cat fostering

[eub]

Today I went to the Seattle Animal Shelter's monthly orientation session for prospective cat foster parents. One thing I hadn't realized was that the single most common reason for fostering out a shelter cat is that it has an upper respiratory infection, and will do better in a low-stress environment (plus, the shelter's isolation space for contagious cats is limited). Others are kittens needing socialization, kittens without a mother, and injured cats. The shelter and the fosterer try to place the cat for adoption directly out of foster care, and they figure usually a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on what the cat needs to recover from, and then how irresistable they are to adopters.

So, I'm thinking of fostering a cat, a relatively easy non-feral non-kitten to start with, since [ominous chords] I have not actually kept a cat.

Logistics:

Would need to be a cat that will be okay during weekdays. Looking ahead, I might be away for a day or two around Thanksgiving, and will be for a week around Christmas; would need help there. Other cat-fosterers can often cover if that becomes necessary.

Cat paraphernalia:

Food. Shelter suggests "Science Diet Growth" (for older cats too?).

Food and water dishes.

Litterbox.

Litter. They say non-clumping for cats under six months; otherwise unspecified.

Scratching post. Cardboard kind will do.

Cardboard crate from shelter usable both as carrier and as hiding place?

Odor neutralizer.

What else?

House prep:

One bathroom can be cat-owned.

Houseplants which are non-toxic: orchid, mint, African violet, mother fern, ginger (presumably), bay (presumably).
Toxic, but dead anyway: tomato plant.
Unknown: Australian tree fern. "True ferns" are reported as okay.

May be best to clear precarious stacks of cruft off high horizontal surfaces.

Pin up blinds cords.

What am I not thinking of?

Comments

[laurel]

I also just stick blind cords up through a higher up slat and just try to make sure the cords are out of reach of my cats. I also sometimes end up opening the blinds pretty high to keep Marlowe from licking them (why he does this, I do not know, but it makes an annoying sound!).

Some cats and kittens love to chew on cords. I lost a lot of computer mice that way when Inky was young. So having cords as out of the way as possible can be a good thing. Some people put "bitter apple" or other bitter stuff on any cords that are out to try and discourage cats from chewing on them. Other people have no problem whatsoever with cats chewing cords. Mileage (and cats) vary.

Everyone has different preferences re litter. I've been lucky in that my cats don't seem to mind if I change litter or litter boxes on them, they still always use the cat box for it's intended purpose. I used to use clumping litter, but with two cats in the end I've ended up using the less expensive non-clumping litter and just changing the whole box once a week (or more often if it starts to smell).

There is litter that one can supposedly flush down toilets without problem. There are a zillion catbox and litter options out there.

Oh! Lots of litter is supposedly "non-tracking," but the reality is that litter gets stuck to cats paws sometimes. Having a mat of some sort right outside the cat box that will help get the litter off their feet right there is a good thing. Less cat litter tracked around the rest of the place or for the cat to lick off their paws. There are bumpy plastic ones, there are ones that look a lot like doormats (heck, one could probably use a doormat).

I've used Science Diet cat food for my cats as long as I've had them. Growth is likely good for kittens or undernourished adult cats. I've had my cats on "Feline Maintenance Light" for ages because one of 'em tends to eat a lot and weighs a bit more than he should (my other cats weight has remained just what it should be). I "open feed" so always have food out for them, some people think this is a bad idea but it has mostly worked for me (except for Inky weighing a little more than he probably should). I only feed them dry food. Rarely give them treats and then they're cat treats. Some of the Science diet food now comes in "hairball control" formulas as well. I've tried this, but haven't noticed that it made much of a difference.

Oh! It might be good to have some hairball remedy on hand. I use the stuff that comes in a tube and just feed my cats an inch or so of the stuff off my finger each week (unless I suspect they've got a hairball issue, then I give it to them more often). 'Course some cats (especially shorthaired ones) don't have trouble with hairballs much at all. There are also some cat treats that have anti-hairball properties built in (just as there are some that are supposedly good for "tartar control").

You might want a good brush to use on cats. I have this soft rubber brush ("Zoom Groom") that my cats absolutely love. It must be like getting a really good massage or something. Brushing can be good bonding time if the cats like it.

Having a clipper for trimming cats nails (if you have cats who aren't declawed) can be useful, though honestly a nail clipper one uses for humans can be used in a pinch too. But if you aren't having cats for that long at a time or who are declawed, may not be necessary.

[eub.livejournal.com]

Eep, my first worry is not the computer cables but the electrical cords. I'll have to watch out for that.

Lots of good things I hadn't thought of. Thanks!