Should You Keep in Touch with Former Foster Cats?

Foster cats can easily tug at the heartstrings, especially if you have spent a significant amount of time caring for the animals before they were adopted by a new family or returned to their original owners. But once the cats move on, should you keep in touch with them?

How Do the New Owners Feel?

Some cat owners have no qualms allowing foster cat carers to keep in touch with their cats. But others would rather sever the bonds completely and forge their own relationship with the cats without any outside interference. As a foster cat carer you need to keep in mind that you do not have the final say over what happens once the cats leave your care.

It is up to the new owners to decide for themselves what is best for their cats. If they are fine with you visiting or calling from time to time to find out about the cats, then that is great. However, if they make it clear that your work is now done, you should step back and let the owners assume their responsibility.

Helping Cats Settle In

Maintaining contact with foster cats, at least in the short-term, can help them to settle into their new homes. It can be hard for some cats, particularly older cats that are used to you and your home, to adapt to new surroundings and feel "at home" with their new owners.

If the new owners are amenable to the idea of short-term assistance that will help the cats settle in, this can make it easier for all concerned. You can get to say goodbye to the cats and gradually watch as they settle in and get used to their new environment.

If You're Attached, Break the Bond

Fostering cats takes a lot of time, dedication and passion. If you have invested your energies into trying to improve the lives of cats and are now faced with giving them up, that can be hard. When you are attached and have formed a bond with the foster cats, handing them over can bring tears to your eyes. Maintaining a link with them can actually make things harder. Under such circumstances, it would be best for you and for the cats to break the bond by severing contact and letting the cats move on in their new home.

Whether or not you should keep in touch with foster cats after they move out is a tricky one. It is not always a clear-cut situation that can be easily handled. A measure of short-term contact can be beneficial and help cats settle into their new homes. But if you are attached to the cats, maintaining contact can make the final goodbye much more painful.

More from this contributor:

How to Help Foster Cats Settle into Their New Home.

Re-homing Foster Cats? Qualities to Look for in New Owners.

The Benefits of Providing Foster Cat Care.