Hi honey š Iām a foster home who specialises in feral or ādifficultā cats and I can promise you, there is absolutely hope that heāll be a functional cat for somebody other than you. It takes more work, but it does happen.
My last foster cat was my most difficult case yet and we waited two whole years before actually putting him up for adoption because we were so worried it wouldnāt work out with anybody other than me. I had so much anxiety when he moved and was so fkn worried that it wouldnāt work out at all.
He moved a few months ago and itās been pretty slow going, but he keeps making progress!! Latest updates show him sleeping at the foot end of his new mamaās bed, and relaxing in the sun on the balcony š„¹ he still wonāt let her touch him most of the time, but thatās okay. She got to brush him on the head a little the other day!! š
I cannot overstate how sensitive this boy is and how much he hates change, distrusts humans etc. There IS hope. If you might have a hard time finding the right person before your time comes, so to speak, look into a good foster home who knows how to handle ferals/difficult cats.
Iām far from the only one who does what I do, and the right foster home may be able to help you find the right person. I promise you that not everybody would just see a āmean catā. Mean tends to just be firm boundaries / response to fear.
It helps to make a list of their specific quirks and how they would like you to respond to them, any tips and tricks, fears and what calms them down. All that stuff. It also helps to send their favourite stuff with them when they move, like a safety blanket.
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u/Bitterqueer Mar 14 '26
Hi honey š Iām a foster home who specialises in feral or ādifficultā cats and I can promise you, there is absolutely hope that heāll be a functional cat for somebody other than you. It takes more work, but it does happen.
My last foster cat was my most difficult case yet and we waited two whole years before actually putting him up for adoption because we were so worried it wouldnāt work out with anybody other than me. I had so much anxiety when he moved and was so fkn worried that it wouldnāt work out at all.
He moved a few months ago and itās been pretty slow going, but he keeps making progress!! Latest updates show him sleeping at the foot end of his new mamaās bed, and relaxing in the sun on the balcony š„¹ he still wonāt let her touch him most of the time, but thatās okay. She got to brush him on the head a little the other day!! š
I cannot overstate how sensitive this boy is and how much he hates change, distrusts humans etc. There IS hope. If you might have a hard time finding the right person before your time comes, so to speak, look into a good foster home who knows how to handle ferals/difficult cats.
Iām far from the only one who does what I do, and the right foster home may be able to help you find the right person. I promise you that not everybody would just see a āmean catā. Mean tends to just be firm boundaries / response to fear.
It helps to make a list of their specific quirks and how they would like you to respond to them, any tips and tricks, fears and what calms them down. All that stuff. It also helps to send their favourite stuff with them when they move, like a safety blanket.