Adopting A 7 Year Old

[dale001]

We had to let Chappie pass over on Tuesday night after battling stage four kidney failure. It has been a crying time around here.

Last night my wife and I decided to adopt a 7 year old cat we saw at PetSmart, named Romeo. They are doing the paperwork now and we may get him in several days. I want to do whatever I can to minimize any kidney problems, so . . .

1) what has the medical field suggested: dry or wet food? Any thoughts on what minimizes renal disease, something that 1/3 of cats will develop.

2) I have no idea if he’s a scratcher or not, but he hasn’t been declawed, so I’m wondering if people here are believers in the nail caps (Soft Claws w/ CLS) or not.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I'm so sorry to hear about Chappie!! RIP sweetheart !!

For kidney health, the idea is to have as much moisture being consumed as possible. Canned food contains more moisture, and also utilize filtered water (either faucet end - I love mine, or a pitcher but be sure and deep clean it to avoid buildup) so that the kidneys don't have to work harder to deal with the various things that the municipal water treatment plants don't remove. Pet water fountains can promote more drinking, or you can use stainless or ceramic bowls cleaned and refilled with fresh water daily, at different heights and locations in the house.

18 Awesome Cat Feeding Tips By Thecatsite Staff Members

How To Choose The Best Water Fountain For Your Cat

CatFoodDB - Cat Food Reviews to help you find the best cat food for your cat

Pet Food Guide

Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition – Common Sense. Healthy Cats.

Soft claws can be useful although some cats are able to pull them off. I've not used them personally, but of course scratchers are helpful as well. If scratching becomes a problem and/or the claw caps don't work, we're here to help .

 

[dale001]

Thanks much.

It seems many have good luck with them, based on Amazon reviews, but I never heard of the CLS (Cleat Lock System) type.

 

[Purr-fect]

Sorry about Chappie's passing.

Yes wet food is best.

As for scratching. We have 3 "ultimate scratching post"s in our home. Sorry I cant provide a ling, my tablet isnt user friendly.

We lay the posts on their sides, put cat nip on the horizontal scratching surface and showed the boys how to use them by putting their claws against the posts and " scratching". They figured it out in a couple of minutes and use the posts many tktimes a day. No problems with furniture and we will never declaw the boys.

 

[dale001]

Here’s a photo of the furbaby we are trying to adopt. Romeo.

 

[Elphaba09]

I am sorry for your loss of Chappie.

It is wonderful, though, that you are adopting an older cat. Two of our nine were older when we found them. They are the sweetest!

I have no experience with claw caps. We just cut their claws every week. We have several scratching surfaced for them, so them clawing furniture is not a big problem.

We have two water fountains for them. We used bowls before and it seemed that they were not drinking enough. After getting the fountains, I noticed a lot more drinking. One tip that I learned is that many cats do not like their water near their food. That is something you might consider.

 

[dale001]

My only concern is our 92 year old mom. She has such thin skin that she can’t afford a cat scratch.

 

[Pjg8r]

Keeping the nails clipped works for me. I never had luck with the nail covers. Was Chappie declawed? Please don’t consider that as a solution for this cat. Shelters here won’t adopt out a cat if the potential owner is ok with declawing.

 

[dale001]

I would never declaw an adult cat. That’s not an option.
Many have had luck with them, so I will keep them clipped and try the covers.

 

[Erin80]

That's exciting! You'll have to keep us posted on how he's doing.

I don't have experience with nail caps...but I do have experience with adopting older cats and teaching them to use a post. They all figured it out just fine, and no one ruined furniture by purposely scratching it. Just be consistent about showing him where to scratch.

As for food - I know wet food is best, especially for males. Our previous male cat was on an 80% wet food diet - the rest of the time he munched on high quality dry food. He never had kidney issues, and never had a UTI.

Good luck!

 

[rubysmama]

Condolences on the loss of Chappie. RIP sweetie.

I'm glad you've found another cat to help fill the empty void in your heart. He's a cutie pie. Will you keep his name as Romeo? Or rename?

As for food, here's links to a couple older Expert Forums that might have some info for you.

Cat Nutrition with Dr. Rachel Boltz, DVM
Kidney Issues in Cats with Dr. Kris

 

[dale001]

Romeo is now in our home. He spent his first night with us last night. He meowed throughout the night as he wonders around his new home. Today he is meowing a lot too. He was at the vet before we brought him home and he’s being well fed and has water, so is this normal? Maybe he’s under stress, smells the scent of Chappie, or he misses the PetSmart shelter he was in for 5 weeks. We hope his nighttime meowing reduces. Thoughts?

 

[rubysmama]

That's great that Romeo is home. Hopefully he settles down soon.

Here's an older thread all about What Was Your Cat's Behavior Like In The First Day? which you might find interesting.

Plus: How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home

 

[Purr-fect]

Romeo is now in our home. He spent his first night with us last night. He meowed throughout the night as he wonders around his new home. Today he is meowing a lot too. He was at the vet before we brought him home and he’s being well fed and has water, so is this normal? Maybe he’s under stress, smells the scent of Chappie, or he misses the PetSmart shelter he was in for 5 weeks. We hope his nighttime meowing reduces. Thoughts?

Give him a few days to get settled in and then PLAY with him. Provide interest in his life, keep him occupied. A bird feeder or two in front of the windows for him to watch, play videos for cats on the computer or tablet to keep his attention, open a window to let him smell and hear the outdoors, toys, especially those with strings on wands and toy mice and birds are popular. Make sure he has a special quiet place, that is his own. Some treats, some cat nip. Dont smother, but let him know he js part of the family. And give him a happy place to scratch. Provide and show him the scratching area before he finds one.

 

[FeebysOwner]

RIP to Chappie . But, yay, for Romeo ! Although I had Tawny since he was about 6 months old or so, we relocated from an small apartment to a house when he was about 7 years old. We literally felt like we lost him for hours/days on end as he was so busy searching every nook and cranny of a much larger space. I think he meowed most when he realized he was kind of far away from us - he would be clear at the other end of the house and after a bit realizing that no one was around, so to speak. Once he got over all the newness, he settled down. I am sure that Romeo will too!!

 

[dale001]

Romeo is adjusting slowly. We had to give him calming treats last night. He needs to be given a few days and then let’s see what happens.