Pets - specifically cats related (posting here for traffic) - sense check before I agree to get kittens!

[Losoph]

Kids (10 and 12) want two kittens. We are a family of cat lovers. However, my two elderly cats died (November last year and the year before). I will not go into details as I would have to write a novel and trying to keep it brief, but their senior years were extremely difficult. From dementia (one of the cats- toileting outside the box, unwillingness to come home from the garden due to confusion, general lack of grooming, etc) to the fact that both cats had runny poos for years (vets checked - blood tests, poo tests and all results always used to come back fine- the vets failed to inform me that outdoor cats who hunt can have runny poos due to eating bones, etc).

Here come my question, if you are a cat owner, particularly a senior cat owner (previous owner) - are your seniors easy? No toileting issues, no dramas? I appreciate some health issues as the cats get older but I'm more concerned about the lack of grooming, stepping into their own poo, etc...i wonder if having these issues a norm or not...I hope this will help me make a decision of what to do.

That is reassuring 😍 thank you. A part of me thinks that dogs are somehow easier to manage- more obedient and have fewer behaviour problems. I have a feeling one of my cats behaviour issues were due to dementia at one point but also stress related with having children around, she was 7 when I had my first child. She never bonded with anyone else in my family apart from me.

Our cat is roughly 18, we adopted her as a young adult so not completely sure on her age. She's no bother at all, just wants a comfy, sunny spot on the sofa, some fuss and some decent quality food and that's it. She goes to the toilet at the bottom of the garden but never actually leaves the garden. She sees the vet once a year for her jabs etc. We just went on holiday and our neighbours teenager popped in twice a day to feed her (and escape his mum and watch our netflix for a bit). We used to have 2, the older one made it to about the same age in very similar condition, she went downhill really fast because of her kidneys, but she'd been very healthy and happy up until that point. We've been very lucky, but both of our elderly cats have been healthy.

These are so perfect! My cats were 18 and 16 when passed away. We still talk about them daily,how we miss them! I think if we have kittens that grow with my kids it may be easier and fewer behaviour problems I hope!

I have a 16 year old cat. I never wanted a cat but agreed to a kitten when DS2 was 10.
DS is long since left home and I still have the cat. It's never been remotely friendly or cuddly. If I had the time again I would say no.

My 15 year old is fine. No litter issues. She has occasional runny poos, but think it’s the amount of grass she eats.

she is less active, but eats well. Will run for her treats. She is long hair, gets mats now and looks a bit scruffy. She hates being groomed, so they get cut out. She has a dodgy haircut. Started to use a dry shampoo that is helping.

she has never been a lap cat. But has started to sit by me for attention. Still purrs, still runs occasionally. But happier sitting outside in the sun.

get the cats. They will bring you joy.

Our cat was in her early 20s when she was put to sleep. I was seriously sleep deprived for many years leading up to that because of her. Much as I adored her, I couldn't go through it again.

I love cats and growing up we had lots of cats without any of these issues. None of them lived to that sort of age though. I definitely miss having a cat.

We have seen two cats through to old age and they just declined. Yes there were a few bad weeks at the end but that's life, isn't it?

You should be thinking about the challenges of kittens really? Ours is super cute but I'd forgotten the trail of destruction!!

This is sad.

I have a 17 year old cat who I adopted when she was 4 - owners were emigrating. I've always had cats and love them but she never really took to me and I think tolerates me as I feed her. She adores ds2 though and pretty much lives in his room. He will be going to university next year and it does worry me how much she will miss him. She has no health issues or toileting issues but I admit part of me thinks it would be better all round is she didn't outlast him going by too long.

We also have a pair of 1 year olds having lost another cat suddenly at the age of 10 to cancer. He masked any issues right up until he couldn't and had to be pts but his habit of bringing in live creatures all the time is the one thing I don't miss about him. You never know how they are going to turn out but a cat-free life is not for me!

I have a lovely 17 year old gentleman. He sleeps all day. All night. Eats. Goes outside for half an hour. Sleeps....

He occasionally throws up a hairball, but that's very occasional and normal for him.

His brother died last year and was clean and compos mentis until his last day. Very creaky and a slow decline where he started eating less and less, but no real bother until, like I said, his final day with us.

And both of them were outdoor cats and never had runny poos.

I think possibly you got a bit unlucky.

I’ve lived with multiple cats all my life. None ever got dementia. Most died of cancer. My last cat, aged sixteen was diagnosed with aggressive lymphoma. Admittedly, those last few months, she was doing poos outside the litter tray. The vet gave her three months - then we had her put to sleep at home.

It didn’t put me off cats - we got two rescue kittens six months later.

A couple of my cats had arthritis in later years which required £££ painkillers. For me the hardest thing about them ageing is when they get sick and need diagnostic tests. Vets fees are crazy expensive now and if the cat gets poorly you have a responsibility to find out what's wrong and treat it - or do the alternative.
Having said all that... they are also an absolute joy. I'm currently between cats and it's a very quiet house 😞

My first cats died at 22 and 24 (litter mates). The 22yo ran away to die, after developing a thyroid issue a couple of months earlier. That’s an easy medication, but she took matters into her own hands/paws.

The 24yo got scrawnier, more grumpy, couldn’t groom as well - but he had a double coat so I think that’s fair! He did have mild dementia that came and went but it didn’t seem to upset him. He mostly wanted to sit on me or the toasty warm set top box. His only litter issues were as a youngster when he picked up bladder issues that scared him out of using the tray, and when we had neighbours whose entire tomcat regularly peed up our front door, triggering our poor moggy to defend his territory by peeing inside said door!

We overlapped him with kittens and we don’t regret it.

Beloved family senior went at 19 a couple of years ago. She had been deaf for a couple of years but never seemed to mind. She had kidney issues which we think caused a blood pressure issue though and she was blind the last 6 months of her life because of it- she'd been monitored but the renal issues had caused her little bother til then. My mum was devastated as we'd no idea that this could happen or she'd have done everything to prevent it. The cat was bloody fed up with not being able to see properly. No dementia but obviously it took her some time to re orient herself in the house. She absolutely knew us and felt joy with us for a few months but mum knew when it looked like she'd taken a downward turn and stopped it.

Overall, she was deaf and nominally had renal issues but bar the last six months the only thing that really showed her age wss that she'd stopped taking big jumps on to high surfaces for a couple of years. No toileting issues and had the occasional vom if she gobbled her dinner. Pretty standard!

I've had both and feel cats are waaaaay easier than dogs.

One of mine got dementia but I had seventeen years of love and cuddles from him. Definitely worth it.

My 13 year old collie got bowel cancer and had to be hand fed for his last six months but couldnt get up the stairs or no anything he used to. And was on a large amount of drugs. Dogs can have all the issues your cats had the difference usually is cats get on counters and in sinks and do stuff.

I've had cats all my life and we got a puppy 6 years ago.

The cats are 100% easier.

We have 4 cats. I don’t yet have experience of older cats’ issues. The difficulty comes when there is an obvious option to have the cat put to sleep and you are surrounded by sentimentalists.

All I’d say is that the one who has to get the medication into the cat and pay the vet bills is the one who makes the call on getting another. That would be you. Your kids can get their own when they pay the bills.

Let your DC experience the joy of kittens.

My older cats don't have those issues (yet). Occasionally they poop outside the litter tray but that's simply because they face the wrong way by mistake.
One is quite shouty but to be honest that has always been the case.
I'd say the thing is with older cats is to know when to call time. Mine are all rescues and I don't have fancy insurance (just enough to cover the basics of a car accident type thing) and so when they get to the point of chronic severe illness I then PTS. I feel like I've given them a good life off the streets and they have given me much joy so I don't like to eke out those latter years battling with illness.

A good rescue will be able to match you with a pair of kittens who are used to children. Kittens are chaos for the first few months though! Into everything, disappearing into hiding places you'd never think they could get into and when they're awake they're either eating or in search of fun. They need a lot of enrichment opportunities and playtime with humans. Getting two is a good idea because then they will also have eachother.

We had problems with both of our OAPs, both pedigree. One got a tumour which cost a bomb in vets fees (even with insurance) and emotion. We spent a lot of time just being with her, tempting her with titbits etc but no other issues. She was 17.

Her brother developed thyroid problems, gut problems, megacolon, his kidneys failed and in his last weeks his bladder control failed. Again it cost a fortune in vet fees, emotion and carpet cleaner. He was 19.

Despite all that DH has just committed us to new kittens coming soon. What I would say is make sure you have insurance and are committed to having them.

Thank you all, your messages are majorly quite reassuring 😁 and yes I would love the kids to enjoy kittens as my cats were adults when the children arrived. Also, the children are big enough to look after the animals and they are very gentle with them
One more thing, we are having new carpets installed 🙄 what a timing! And kittens are savage! Any advice on how to stop them ripping it off the bottom of the stairs!!!!

Haha good luck with that! Keep their nails trimmed. Have a scratching post as close by as you can so you can pick them up and redirect them to it if they're attacking the carpet. Wand toys and a laser pen are great distractors too.

Very easy. Just forget about the ear infection that will not go away and gunk all over my walls that can’t be washed due to the type of paint it is! Other than that yes, he’s 16 and has got more affectionate with age. Doesn’t groom himself much but will let me brush him every few days. Gotten more vocal with age. Rarely goes outside anymore and doesn’t hunt anymore (thankfully) but other than that he’s good apart from the affection thing which means if I’m sat then he is sat on me no matter what I try and do.