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.

My senior cats just slowed down, slept more and eventually died. But (and I expect to be cancelled for this) I don’t think there is anything wrong-and a lot right-with putting an animal to sleep when their lives are no longer actively happy for them and for their humans. And I mean actively happy. That means more than just existing without physical pain.The cats I have met with dementia are obviously not actively happy. And a cat that can’t physically care for itself and keep clean is not actively happy.

I never had runny poos with any of mine & they rarely ate what they killed as far as I know. I'd be reluctant to get kittens again though as I hate having to deal with the prey they being home

One of my senior cats developed a tumour at the age of 15 and became incontinent (pooing and weeing). At that stage she had become very withdrawn and was hiding away (from having been a sociable cat), so I felt the kindest thing to do was to put her to sleep. It was heartbreaking and a hard decision because I worried I was doing it because she was incontinent, but it was the right thing to do, she wasn't happy.

My other senior cat eventually had kidney failure. We had two good years with him on meds, which were precious years to me, but then he started wasting away to skin and bone, so again I felt it kindest to put him to sleep. He was nearly 20 and I cried for weeks afterwards because he'd been through so much with me - when I first adopted him, my life had been completely different.

This hasn't stopped me keeping cats. It's the price you pay for years of love and companionship. It isn't necessarily easier if it's different. My elderly dog slowed down a bit but was healthy, then he died suddenly at home of heart failure. The shock was profound, and unlike the cats, I felt I had had no opportunity to say goodbye.

We had 2 cats who were kittens in about 1998. One lived to 15 the other lived to 18. Neither of them had particularly difficult senior years. In both cases their lives continued as totally normal for cats, just slowing down a bit/staying indoors more as they aged. With slightly different specific circumstances for each, their end of life journey was relatively brief - in each case we noticed symptoms which suggested they were ill, took them to the vet, and got a relatively swift diagnosis that this would be a very serious/terminal illness. In one case where the cat was clearly in a lot of pain and would have no quality of life with any more days, we agreed for her to be put to sleep as soon as we got the diagnosis. In the other case as the cat didn't seem to be in immediate distress but was clearly deteriorating, and we took him home for a week before the vet came for a home visit to PTS.

We had a few years cat-free and then got kittens again. One died before the age of one year so we now just have a solo cat. Next time we get kittens I will get 3 because I think cats are better off not being solo.

I do think you need a level headed attitude to euthanasia when a pet is in their senior years. They don't have the same cognitive understanding of their illness as a human would with the same prognosis. They can't tolerate their suffering with dignity while appreciating the blessings of life they can still enjoy. It is best to PTS once they can no longer live the full and happy life you have given them.

I may be unusual in this but I’ve always found that adopting an older cat has been better (for me). They’re already housetrained, haven’t destroyed carpets or the sofa and I’ve been able to see how cuddly/ good with people they are. My current boy was 7 when j got him and he’s been amazing. Previous cats were 2,4 and 3 and again all settled really well and bonded with the family quickly.
Might be something to consider. Either way though I hope you have the most amazing kitten/cat experience. 😊

I would say that (as is the case with humans), as cats now live longer, their final years can often be more of a slow decline. I have two 15 year old cats, they both have CKD and arthritis.

The CKD is managed by diet and a daily food supplement. The arthritis is managed by a monthly painkilling injection and twice daily tablets. Thankfully mine are fine taking tablets and are okay at the vet, I imagine that wouldn’t be the same for a lot of cats.

I would say if you’re already worrying about it now, you’re not ready to get more cats.

There’s a saying used a lot by many horsey people I know re euthanising animals - better a week too early than a day too late.

Hello, it’s called Senvelgo and has been brilliant for my cat. I just measure a dose and squirt it over his food in the morning. Mine is covered by pet insurance … which is great as it’s pricey… approx £350 every six to eight weeks. It’s a new option at my vets practice so I don’t k so how widely used it is but it’s defo worth asking about. 😊

Thank you so much for this. Our cat had a diabetes scare last year, after several tests it turned out it wasn’t diabetes, but we were told we should repeat the tests and monitor in case any symptoms return. At the time they only mentioned injections so if there’s an alternative I’d like to just keep it in the back of my mind. Thank you again!