What can I expect from my cat when I send the foster home?

matts mom

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I've had the foster cat since Nov.25. we planned on having her for 3months, but she's done really well, and there were a couple of issues between her and our daughters. Those seem to be resolved now, but the fact remains that we've done what we set out to do--we have socialized a cat who was rescued from a hoarding situation, and bit any hand who neared her. She is now friendly, chatty, and playful.

She's a terrible glutton, though, which is making mealtimes stressful for our sensitive older cat, and she keep us up all night trying to get people to talk to her.

Matt and Midnight are out resident cats, and have enjoyed having her around. they run, play and 'fight' together when spirits are high, and curl up into a giant three-headed cat-ball when they get tired.

When I put Helen into the carrier to take her to the vet this week, Matt sat on it, and wouldn't budge. He didn't want me to leave the house with her. How can I expect him to react when I send her back? 
 

di and bob

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They do miss a member of the household when they leave, it always broke my heart to hear a mama crying for kittens that are no longer there. But life goes on, and after a period of mourning, usually about a week or two, they are ready to face life again. You can't explain to Matt that there is a family waiting for Helen to make him feel better, I wish there was a way but there isn't. Just give extra love and attention, and try to keep them busy with something to take their minds off of their loss, it's all you can do. You have done a wonderful thing, I pray that Helen finds a forever home and it is your kindness and work that will make it so. I hate to say it, but there are countless others that need your attention and love too, don't give up! I pray that you will be blessed for your love and caring! 
 

reikitty

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They get over it after a couple days. I haven't seen a kitty mope about for more then a couple of days.... Unless they're a long time bonded pair and in those cases I've seen them stop eating eating and get severely depressed, but that's rare and only a few kitties get this attached.

My Monkey gets attached to some of my fosters and when I come home with an empty carrier he'll sit in it and mope for a bit and will spend a day or so looking for his friend. He then gets very affectionate towards me and stays that way till we get him a new friend.

One of my other permanent resistance always gets clingy with me for about 24-48 hours after a kitty is adopted... even if she hated the foster.

The other two don't give a rats behind about the foster kitties....

It's always a little sad, but there's always a new one to move in....
 

misty8723

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That's why I would never want to foster. It's hard on the resident cat and equally hard on the cat that's leaving the home he thought was his and going off to some strange place without his friends in the foster family.
 
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matts mom

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If it weren't for some of her more annoying habits, I'd keep her myself and consider her a failed foster, but no one's slept well in nearly a month(she's nocturnal) and I don't seem to be able to convince her that night-time is not for chatting/pouncing/running around like a maniac lol. (all of which would be less of an issue if the house weren't all one floor, but since the noise is right where we're trying to sleep, it's a problem.)

She's ready to adopt, and I have about a month and a half left on my term with her. So now I just need to figure out if I'm going to adopt her myself, or give the shelter the go-ahead to put out an ad.  As Di and Bob said, there are countless others that need help, and Helen has turned out great.
 
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