Shelter told foster mom to return kitten she raised for months over behavior issues — where he was going next left her devastated

She’d fostered him since he was three months old, but after five months, the shelter wanted him back.

PUBLISHED 9 HOURS AGO

(L ) A woman holding her black cat ; (R) A black kitten in a cage (Representative Cover Source: Getty Images | Photo by (L) Lumina Images; (R) Azaliya)

Fostering cats can be challenging when it comes time to return them. A woman had been fostering a black cat named Shadow, who had behavior issues, since he was three months old. But when the shelter wanted him back after five months to relocate him, she was devastated—and her worry was justified.

Black cat with its claws out. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Anita Kot)

In the clip shared on her TikTok account (@cafeycanela5), she explained that the shelter had asked her to return Shadow. She also noted that he had been struggling to form human interactions, although the only home he had known was with his fosterer. The overlay text reads, "The shelter has asked me to bring my foster cat back. We haven’t seen much progress with his human interactions in five months. They want to place him as a barn cat. I can’t even imagine just letting him out. All he knows is my house since he was three months old."

A woman and her pet cat (Image Source : Pexels | Helena Lopes) — A woman and her pet cat. (Representative Image Source : Pexels | Helena Lopes)

The woman mentioned in the caption that her cat has always stayed indoors as a rescue kitten. "He doesn’t like human interaction. So for five months, he avoids us, but he does show interest. He will hang nearby at times. He’s gotten on our bed, couch, etc. But he does run as soon as you try to approach or walk nearby," she added. According to Newsweek, it was devastating for the pet parent to discover that the shelter was planning to relocate him as a barn cat. For the unversed, a barn cat program places feral cats into outdoor homes when they cannot be fostered indoors. "I don’t even know what to do. A barn cat? Can’t be any better, especially since he’s been indoors since he was rescued as a small baby," the fosterer expressed her distress.

A gray cat sitting in a cage. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Mariia Zotova)

Reassuring that he has been showing signs of progress, the woman wrote, "We’ve been able to pet him while he eats. He has scratched me but it was out of curiosity." Asking for advice from the viewers, she concluded, emphasizing, "I’m sure there’s hope. I don’t want to give up on him. Making him a barn cat makes me feel like we’ve given up. All he’s known is a warm home." According to the Journal of Shelter Medicine and Community Animal Health, a 2025 study explored the post-adoption behavior and adopter satisfaction of cats based on their socialization levels. The study found that feral cats with higher levels of socialization to humans experienced better welfare outcomes, and their adopters reported higher satisfaction levels.

@cafeycanela5 Any experience on what a barn cat program looks like? My foster has been indoors always, rescued as a small kitten. He doesn’t like human interaction. So for 5 months he avoid us, but he does show interest. He will hang nearby at times. He’s gotten on our bed, couch, etc. But he does run as soon as you try to approach, or walk nearby. #fosterkittens #blackcats #blackcatsoftiktok #fostercat ♬ cats in the cold - mage tears

The video drew attention from online users, who shared their suggestions and criticized the shelter's decision. @the_cassandra_ann penned, "Tell them no and keep him." "Barn cat programs are great for outdoor feral cats used to fending for themselves—not slightly skittish indoor cats who lay on couches all day." @celeersah commented. Meanwhile, @seidaaa17 urged, "Please don’t return him now. It’s about to be October, and it’s a tough month for black cats."

For more pet-related videos, follow @cafeycanela5 on TikTok.