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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have offered this cat a home...as he is really quite elderly :(

77 replies

Feminine · 30/12/2013 22:12

Since we moved back to the UK, We have promised the children a cat.

We couldn't bring ours from the US really wish we had tried harder

Anyway, turns out a neighbour of my step-mum really needs a home for a cat she has been taking care of (since it arrived in her garden) This neighbour can't as he is not comfortable around her cats.

After taking care of him since late summer , she has done all the right things, wormed ...checked by the vet ...and obviously vaccinated!

We were told he would be about 8/9 yrs old.

It didn't click at the time, but that is quite an age for a cat isn't it?

I'm now worried he will become elderly, and shuffle off all too soon.

I want to give him a home, we all love cats and have always had them.

We'll have him a good few years won't we? :)

Oh, he wasn't a stray. This cat is very comfortable around dogs, children ...it is as if he were dumped. That makes me feel very sorry for him.

OP posts:
KittensoftPuppydog · 30/12/2013 22:28

Keep him. Poor old sod. Got my dog as an oldie. She got a new lease of life.

Climbingthewalls12 · 30/12/2013 22:28

Nope YANBU they are AWESOME! We need a pic.

Original poster
Feminine · 30/12/2013 22:28

So glad I posted...thanks for all your helpful responses.

OP posts:
MaryzBoychildCheeszuzCrizpz · 30/12/2013 22:29

I have a 17 year old, soon to be 18. He's much nicer than our other fucking lunatic cat.

Just one thing - I know you say the neighbour took him in. He did check he wasn't lost by someone, didn't he? As in checked with the local vets, put up posters to say he'd found a cat, etc? It's just I met someone recently who decided a cat who visited her was a stray. She took him in and rehomed him with her mother.

Of course, the first time they went to the vet they discovered a chip, and owners who had been searching for him. The bloody woman had effectively kidnapped a much-loved pet.

mrsjay · 30/12/2013 22:30

my cat was a spring chicken at 8 she lived till she was 18 if you want the cat take it on loads of life yet and it has past that kitten stage

ThenAgain · 30/12/2013 22:31

It is truly lovely to adopt an older animal, I thunk he will repay you a thousand times over :)

ShowMeYourTARDIS · 30/12/2013 22:31

My girl is 12 and quite spritely! No health problems at all. It's not uncommon for them to reach mid-teens. If you get kittens at some point, the old guy will keep them in line. Grin

Pictures are necessary.

Caitlin17 · 30/12/2013 22:31

As others have said that is middle age. All of mine reached 12/13/14 apart from one rescue cat we got when he was 4 who died at 8 but he had liver failure but that was a special case.

Original poster
Feminine · 30/12/2013 22:32

Yes, maryz she is very responsible.

She placed an ad in local village magazine -no response.

He is not micro chipped either.

That is a :( tale.

It really is as if somebody dumped him...or possibly escaped from a visiting van etc...

OP posts:
Original poster
Feminine · 30/12/2013 22:36

My original op wasn't very clear.

my step- mums neighbour loves cats. It is this poor cat who fights with one of hers, so he has been forced to live in the downstairs loo!

When they are not about, she loves and plays with him.

This neighbour has really been exceptional in all the care she has given him thus far! :)

OP posts:
catsmother · 30/12/2013 22:36

I've had several cats over the years - and the youngest to die from natural causes was 13. The others have all been 15,16, 17, and, in all cases, really were pretty lively until very close to the end, with no significant health problems until then.

One of mine is almost 9 and is still a very active mouser (and anything else he can get). Another is almost 8 and often plays with the younger ones.

It's lovely you're going to take this one in - just double check it's not chipped just in case someone's looking for it, and before you get too attached.

MaryzBoychildCheeszuzCrizpz · 30/12/2013 22:36

Oh, good. As in good she checked, not good he was abandoned, obvs.

It's great he's found a new home. And cats are in many ways easier (and much cheaper) than dogs as they get old.

We have decided with our elderly fellow to avoid the vet from now on. The last time we were there the vet wanted to do all sorts of blood tests, with a view to putting him on medication for all sorts of possible things. But we just said no. And in fact I won't take him back even for vaccination any more. It upsets him - and he hardly leaves the house so probably won't catch anything.

I'm going to let him snooze on the sofa until he looks distressed and then get him put down. 18 years (at least, we aren't too sure how old he was when we got him) isn't a bad life for a much-loved moggy.

catsmother · 30/12/2013 22:37

Oh, cross posted .... well, I hope you'll all be very happy together !

TalkinPeace · 30/12/2013 22:37

I've just adopted a cat that I found nearly dead in my garden (thread on 'the litter tray') that the vet thinks is around 12 years old

my old cats died age 17 and 19
anything up to 20 is perfectly normal

1 9 year old cat will be happy with you for years

Fluffycloudland77 · 30/12/2013 22:37

It's barely middle aged, they are living much longer now.

whois · 30/12/2013 22:39

Aw now you're making me really want a cat OP! DP is very against pets.

You must post a photo when you get him.

Original poster
Feminine · 30/12/2013 22:40

maryz you sound like such a lovely cat Mum Grin

I've lost two cats at 10, they were Mother and son. They both had kidney problems , so I guess that didn't help.

No, you are right ...18 is a fantastic age.

OP posts:
Original poster
Feminine · 30/12/2013 22:41

I promise to get a picture when he allows me! Grin

OP posts:
SunshineOnACrappyDay · 30/12/2013 22:46

:) We've just adopted a cat, he's 11 and incredibly kittenish.

My last mog lived until he was 19.

Enjoy your kitty!

greenhill · 30/12/2013 22:54

Our cat is 19, she is still like a kitten, in spite of a tough early life and years of having to get used to us Smile

I hope you enjoy your new cat. What is the name?

WelshMaenad · 30/12/2013 22:58

I adopted a ten year old cat from cats protection. His owner had gone into EMI care. He had been overlooked for months upon months.

He was such a darling thing. So grateful for the chance to have a home and lots of love, he returned it in spades. I had him for four years and I still miss him terribly, he was wonderful.

Original poster
Feminine · 30/12/2013 23:13

greenhillthey have named him tiger! I quite like that. Plus he has had to get used to it for the past few months!

OP posts:
bootsycollins · 30/12/2013 23:31

Our boy is 8 and dh likes to think of him as a young teen. Recently me and dd visited our local cats protection to donate some food and both fell head over heels for a 10 year old tabby and white boy called Panda. He was the friendliest cat I've ever met, very special. He got re homed quickly, I think his last owner had died Sad
I think about him more than I should and hope that he's had a nice Christmas with his new family. I'd have loved to welcome him into the fold but our cat has sociopathic tendencies where other cats are concerned Sad

Vintagecakeisstillnice · 31/12/2013 00:13

My 2 are13 this year.

If we have another night like last night they won't get to 14 ( kidding really)

But being used as a cat trampoline at 2:45 by so called elderly cats. . .

Seriously though both in good health very cuddly, cause they really can't be bothered. One loves the out doors the other refuses to leave the house between Sept/Oct to Mar/April.

Spoilt brats who are currently sat either side of me purring out enough to drown the TV out Grin

Tulip26 · 31/12/2013 00:26

I adopted my two Ragdoll girls from a rescue last year. They are 14.5 years old, older than my baby sister! One vet visit in over a year excluding vaccinations. Healthy and happy girls. Don't exclude a golden oldie!