Normally with any new foster cat you want to have a period of isolation. It helps the new cat decompress, and also prevents sharing viruses or parasites with other cats in the house. So with medical fosters there’s usually a week of isolation.

With hospice cats I throw that out the window. Assuming there’s not a known disease issue, I get them into genpop as fast as possible. These are cats at the end of their lives, and getting a normal routine with full freedom of movement etc plays a huge role in terms of quality of life. My resident cats are used to this, and adjust fairly quickly to the chaos I dump on them. Without a VERY specific house dynamic, this approach won’t work. Don’t try this at home kids. Go through a safe, slow introduction process when bringing new cats into an established group.

Today was business as usual. After we got her first round of meds in, and had some time to settle in, I let Finesse (Nessie) out for a wander. She was a total champ. Nothing bothered her, including the dog. She just wandered around and explored.

Post explore she had some dinner, and her appetite is improving! Post dinner there was more wandering. And then- we found the big cat bed. (AKA momma’s bed). We have commenced snuggles.

This is the fun part of this process. I have a skill set and comfort level that allows me to administer palliative care so she’s happy and comfortable. She’s finishing out her days in comfort, as part of a family unit. I so adore these old, crunchy cats.

So a little nap with me, and then she’ll be in her bathroom suite overnight. It’s got a well heated bed and she doesn’t have to compete with the other cats for food. Rinse and repeat.

#HospiceFoster #Cats #PostCats #Catursay