Realities of kitten fostering

We started this blog as a way to record our experience of fostering kittens. So far, it's been mostly about how cute these Fabulous Four are. So, here's some more about the actual experience.

• We assumed we'd keep the kittens in a room that doesn't get hours of daily use -- our "bonus" room that has the treadmill, Wii Fit and "laundry closet" in it. It would be easy to keep closed off from our other pets (two cats, whom we've adopted from a local shelter in the past year and our four-year-old Labradoodle). But, as we said in a previous post, we were advised to start off our kitten-fostering adventure with the kittens in a bathroom, which would be relatively easy to clean, and that turned out to be good advice. The downside is that the bathroom our kids usually use is now a kitten sanctuary and, despite continual cleaning, smells! The litterbox is manageable; it is the smell of canned catfood in a small enclosed space that is particularly offensive.
• We assumed that after a few days, we'd be able to introduce the kittens to our cats. One of the cats (Bindi) is particularly maternal and we thought she'd really enjoy the kittens. But, we were told that since the kittens' history is unknown, it would be best to keep them away from our own cats, in case the kittens are harboring some illnesses. At the very least we, we were advised to keep them apart for several days (in case the kittens have something incubating). So, our unintended consequence of our fostering experience is that our own two cats are confused and upset about the closed door -- and why we are spending so much time with those little visitors. Our cats are giving us the cold shoulder. We have let our dog meet all the kittens but Marvel (see his history in our first post) and that has gone OK. So far, the meetings have been with the kittens in our hands. The dog does not trust those tiny paws and claws, so she's kept her distance.
• We didn't think about the financial cost of fostering. We had to buy a new litterbox, dry kitten food and lots and lots of canned kitten food. It isn't a terribly huge cost -- but something that needs to be taken into consideration before jumping into such a venture.
• And, only time will tell what the emotional "cost" will be. As of today, I have to admit that am becoming attached to these Fabulous Four. Even though we've been very clear from the beginning that we are taking care of someone else's kittens (their future forever owners), I think B. and I are really getting attached to them. -- How can you not love these babies who, as hungry as they get, are willing to walk away from their catfood bowl in order to come sit on your lap?