Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Rehoming to Elderly People

62 replies

PinkSparklyElephant · 29/10/2014 15:22

I posted last night about my lovely William being put to sleep. He lived with my Mum and she has already said she wants to think about getting another cat. She's not trying to replace him but she wants to give another cat a home (and it'll have a bloody brilliant home) and she also wants the companionship that you get from a cat.

The problem is Mum is 83 and partially sighted. Does anyone know if charities are likely to rehome to her? Obviously she's looking for an older cat (about 6 or 7 if possible, she doesn't want another very elderly cat) and I live close by so vet visits aren't a problem.

I would much prefer to rehome a cat from a rescue and have emailed at few but I was hoping to get some opinions or maybe ideas of other charities. We are in Surrey.

Thank you in advance.

OP posts:

chemenger · 30/10/2014 10:32

When "going to look at cats, just to see, not to get one" it's useful to have a cat carrier in the car.

I had a friend who banned his wife from "going to look at cats", on the grounds that she would come back with one, who then came back with three himself. The three included Brian, a very large white cat, famous for coming through the kitchen window on a Sunday with a hot roast chicken in his mouth.

cozietoesie · 30/10/2014 10:46

A whole chicken??

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 30/10/2014 10:56

That's the sort of thing my DH would do! I love the sound of Brian. Thankfully H hasn't managed anything like that, a) he doesn't like chicken and b) it sounds like far too much effort - he struggles to get himself though a cat flap, let alone anything else!

OP posts:

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 30/10/2014 11:39

Poor Joe won't be getting a home with my Mum. He was taken into Battersea as a stray but was picked up less than 2 miles from where my Mum lives. Battersea prefer a minimum of 3 miles.

Back to looking at pictures of kitty cats!

OP posts:

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 30/10/2014 21:14

Please cross all your fingers and send positive thoughts as I've just sent off an enquiry to the charity that Harry came from about a beautiful black cat called Indie. He's 7 years old and has been with them since he was a kitten. Hopefully this will work out as it would be a result for both of them.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 30/10/2014 21:16

Oh gosh - with the charity for 7 years ? Fingers crossed.

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 30/10/2014 22:46

Yep. Thankfully he's in foster care and not in a cattery but there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with him!

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 31/10/2014 00:00

I wonder whether it might turn out to be a 'failed foster' as some people would put it? (ie they find they can't bear to give him up.) How long has he been with the fosterers?

Best not to get your hopes up completely.

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 31/10/2014 09:35

I have wondered that and, in a way, I hope so as I'd love him to be settled. I presume he's been with the foster carers since he was a kitten as they are usually fostered straight away. I do have a couple of other options though and there's no rush - I'm sure the right cat is out there somewhere!

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 31/10/2014 09:44

Without doubt. Good luck to all.

meditrina · 31/10/2014 09:59

My eyes jumped over the title a bit, and thought you were rehoming elderly people!

And was wondering if that might be another way ahead. No, not rehoming your DMum, but seeing if you can hook up with bereaved pets or pets whose person is moving into a care home and cannot take them with. I'm sure I've seen RSPCA telly ads about 'Homes for Life' and a cat who is accustomed to older staff might like to move to a similar place.

cozietoesie · 31/10/2014 10:11

Siamese rescues certainly have those cases under their wing - and I imagine other rescues do as well. Several months back, I saw a 19 year old gent looking for a sunset home after a bereavement. Poor old chap - but he was only on the website for a few days before he (presumably) acquired a new home.

I think that the OP's mum said that she didn't want an elderly cat but I'm sure that if the OP is thinking of a mature rescue, the sort of cats you mention will also be in the frame.

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 31/10/2014 13:14

Mum doesn't feel ready to take on an elderly cat as William was elderly and she lost him so quickly. (She does appreciate it can happen with any cat though)

I had an email from Cats Protection and they have a poor old cat coming in. My heart says take him in but my head says he's not the one for Mum and he's in good hands with CP. He's 14 years old, hasn't been looked after for the last 6 months and has been in a traffic accident. At least he's going to be looked after now.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 31/10/2014 13:26

Seniorboy came to live with me at 14, Pink and his care over the previous few years had been, I suspect, a bit .......approximate. He's still with us nearly 6 years later! (I say 'with us' but actually he's snoring away in his bed as is his afternoon wont.)

WitchWay · 01/11/2014 17:21

I took in an elderly stray who went to live with my widowed mum. The vet thought he was in his late teens. He died recently after two comfortable years with her.

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 01/11/2014 17:56

We have a cat! We met George him this afternoon (when he was called Sooty) and fell in love with him. He's a shy boy but was friendly in his cabin at Battersea when he was tempted with treats. He's 7 years old and was found as a stray. Although he was microchipped his previous owner said they didn't want anything to do with him.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 01/11/2014 18:08

Yay! When does he actually arrive?

Floralnomad · 01/11/2014 18:31

Do they still have any of the Siamese kittens left at Battersea ,if I didn't have a cat hating dog I would have been up there myself this week . Congratulations to your mum and George ,did you bring him home with you ?

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 01/11/2014 21:57

Yes, George came home with us - I'd been told he was good to go so we had the basket in the car just in case!

He disappeared behind the armchair when we got back but seems to be a tart for Dreamies as he followed the trail I put down and then had a nose around for a while.

He came out again later on and has eaten and rubbed around Mum's ankles purring quietly. I think that once he's had a chance to settle in he's going to be a good friend for Mum.

There are still Siamese kittens on the Battersea website although we didn't see them - probably just as well as I had enough problems resisting all the others there!

I did have a good cry for William earlier. I'd convinced myself he was looking down and thinking we've all forgotten him. I like to think that he'd be pleased another cat is getting the same chance he had. It's so hard though

OP posts:

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 01/11/2014 21:58

And here's George

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 01/11/2014 23:04

A good looking boy - he looks a bit wary but determined. Has your Mum taken to him?

aJumpedUpPantryBoy · 02/11/2014 00:37

He's lovely. I know black cats are the hardest to rehome so you've done an extra special thing by choosing him.

Original poster

PinkSparklyElephant · 02/11/2014 07:46

I know what you mean about looking wary but determined - he wanted to Dreamies and he had to have a nose around the house! I think he's going to be into everything when he finds his feet.

Mum seemed to be bonding with him yesterday so fingers crossed they've had a good night. When we got to Battersea yesterday she was keen on another cat and I felt so sorry for George - he was sitting in in his pen with a sign on the door saying I'm reserved and waiting for my new owners to collect me. I convinced her to go in and meet him and he sold himself beautifully, taking treats and headbutting for attention! As soon as he did that I knew he was coming home!

OP posts:

HelloItsMeFell · 02/11/2014 07:50

Oh my god, I read this thread title as 'Rehoming of elderly people.'

Panic over. As you were.

cozietoesie · 02/11/2014 08:21

There's sometimes a bit of..... feeling 'disjointed' is the only way I can put it....... when a new cat arrives after the departure of a much loved former incumbent. It usually goes pretty quickly after the new resident establishes their presence and shows their character.

Let us know how they get on.

Flip

1 2 3