanted to be one of the gang but the siamese didn't want him. When my daughter moved away she took the mixed breed with her. She got another mixed breed kitten and they both became close friends.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

marie73 said:


> I don't think a breeder who doesn't spay/neuter before adopting out is very responsible. That's a red flag to me. Especially with bengals. How old will they be when you get them? They're wonderful, gorgeous cats, but very, very energetic -- and two of them? Wow. I would *want* them to have the extra time with their Mom. From what I've read, they also need a lot of room and they love (even more than most cats) to be up high, so you should have some tall cat trees, perches, etc.
> 
> They're gorgeous cats, but for a first-time cat person? I don't know.
> 
> No matter what, you should definitely buy _Think Like a Cat_ and _Cat vs. Cat_ by Pam Johnson-Bennett.


excuse my ignorance, i honestly don't know the protocol, but what happens if someone is buying because they eventually want to breed, or are you talking pet-quality only? aside from very obvious defects, how would you be able to tell if an animal would be show quality or breeding stock when it's a kitten?

and:


> But I just can't imagine spending that kind of money on a cat and then using a cut rate service for the surgery.


you can't imagine because you're *normal* lol. things like this happen every day. people on medicaid take trips to hawaii. where does the $$ come from? hmm . . .

i remember a classmate in college whose car was repossessed but somehow came up with 5 grand for a sphynx.

original poster: what if you adopted three heinz-57 kittens from dumb friends first, if that goes smoothly, well you'd already have three cats but what you're considering is a huge investment, financially and physically/emotionally. to say nothing of the fact that it really might not be a situation you want to be in. 

it's kind of like a woman saying, "i don't have any kids but i want in-vitro fertilization for triplets or quads because i just want to get it over with all at once, plus they'll all play with each other and it will be so cute." um, yes, they will play with each other eventually, but you still have a lot of labor-intensive time in the beginning.

or "borrow" (i'm not sure how you'd go about doing this) three kittens. foster them maybe for an animal shelter? then you wouldn't be obligated to keep them. i honestly don't know, i'm sure marie knows more about it than i do, i'd listen to her.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

cinderflower said:


> you can't imagine because you're *normal* lol.


Wow, don't think I've ever been accused of being normal before! :? :lol:

Marie...I think a breeder not performing spay/neuter before selling a 12 week old kitten isn't a sign of a bad breeder. There's still a fair amount of debate as to whether there are any detriments to early spay/neuter. Many breeders, especially those of larger, slower to mature cats feel that they should have the benefit of normal hormone production until 5-6 months. They hold back registration papers, require it in the contract and are willing to go to court if necessary to repossess the cat if it's not done. 

Cinderflower....we are referring to pet quality kittens. It takes a very trained eye to see the differences in show quality vs pet. Reputable breeders will not sell a kitten for breeding purposes to just anyone. Generally they will only sell show/breeding quality to someone they agree to mentor or to another established breeder that they approve of their breeding practices.


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## spotty cats (Sep 23, 2011)

cinderflower said:


> excuse my ignorance, i honestly don't know the protocol, but what happens if someone is buying because they eventually want to breed, or are you talking pet-quality only? aside from very obvious defects, how would you be able to tell if an animal would be show quality or breeding stock when it's a kitten?



A lot can be told at birth, then you wait for eyes to open and ears to move.
Most breeders develop an eye for quality, kittens also get 'run on' for several months if needed

Good breeders don't sell entires to someone who might want to eventually breed, it just doesn't work like that. 

All kittens not being kept by the breeder or going to another breeder should be neutered before placement, many high quality kittens also get placed in pet homes

All the slow maturing breed breeders I know early alter and have done for many years, it's not something I would compromise on, byb's don't care if they never get the pedigree papers


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Spotty Cats...the difference we may be seeing could very well be due to you being in Australia and I'm referring to US practices.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

cinderflower said:


> or "borrow" (i'm not sure how you'd go about doing this) three kittens. foster them maybe for an animal shelter? then you wouldn't be obligated to keep them. i honestly don't know, i'm sure marie knows more about it than i do, i'd listen to her.


I don't know nothing 'bout fostering no triplets! :grin:

But when I was considering adopting the three that I posted the picture of, I already had two cats. No way would I do that being a first-time cat owner. Heck, the *twins* were a handful, I can't imagine another Cali or Charlee. They're still quite a handful, five years later. 

JustOneMore: Do your breeders have any Moms she'd like to retire? 

And worrying about the two sphynx cats bonding and leaving the bengal out is a valid concern. Maybe not so much with kittens, I don't know. My twins are inseparable.


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## spotty cats (Sep 23, 2011)

doodlebug said:


> Spotty Cats...the difference we may be seeing could very well be due to you being in Australia and I'm referring to US practices.


Perhaps, though many of the US breeders also early alter long hairs.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Yes...some do, some don't. I just don't see it as the mark of a bad breeder if they don't as it's fairly common practice in the US for breeders to not always do an early spay/neuter. Do I think they should...yes. But I would not rule out purchasing from a breeder that doesn't.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

thanks for clearing that up doodlebug and marie. i figured it was pet quality but there are a lot of things i don't know about breeder etiquette.

i think i bought from a bad breeder lol--well, he seemed on the shady side and i knew that from the get-go, i was just desperate for another cat, had it stuck in my head that i needed a siamese, and he was willing to bring the kitten down from evergreen. and he was so cute--i'm on my third computer in two years and both my old hard drives are sitting here with all the pictures on them because i've _heard_ it's easy to transfer pictures from dead computers. yeah, we'll see about that. i also still have the pictures on the memory card in my camera, but getting it all switched around is obviously more than i'm capable of, being the laziest woman in the world right now.

but baci wasn't neutered, of course at 8 weeks i wouldn't have expected him to be but then i forgot about it because i hadn't had a kitten altered in ten years and that was absolutely necessary because she was female. it's kind of hard to forget to spay a cat--easier to sort of forget with a male. so he didn't get the scalpel until he was 11 months old, and i feel like i waited too long. not only did it not make him stop peeing where i didn't want him to, but it made him weird. he has never been the same since. he was always very friendly to everyone, but now the minute he hears roman's voice he runs and locks himself in the cabinet under the sink. he hides from anyone he doesn't know but roman's voice is the only one that inspires a look of panic.

i got houdini when he was 20 weeks old and he was already neutered. it doesn't appear to have changed his personality much, he's maybe 1/2 the size of baci but he chases him and beats him up. okay, no blood has ever been drawn, i actually think he's trying to play but baci hisses and runs and acts like prey so houdini's like, "whatever. act like coward and i'll beat you down like one." baci has two "safe" zones--my nightstand and my desk. if he can make it to either one, houdini ends the chase right there. all that happens anymore is houdini walks by, baci hisses like a little b, houdini looks at him like, "god, you are sooooo stupid. what is there to eat?" lol


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## spotty cats (Sep 23, 2011)

doodlebug said:


> Yes...some do, some don't. I just don't see it as the mark of a bad breeder if they don't as it's fairly common practice in the US for breeders to not always do an early spay/neuter. Do I think they should...yes. But I would not rule out purchasing from a breeder that doesn't.


Ethics, like shelters who adopt out recues unaltered, breeders who don't alter should also be charging $300 or so less but don't seem to and in many cases charge more. 

I still think more do it than don't in the US, based on all the breeders I've come across.


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

3 at once huh.. brave you are.

Just to point out something people do not like to think about. I got 3 that were the same year in age only a few month apart. Lost all 3 to old age in a year and a half of each other. I have 2 more that are 17 now. I swore from now on I will stagger ages if I get a chance.


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## JustOneMore (May 4, 2012)

I do prefer a breeder that neuter/spay's before the cat is given to a new home. I think it's important that breeders do this for all pet quality cats given to other homes. The thing about bengal breeder's is that my options are limited. I want a snow bengal and not all bengal breeders breed snows. This is actually the only snow bengal breeder I have found that tests for HCM which is also important to me. I'm not saying there isn't another one out there but I haven't found one.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

JustOneMore said:


> his is actually the only snow bengal breeder I have found that tests for HCM which is also important to me.


Waaaaaay more important than the kitten being altered before placing it with you.


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## Nora B (Nov 6, 2010)

Somewhere in the midst of all the posting a brilliant idea was lost. Fostering.

Kitten Season has begun and there are kitten and yes adolescent cats in need all over the country, in most places both foster homes and willing people are in short supply, I get constant calls on more litters than I can manage. I strongly urge you to contact a local rescue - or multiples - see who needs you the most, they can make it happen the fastest 



All of that being said, I have another perspective for you to try on. How much do you want the kittens to bond to you and how much to each other? How often are you home?

If you aren't away from home for long stretches of time I would urge you to actually spread it out a bit, if they are accustomed to being viewed and disciplined and loved as a group they will tend to relate to you more as a group (at least in the short term , I cannot speak to the long term on this one) but if they come to you individually or in stages it gives you individual bonding time so you become the primary source of....well of everything. There is a real difference in the attachment level that I see in people who have cats that live in their house and people who are bonded to their ctas. I think you may also want to focus on the bond with you and not just each other.
Also; just like with kids when their is a bit of an age difference 6 months to a year is plenty , it is usually pretty easy to figure out who is responsible for what....just some thoughts on the other side. BTW, we have 3 cats - oldest is 5, middle is 2 1/2 and the brat is 1 ( i hate teenagers of all species - todays surprise was she ate the end off my cell phone charger that plugs into the phone, it's been in the same spot for a year - she never noticed it before, today she ate the darn thing.

Best of luck however you decide - side notes - please if you do all 3 at the same time, make an emergency rehoming plan in the back of your mind, a what will I do if..... sort of thing, another thought as I don't know your age or circumstances, do you have back up in case you need help at some point - when I had one cat irt was easy, 2 wasn't hard - 3 has been a challenge for finding decent pet sitters and affording them.


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## JustOneMore (May 4, 2012)

Honestly after the recommendation here I am considering fostering 3. I haven't decided about it yet but I am considering it. I just don't know how people do it. Knowing myself if I fostered kittens I would end up keeping them. How do you take a cat into your home and love it, feed it, provide for it for however long and than give it to someone else? I can't imagine myself doing that.


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## Nora B (Nov 6, 2010)

JustOneMore said:


> Honestly after the recommendation here I am considering fostering 3. I haven't decided about it yet but I am considering it. I just don't know how people do it. Knowing myself if I fostered kittens I would end up keeping them. How do you take a cat into your home and love it, feed it, provide for it for however long and than give it to someone else? I can't imagine myself doing that.


I foster kittens all the time, sometimes when there is no other space available adults too. for me it is fairly easy. I have my own kitties 2 of whom I love, 1 of whom I absolutely adore. If we kept any more fosters there would be no more fosters we would just be a house with lots of cats. so I take them in, i help them get strong and I help interview new homes for then (translation - I grill prospective adopters to see if they will take good care of my babies). Truth be told - I don't knoe hoe I vould do it if I didn't have my own girl after the fosters leave


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## BotanyBlack (Apr 6, 2011)

Actually I foster when needed. and usually have had no issues letting them go. The problem I find is getting suitable homes for them before they bond to hard. When I get them as kittens I want them homed before they get out of teenage time if possible since this seems to be where they start actually forming a strong bond with the people instead of each other. I usually feel for the adults more since it takes longer for most to get comfortable and they are more then aware that their life is getting turned upside down yet again. 

Just keep in mind, once one set of fosters has found happy homes, then another abandoned lonely scared set is waiting and needs you just as much.

as sad as it is to let them go. you have to be happy someone wants them and they will be happy. yes it is bittersweet. but I just can't help imagine that given my last set of fosters, they would have died in the week if I had not taking them and now they are a year old and have happy homes.

And as Nora said.. I also grill them before the foster leaves my hands. there is no. show up walk with a cat under thier arm. they usually spend forever ( when I let the only black kitten in the last batch leave, the people where here for 2 hours) and I refuse to hand over a kitten until my personal vet has s/n them


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## Nora B (Nov 6, 2010)

BotanyBlack said:


> I refuse to hand over a kitten until my personal vet has s/n them


I cannot reinforce this enough! This is why I suggested calling established organizations. I walked into one that already had the protocols and vets in place, no cat or kitten is ever adopted out without a s/n before they leave foster care. ever. I honestly think flying blind on fostering could be worse than flying blind on your planned purchase of the purebreds so choose wisely & best wishes.
N


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## Zephyriddle (Mar 28, 2012)

I had three siblings for about three months when they were found abandoned. The male went to a new home around 5 months once he was vaccinated and neutered. That was a lot of work. We have two 9 week olds right now and have a 10 week old great dane puppy coming home next weekend. That will be a ton of work, but the puppy was planned since last summer and the kitties were found in the field a month ago.


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