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A return at the shelter today

post #1 of 25
3/22/10 at 10:50am
Thread Starter 
Someone brought in a cat today. He's about 12 years old, neutered, and declawed. He looks like a Maine Coon, but he's very skinny.

He was adopted from the shelter 11 years ago. His elderly owner just died recently, and no one in the family would agree to take on the cat.

Poor thing, he appears to be pining for his owner. He didn't show any interest in food. He does like attention, however.
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post #2 of 25
3/22/10 at 10:59am
That breaks my heart. When my friend and I went to the shelter to adopt Turtle there were alot of cats there because their owners had passed away. It just makes me so sad that they don't understand what is happening to them. Do they wonder if they are being punished for something? Bella would have been put in a shelter after my friend passed, if I had refused to take her. I didn't really have any bond with Bella then, but I had a bond with my friend. Now we are soul mates. I really hope someone comes along for that little guy so he can know what love is again.:vib es:
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post #3 of 25
3/22/10 at 11:17am
Oh that is so incredibly heartbreaking. When I was in the shelter on the weekend, I also saw a LOT of older cats who had recently been surrendered. There were these 2 HUGE 15 year old boys whose owner had recently passed and it literally made me cry.
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post #4 of 25
3/22/10 at 11:33am
We've recently had a few returns to our rescue because the owners went into nursing homes where animals weren't allowed. Two absolutely gorgeous long haired kitties were the most recent

Everyone who owns a cat (or dog or parrot or hamster or whatever), should make sure they make arrangements for their animals in the case they can't care for them anymore!
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post #5 of 25
3/22/10 at 12:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rahma View Post
We've recently had a few returns to our rescue because the owners went into nursing homes where animals weren't allowed. Two absolutely gorgeous long haired kitties were the most recent

Everyone who owns a cat (or dog or parrot or hamster or whatever), should make sure they make arrangements for their animals in the case they can't care for them anymore!
I am ALL for that! In fact, I need to refresh my will and I am going to name a guardian and set aside money for the care of any companion animal I own at the time of my passing.

If I am incapacitated, I will work up the same type of document.
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post #6 of 25
3/22/10 at 12:20pm
When we moved into this house there was a woman a couple houses down that had just went into nursing care. There was an auction to sell off most of her stuff because she and her family didn't have the money for her care. I really suspect that my Siri might have belonged to this woman, simply because there are no strays on my street. All the roaming cats do have homes. Plus, she definitely was a house cat. Kind of makes me sad to think that she was probably turned out like that. If Siri truly did belong to that woman I hope she never learned that her kitty ended up outside with no one to care for her (at first).

Quote:
Originally Posted by AddieBee View Post
I am ALL for that! In fact, I need to refresh my will and I am going to name a guardian and set aside money for the care of any companion animal I own at the time of my passing.
I have mine set up, but DH needs to modify his, so that no one can touch our $500k+ of life insurance unless they make sure our pets do have proper homes. I realize this is a bit cruel to any family seeing as I have ten box turtles...


Can the kitty get moved into a foster home soon? It doesn't sound like a shelter is best for him. I hope he can find a new home soon.
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post #7 of 25
3/22/10 at 12:26pm
I always feel most sorry for those cats, they just seem so depressed and often need to be coaxed into eating and just don't get why they are suddenly away from their owner etc.

We have arrangements for our cats, should something happen to us
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post #8 of 25
3/22/10 at 12:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
If Siri truly did belong to that woman I hope she never learned that her kitty ended up outside with no one to care for her (at first).
So someone took her in?
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post #9 of 25
3/22/10 at 2:30pm
That is so sad, poor guy. I sure hope someone gives him a chance.

Two years ago I was volunteering for a shelter. I was delivering cats to Petsmart for adoption and the shelter asked me to bring back a cat. He was a part Siamese part tabby 8 year old male that was declawed. He had been at the shelter for a while and at Petsmart for even longer. It was kitten season, the shelter was loaded, he was sick and it didn't look very good for him.

I brought him home with me, holding my breath because I had just rescued another stray a month before. I was just going to foster him but my husband absolutely fell in love with him.

Last year was a difficult year for our family and that cat never left my husband's side. We needed him as much as he needed us. I would always recommend taking in a senior cat.

I hope this kitty gets a second chance.
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post #10 of 25
3/22/10 at 3:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by c1atsite View Post
So someone took her in?
I did once I was certain she did not have a home and was able to get her to come to me. She's a lazy house cat now who will get to live out her life inside without a worry. (plus she's allergic to bug bites so she can't be outside) Siri is extremely attached to DH and I - probably because she ended up without a home before.

O/T But even though she acted so nervous outside, she was quite the hunter.
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post #11 of 25
3/22/10 at 3:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
I did once I was certain she did not have a home and was able to get her to come to me. She's a lazy house cat now who will get to live out her life inside without a worry.
A-ha, it was you. Y'know, I realize we can die at any age, but this thread reminds me that even though I will likely still want a cat's companionship after I turn 55 (which is 17 years away), I can't bring myself to take on the dying-before-kitty risk --unless the cat's well into adulthood too. Simple math can help me out with all that, but yeah, I guess I should have a plan - even now.
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post #12 of 25
3/22/10 at 4:03pm
Thread Starter 
He doesn't appear to be eating, but that may have just been the upset of losing his person and not really being cared for well. Maybe someone will foster him. We keep hoping we can get Flambe adopted out so we have the space to foster at least one cat.
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post #13 of 25
3/31/10 at 10:36am
Thread Starter 
Unfortunately, this old guy was apparently put to sleep. I mentioned him in "Crossing the Bridge."
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post #14 of 25
4/1/10 at 8:20am
How sad. Poor kitty, RIP.
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post #15 of 25
4/1/10 at 8:36am
Thats so sad, but seniors are a hard sell in shelters
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post #16 of 25
4/2/10 at 1:38pm
not sure older cats adjust to a new life after so long being with someone that passed away , I would want all my kitties to go with me, but its something to think about, I took in a kitty that was 8 years old whos parent passed away, you could just see the heart ache in his eyes and nothing really sparked his attention in the 2 years, no matter what me and my 5 furkids tryed to do and they all cared for him like he was just a kitten but it wasnt enough, he'd eat and sometimes play but you could see the pain and just feel it, then one morning he was gone, bout 3 am, I felt a warm loving feeling, got out of bed but I already knew he was saying good by to me, but I also knew that he would be reunited with the mommy he'd loved for years to
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post #17 of 25
4/3/10 at 7:19am
This is a heartbreaking story. It is precisely why I will never take in another kitten, or young cat. I am well into my sixties. My cat, Speedboat, who we lost in January was 14. I can't imagine taking on another cat who would live that long. I would be nearing 80. The two cats I now have are 10 and six. I can deal with that. I have decided if I ever get catless, I am probably going to help the local PAWS. I could foster some of the cats and know they were not keepers for me. The other thing is, I might would take a senior cat. But I do not want my cats to outlive me.
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post #18 of 25
4/3/10 at 7:56am
I always found it hard to adopt to older seniors (people not cats) if the cats are seniors, but only 8 or something, then chances are the cat still outlives them but is 15 when returned and really hard to adopt, where if they adopt a young one and its returned, they are 7-8 and have more chance of being adopted.

I always try to just talk them into fostering
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post #19 of 25
4/3/10 at 11:47am
Aww, this is so sad, and reminds me why I take oldies in - most adapt quite well to a home environment (although my first oldie never really did take to me, I lost her after 9 weeks), but they do need that home environment rather than a shelter environment.
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post #20 of 25
4/4/10 at 6:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by icklemiss21 View Post
I always found it hard to adopt to older seniors (people not cats) if the cats are seniors, but only 8 or something, then chances are the cat still outlives them but is 15 when returned and really hard to adopt, where if they adopt a young one and its returned, they are 7-8 and have more chance of being adopted.

I always try to just talk them into fostering
I've heard that a lot of older folks are just as stuck on (if not more) having to get a kitten or young cat as younger adopters are.
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post #21 of 25
4/4/10 at 6:50pm
Yes, they come in wanting kittens because they are smaller and easier to pick up and you explain they will get just as big as all the adults or because they want to train them etc

Its a difficult situation because most would be great owners if they were younger and so on paper they get preapproved for adoption and then when you take them through to meet the cats so they can get approved for a particular cat, its really difficult to match them and then of course, younger people could get hit by a car tomorrow.

Over the last year or so, I have found more families wanted the kittens and younger people wanted a 5 month+ cat that was already speutered
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post #22 of 25
4/4/10 at 8:02pm
This is why when I redo my will in a few weeks, any companion animals I have when I pass ... or if I am incapacitated ... will be provided for with a guardian and a trust.
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post #23 of 25
4/5/10 at 8:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by icklemiss21 View Post
Yes, they come in wanting kittens because they are smaller and easier to pick up and you explain they will get just as big as all the adults or because they want to train them etc

Its a difficult situation because most would be great owners if they were younger and so on paper they get preapproved for adoption and then when you take them through to meet the cats so they can get approved for a particular cat, its really difficult to match them and then of course, younger people could get hit by a car tomorrow.

Over the last year or so, I have found more families wanted the kittens and younger people wanted a 5 month+ cat that was already speutered
I have unfortunately dealt with this ... lol .. my semi ferals are the easiest to train
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post #24 of 25
4/5/10 at 9:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblanche View Post
Unfortunately, this old guy was apparently put to sleep. I mentioned him in "Crossing the Bridge."
For some kitties, that is the best solution. I have, in our computer room closet, a traumatized declawed Manx. Her owner passed away, and the people who adopted her from the shelter were, in the very least, irresponsible -the boy tormented that poor cat for years when we bought the house, the cat had been abandoned for about 3 weeks & had been without water & now has kidney damage It took weeks just to get her out from under the closet; she was terrified of other cats, but, oddly enough, since Joey crossed RB, she has been coming out & bullying the kittens. Recently, she decided to come out to the living room & visit me & hiss and chase them. so, we're making progress, but in June it will have been 4 years since I entered her life. I give her cuddles, which she sometimes enjoys but other times just barely tolerates before running off Very slow going....
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post #25 of 25
4/6/10 at 11:26am
I would also highly recommend adopting an older cat or cats. When I took in Abraham (12 yo and 18 pounds) and Mary (10 yo and 22 pounds) from the MSPCA I got two of the biggest love bugs ever. They had lived together for all of Mary's life and had not been taken partly due to their age, and partly their size. They passed at 18 and 17 respectively and while it was tough at the end with their meds and hydration routines I would not have traded those in between years for anything.
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