Anyone with experience of foster cats living with permanent cats?

[woozlebear]

I really want to foster cats. Our two were rescue cats, I adore cats and although I feel glad that we were able to give two a good home, I'd like to be able to carry on making a bit of a difference.

BUT, I worry it'll upset our current two. They encounter a lot of other cats in the garden and really don't like them (they're not aggressive, they get really scared and nervous). Any foster cats would be kept separately in the spare room, but our cats would be able to smell/hear them and I worry it would freak them out. One is nervy and sensitive at the best of times. I want them to feel safe and relaxed at home - they've been through a lot.

The charity that we adopted through will build a cat chalet in your garden for foster cats, but I worry that might even be worse, as the cats would be able to see each other as well, then.

I'd love to hear if anyone else has experienced this situation, good and bad.

[issey6cats]

it depends on what cats you would be fostering, the rescue i work for the fosters are moms and kittens or just kittens, and lots of the fosterers have resident cats and children and dogs and seem to succesfully integrate the fosters into the household, if your talking adult cats the chalet in the garden sounds like a good idea as your cats if unhappy would just avoid that part of the garden but would feel safe indoors , sorry cant be much more help as ive only fostered kittens and my lot after the intial oh god shes brought bloody kittens in again just get on with it and make the kittens part of the gang till they go back

[tallulah]

Not exactly the same situation but we have 2 elderly cats (14 and 13), and have just been lumbered with are temporarily looking after DSs 2 kittens (5 mo and 3 mo). The kittens live in the back room, while the adults have the run of the house and go outdoors when they please.

Our cats are not happy about the situation at all. We've had some spraying from our female, and lots of sniffing at the door. The kittens escape every time we open the door so of course have come face to face with our cats a few times. We've had growling and spitting from all parties, and our eldest cat has taken to hiding under the table, which is most unlike him. Instead of standing his ground it looks like he's being pushed out of his own home IYSWIM.

We've had the kittens a month and will be glad to see the back of them :( no word from sonny boy as to when they might be going home

[woozlebear]

tallulah. Hope the kittens go home soon.

Very helpful for me though as it confirms that my worries are plausible scenarios and not me being all paranoid pfb about my cats.

[sashh]

Cats protection insist you keep foster cats separate to your own.

You can also foster them in pens in the garden which might be a better option for you.

[qazxc]

I have had many fosters as well as two cats of my own. my cats are indoor cats so i was also worried about how they would react to another cat on their territory.
I kept the fosters (over time i have had kittens and adults) in the kitchen, and my two had the run of the rest of the house.
My cats knew there was another cat in there and would sniff and scratch at the door. But other than that they did not seem to be hugely affected, despite one of them being a very naturally nervous cat and the other not liking other cats as she has part of her foot missing and gets beaten up/ can't get away from the strays in the area (hence both of them being indoor cats now).
Just make sure you make a extra fuss of your cats when the foster is there to reassure them they are top of the pecking order.
Remember if it doesn't work out you can always hand them back.