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The geriatric cat
Arminas
Student of LifeSF, CARegistered User regular
Student of LifeSF, CARegistered User regular
I was flipping through H/A hoping to find one of the older cat threads, only to discover that H/A only has a history of the last 10 pages. I didn't find any that pertained to my particular issue so I thought I'd make one.
I've been toying with the idea of getting a cat in the next couple of months. Having moved to the area a few months ago and now working a job that I work 7-4, I don't really go out as much as I used to when I was in college and I don't have a lot of contacts around here. I was looking for some companionship and a cat seems like a good idea. I got along really well with my ex's cat and have enjoyed feline company from time to time when visiting friends. I like both dogs and cats, but a cat seemed a little easier to take care of at this time in my life because I don't have a yard (live in an apartment) and I don't imagine Midwest winters being too friendly for outdoor activities.
In addition, I don't actually know how long I plan on living in the area. I mean, at least a year or two, but beyond that I truly don't know. So I was looking into getting an older cat. >.> I'm really not a bad person! I checked out a satellite location of my regional animal shelter (Animal Care League) and spoke to the manager there. I haven't asked about paperwork yet but I made sure that I'd be able to have one in the apartment. She also mentioned to keep on visiting the shelter and getting to know the cats and I plan to visit every other day if I can manage it.
What do I need to know about taking care of a cat? I'd like to do this properly. The first time I got a cat I was in elementary school, we adopted one from our neighbor who had a few too many cats but my parents insisted keeping him outside. Now when I look back at that time, I realize that was unreasonable to have a pet at all. He ended up running back home to the neighbors.
I see him around the neighborhood when I visit home and it makes me feel so guilty. I have since learned how much responsibility it is to have an animal under your care.
I'm taking my time with this because I'd like to know for sure whether or not I want a cat and that this isn't some passing whim.
tl;dr
Looking to get an older (10+ yr) cat, what do I need to know about caring for it? Guides? books? Tips and tricks? What sort of expectations should I go in with?
No cat, so no pictures. Instead, I have a link for you that is almost as good as pictures of my own hypothetical cat.
I've been toying with the idea of getting a cat in the next couple of months. Having moved to the area a few months ago and now working a job that I work 7-4, I don't really go out as much as I used to when I was in college and I don't have a lot of contacts around here. I was looking for some companionship and a cat seems like a good idea. I got along really well with my ex's cat and have enjoyed feline company from time to time when visiting friends. I like both dogs and cats, but a cat seemed a little easier to take care of at this time in my life because I don't have a yard (live in an apartment) and I don't imagine Midwest winters being too friendly for outdoor activities.
In addition, I don't actually know how long I plan on living in the area. I mean, at least a year or two, but beyond that I truly don't know. So I was looking into getting an older cat. >.> I'm really not a bad person! I checked out a satellite location of my regional animal shelter (Animal Care League) and spoke to the manager there. I haven't asked about paperwork yet but I made sure that I'd be able to have one in the apartment. She also mentioned to keep on visiting the shelter and getting to know the cats and I plan to visit every other day if I can manage it.
What do I need to know about taking care of a cat? I'd like to do this properly. The first time I got a cat I was in elementary school, we adopted one from our neighbor who had a few too many cats but my parents insisted keeping him outside. Now when I look back at that time, I realize that was unreasonable to have a pet at all. He ended up running back home to the neighbors.
I see him around the neighborhood when I visit home and it makes me feel so guilty. I have since learned how much responsibility it is to have an animal under your care.I'm taking my time with this because I'd like to know for sure whether or not I want a cat and that this isn't some passing whim.
tl;dr
Looking to get an older (10+ yr) cat, what do I need to know about caring for it? Guides? books? Tips and tricks? What sort of expectations should I go in with?
No cat, so no pictures. Instead, I have a link for you that is almost as good as pictures of my own hypothetical cat.
Arminas on
0
Posts
You can consider fostering a cat if you're not ready to make the plunge but it can be more time intensive as some fosters have more issues than a regular adoptee.
What do you need to know:
1. Cats are pretty low maintenance for the most part. You keep fresh water handy, feed them a decent quality food every day and scoop their litter preferably once a day, change it every week and they're good to go.
2. Cats are pretty easy to entertain, they will watch out the window for hours if there's a comfortable, warm spot. They sleep for well over half the day, mine clock in around 16-18 hrs sleep.
3. A lot of people (myself included) believe strongly that cats should not be roaming the neighbourhood as they wish. I recommend you keep your cat indoors at all times.
4. You really shouldn't get a cat (or any animal) if you are not willing to see things through to the end. IE: don't give the cat away when you move. Cats may come off as aloof but they really do like their humans usually. Moving with a cat is a hassle but it's worth it.
5. Don't run out and buy a bunch of stuff, cats will play with rolled up pieces of paper (and other household things) so just wait and see what you need. Just buy the food and litter/litter box.
But yeah, fostering. That way if you decide the whole cat-owning thing isn't for you, you can give the foster back and still have done a good deed by feeding/sheltering/petting the cat and keeping it out of the shelter to give it more time to get adopted.
1. Make sure it has something to eat: we feed twice a day
2. Make sure it has fresh water
3. Clean its litter box: we scoop twice a day
4. play with it/give it attention
5. enjoy
adopting an older cat is great. most shelters will putdown adult cats because every one wants kittens. you can try fostering but more than likely you will just adopt it. we foster for one of the vet student clubs on campus and have had to resist the call to adopt our fosteries. we started off this year with no cats. we now have 2.
I assume I'd have to inquire more about it with my animal shlter, but I'd like to know more about it in general as well.
And I wouldn't give away a cat I adopted to just move. I mostly wanted the older cat thing in case I did move, I didn't want to make it miserable by relocating but might have to make it miserable for a little while anyways.
Older cats may come with a number of problems, especially if they had been living outside for a number of years. Our cats were perfectly healthy strays at the time we found them (except for one having a severe worm problem). They lived the better part of 12 years being healthy and active. Then for about 4-5 years they were sickly and needed to be fed special food. My mother made chicken and rice for the cats every day for nearly 3 years to help aid in their digestion. It turns out BOTH cats ended up having worms at some point before we found them. Their insides were torn apart from it and they couldn't handle solid food anymore.
As others have said, if you are getting a cat, plan on keeping it.
If you want a temporary pet, get some fish or something.
And I do.
Anyway. Absolutely do not get an older cat because you think it will die sooner. There is no such thing as a temporary cat, unless you go the foster care route, which has its own downfalls. Hell, even a fricking betta fish will live for a good couple of years. If you do get an older cat, not only will it continue to live quite happily for years, but it will probably start getting pretty expensive.
You're right that most people want kittens, but if you do decide you want a cat, there are plenty of other younger animals looking for homes as well. As soon as they hit that 6-8 month mark, they're not adorable little kitties anymore, they're cats, so people pass them by in favour of the demonic ball of cute wittle fwuffy squeezums who will shred everything they own. (Seriously, I do not get the love for kittens. They are all quite mad). There's a gorgeous little three year old at the local shelter here, and I want to take her home every time I see her - the poor thing has been in there since June.
As far as fostering goes... it can be pretty hit or miss. Foster cat-keepers are mostly used to provide stable short-term environments for cats that need some extra attention: pregnant females, mothers with newborns, animals recovering from surgery or on medication. On the plus side, it's temporary, which would be right up your alley. On the downside, it can be a lot of work and responsibility, and it can be hard to get enjoyment from a skittish animal dumped into an unfamiliar environment with a stranger who shoves pills down its throat twice a day. You might get lucky with fostering and spend two months caring for a wonderfully gentle old cat who just needs some time away from the shelter to recover from illness, or you might be cleaning kitty poop off your carpet every day because you're fostering a nursing mother and her pack of six squalling kittens who think litter is a toy, not a toilet.
Ceres is right. I don't know how much vets cost in the US, but here the annual booster, wormer and flea treatment costs us £70 (~$120) for each cat. Also, one of mine is suffering from feline cancer, which is very common and very aggressive in cats, and he's only 10. It cost about £300 ($500!!) to get the tumour removed, and it has extended his life for about another year. My other cat, however, is a year older and has always been perfectly fine (apart from being prone to getting cystitus).
So be prepared for possible bills! I wouldn't say get pet insurance because the excess always seems ridiculous.
All this aside, cats are lovely theraputic animals to have around the house, and the knowledge that you've given any unwanted animal a home (and perhaps given it confidence, if it's a scaredy-cat) is so fulfilling.
Most rescues or shelters provide for vet care, and some give you food. Either way, if you want to see if cat-ownership is right for you, fostering is an excellent, altruistic way to do it.
1. The older cats get, the more issues they can have with their bladders. In both young and old cats, one of the only things you can do is to make sure they get plenty of fresh water and hydration. Some cats will prefer running water (these fountains are around $20). Others will drink more if you add ice cubes on a hot day, etc etc. Worst case scenario, water down their dry food to increase their moisture intake.
2. Get a cat from a shelter, do not buy in the classifieds or at a pet store. Usually cats from shelters will already be spayed/neutered. If not for some bizarre reason, you should have it done *immediately*. This is very important.
3. Books (as per your question). I've found the internet to be better, personally. I have read some very interesting books about cat behavior and raw food diets but I wouldn't recommend them to you unless you had some specific issues with your cat. Someone recommended the forums at thecatsite.com (haven't been there personally but check it out for sure).
4. Expectations - expect the cat to take a while to warm up to you, just go about your business, if he wants to hide under the bed for a week thats fine, he'll come out eventually. Expect to have to be responsible with vet visits with an older cat but there is no reason to expect yourself to be dealing with an invalid, many cats do just fine in their old age. Be expecting to be responsible (in terms of cost and care) but no more than that is necessary at this stage. Do a budget for the food that you want to use (food recommendations are in Kate's thread that she linked) and the litter you want to use, assume box replacement twice a year and the vet as previously mentioned and make sure its affordable. If you spend more than $20 a year on toys you probably have a giant spoiled cat. I buy mine one of those xmas stockings and buy catnip and wands at the local cat show for $1 each and that is MORE than enough. They still prefer playing with their old cardboard box fort and a paper bag I got at the grocery store.
In the four years we've had Guiness, we've done everything we could to control her weight, but it has been a constant struggle. Last week she was diagnosed with Feline Diabetes. So far we're adjust pretty well, and she is doing well, but requires two shots of insulin a day.
Despite the problems we've had I don't regret taking her in for a second, I love our cat and I hope that with proper management we'll have at least four or five more years with her. Just keep in mind that with older cats comes years of baggage and you may only have a limited amount of time with them.
But I understand the sentiment about not getting a cat just because you think it's temporary. I was only half joking about that. Heh, I got the idea from a coworker who took an older cat in thinking she'd enjoy its company for 2-3 years. She started with a 10 year old cat, but now it's on its 3rd year with her and is as spunky and as healthy as ever.
Though, from my understanding from the lady at the shelter, older cats will typically require less initial attention in comparision to a kitty. Though I'm still weighing whether or not I want a cat since I'm fairly certain I can afford one for now. Le sigh. I'm just unsure of how long I'll be located where I am and don't want to drag a cat around in a car if I don't have to since they seem to hate vehicles for the most part. Or if I end up moving far far away in the next few years, i would still feel terrible having dragged a cat 2000 miles away. I don't want to make a cat miserable for my convenience.
Thanks for all of the input. I had no idea that older cats were having a harder time having a home and I wouldn't mind skipping the intensive training with a first cat. But again, I'm still weighing the pros and cons of having a cat.