Please share your experience of adopting 10+ year old cat

[Kenwouldmixitup]

Hesitant but the idea of an older cat really appeals. Concerned of potential large vet bills at a time of rocketing cost of living.

I took on a 13 1/2 year old from a friend, acquired a kitten to keep her company (kind of thinking she was very old and...😞) We now have 6 cats, including my original lovely lady who is now over 20!!!

@7catsisnotenough Wow! Great history of 7 cats.

love pics of your retirees posters.

My cats are all youngsters but I'm a pet sitter and work with lots of elderly cats - honestly, ten is no age really.

The oldest I care for is almost nineteen now. He's totally deaf and skinny but he's such a sweetheart. Loves to be brushed, loves a fuss and loves his food

The others are all around 15-18 years old (rescues so unsure of the actual age) and honestly they're fine. One is going blind and deaf but it doesn't affect her quality of life - she still bounds down the stairs to see me and eat her fill of dreamies!

Older cats are fab!

I adopted my girl from Battersea aged 11 and I adore her. I was specifically looking for an older one 10+, it’s nice to give them a second chance and they come fully formed and know what they’re about!
My girl plays like a kitten still and loves cuddles - she also brought me her very first mouse this week (not ideal but shows there is life in her!) She probably sleeps more than a young cat but that suits me. I can’t recommend it enough.

Also to say her insurance for lifetime is £28 a month, which doesn’t cover the thyroid problem she had when she was surrendered (and Battersea fixed) but if that flares up again that’s my problem I guess.

@blueblueelectricblue28 Thanks for encouragement and pic, which is always the deal maker.

I promise all that I will back with my own pic to add to the gallery. 😍

We adopted a 19 year old when his owners went overseas. Very positive experience. He integrated pretty quickly with our existing pair of adult cats (a few hisses and a bit of grumpiness, they were never BFFs but were very tolerant of each other) and lived until 23. No massive vets' bills but because he was so old he was very scraggy and people kept catnapping him from our doorstep and/or calling the RSPCA because they were convinced he was being starved. My neighbour used to pop out whenever she saw anyone stroking him on the street to assure them he wasn't being starved, he was just really old! Here he is, including a rare picture of all three together.

We adopted an 11 year old 3 years ago - he was very quiet and timid in the rescue. Vet checked etc at the rescue, he had some teeth removed before he came with us and hasn't had any issues since. It took a few weeks for him to settle in but now spends his days snoozing/begging for food and cuddles and we are so glad we brought him home instead.of a kitten! In the beginning we had a few.litter accidents so had 3 litter trays for a while, it also took a little while to find food that he would eat/wouldn't upset his stomach.

We adopted a brother and sister aged 10. They were really easy going, sweet cats, gentle, loving, didn’t scratch furniture, toileted appropriately and needed very little vet bills. One was sadly found unexpectedly passed away in the garden aged 14, vet said probably a heart issue, and the other died in our arms aged 18 after a short decline due to age. By contrast the younger cats we have had have often not been with us as long and needed more vet treatment (loved them all though).

We've always adopted older cats. Our current was passed on from a friend who couldn't keep them at age 8 and is utterly gorgeous. Our old lady died earlier this year and she cost a lot in vets fees in the last 18 months. She was 15 when she died, but we had her for 7 or 8 years. She needed thyroid and kidney medication and then eventually arthritis medication. She got a brain tumour in the end. We got her from Cats Protection and she came with her insurance from PetPlan and I have to say they were brilliant and paid out a lot over the last few years. If you don't go with insurance definitely have a stash pot of £20 a month in case of emergencies.
But we are happy to have older cats, usually calmer and already litter trained, several lovely cats over the years and absolutely no regrets. Apart from knowing you don't get to have them in your lives as long.

I would love to have older cats in future, they have so much to give. I adopted mine at 5. They are getting on a bit now.

I love old cats, they have such character. My last cat died aged 21 and my current adopted cat is 12. I have a kitten as well.
You must be prepared for vets bills and the cat must be insured.
My 21 year old incurred £10,000 of medical bills that my insurance paid for, the 12 year old has a bit of dementia but is physically healthy. They need to have an old cat screening blood tests to check for thyroid or kidney problems. <y 12 year olds insurance is not that much it's around £15 a month and worth every penny in my opinion.

@Bestcatmum wow that's a lot of money.
What did he have to rack up those vet bills?

Here is my 21 year old at the end of her life, I loved that cat, she meant the world to me and was constantly by my side. I can't believe she has gone. She even moved house with me cross country at 19 and took it all in her stride, as long as she was with me she was happy.

I'd have no hesitation in adopting an older cat, especially if they came with a clean bill of health. Arrange insurance for future health issues - which you can still face if you adopt a younger cat (unless you intend to rehome them after 10yrs!)

You can still get insurance anyway for older cats.
They just have a bigger excess
But it would be worth it if they get something like hyperthyroidism or diabetes etc etc

She had a bowel disorder which they never really got to the bottom of - no pun intended, kidney disease, thyroid disease treated with radioactive iodine, the main cost was incurred trying to find out what was wrong with her guts, and having every test under the sun and treatment none of which worked, she had episodes of diarrhoea which she was very good about and always went in her tray or one of my flower beds. She had to be regularly topped up with steroid injections, she had arthritis too which was managed with medication. Despite all that she had a really long and happy life and was destroying her toy banana right up until the end.

Wow.
But she sounds such a beautiful cat ♥️

We adopted a 12 year old, He's almost 20 now, he developed a thyroid condition at 18, but otherwise is in fine fettle. He's an easygoing, loving boy who is just happy to have a home and people who love him.

@verdantverdure what treatment are you giving for the thyroid?

He has Thyronorm.

Ah that's what we're doing for ours too

Gosh I would always much prefer a senior cat! They've seen it all; done it all, just want to chill.

We adopted our cat when she was 10 and she lives until she was 20! Her kidneys went in the end but otherwise no health issues.

I hope mine last as long as some of the cats on here

The other option was sending him away for three weeks to be made radioactive @purpleme12, and we thought that might make him feel sad and abandoned.