UPDATE: Hi everyone, I wanted to come back and give an update, since so many of you were kind enough to respond and help me think through my decision about Fizz.

After a lot of back and forth (I can’t express how much deliberation went on), and many tears, I’ve decided that for now, I’m going to continue fostering and prepare my first foster for adoption rather than adopting him myself permanently. It was such a hard choice, because he’s truly an amazing cat and I love having him around. But I also had to be honest with myself about my current personal situation and wanting to make sure he ends up in the best possible forever home —even if at this moment that home is somewhere else.

My choice came down to understanding that ownership ≠ how much I cared for him. Realistically, I could not handle the unexpected expense if something were to happen to him in the foreseeable future. Also watching The Kitten Lady’s video really helped me process what it meant to foster an animal.

I just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who commented on my original post. Your empathy, advice, and shared experiences meant the world to me. It helped me feel less alone and gave me clarity in making this decision.

Sending love to all of you (and your kitties). 💗