Ok, So I'm going to try and make this story as short as possible. I do apologize though because its kind of long. I don't know how else to word this. Need everyone to understand this cats history and how much we care about him... Anyways So when when I was about 22 I bought a house. Very first few days of moving in, this neighborhood cat was roaming around my yard. Maybe even previous owners cat, who knows. I started feeding him and would let him inside. He would scratch at the door when he wanted in and scratch at the door when he wanted out. Thought it was the coolest cat ever and best way to own a cat. He was more like a dog I thought. Never needed a litter box. Scratch at the door if he needed to go out. Fast forward probably 6 years of living there, decided to move into a larger house. Family and kid by then. I didn't want to get rid of the old house so I rented it out. moved in with the parents for a month until our new house was finished. I had plans to go back and find (big kitty) what I called him (large main coon). Anyways went back to find him a month later and told the renters to keep an eye out for him but they never did or bothered to catch him. I wanted to move him into our new house with us. Never did find him. Ok so lets fast forward to now (5 years later). Renters moved out just last week. I have been over there working getting it ready for the next renters and 2nd day working over there big kitty showed up out of the blue! I was super excited to see him. Made me really happy to know nothing happen to him. I am shocked, and could not believe that 5 years later he is still alive and still roaming the neighbor hood.
On to the health part and reason I am posting this in the health section... To me he doesn't seem like he's been taken care of at all in the neighborhood. He's skin and bones and no where near as big as he use to be. I can feel every bone in his body and bumpy boney back. I've started feeding him every day I've been over there working, trying to get some weight back on him. I don't understand how he could survive a winter like that. He's also very skittish. Maybe from people being mean or neighborhood kids tormenting him? He never use to be like that. Anytime I move to quickly he runs out of the house or I pick up a tool he hasn't seen me use yet he runs out. I have to keep the door cracked and it's starting to get cold out lol. At least no bugs or mosquitos with the door open since its getting cold out right? lol
Anyways I have no idea how old he is. He was a full grown cat when I moved into that house probably like 11 years ago. He's older than my daughter. I have videos of my daughter as a toddler trying to pick him up and carry him around. Bumping his head into the couch because he was to big for her to pick up. He would just tolerate it and act like it never bothered him. She's 10 now and got to see him again, it's crazy... He immediately came up to her right away. Me, it took him a minute to warm up to again. He's such a good cat and I just want what's best for him. I want to bring him back to our current house because I can't trust anyone in that neighborhood to take care of him, or the next renters. I told the last ones to take care of him and let him inside in the winter but they didn't. I feel that he is to old now and might not make it another winter in his current shape.
What is everyone's advice? I want him to live out his last years the best possible way he can. Would he be happier just staying in that neighborhood or should I try and make him a permeant indoor cat at our current place? We have busy traffic next to our house and he doesn't know this neighbor hood. His current neighborhood is safe (all cul-de-sacs and children at play signs) I feel like bring him over here and having him be and outside cat would be a bad idea with him not familiar with the neighborhood and traffic. I don't know though? We do have another cat, so there is that as well. I honestly don't even know if big kitty is a male or female with all that hair I could never tell. Just figured it was a boy since it's a huge main coon. Don't know if it's spayed or neutered either? He never once peed in my house. Always scratched at the door when needed to go out. Well other than one time... Back in my party days when I was single. Drink to much and passed out in my room. Woke up to him peeing on the bed right next to my pillow. I always laughed about it because it was my fault I didn't realize I locked him in the bed room with me. He was just trying to wake me up. Like hey dude wtf I need to go pee and don't see a litter box or pile of dirt in here anywhere. Never a sign that he would spray though or anything like that. Only that one time but it was my fault.
Once again I apologize for this being so long. I just want everyone to know this cats back story and history so that I can get the best advice possible. I really do want to do what's best for the cat. I was thinking maybe I should take him to the vet first and get a check up before trying to bring him over. I worry though at his age it might be to much stress, this whole process and transition? Maybe it doesn't work out and he has major issues? Maybe he starts peeing on stuff and wants to go back? I've always heard that cats have really bad memories? What if I bring him over here and it doesn't work out. Maybe it's like a couple weeks down the road. If I took him back to the old neighborhood would he still do okay? Would he still remember how to be safe and all of his hiding spots? I know all this would sound stupid to most people but this cat is special. He was always my buddy when I lived alone and single before kids. I feel like I can't just abandon him again. I have to try something different now that he's came back into our lives. I'm sure it sounds stupid but oh well. I'm willing to do what ever most think is best. Leave him be and let him live the time he has left where he is now or bring him to our house and try and give him a better time that he has left. He is a very social cat and does want to be around me, even now. Even though his food bowl is outside he still wants to come in and hang out with me as long as the door is cracked. Biggest reason I think bringing him here would be hard is because he really likes being an outside cat. Back then he would come in eat, take a nap, chill for an hour or 2 then be scratching at the door to go back outside. Anyways, I don't know. Look forward to everyone's advice and any further questions I can answer.
On to the health part and reason I am posting this in the health section... To me he doesn't seem like he's been taken care of at all in the neighborhood. He's skin and bones and no where near as big as he use to be. I can feel every bone in his body and bumpy boney back. I've started feeding him every day I've been over there working, trying to get some weight back on him. I don't understand how he could survive a winter like that. He's also very skittish. Maybe from people being mean or neighborhood kids tormenting him? He never use to be like that. Anytime I move to quickly he runs out of the house or I pick up a tool he hasn't seen me use yet he runs out. I have to keep the door cracked and it's starting to get cold out lol. At least no bugs or mosquitos with the door open since its getting cold out right? lol
Anyways I have no idea how old he is. He was a full grown cat when I moved into that house probably like 11 years ago. He's older than my daughter. I have videos of my daughter as a toddler trying to pick him up and carry him around. Bumping his head into the couch because he was to big for her to pick up. He would just tolerate it and act like it never bothered him. She's 10 now and got to see him again, it's crazy... He immediately came up to her right away. Me, it took him a minute to warm up to again. He's such a good cat and I just want what's best for him. I want to bring him back to our current house because I can't trust anyone in that neighborhood to take care of him, or the next renters. I told the last ones to take care of him and let him inside in the winter but they didn't. I feel that he is to old now and might not make it another winter in his current shape.
What is everyone's advice? I want him to live out his last years the best possible way he can. Would he be happier just staying in that neighborhood or should I try and make him a permeant indoor cat at our current place? We have busy traffic next to our house and he doesn't know this neighbor hood. His current neighborhood is safe (all cul-de-sacs and children at play signs) I feel like bring him over here and having him be and outside cat would be a bad idea with him not familiar with the neighborhood and traffic. I don't know though? We do have another cat, so there is that as well. I honestly don't even know if big kitty is a male or female with all that hair I could never tell. Just figured it was a boy since it's a huge main coon. Don't know if it's spayed or neutered either? He never once peed in my house. Always scratched at the door when needed to go out. Well other than one time... Back in my party days when I was single. Drink to much and passed out in my room. Woke up to him peeing on the bed right next to my pillow. I always laughed about it because it was my fault I didn't realize I locked him in the bed room with me. He was just trying to wake me up. Like hey dude wtf I need to go pee and don't see a litter box or pile of dirt in here anywhere. Never a sign that he would spray though or anything like that. Only that one time but it was my fault.
Once again I apologize for this being so long. I just want everyone to know this cats back story and history so that I can get the best advice possible. I really do want to do what's best for the cat. I was thinking maybe I should take him to the vet first and get a check up before trying to bring him over. I worry though at his age it might be to much stress, this whole process and transition? Maybe it doesn't work out and he has major issues? Maybe he starts peeing on stuff and wants to go back? I've always heard that cats have really bad memories? What if I bring him over here and it doesn't work out. Maybe it's like a couple weeks down the road. If I took him back to the old neighborhood would he still do okay? Would he still remember how to be safe and all of his hiding spots? I know all this would sound stupid to most people but this cat is special. He was always my buddy when I lived alone and single before kids. I feel like I can't just abandon him again. I have to try something different now that he's came back into our lives. I'm sure it sounds stupid but oh well. I'm willing to do what ever most think is best. Leave him be and let him live the time he has left where he is now or bring him to our house and try and give him a better time that he has left. He is a very social cat and does want to be around me, even now. Even though his food bowl is outside he still wants to come in and hang out with me as long as the door is cracked. Biggest reason I think bringing him here would be hard is because he really likes being an outside cat. Back then he would come in eat, take a nap, chill for an hour or 2 then be scratching at the door to go back outside. Anyways, I don't know. Look forward to everyone's advice and any further questions I can answer.
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