Picking up our cat that's been 'missing' for years

[KiffyKiffyKiffy]

Well not missing exactly but we lived at our old address and as our cat got older and we had kids and 2 dogs our cat spent more and more time with our elderly neighbour. We would try and coax him home but he always went back.

The neighbour loved him and spoilt him rotton.

2 years ago we moved house and we tried to catch him a few times to bring him with us but he evaded us. So we went to the neighbours house to ask him to catch him for us. The elderly neighbour said he would like him to stay (his wife and dog had passed away) as he was good company

So over time we check in on him, make sure he doesn't need vet care etc.
Neighbour has our number.

We just stopped by to check in and he asked if we could take him.

Of course!

But I'm worried as he's not seen our dogs in years. He's never been to this home and we have somehow adopted a stray cat here who treats it like his home and is basically out unplanned cat too now.

We are picking him up in an hour and I'm just a bit stressed at how to navigate this!!

We never planned to be apart from him but he chose the neighbour over us and at that time the neighbour really needed him.

Any advice please!

Sounds like he's improving quickly! Ask the vet whether they'd recommend Dentihex (formerly Dentisept), it's like a sticky toothpaste. It helps one of my cats who has a stinky mouth because of gingivitis. You could also use normal cat toothpaste.

Applying it can be a bit of an eventful experience, but considering he was such a good boy for his bath, I'm sure he'll be fine.

Aw bless him. Glad you have him home with you, you're obviously a lovely caring person. He will soon appreciate being back with you, being fed, loved and groomed and generally lording it up! 🐈 👑

About his deafness, does this mean he can't hear traffic noise? I'd be worried about him being outside, but appreciate he has clearly been ok up until now!

My deaf cat still goes out (he became deaf when he was about 10) and I do worry about traffic although we are in a rural location so it's not super busy. But he seems to feel the vibrations through the ground so he does 'notice' cars. I worry far more about other cats, dogs and foxes, because he cannot hear them approach and that is a real risk. He is at least still fairly spry as he's only 12. It sounds as if the OP's cat might be quite happy indoors!

That was me, and I’ve been struggling a bit with ours being deaf because it makes him more insecure and he needs more reassurance. On the plus side the hoover and hairdryer no longer bother him.

He sleeps very deeply now even when on my lap so I try not to wake him up too sharply, I tap nearby so he can feel vibrations. He’s also not allowed out the front of the house near the road (back garden only)

Lovely post.
This is likely to be quite true, it's probably only in the last short while that things deteriorated for him.
How lovely that he gets to spend his retirement with you, OP.

Well he's eaten 3 tins of purina gold today plus a lickylix!

Had a bit of a disaster with his 2nd flea tablet. He didn't want to eat it and spit it out. Ended up mixing what was left of it into the lickylix so not sure how much he actually got but the flea situation seems 95% better.

He's currently in bed with us. Curled up on DHs lap.

He made biscuits so hard on his lap that he made DH bleed today 🤣

I thought he was going to be unhappy being locked in one room but he's not even tried to leave the room apart from when he first got here.

Maybe he thinks it's a fancy hotel with a magic heated bed and room service 🤣

And he is so less stinky!!!
His coat is shinier from the brushing and bath. The stale wee smell is gone. His breath still honks but we will let that slide.

DH and I were reading about cat life spans and the world record for a cat living, we both agree he's got at least 8 years left 😉🤣

I was thinking it looks like a tortie...

Sorry, just seen he's a rare male!

So glad he’s improving , obviously enjoying your hospitality.

Oh bless the wee man!!

Yes, hopefully when the photo option returns I can post some more photos of him.

I always enjoy vets and nurses telling us he must be a a girl until they look themselves 🤣

Thanks for the update, I'm so pleased he is doing so well now.

He sounds adorable! Can’t wait to see some more pics and so pleased that he’s sounding so content.

This is such a happy outcome, and I’m so pleased he is doing well. My 17 year old is running around, chasing ping pong balls and sitting on the shed roof so there is good life left still. His breath is also stinky, but he eats stinky cat food so that’s to be expected! Looking forward to more photos.

Urgh help needed :(

He did a poo the other day and 1/3 was in the tray but the rest was in front on my rug. I thought he had kicked it out or something.

But I was just sat with him and he went behind my bed and shit.

I smelled it and looked and there was 3 poops there.

I thought the room was just a bit stinky from him being in there 🤢🤢🤢

The old fella said he uses the tray for wees and poops outside.

Any advice on getting him to poop in the tray please?? Am feeling quite wigged out

He went to the bedroom door and was meowing just before.

He wants to poop outside.

He's not even been out of the bedroom yet so how can I let him outside??

How do I navigate this?

Harness and lead? Or a cat tray with a hood? Maybe he is shy??

He has a hooded tray.

Hmm maybe I could try taking him outside on a harness/lead after his morning food.

Hey @KiffyKiffyKiffy, get him another litter tray. Many cats don't like to pee and poop in the same one.

They say you should always have one more litter tray than cats, so 1 cat = 2 trays.

So glad he's back home with you and seems to be making great progress. He sounds amazing

Might not be the easiest thing to do, but are you able to fill a litter tray with some soil and grass?

I was going to say that same thing- two litter trays.

I'm loving this thread and can see how much you love him. Sorry if you said, what is his name?

What litter do you use? Maybe he is used to a different one... We use Tesco wood pellets...

I don't think taking him out to poo is realistic is it? You can't let him out unaccompanied and you can't be available every time he wants to go. He needs to learn to poo in a tray.

It may partly be a litter issue but I would also provide a different type of tray, non hooded. He has to adopt a different position to poo and it is probably awkward to do so in a hooded tray (he almost certainly has arthritis). A basic non-hooded tray may make it easier for him.

Try a second tray with no lid?