A return at the shelter today

[mrblanche]

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.

 

[bellaandme]

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:

 

[kailie]

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.

 

[rahma]

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!

 

[addiebee]

Originally Posted by rahma

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.

 

[strange_wings]

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).

Originally Posted by AddieBee

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.

 

[icklemiss21]

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

 

[c1atsite]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

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?

 

[krz]

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.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by c1atsite

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.

 

[c1atsite]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

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.

 

[mrblanche]

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.

 

[mrblanche]

Unfortunately, this old guy was apparently put to sleep. I mentioned him in "Crossing the Bridge."

 

[killerapple]

How sad.

Poor kitty, RIP.

 

[icklemiss21]

Thats so sad, but seniors are a hard sell in shelters

 

[buehler740]

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

 

[blueyedgirl5946]

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.

 

[icklemiss21]

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

 

[booktigger]

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.

 

[lyrajean]

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

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.