Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Taking One For the Team

I was contacted by a friend today that asked me about fostering a couple of kittens. Always an exciting question! I mentioned that I just took in two kittens on Saturday and I offered to give her my kittens since she could get them tonight! It seemed like a very good idea. Their upper respiratory infection was better and they would have her entire house to run around in because she has no other cats. The quarantine wouldn't be necessary and she has two little boys to give them tons of attention.

It seemed like such a good idea until I went into my guest room to pack them up for their new foster home. They looked like they had just gotten through with a major "play fest". The cat bed was overturned, my bedspread was lopsided, and the waterdish was overturned. I brought in the cat carrier and "the look" that they gave me broke my heart.

"Cute-Grey-Guy" (as I've been calling him) looked at me as if to say, "Why are you getting rid of us?" The little tabby-baby had the deer-in-the-headlights look and seemed to say, "Whatever I did, I'm SORRY!"
I was immediately guilt ridden. I don't know why I felt so guilty. I couldn't communicate with these guys that they didn't do anything wrong.

To make matters worse my son sees the cat crate and exclaims, "NO! I really like those guys! Don't move them to another foster home! They LOVE us!"

Tomorrow I'm going to the shelter to get one or two more cats in need to take their place in my home. I didn't realize it until now that I wasn't the only one that "took one for the team". My latest little rescued guys did too. There's no doubt that they'll be happy in their new foster home, and I'm grateful that I have an opportunity to rescue two more tomorrow that need me.

So why do I still feel like shit crap?

1 comment:

RHz said...

I think that's the worst part of fostering for me... having to give them up. I know they go to good homes and they do well. I know they get just as much love in their forever homes and their other foster homes as they do in mine. But I hate parting with them and it breaks my heart, as well as makes me happy, every single time.

So is the life of a rescuer.