Pros & cons of adopting an adult cat (rather than a kitten)

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He is lovely- black and white British longhair type. We could knit a new cat every day from the shed fur but never mind.

He sat on my lap for the first time this summer, on the day my Father died and I had returned home exhausted from nursing him in his final days. He is a bit of a thug to other cats near our home-Think he has extra reason to feel territorial having been a stray! He raises the fur between his shoulder blades making him look like a Hyena when he has to run through the dining room to the kitchen because for some reason he is scared of this room-they are bizarre little creatures.....

Tis MN rules that photos of cats are put on profiles everyone.

Mignonette, how wonderful that he was there for you at what must have been a truly horrendous time. What an amazing cat, to sense you really needed him that day. at his fear of the dining room. Funny old creature!

Sparkling, agreed

It is weird how cats sense these things- I was truly an empty shell of a woman that afternoon and he just draped himself around my neck. And from that day on he has hardly been off a lap even when they are strangers to him.

My last cat was such a softy he would cling onto my lap when I stood up and would jump on before I had even finished sitting down.

My cat doesn't like walking through doors- he leaps through them like a lamb by springing upwards on all four legs then running very very fast. I wonder what has happened to him in the past.....

pinterest.com/pin/457326537130340217/

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Here he is!

My heart is melting. He is gorgeous. His face in that first one

Poor baby though, can't stand to think what some (or actually many) animals suffer.

we adopted a beautiful 6 year old Siamese 2 years ago. We are so glad...I wanted a kitten but the cat home said that they needed homes for adults more....he's stunning and so well behaved. He loves us.

He sleeps with us every night under the duvet

mignon he is very sweet.

My cat is quite like the Maine Coon thats in one of the pics on your pinterest board. <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=maine+coon&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=v8HGR917j7UqSM:&imgrefurl=petside.co.uk/breeds/maine-coon.php&docid=2OCCXmPd4nraGM&imgurl=petside.co.uk/breeds/assets_c/2009/01/Maine-Coon-thumb-334x250-208.jpg&w=334&h=250&ei=1kSiUK-0IurG0QWhmIDwBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=716&vpy=118&dur=653&hovh=194&hovw=260&tx=117&ty=99&sig=107529937488731537455&page=2&tbnh=150&tbnw=167&start=18&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:19,s:20,i:256" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This could have been taken of her.

Will try to find a real pic for my profile.

I love Siamese, MrsCantSayAnything- my first cat as a child was a Siamese/Burmese male given to us by the breeder because the mother kept mating with the Burmese resulting in kittens that had no re-sale value ...

My BF has a Maine Coon, Sparky. Produces a sharp exhalation of air when he jumps on my because he is so huge!

Siamese are surprisingly weighty too...ov not so much as a Maine Coone but you DO know about it when the cat decides that you're prey an pounces on you as you sleep.

Yes, especially when they wail like a banshee as they jump on you. I had an operatic Siamese/Burmese. He sang for his supper. Developed Dementia and had to be put to sleep as he became so confused.

I will grieve for my gone cats forever.

What signs do cats give of dementia?

Confusion. Mood changes. Aggression and inappropriate behaviour such as toiletting in odd places (middle of living room floor then getting distressed and trying to eat it).

It is heartbreaking to see such elegant and dignified animals behaving this way as they know there is something going wrong but are helpless to understand.

We found Thomas's body this morning. He looked perfect so we do not know what happened. I saw his body in the distance on a piece of derelict land last night but DH assured me it was a plastic bag! I got out the binoculars at first light today and sadly it was my cat.....We had to break in the gates to get him.

We are beyond devastated. He was my pride and joy. My father died recently and this is all too much....

Goodbye Thomas- pinterest.com/pin/457326537130340217/

I'm so very sorry for you and your poor Thomas. He was a handsome chap.

I am so sorry mignonette. I have experienced the same thing. My beloved Coco went missing on the Saturday. A neighbour found her body on the Wednesday, not a mark on her. We knew she had a heart murmur so wondered if it could have been related.

Try hard to take comfort that he has been found, and you aren't searching and worrying and wondering. x

At least he is not trapped or suffering. But the fact hat he was visible all night from our bedroom window and may have been able to see his home and not get to it.

I am torturing myself at the moment. I guess it will pass. So sorry too about your cat, Sparkling. We love our cats so much don't we? Thomas was so happy to have a home, he was playing all Sunday evening with his catnip Kong under the kitchen table so will bury him with that.

I'm so sorry mignonette, about your cat & your dad

Try not to torture yourself, it might have been something very sudden, and it sounds like he was really loved in the time he was with you.

Oh mignonette, I am so very very sorry

My heart aches for you, I understand the awful pain of losing an adored pet.

I hope you will, in time, be able to take comfort from the fact that he had such happy times with you and you with him.

So sorry. Thinking of you.

So sorry, mignonette.

Am taking all his belongings-scratch posts, flea treatment, boxes of food, cuddle blankets, bowls, Kongs etc to the cat shelter today. They are pleased to have them but will not be looking at any cats. I need to concentrate on my Thomas and decide whether \i really want another cat near the rat run road i live on although DH is certain Thomas was not run over. He snored very badly and had stertorous breathing after eating so maybe there was a cardio pulmonary issue. When he arrived as a stray we had him checked and the Vet noticed a bit of a noisy lung but otherwise he was sound. Being a stray he was an unknown quantity.

I have to tell myself it was quick otherwise will drive myself mad with guilt that i wasn't with him and his body was left all alone all night

Wouldn't advise giving away all his belongings mignonette although that is how you feel at the moment.

My previous 2 cats had to be pts, both very old, one was kidney failure about 3 yrs ago, the other same at the beginning of this year. The day after I bundled/bagged up all the blankets/beds & put them in the garage as I didn't feel I could look at them.

Both times, about a month later I took them out to wash them & it was comforting to still have them. My new cat happily sits on them/uses them.

I have taken your advice and kept his toys etc, Sparky. You are wise and right. But I took the unopened food, the flea treatment and cat treats to the shelter. I also gave a donation too but avoided looking at any cats....I'm vacillating about getting another cat eventually. I was adamant yesterday, never again, cannot take the pain but I hate not having a cat about. Thomas completed our home in immeasurable ways. His presence was such a huge one.

Well it will be litter trained hopefully for a start. And as other's have said older cats are overlooked because people want the cute kittens.

If I get another cat I am going to focus upon the older cats over 10. Give them some good years...