Taking on a very old cat

jess1974

I think all cats have such different personalities aswell, mine is now 7, i have 3 children 11, 9 and 5, and when the youngest was 2 my cat used to seek her out for a cuddle. My cat adores all the children and spends most nights curled up asleep on one of there beds.

kazwookie

My first cat died 18 years old, the current oldest one is 19 and still 'beating' up the 7 year old cat!!

Go for it, take in granny's cat, your kids will be ok with it, and I hope it will settle down.

It 'could be' granny will be a lot happier knowing as well, she hasn't got to worry over feeding / clean tray etc for the cat.

Do you have a digital camera and printer? if so you can take weekly photo and send them to granny or get the kids involved in telling granny how the cat is getting on when they visit.

Good luck

zzzLazyDaisy

I took in a cat when he was about 9yrs and he lived to about 19yrs (he was a stray so actual years are unknown). He was very aloof when he came, but gradually settled in and became very affectionate. He did get a kidney disease in his last couple of years that cost us quite a bit in steroid injections, but we had never paid any insurance premuims so it was horses for courses. Personally, with an old cat, I would just save the premiums in case the cat later needs attention. Insurance doesn't cover vaccinations or the first £50 of any treatment so £180 a year is probably quite a lot (don't shoot me though if he goes down with some illness that costs a fortune!).

I have a 3yr old cat now that I took in last year. He is VERY affectionate. I have insured him as the fees are only £6 per month, and he is always getting into fights with the local tom cat, climbing trees then losing his footing, and hanging out of second storey windows stalking the birds.... one of these days I may be pleased of that insurance!

But as someone has said, your cat will probably sleep 23 hrs a day, so isn't at risk of using up his nine lives so quickly!

He probably spends most of his days on your grandmas's lap, or curled up beside her, so he will probably settle in well as he will be used to being handled, though he may need a safe place to escape when things get a bit rowdy.

I do hope you feel able to take him. I am sure he will reward you, and your grandmother will be so much happier.

rita-rabbit

Please do take on the cat. It will probably sleep alot & maybe you can consider a kitten in the future (say in a couple of months time?) when Grannie's cat is settled in properly.

Savvy_Sue

How about an outdoor 'family' pet to go with the older cat? I'd vote for a guinea pig, but my nephew's asked for chickens for his birthday ... although he is a little older than your youngest.

Princess_Jane

we took on my BF mam's cat when she moved to France.

He is 12 and is no bother. I have a year-old cat and the older one washes him and bosses him about.

Apart from that he likes to sleep 23 hours a day. He is getting a little bit stiff up and down stairs and I don't think he'd like kids around him, but all cats are different are most adapt well.