Well, I have *counts on fingers* 6 cats of my own and 22 fosters, and that's insane for me. My house is 1200 sq feet, which still feels huge to me after living in a 388 sq foot efficiency apartment for 3 years (with only 1 cat). I can cope with it, more or less. There are 3 or 4 cats who aren't social at all. I work with them as I can. Then there are those that will run and jump into a stranger's lap:) They get needed vet care and the best food I can afford, which currently happens to be Felidae.
I'm also in a state of chronic exhaustion and don't have enough time to do the other things I need to do. My friend who does Persian rescue has 40+, but she has a live in person to help. When that person graduates and gets her own place she's told me she will have to cut down considerably. On 11/27/06, Susan Hoffman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
"Sane" is what works for you, not what the general public would consider the norm. A lot of people can cope with 20 or 30 cats -- if the house is big enough, there's more than one person around to give them attention, socialize the kittens, feed and clean, annd enough money to care for their needs -- but the average citizen would consider that quite insane. There are also far too many situations where people neglect even one or two cats no matter their resources We aim to give the foster cats a normal home/family environment. And the foster homes have to be clean enough that you can let adopters in to at least part of the house. Seems to work pretty well. I am always complimented on how well socialized the kittens and cats are. Their personalities shine through. It's always so bittersweet to see them leave for their forever homes. *Kelley Saveika <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* wrote: Yes, mine are not caged either. Most of the time when I see cages used it is at the large shelters, such as the city animal shelter and the humane society. No one stressed keeping numbers sane when I started doing this and my numbers are not sane at this time. But live and learn, and I'm not taking any more in until I adopt several out. On 11/27/06, Susan Hoffman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > What you described is not the way all rescues operate. Many use > > foster homes and have the cats in a normal cage-free home environment. > > That's how I do things. Once cats have been tested for FeLV and vaccinnated > > (and defleaed and dewormed) they are integrated into the foster home and > > sleep on beds, rampage through the house, and do all the normal things cats > > do. We have adopters, after they have been screened and approved, come to > > the foster home to meet the cat. We also really try to keep numbers > > marginally sane so no one is stressed too badly; basically to keep a healthy > > environment. > > > > I have ONE kitten in a big condo cage at my house right now. She's a > > little stray, maybe 4 months old, who I had been seeing around for the past > > few weeks. Trapped her Saturday night, vaccinated Sunday. She'll stay in > > the condo cage and foyer for a 14 day quarantine and then she'll join > > the others in the house. That's about the only use I have for cages. > > > > > > > > > On 11/24/06, ETrent <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > I know it isn't a perfect world...and I totally > > > support the ideal of > > > > rescuing kitties and making their lives better...I > > > just wish that there was > > > > some kind of guideline that ensured the welfare of > > > the rescued kitties. My > > > > whole experience has left me very resentful of cat > > > rescues...and I am hoping > > > > to get some feedback from those of you who are > > > involved in this sort of > > > > thing. I realize that I am myopic and perhaps you > > > can help me see more > > > > clearly. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > This certainly sounds bad. There is a rescue around > > > here that I think of > > > as...well, questionable. They take dogs out of the > > > pound every day and take > > > them around and display them in front of local > > > PetSmarts (which in and of > > > itself is a pretty good idea, I think). The ones > > > who aren't adopted go back > > > to the pound at night:(. Unfortunately several of > > > these dogs have been > > > adopted out and come down with distemper and parvo. > > > This made the local > > > news and the owner of this group stated that people > > > were taking a risk if > > > they adopted and they should be aware of that. I > > > wasn't thrilled with that > > > statement either. > > > > > > BUT this group has done a lot of good, even if I am > > > not thrilled with their > > > methods. Lots of dogs have found forever homes that > > > would otherwise have > > > been killed. Same with the group I am now having > > > problems with. They've > > > rehomed 5,000 cats. > > > > > > I'm just trying to make it my policy to not verbally > > > run down other rescue > > > groups or expend my efforts trying to get them shut > > > down. I'm in this to > > > help cats, not get involved in politics. I have to > > > remind myself of that > > > just about daily. My model is Best Friends in > > > Kaneb, Utah, and they didn't > > > get to where they are today by spending all their > > > time trash talking other > > > rescues (not that I am suggesting you are trash > > > talking, this is just > > > something I see on a daily basis from people > > > involved in rescue - they'll > > > tell people "Oh, don't adopt a cat from x > > > rescue..they are a "bad rescue"). > > > > > > Anyway, if you do not support this group's > > > practices, don't give them any > > > money. Don't let them guilt you into giving them > > > money either. If you > > > want to keep your money local, I would find another > > > rescue group. Check > > > them out before you give them money. Cats should > > > not be taken to adoption > > > days when ill - that's bad practice. If they want > > > people to give them > > > money, the donors should be allowed to examine the > > > living conditions of > > > the cats. I let people come by (with reasonable > > > notice, I don't want people > > > knocking on my door 24/7 or dumping off cats) and > > > check out my babies' > > > living conditions. > > > > > > I send a complete copy of all medical records home > > > with every cat I adopt, > > > always. I get paperwork from my vet and put it in > > > the cat's file. I am not > > > sure if he would release the paperwork to an adopter > > > or not, but it is my > > > job to do that not his. > > > > > > If you don't mind sending the money you have > > > earmarked to save cats out of > > > state, I would recommend checking out Best Friends > > > in Kaneb, Utah. > > > http://www.bestfriends.org > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > Vist the Rescuties store and save a kitty life! > > > > > > http://astore.amazon.com/rescuties-20 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > > Do you Yahoo!? > > Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail beta. > > http://new.mail.yahoo.com > > > > > > > > > > -- > Vist the Rescuties store and save a kitty life! > > http://astore.amazon.com/rescuties-20 > > > -- Vist the Rescuties store and save a kitty life! http://astore.amazon.com/rescuties-20
-- Vist the Rescuties store and save a kitty life! http://astore.amazon.com/rescuties-20
