Caring for our decrepit stray turned keeper

So about five weeks ago, my husband calls me in a panic that a stray cat has wandered onto our porch and he thinks it's going to die. Stray ends up spending the night in our garage, and gets a vet visit the next day. Turns out he is at least 11, and was pretty severely dehydrated. He was covered in mats, disgustingly dirty and smelly, and very, very weak. Eyes full of green goo, the works. Blood panel shows that, other than mild anemia, he is healthy as a horse.

Fast forward, and the upper respiratory issue has cleared up, he has gained weight, and we have removed most of his mats. But here's where life starts getting tricky. After treating the respiratory issues, we have moved him into our second bathroom. We have three other cats, all girls, ranging from 6-11. They are not pleased and hiss at him whenever they see him. We've not really been able to do the normal introduction thing, because he doesn't interact with the other cats. No interest in sniffing near the door etc. He sees them and just doesn't have any reaction.

For his part, he is probably closer to 15+ than 11+. His eyes are completely clouded with cataracts and at least one big tear. He is also unsteady on his feet, and so is not particularly mobile. He loses his balance easily and has a lot of twitching issues with his back legs when he lays down. The vet says it could be caused by former strokes, current strokes, previously ingested poison, injury, etc. Based on his condition, he has been outside for a pretty good period of time so it could be anyone's guess what he's been through. By all accounts, he is comfortable, happy, and doesn't seem to be in any kind of pain.

But, he's a little jerk. He is very affectionate, and loves company, until he bites you out of nowhere. He doesn't give any warning most of the time, so you need to rely on fast reflexes. His biting is less vicious than it used to be, but it still makes it harder to interact with him. Compounding the issue, he doesn't do much. At all. Other than lay on his bed (heaven, in his kitty eyes) We are having trouble integrating him into the house because he doesn't seem to want to leave the bathroom, even with the door left open. Each night we pick him up and move him into the front part of the house with us, and he is pretty content to curl up and quasi hide in some of the cubes. But, the last two nights he has had accidents out here. We're thinking he can't get back to where his box is and so he just decides to go? Really, our hearts break for the guy. We're not really sure that our house is a good place for him, but know that the likelihood of someone wanting a quasi disabled cranky senior cat are pretty much none. Now, we are just trying to figure out how to make it work. For his part, he is always very happy to see us, gets out of his bed, rubs our legs, and is very enthusiastic about being petted vigorously, particularly on his head. (vigorously petting the head of a somewhat bitey cat is always a little nerve wracking) He is also starting to respond to his recently acquired name- Grumpus.

Any advice on the biting issue? How do we get him to stop being so darn cranky?

Anyone else with mobility issue kitties? How do we get him to be a little more mobile? He isn't interested in playing, either.

Any advice on integrating him more with our kitties? We're afraid he is intimidated by them (he just ducks his head and avoids eye contact when they hiss at him) and that is further affecting his decision not to leave the bathroom.

Sorry for the long novel- just figured some backstory would be helpful! While we've had our fair share of ups and downs with the girls, none of them have been difficult. Grumpus seems to be his very own kind of special.

You are wonderful people!  This poor old soul has chosen you to help guide him home.  He is a gentleman and does not retaliate against females.  He is accepting of his less dominant role.  If you can provide him with low-lipped litter boxes in the areas he is allowed in, then this might be of help to his need to go and to his dignity, as well.  He is nipping at you when you pet him too much because he is becoming over-stimulated.  He is not trying to hurt you.  Just don't do it for so long and firmly say "No" when he does nip.  It should virtually disappear with consistent reminders.  These angels are supposed to come into your life to impart a lesson of some sort.  You are showing incredible compassion and kindness.  He is so very lucky to have found you.

Awwww, you guys are awesome - Grumpus is a lucky fellow indeed.   My gut says when a senior cat is grumpy and there's nothing showing on blood work, very often it is due to a constant low level (or not so low) of pain due to arthritis - I had two senior arthritic cats in the past.   I suggest getting some Cosequin or Dasuquin and make it a daily supplement in his food - it may take as much as three weeks to see a difference but with my most arthritic kitty it definitely acted in a week.    Arthritis pain might also explain any unexpected nipping as he could be reacting to that as he's handled or petted, also his movement difficulties.  There are more things to be tried for arthritis too, but Cosequin is a good place to start.  Good luck to you and Grumpus!

Oh bless your hearts - and Grumpus's, too.  I agree with Grace3 - he's feeling overstimulated and bites to let you know it.  I'm 60 and know exactly how he feels, although I don't bite. 

Keep an eye on his tail and other body language.  He should give you warning when he's getting annoyed.  You can also try using a back scratcher for head scritches.  It will keep your hands out of harm's reach.

Is there a way you can confine him in a room at night by himself - so he's near his potty?  I think you're right - he's getting older, so he may decide not to make the effort to find his bathroom.

Thank you for helping him.  He was obviously someone's pet.  I can only hope he got lost, rather than abandoned.  But he found you, so that's a wonderful thing!

Good for you Southlake, all our pensioner cats need loving homes. Grumpus is a fabulous name too!  

I shared my home for many years with 2 pensioner cats that I'd had from kittens, one till nearly 18 and the other 22. The latter was arthritic from the age of about 10, then developed high bood pressure and visual impairment as a result. She became more and more frail and was unable to manage on to furniture even with 'steps' so had to be lifted everywhere but appeared happy being pampered and exploring her environment until she finally lost power in her hind legs (even when it returned it affected her balance and she wasn't confident walking because of her sight).      She was absolutely adorable.  When younger she had been 'boss cat' but later her sister bullied her terribly and controlled where she felt welcome in the flat. It wasn't obvious in terms of any reactions but it definitely went on. It became very visible when the dominant sister became suddenly very incapacitated but was hissing, spitting and hitting her sister to remain in control even in her last hours with us. Once on her own my little arthritic darling had a new lease of life that was amazing and made me feel quite sad I hadn't been aware of what had gone on.  Are you sure your  most recent arrival is feeling safe negotiating your home to get to where he wants/feels safe with his bathroom even if he can make it that far? Does he have a choice or litter trays or could one be introduced so it's closer to where he is at night? You also mention in your story that he might be having little strokes sometimes. If the litter problem isn't consistent it might be worth checking with your vet whether it could be transient health issues like strokes or seizures that are resulting in his toilet problems. 

I wish you luck in finding a solution to this issue as it sounds like he's in a happy and loving new home. 

Thank you for all the replies and kind words. We got another litter pan for Grumpus for when he is in the front part of the house and that seems to have solved the bathroom issue. Whew! 

When he bites, it is very odd. He's a constant (100% of the time unless he's sleeping) tail flicker, so it's hard to read that part of things. But he will be enthusiastically rubbing his head on your hand,  angrily bite you very hard, and then try to keep rubbing against you. I'm really not sure what to make of it. Maybe he doesn't understand that he's feeling overstimulated? 

He is very sensitive of his back legs when laying down, so we don't touch anywhere near them. They twitch quite a bit when he's on his side, so we're thinking it could be related to that. Could arthritis cause the twitching? Unfortunately, he has been less than cooperative with the vet and so we haven't been able to get a very thorough exam. We were informed any subsequent visits will involve Xanax  We will start supplementing with the Cosequin just as a precaution. 

He seems to have traces of vestibular disease with head tilt, poor balance, and circling, The vet is hoping that will continue to improve and could be contributing to his overall cantankerous demeanor. (What can I say, the cat is a mess!)

Currently, he spends most of his time in the back bathroom. We keep the door closed when we aren't home, and probably every other night while we are sleeping. We leave it open when we are home, and periodically carry him into the living room with us, where he is content in a cube. He won't willingly leave his room, and none of the other kitties are interested in entering it. We are refinishing the floors in the office, which will be his room when it's done. Any advice on what he might be interested to have in there? He can't climb, and can't be trusted to jump down from any kind of height (couch included) so a cat tree is a no. Anything else that might stimulate him or engage him? We're trying to keep him moving around and somewhat active, as it seems to help his balance issues. 

We would like to think he was lost- but he had been outside for quite some time before he found us. He doesn't have a microchip. We don't like to think about it, but we aren't certain that he wasn't dumped on our porch. When he first came to us, he could barely lift his head. Our porch is about 5 steps up. We're in the middle of a neighborhood, so it seems unlikely that someone would dump him, but we also aren't sure how he got all the way up there unassisted. There are a lot of outdoor cats where we live, but we had never seen him before. Regardless, of how he got here, he is here to stay. 

So pleased you have made some progress with the toileting and that the additional litter tray has helped. Sorry about delay in any reply but my computer was in for repairs

I'm not a vet but from past cat experience and general medical knowledge the twitching back legs might be due to arthritis if for some reason there's a bit of pressure on a nerve supplying that area but perhaps more likely to be related to the other vestibular issues you describe? This is assuming it's not just when Grumpus is having a nap and dreaming about something. In her more senior years Pal had an increasing number of sleep twitches and I liked to think she was chasing rabbits in her dreams  Have you asked your vet about it?

I'm not sure about how Xanax is given but make sure what ever they plan to use is effective enough and safe.  I know that for my other (vet-phobic) furpensioner my original vet gave me oral sedatives to give to my cat before putting her in her crate and taking her to the vet - I always joked I found the whole experience so stressful I should have been prescribed some too!  The sedation was never complete and she could appear to be totally out of it but once in the vet's surgery and being handled she would get adrenalin surges and still lash out - and on one occasion made a really nasty gash in the vet's hand. The vet I changed to (and take my current boy to) said the oral sedatives were unpredictable and I should take my trembling vet hater to the surgery in a 'crush' basket so they could inject precise and quick acting sedation once she was there. This enabled the vets to conduct full examinations safely for both my baby and themselves. I got a much more thorough and accurate diagnosis of her chronic health issues as a result. I think it was less stressful for my girl because the sedation was much more efficient.  I was still traumatized though - getting her in to the basket and then coping with her coming out of her drug haze. (She was so stressed the vets felt she shouldn't be brought round quickly or while still at the surgery which I think is very unusual)! As a result of the investigations when she first went to this practice we had a clear picture of her health needs and were able to agree on appropriate care with minimal vet visits only when seriously ill. As well as the stress factor, I'm very sure the cost of scans/xrays as a one off saved a good deal of money in appropriate long term care. Just getting definite answers about things like arthritis, bladder problems etc can  make a huge difference in decisions about cat lifestyle and behaviour. It might not tell you why Grumpus is biting hard while rubbing seemingly for more attention but hopefully it will give some answers.  

I guess at 15+ ??? Grumpus is entitled to sleep a fair bit of the day and night   but hopefully you will get him to play a little. Does he have some sight, and if so do you know what he sees best? And do you know if his sense of smell and hearing are good?  Latterly Pal would sleep most of the time if I was out (evidenced by the thick layer of fur on her favourite soft spot) but moved about for food and toilet, and faithfully followed me from room to room (miaowling loudly if she was separated more than briefly as she couldn't see well and think she got anxious). Play was limited to the odd paw-pat at a feather wand or a toy being brushed against her pads. She didn't like rattly, noisy toys but smells like catnip went down well. I made sure she had lots of comfy spots at floor level, catnip toys to walk in to and investigate, and food and water in a regular place ( again on the floor so she could reach it). If Grumpus hasn't got great sight anything that doesn't rely heavily on vision will be most likely to work. If all else fails, a few bits of favourite snacks / food  in regular places he has to seek out might be an effective incentive to bring out the old hunter in him? 

  For all those pensioner puscats out there. I still miss my two.

It's been several months, but I thought I would give you guys an update. 

Grumpus is now freely travelling about the house, and doesn't need a litterbox in the living room anymore. His back legs aren't twitching anymore, and he hasn't bitten anyone in at least two months. He is relatively chunky, and we have had to cut back on his feedings to keep him from turning into the stay puff marshmallow man. The other kitties have gotten used to him, even though he occasionally bats at them. I'm not sure if he is trying to play with them, or just being a little turd. Unfortunately, he is still pretty mean to the dog. Luckily for him, she is used to being at the bottom of the hierarchy and puts up with it (shes 70 pounds, but seems to know that the cats rule the roost)

His hearing is still very poor and his vision isn't the best. He doesn't want a lot of petting, but really likes being around us. He follow us around the house and partakes in my morning routine. I guess the hearing loss is a good thing- he doesn't mind curling up on the bathmat while I shower, or next to my feet while I blow dry my hair. His balance is still not the best, but you don't notice it much when he's walking. 

We'e tried everything we can think of to get him to play, to no avail. He has no interest in catnip, or even the red dot. Occasionally, he'll bat at a fleece string if you put it on his paws, but we aren't sure if he actually enjoys that. It seems that his general interest is in laying around on the living room rug, which we're cool with. He is terrified of heights, and freaks out if you put him on the couch with you. Though, he does like being held for short period of time. 

We have not brought him back to the vet, and probably never will unless it seems like there is something going wrong. He has a pretty big aversion to being handled by anyone other than us, and does NOT like the carrier. Since he did not put up with much on previous exams, we're not hopeful for the future. Other than his initial too weak to fight it visit, they haven't even been able to get a temperature. But, on our last trip to the vet for someone else, we did show them pictures, which they took around the office. No one could believer it was the same cat. Since your advice was all so helpful, I figured I would show you all the results of your joint efforts as well

The sad thing about these before pictures- is that they were taken after his first bath and brushing. Seriously, he had about five in the course of just a few days. The pictures don't accurately capture the sheer amount of mats this cat had, or THE SMELL. He was the embodiment of  "Smelly Cat" for any Friends fans out there. My mom was the one who first took him to the vet with me, helped with his first bath, etc. Her comment "I can't believe his fur ever got clean enough to look white!" So here's our grumpy senior baby

Oh, gosh.  I am close to tears!  What a wonderful happy ending for old Grumpus.  Thank you!

I just love reading about happy endings.  Grumpus has come along way!  He now has a forever home where he can relax and be well taken care of. 

I just love the pictures.  What a change!

He looks so content in the recent pictures. You've done a wonderful thing for Grumpy!

Oh he's adorable/handsome. Thank you so much for rescuing him.

What a wonderful story!

He does look very content. :-)

I would not worry about whether he is interested in play or not, my senior kitty who loved to play when younger, also lost her interest in play.  But she always wanted to be nearby.  As long as he is happy, that is all that matters.

Thank you for rescuing him!

Oh, what a wonderful thing you've done for this baby.  And what a difference in a few months, that is unbelievable--both in his looks and your description of his behavior.

We took in a 17 year old this year and his behavior has changed dramatically for the better over the months he's been with us.  At first we weren't sure he'd survive the move from his previous home--now he plays with catnip toys, actually runs down the hall (occasionally LOL) and we heard from the cat sitter that while were gone this weekend, he chased a live mouse that one of our younger cats brought in!!  Wish I'd been here to see that. 

Maybe with more time, Grumpy will play a bit more--but then again, as tjcarst says, he is definitely a senior cat and maybe not that interested in playing.  But I'll bet he's in cat heaven to be where he is right now with people who are taking such good care of him!