Cat trackers and elderly cats

[musicalmrs]

Hi!

We have two 12 year old common moggies (and a slightly barmy 9 month old kitten). All get on relatively well. The elder girl kitty has got a bit skinnier over the last month or so - she's always been small, and the combination of losing a bit of weight and now losing her winter coat means she's looking rather tatty! She's semi long haired, and always looks a mess for a month or so when she sheds it all and grows it back shorter.

She loves to sit outside our house and meow at random people for fuss. Twice in the last month we've had calls (number on collar) from people who are concerned she's lost as she's spent so much time talking to them. Last night is the one worrying me the most - neighbours (who we don't know) called because she was laying outside their house, and then decided to take her in and feed her. When I went to collect her a bit later she was pretty upset.

I'm a little concerned about it happening again. We've just put a newer collar on her to make her look more looked after (the old one was getting a bit tatty too!), but I'm thinking of getting a tracker - firstly to keep an eye on where she is, and to make sure random neighbours aren't taking her in (though I imagine they'd take it off!) but also as another sign she's been looked after. However they all seem ridiculously big! Does anyone have any recommendations for small ish - or light ish - ones?

She's completely normal in every other way at the moment - eating fine, litter tray fine, completely normal behaviour, but I will get the skinniness checked out if it persists.

I have Tractive trackers on my 3 - the sort you attach to a normal collar rather than the tracker being the collar iyswim. It looks a bit big on the little one (11 months and quite petite) but doesn't bother him at all. Only problem I have is that older (neuetered male) loses his collar regularly, normally when fighting. I've recovered it all but once from neighbours gardens though as the app is fairly accurate as to where it is.

But you might not be able to track if your cat has actually been taken into a house as they're not that accurate inside. But will be able to tell if they haven't moved for a long time!

@IsThisNameTaken That's the one I've been looking at. It looks quite big, but light - I'm glad to hear it doesn't bother your petite one! A little bit worried about her losing it too, but hadn't thought about the fact it's trackable (obviously!).

Interesting re the accuracy inside though. But at the same time it would give me an indication and a bit of peace of mind, which I think is what I need. She's been a happy outdoor cat for her whole life and I've never worried about it before too much, but this recent event is causing me to rethink!

Just remembered that they have changed the way the tracker attaches to the collar and it's not as good for small cats now - I have the old style on the smaller cat and had to swap the new one on to the bigger cat. Having said that, I did look at all the other options for the little cat and didn't find anything better.

At her age I would definitely get a vet check, overactive thyroid is common in older cats and loss of weight and poor coat are both signs. Treatment (there are various options) is effective and manageable if it is hypothyroidism.

I got a message yesterday from a rescue. A neighbour had seen "a scraggy black cat sauntering about" and the rescue knew it was mine the second they said sauntering

My cat is fuming he's just old and was having a happy mooch around

@IsThisNameTaken That's also useful to know, thanks. I've had a look and that one did seem to be the one constantly being referenced/having good reviews!

@Defiantlynot41 I will do if we feel we need to. She has severe vets anxiety - will start pulling out all her hair after a visit - to the extent that the vet said we shouldn't take her unless we really needed to as it really stresses her out (as it starts a circling spiral of unneeded treatment). It's that fine line between her just being a bit skinny - as always happens at this time of year (wonder if growing the new coat takes it out of her a bit?) and something being up. No change in other behaviour at all at the moment, but I'm keeping a close eye. Suspect she's just a bit old, but I know there's many other things it could be.

@Maple2023 That's exactly it :D He's gorgeous! Ours likes to saunter (in a particular area!), flop down and mew at people for attention. We see it all the time on our doorbell camera, it's so funny - and she gets requests from people if they don't see her for a while! I love the fact the rescue knows you - don't blame him for fuming!

I worry about this. My old boy has half his teeth missing, scars from fighting and few whiskers. Absolutely adored and cared for , but people don’t seem to get what older cats look like. He won’t tolerate a collar.Goes out every day, just hope people are used to him and don’t think he’s a stray. He is chipped though