Foster? We've agreed! Will need your help

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Sonia & Tom (GA)

Sonia & Tom (GA)

Member Since 2010
My dear Tom has been gone for about 9 months now and I miss him terribly.
Recently I had the chance to go help someone with testing and now she is looking for a foster.

I am seriously considering it, have to get DH onside, but I am nervous about it. It was one thing to take care of my Tom that I knew so well and who knew me. It is a totally different thing to take care of a stranger. He is not regulated and not doing well. I also don't have as much time on my hand as I did then and I know how time consuming it can be.

I will be making a decision tonight.
 
Re: Foster? Will need your help

Hi Sonia,

I just wanted to say thank you for continuing to help newbies with their diabetic cats! Obviously this is a huge decision for you with a lot of factors to consider, so I wanted to comment on your concern about taking in a cat that you don't know. That is exactly what I did with Benjamin. I had met him once, at the vet clinic where I work, and it was on the day he was diagnosed. One week later the owner brought him back for and said she needed to euthanize him becuase her own health issues and frequent hospitalizations made it impossible to care for him. She had already bought a meter, insulin, syringes and food so I decided to give him a chance and took him home. Oh, and I had no experience with diabetes! :smile: Benjamin has been so great at letting me test and shoot, and he's now feeling much better. Amazingly, he acts like he has known me his whole life. But I do know every cat is different! I'm so glad I took him in, but now I am attached to him and the reality of finding a permanent home for a 12 year old diabetic is definitely setting in. I can't keep him long term, but now I feel like his fate rests more with me than his owner, and that is tough.

Good luck with your decision.
 
Re: Foster? Will need your help

Hi, Sonia!!

Anyone who has opened their home to a cat from a shelter, especially an older cat, is bringing a "stranger" into their home. Cats are amazingly intuitive. They seem to understand that your heart is open and you mean them no harm and are willing to give them as much love and attention as they want. Look at all of the DCIN success stories! Look at all of the cat rescue webpages and the wonderful stories there. Even a kitten from a breeder has lived in a home (hopefully) with people who care about that kitten and that home is their familiar and safe surroundings. Beyond the first few days, that kitty will know you are giving him the best possible chance to feel better.
 
Re: Foster? Will need your help

I understand how daunting this must feel for you. A couple years ago, a newbie came on this board and needed someone to take care of her cat for a month (as she was going on a trip and her roommates decided they didn't want to do it). This girl was desperate and I felt the "sucker" sign blinking on my forehead. I offered to take her cat and he was on prozinc (Maui was on lantus). So, not only did I take in an unfamiliar, unregulated cat, I was also using an unfamiliar insulin.

I set up my office for him and he was great as I brought him home. Of course that was probably from stress and all the unknown. He didn't know to be Mr. Mean.

I got him settled in his new digs and while I could be loving and nice, he also could be Mr. Mean. It was a challenge to test him, but I did manage to do it, shooting was the easy part. As the days wore on, Mr. Mean, calmed down, maybe he was lonely, maybe he was curious about the rest of the place and wanted to know who my girls were. Whatever it was, over the course of that month, we learned to become friends, he got more accustomed to my testing him and I even let him out of his room to mingle (supervised) with my girls. He fell in love with my youngest, Buster - she didn't return the feelings and would follow her everywhere and cry her love songs.

when the girl returned, I packed him in the carrier, put him in the car and drove 1 1/2 hour to Queens to return him. The entire car ride, I had my hand in his carrier scritching his chin. If I tried to remove it, he cried and would grab my hand. And I returned him almost broken! It took another 2 months for him to completely break.


Of course, after I took him and he was Mr. Mean, I asked myself what am I doing and why did I agree to take this on.

I took him because:

- the girl was desperate
- I felt bad about her situation (that's the sucker sign blinking again)
- she was local enough - she brought him to my work, so I could transport him home
- I handled Maui's diabetes and figured I could handle his - oooh boy, I'm such an expert
- I had the support of this board, especially one member who understood prozinc and really helped me tweak his dose

In short time, he took off his mean pants and put on his purry pants and we did become friends, but it was challenging that first week or so.

Looking back on it, I'm glad I was able to help someone in need and I know the person was grateful for the help, as she was so desperate. I learned quite a bit about myself and that I can handle any situation that presents itself.

What I suggest is that you think about what you need/want in your life right now and if this cat fits into it great. If not, then don't feel guilty or bad. Just move on, there is no right or wrong here and nobody will think less of you. It is a huge commitment. Of course the rewards can be tremendous. Helping out someone and forming a bond with a cat.

good luck with your decision.
 
So we had a family discussion and have agreed to foster. I am nervous about taking him in but I have to and want to help. We have a room we can put him in to be quiet and away from our 2 monsters but I'm sure there will be a lot of chatting through the door and paws underneath.

Thank you for your comments. It helps.

Will post more when it's official.
 
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