Relocating elderly cat

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-09-2004
Relocating elderly cat
19
Tue, 05-17-2005 - 5:27pm
My mother has a sweet, elderly cat, aged about 14 years; she has always lived with my mother, in a house with 2 other cats, she's lived her since she was a kitten and has never known any other home. The problem is, my mother has health issues and can't give this poor cat any time or affection; the cat only gets food and water, and shelter. That's about it. I am considering taking this older cat into my home. The problem is, if anyone really knows anything about cats, cats are very territorial; they are very attached to their TERRITORY. Moving a cat, especially a much older cat, can be traumatic. I'm not sure an elderly cat could deal with it. At the same time, this cat is not getting affection where she lives right now, not much attention at all. What should I do. Leave her in her home, or take her and subject her to the trauma of moving somewhere else? I could give her a lot more love and affection in my home, but being a 14-15 year old cat, she may be too attached to her current "territory" and it could be extremely traumatic for her to move at her age. Any advice?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2004
Wed, 05-18-2005 - 5:47pm
Alot of cats spend time together and then some want to be the only kitty there. You can watch the torti interact with the other kitties and know. If they sleep near each other that is a good sign they are close. Again, if you have time for the kitty, time to sit and pet her etc...try it and see. What about the other two cats there? Are they your mothers also? I think I'm confused! Donna
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-26-2000
Wed, 05-18-2005 - 6:33pm

My questions were pretty much the same as Cynthia's, so I'm just going to jump in at this point. What does your mother think of you taking this cat that's she's had for so long and is she in any position to give her any attention. You say her needs are met as far as food, litter box, shelter who is performing those daily tasks(ie feeding, watering and litter box scooping)? Has you mother said she can't give affection/attention to the cat? What some relatives may interpret as being starved for affection may in truth just be a very outgoing cat. One of my kitties Gabriel is a social butterfly and runs to the door the minute the doorbell rings. Regardless of whether he knows you or not he flops on the floor and rolls on his back for pets, jumps up next to you the minute you sit down, etc. My point here is he is anything but starved for affection, attention or anything else for that matter but that's just his outgoing personality. Has this cat always been this way or is this something that just started after your mother started having health issues?

Some cats love companions, other's don't. Since she lives currently with two cats I'm assuming that they get along at least. Do they act like they like one another, do they groom one another, sleep and play together? If they do then not only is the cat going to miss the house, your mother but most likely her friends as well. My little boys are very bonded with one another. They sleep together, groom one another, play together and yes even fight with each other on occasion. I can't imagine what one would do without the other which is why all of my family knows(and it is going in my trust) that if anything happens to me they are to be adopted out and kept together.

I would really evaluate the cat and human relationships seriously before I uprooted her too quickly. JMO

Good luck in whatever you decide.

Lynn

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
Thu, 05-19-2005 - 10:56am
LOL. Your cat has the same name as me. :) How did your mom choose that name?
Katz

 

 Katz

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-09-2004
Tue, 05-24-2005 - 12:37pm

>How did your mom choose that name?

Well actually, I chose the name Audrey. I think its a beautiful, old-fashioned name. I love it. We always give our cats dignified "people" names, not silly pet names like Spot or Tigger.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
Tue, 05-24-2005 - 12:44pm

You're right. It is kind of old-fashioned. I'm flattered to share my name w/a cat. :)

ROFL. I used to have a striped cat named Spot. I thought it was a great name, b/c he wasn't a dog, & he wasn't spotted. LOL.

Katz

 

 Katz

 

 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Tue, 05-24-2005 - 1:37pm

<>

Our old family dog was named "Cleopatra" (Cleo for short), and we later got a cat and named him "Antony" (Tony for short). My mom still has Tony today.

Two of the three pets I've gotten since moving out on my own were already adults and already accustomed to the names given them, so I didn't change them. I ended up naming Bailey after my favorite liqueur (Bailey's Irish Cream). One of my co-workers wanted me to name him "Boots" or "Mittens" because he has four white feet. Groan!




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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-09-2004
Wed, 05-25-2005 - 10:03am

Yeah, those are the names I don't like. Because it just takes no creativity to name the cat those names. I knew someone w/two cats, one solid white and the other solid black. Guess what she named them? Whitey and Blackey. Wow. How original...

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-09-2004
Wed, 05-25-2005 - 10:11am

I'm not sure, as I haven't seen my mother in well over a year. I am going to see her soon. You are right, some cats are just overly affectionate by nature and this may not be that she is 'starved for affection'....but I'm not sure. I will have to see what condition she is in. I heard that the cat has become frail, which is not unusual for an older cat. And that her fur is falling out (it is very hot this time of year). She stays indoors. My mother's condition is not good. I think she can feed her cats, clean the litterbox, and that's about it. She does get the yearly rabies shots for them, but not always on time. She told me over the phone that she can't give them affection because she often doesn't feel well enough. The other cat that Audrey was close to, now stays outdoors because she was basically a feral cat when we got her (does not want human companionship). Audrey has only known the same home her entire life - 14 years. And cats are VERY territorial. I read that cats are more attached to their territories than their owners. If you try to move a cat, they will often try to escape to "go back" to where they were before. Unless she is suffering or being abused in some way, I may leave her where she is. I just don't know yet. These replies here have been very helpful to me, though.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2003
Wed, 05-25-2005 - 2:47pm
LOL - when my sister and I were little kids (like, 8 and 9), we got two kittens and named them Patches and Blackie. Patches was a tortie, with big patches of beige scattered all over her, and Blackie was - yup, all black. *sigh* Thank goodness we grew out of that.



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