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Original poster

What to do with elderly cat?

30 replies

Moonlightfrog · 08/06/2026 08:31

We have had a cat hanging around on our road for the past year (possibly longer), he is covered in matted hair, ticks, fleas and is elderly. He is not chipped and not castrated, due to not being castrated he gets into a lot of fights so has a few injuries/scratches. A few weeks ago he entered my house and I noticed many large ticks on him. I attempted to find his owners which was successful. They assumed the cat was dead so we’re shocked to hear he’s alive…..but they didn’t seem concerned about him and when I offered to box him up so they could collect him they didn’t reply. They said he’s a Tom cat so does his own thing 🤨.

This morning it’s chucking it down with rain and the cats just led outside in it, I think he has cat dementia because he doesn’t seem to notice or care that he’s getting wet. He’s now in my house because I couldn’t let him just lie in the rain. What can I do if the owners won’t come and collect him and won’t provide any care for him? I told them he needs to be treated for ticks and needs to see a vet, they know where he is and won’t come collect him. I feel sorry for the poor thing.

OP posts:
Turnitoffnonagain · 08/06/2026 08:52

@Moonlightfrog
If he has cat dementia he must be old. And if they can't be bothered looking after him, someone has to do the kind thing and take him to the vets. I'd maybe seek advice from a cat charity. Is there a Cat Protection charity in your area?

Original poster
Moonlightfrog · 08/06/2026 09:02

Turnitoffnonagain · 08/06/2026 08:52

@Moonlightfrog
If he has cat dementia he must be old. And if they can't be bothered looking after him, someone has to do the kind thing and take him to the vets. I'd maybe seek advice from a cat charity. Is there a Cat Protection charity in your area?

Edited

My ex husband has a relative that works for cat protection so I could contact them for advice. I have given the cat tick treatment as I was worried about the amount of ticks on him. The owner told me he wasn’t friendly and it’s hard to treat him, he allowed me to use a spot on treatment.

I think he’s is around 13 or 14 years old, possibly older so he can no longer stand up for himself. He is stiff in his back legs and can’t jump fences (he used to get into next doors garden). He seems to just lie outside most of the day and doesn’t care what the weather is doing, he doesn’t move to find shelter when it rains even though there are cars he can hide under. He’s currently asleep in my arm chair because it’s raining so much and I don’t want him getting wet and cold.

OP posts:
Turnitoffnonagain · 08/06/2026 09:10

@Moonlightfrog
Poor old thing, sounds depressed, if cats can be depressed. Either way, he needs a check over by the vet. His "owners" won't pay for that. You shouldn't be liable either.

Be careful of fleas, if they drop off onto your carpets you could end up with an infestation for your trouble!

Original poster
Moonlightfrog · 08/06/2026 09:26

I am hoping he’s almost flea free after I treated him. Luckily we don’t have carpets. If I could afford to keep him I would but I am guessing he could end up costing a fortune in vets bills due to his age. He obviously has arthritis in his back legs as he’s very stiff and if I was to keep him he would need to be castrated. He smells of cat pee, I am guessing other cats have sprayed him or he has sprayed them.

OP posts:
monstrothewhale · 08/06/2026 09:45

in fairness some cats are weirdos who don’t mind rain - our family cat used to choose to go and sit in it from being a kitten! There may be a charity who would support the costs of the initial vet treatment with a view to this helping you to keep him? If he smells then it could be due to stiffness meaning he’s struggling to clean himself rather than anything else

Original poster
Moonlightfrog · 08/06/2026 10:42

monstrothewhale · 08/06/2026 09:45

in fairness some cats are weirdos who don’t mind rain - our family cat used to choose to go and sit in it from being a kitten! There may be a charity who would support the costs of the initial vet treatment with a view to this helping you to keep him? If he smells then it could be due to stiffness meaning he’s struggling to clean himself rather than anything else

That’s possible, I guess he is struggling to clean himself. He’s been in my house all morning and is refusing to leave, though keeps meowing at the door, I open it and he refuses to go out. I think I am now his new slave. We lost our cat 18 months ago and I had no plans to have any more.

OP posts:
monstrothewhale · 08/06/2026 10:55

Moonlightfrog · 08/06/2026 10:42

That’s possible, I guess he is struggling to clean himself. He’s been in my house all morning and is refusing to leave, though keeps meowing at the door, I open it and he refuses to go out. I think I am now his new slave. We lost our cat 18 months ago and I had no plans to have any more.

Show quote history

I think they often choose you, so it looks as though that’s what’s happened!

if he’s quite docile he may let you give him a bath, or a rub down with a wet towel? My old cat became incontinent when she was poorly and she let me bathe her in the sink, but sometimes I would just wipe her down with a warm wet towel and that would really help with any smell.

If possible maybe contract the local RSPCA etc and see if they can possibly assist with funding for a vet check or neutering. They may well agree to fund some treatment as they’d end up funding it anyway if the cat were surrendered to them! I know a local charity to me does this as an outreach programme to stop as many cats being in the cattery and struggling to be adopted, so definitely worth an ask.

cherrytree12345 · 08/06/2026 10:59

You are being very kind. Cat charities are all chock a block these days unfortunately.
I don't have any magic solutions for you, but just wanted to acknowledge your kindness.
We have had 2 cats from Cats Protection (one after the other) - we have also been trained by these cats to be very attentive slaves.

Trumptontown · 08/06/2026 11:02

Thank you for looking out for him OP. Can we have the cat tax please? I love scruffy old cats 😀.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 08/06/2026 11:02

Poor old boy cat. Agree with towel. And RSPCA. Ask his owners if you can take over his care. Have you tried feeding him? Food or cat treats (Dreamies, lick e mix)?

cherrytree12345 · 08/06/2026 12:50

Just a thought, I do hope the cat doesn’t spray inside your home to mark his new territory. If you do keep him maybe consider having him neutered. My DD has a neutered cat from CP but he still sprays and has ruined lots of her furnishings

Original poster
Moonlightfrog · 08/06/2026 13:00

cherrytree12345 · 08/06/2026 12:50

Just a thought, I do hope the cat doesn’t spray inside your home to mark his new territory. If you do keep him maybe consider having him neutered. My DD has a neutered cat from CP but he still sprays and has ruined lots of her furnishings

That is what I am worried about. I have been keeping a close eye on him when he comes in. I will talk to cats protection to see if there’s any funding to neuter him, though I worry about him having surgery due to his age. He’s now gone back out and is asleep under a tree.

OP posts:
Original poster
Moonlightfrog · 08/06/2026 13:03

monstrothewhale · 08/06/2026 10:55

I think they often choose you, so it looks as though that’s what’s happened!

if he’s quite docile he may let you give him a bath, or a rub down with a wet towel? My old cat became incontinent when she was poorly and she let me bathe her in the sink, but sometimes I would just wipe her down with a warm wet towel and that would really help with any smell.

If possible maybe contract the local RSPCA etc and see if they can possibly assist with funding for a vet check or neutering. They may well agree to fund some treatment as they’d end up funding it anyway if the cat were surrendered to them! I know a local charity to me does this as an outreach programme to stop as many cats being in the cattery and struggling to be adopted, so definitely worth an ask.

Show quote history

He is letting me brush him and rub him down with a towel. When he first arrived here he wouldn’t let anyone near him. It’s taken me months to get near him. He let me do the spot on treatment for fleas/ticks and the worm treatment. He is looking much healthier since I treated him. He does have lots of mats in his fur, around his back legs and tummy. He reminds me of a cat I had as a child who was a bit feral.

OP posts:
Original poster
Moonlightfrog · 08/06/2026 13:05

I would post a photo but I am worried the owners will see. They are angry about other people feeding him and said he would come home if people didn’t feed him. They tried telling me he was up to date with flea treatment until he disappeared a few months ago (he has been hanging around here for 18 months and looked awful when he first showed up). If they cared so much they would have come and collected him when I offered to box him up. They would have also had him castrated and chipped.

OP posts:
TFitsfriday · 08/06/2026 13:36

He needs proper care. Please box him up and take him to your local cat rescue.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 08/06/2026 16:57

Moonlightfrog · 08/06/2026 13:05

I would post a photo but I am worried the owners will see. They are angry about other people feeding him and said he would come home if people didn’t feed him. They tried telling me he was up to date with flea treatment until he disappeared a few months ago (he has been hanging around here for 18 months and looked awful when he first showed up). If they cared so much they would have come and collected him when I offered to box him up. They would have also had him castrated and chipped.

Poor thing.

caringcarer · 08/06/2026 17:53

Ring CPL and tell them he's a stray who has been abandoned by his family. Ask if they will neuter him. If they agree it seems he had the sense to leave his neglectful home and find you to help him. Cats are so clever like that. Take him in and love him. My DD has an elderly cat that has arthritis in his back legs and in winter he buys him a powder you put on his food and mix in and it helps. In the summer he seems better. If you give this cat a warm comfortable place to sleep he won't have to be in the cold through the winter and he'll feel better. Thank you for caring for him.

Trumptontown · 09/06/2026 12:19

caringcarer · 08/06/2026 17:53

Ring CPL and tell them he's a stray who has been abandoned by his family. Ask if they will neuter him. If they agree it seems he had the sense to leave his neglectful home and find you to help him. Cats are so clever like that. Take him in and love him. My DD has an elderly cat that has arthritis in his back legs and in winter he buys him a powder you put on his food and mix in and it helps. In the summer he seems better. If you give this cat a warm comfortable place to sleep he won't have to be in the cold through the winter and he'll feel better. Thank you for caring for him.

It might be YuMove (the powder). That helped my cats but then they started refusing to eat food with it on so it was short lived. Definitely worth a shot!

cherrytree12345 · 13/06/2026 09:48

Hi just wondering how things are going with this poor cat ☹️

Original poster
Moonlightfrog · 15/06/2026 18:08

cherrytree12345 · 13/06/2026 09:48

Hi just wondering how things are going with this poor cat ☹️

He’s looking much better than he was, he has been coming in for food and sleeps in my chair when it’s raining but he hasn’t been at all today (not strange for him). My neighbour works around the village and says he’s seen him being fed somewhere else, so I think he has many homes. I am glad I treated him for ticks and worms, it seems to have helped a lot. I think he’s just a very aloof cat and prefers being outside.

OP posts:
Elieza · 15/06/2026 18:57

you’ve done a good thing op.
a cat charity may just euthanise him if they feel he has too much wrong to be rehomed. sounds like hes doing ok since you helped him.

Original poster
Moonlightfrog · 15/06/2026 19:21

Elieza · 15/06/2026 18:57

you’ve done a good thing op.
a cat charity may just euthanise him if they feel he has too much wrong to be rehomed. sounds like hes doing ok since you helped him.

I think that would be the case if I called cats protection. He isn’t rehomable, he loves being outside and doing his own thing, I don’t think they would be able to find him a home as he’s elderly and not a cuddly cat. It’s taken me 18 months to get him to trust me enough to stroke him (and treat him for ticks/fleas/worms), he definitely wouldn’t want to be a house cat. I think all I can do is carry in feeding him and keeping him up to date with treatments. I wouldn’t be surprised if he just disappears one day (to die). I feel hovered that he now comes in. He did spend 3 hours asleep in my chair during rain last week, as soon as the rain stopped he asked to go back out.

OP posts:
cherrytree12345 · 15/06/2026 21:06

You are very kind

Mayblossom56 · 15/06/2026 21:14

Take him to a vets which do the £10 cats protection society’s neutering scheme. You’ll have to pay the £10 but the vets will sort him out and give him back to you with the understanding you’ll keeping feeding him and looking after him as a feral/stray.

TicTac80 · 17/06/2026 23:06

I think you're wonderful for helping the poor boy, thank you :) I'll second the post about seeing if there is a neutering scheme local to you - that should help him - also getting advice from local shelters. Another thing...what about an outside shelter/hide box that's weatherproof that you can put straw into, so that he has a comfortable, safe, warm spot to stay in?