quarantine setup for fosters

Hi all, I have four 4-week-old kittens coming to my studio apartment this week for fostering. I have my resident cat Copper, who is 5 and a bit shy, and Orchid, who is 3 and deaf. I work from home so I can supervise them, but I don't have a spare bedroom. How do I set up a quarantine area without driving anyone crazy? I'm worried about the space being too small.

CopperOrchard, the standard protocol is 14 days of isolation for any new foster to rule out upper respiratory issues. Since you are in a studio, you need a physical barrier, not just a 'stay away' command. I would look at How long to isolate new fosters before introducing for the timeline details. You need to ensure the fosters cannot smell the residents and vice versa until the health clearance is done.

Oh, a studio is tricky! I did this with Muffin last year. I used a large plastic bin with air holes for the first few days, then moved to a baby gate. Check out DIY barriers for studio apartment introductions which has some great photos of how to block airflow with towels. It's not pretty, but it works. Make sure the kittens have their own food and water bowls so they aren't sharing resources.

I think you are jumping ahead. Before you even set up the gate, you need to do scent swapping. Scent swapping before face-to-face meetings explains this well. You swap blankets or toys between the kittens and Copper/Orchid for a few days. If Copper starts hissing or hiding, you back off. It is about emotional readiness, not just physical containment. My cat Dot is very anxious, so we take it slow.

Just a quick note on health. If any of the kittens show sneezing, discharge, or lethargy, call your vet today. Red flags in foster kittens that need a vet visit lists the specific symptoms to watch for. Don't wait for the 14 days to be up if they look sick. Also, keep an eye on Copper. Reading stress signals in resident cats is helpful for spotting if he is too stressed by the new energy in the house.

Thanks everyone. I think I will start with the bin and then move to the gate. I am worried the kittens will get bored in the bin. Does feeding them on opposite sides of the gate help with the transition? I saw something about that but I am not sure how to manage it with four kittens and two adults.