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Taking on a 16 year old cat.

37 replies

Cally62 · 19/05/2025 19:43

After following @parsnippuree thread and not wanting to hijack her thread about the cats who's owner had died.

A new cat appeared in our garden last week. I fed it for 3 evenings as it appeared at 7pm each evening. On Friday evening I decided to bring it into my home. It was skinny and dirty and didn't object to me brining it in.

I took photos and put them out on every community fb page. No one came forward. A lady offered to come over and scan her.

So Friday night the cat was more than happy to sit on a cushion in my window, 2am she had snuggled on the sofa.

I already have 2 indoor cats and was expecting mayhem overnight. Everything was calm.

Lady came and scanned the cat and she was chipped. She went away saying that she'd go away, find the owner and contact them.

Well, we had tickets to go and see Kylie on Saturday evening so we left around 3pm leaving all 3 cats at home.

Lady called after we had left home saying that she had contacted the owner and would return the cat back to them on Sunday.

Gizmo, the cat had settled in in just 2 days, walking about, coming to me for snuggles. It broke my heart to let her go.

Today I received a call from Gizmo's owner who has asked if we'd like to take her.

I said YES.

He's coming over to discuss this with us tomorrow.

I don't t know much atm but they have young children, didn't notice that their cat hadn't been home for a few days.

What else could I do....

We are more than happy for this adorable girl to come and live with us, at 16 I think she's lived the best part of her life, she will have a quite, loving home with us and as many snuggles as she wants.

OP posts:
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UseNailOil · 19/05/2025 19:45

GOOD FOR YOU!
Thank you for being a good citizen and wonderful cat mama.
I wish you and all of your cats many happy, healthy years ahead together x

Coffee62 · 19/05/2025 19:46

They didn’t notice their own cat hadn’t been home for a few days?? Bloody hell, they don’t deserve her!

Cally62 · 19/05/2025 19:48

Gizmo…

Taking on a 16 year old cat.
Taking on a 16 year old cat.
Taking on a 16 year old cat.
OP posts:
TreesToday · 19/05/2025 19:49

So cute 😍

Cally62 · 19/05/2025 19:52

I don’t make a habit of stealing other people’s cats, but now I have 3 and didn’t choose any of them 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛😻🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
Yiayoula · 19/05/2025 19:56

She’s a real cutie !
And you, @Cally62 , are a sweetheart - thank you for doing this . 💐 xx

Unicorn34 · 19/05/2025 19:57

She's lovely and probably likes your home more than the other one. Possibly calmer and at her age, she will like this. We have a cat that moved in with us. After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing, his owners allowed him to stay permanently as he just preferred our home. Gizmo is gorgeous, enjoy her x

Gettingbysomehow · 19/05/2025 20:03

I'm so happy for you. Old cats are precious. 😘

Game0fCrones · 19/05/2025 20:07

This is lovely. She'll enjoy the peace and quiet so much. Her owners did the decent thing.

Kellywiththelegs · 19/05/2025 20:08

What a lovely thing to do OP, Gizmo can have a lovely retirement with you, he must have known you had big heart so chose you for the autumn of his life ❤️

Cally62 · 19/05/2025 20:14

Ah Thanks guys, I love her already.

I'll keep you updated on how we all manage this.

My 2 Sausage and Cassie are indoor cats.😁
They sit at the back door waiting for a harness and lead to go for walkies.

My youngest dd bought Sausage as a kitten just over 10 years ago to stay at her bf's they broke up. My dp said no pets, over my dead body, no pets.

We were buying a property as an investment so I said she could move into it with her cat. It took 5 months to exchange, we kept the cat she got the cottage.

2 years ago my neighbour died, Cassie was in the house with her body for almost a week. I rang my dp to give him the news and he said, what about the cat 😂. Seriously Cassie is living her best life.

No pets over my dead body 😂😂😂

My dd took a stray in just before covid.
When we go on holiday she comes to stay here to look after the cats, when she goes away she brings her cat Floofington Tasher (Floofs) here for us to look after her.

OMG and that is how we now have 3 cats and sometimes 4.

Be prepared for updates and pics 😂😂😂

OP posts:
Mia184 · 19/05/2025 20:47

I am looking forward to the updates and pictures!

Unicorn34 · 19/05/2025 20:52

I have 4 cats, it's a great number! Love your cat names too!

Bichette · 19/05/2025 21:16

Excellent. What a heartwarming story

UseNailOil · 20/05/2025 12:33

Aww.. She looks very well settled in already.

hereismydog · 20/05/2025 12:36

Thank you for taking her on ❤️

I would suggest a checkup at the vet at the earliest opportunity as the cynical cat sanctuary volunteer in me suspects that she has either not been particularly well looked-after if her owners didn’t even realise she was missing, or she is unwell and they know it, so want to palm her off on someone else. I hope neither are true, but I would want to make sure.

Hoping for many more happy years for you and Gizmo 🥰

Toddlerteaplease · 20/05/2025 12:38

If your cats agree, I’d gladly take her on.

Toddlerteaplease · 20/05/2025 12:38

I love that you have a cat called sausage!

Rednotdead · 20/05/2025 18:42

Gizmo looks very content. I’m glad there are some kind people out there.

amybabysa · 20/05/2025 18:47

Good for you, but Gizmo’s owner does not necessarily sound like a good person.

Make sure if he has it, he transfers his pet insurance to you. Looking after an elderly pet is so rewarding (I do it) but can be incredibly expensive in terms of possible health issues, medication. Our senior dogs old owners didn’t tell his a jot about his health issues, we had to find out for ourselves and he wasn’t insured.

Only keep if you can afford to

Cally62 · 20/05/2025 21:32

So the chocolate brown cat with orange eyes is Sausage, black cat is Cassie.
Dd has just been and bought wrapping paper with Sausage and her cat Floofs on.

Gizmo is coming tomorrow.

Her family seem lovely. They seem to just want Gizmo to be happy and think a quiet home is best.

They have 2 young boys and both parents work full time.

We said we’d see how she goes here with us.

They’re bringing her bed, litter tray, litter and food.

So we’ll see how it goes. 🙏🙏🙏

Taking on a 16 year old cat.
Taking on a 16 year old cat.
Taking on a 16 year old cat.
OP posts:
amybabysa · 20/05/2025 21:32

Cally62 · 20/05/2025 21:32

So the chocolate brown cat with orange eyes is Sausage, black cat is Cassie.
Dd has just been and bought wrapping paper with Sausage and her cat Floofs on.

Gizmo is coming tomorrow.

Her family seem lovely. They seem to just want Gizmo to be happy and think a quiet home is best.

They have 2 young boys and both parents work full time.

We said we’d see how she goes here with us.

They’re bringing her bed, litter tray, litter and food.

So we’ll see how it goes. 🙏🙏🙏

She’s gorgeous definitely ask them to sign her insurance over to you / make sure you’re happy to pay it.

Shesellsseashellsnotinmystreet · 20/05/2025 21:35

Congratulations op. You sound like your home will make the perfect retirement home.

Cally62 · 20/05/2025 21:41

Thanks @amybabysa I’ll try and remember to ask about insurance.

We don’t have insurance for the 2 we have.

Sausage had an infection when my dd bought him and he probably wouldn’t get covered fully.

Fortunately we are in a good financial position where we don’t need to worry too much about vet bills.

It is what it is.

can’t believe that we will have 3 cats from tomorrow 😻

OP posts:
AmeliaHarbottle · 20/05/2025 21:51

Lucky cat!