Company for an old cat

iammarmite

My tabby cat is nearly 8- maybe not the oldest of cats but he isn't exactly a spring chicken!

He seems to get very lonely when nobody is here (90% there is at least one person here). He will yowl his head off when you walk through the door and as soon as you sit down he's on your knee for the next hour or so.

I don't like feeling like he is lonely...but I don't think he would get on with another cat. He is very territorial (excuse spelling, sorry!) and will fight with any cat that so much as comes near our garden (we had new neighbours move in last week and their cat sat on our fence and he saw him off pretty sharpish)

He's been the only cat since we've had him so apart from his brothers and sisters he has never had to live with another animal.

Does anyone have any advice?

georgiesmum

You won't really know how he will interact with another cat till you get one.and then it will be to late. I got another one for my 12 year old, an 8 yr old female. My male cat hates her and after a year still tries to attack her.
If he has company most of the time i would think he is just welcoming you home and telling you he is glad to see you. Does he have access to the outside? Some cats like to be solitary and he is a bit old to welcome a new cat on to his territory. He probably sleeps all the time you are out anyway.

Itsgottabedone

Have you tried leaving the radio on (a talk station, like Radio 4 might be good) while you're out?

Take_it_like_a_man,_sonny

Our tiger, Monty was like that when we rescued him from the CP breeders and would run riot when not there. In the end, we just us a comfort, my worn tee shirt for him to snuggle in and that keeps him happy.

Still runs the house though.

Dumbe

You could also try leaving the tv on for him .

And giving him something that smells of you to snuggle up in.

I have a young ragdoll and he will yowl when he can't find me .. The blanket and tv make a world of difference..

He has 2 cat friend but if he has misplaced mummy then having the other two tm's around makes no difference !

Miss_Havisham

from an early age my cat liked to sleep on my pillow when I was out at work, I assume it was because he could smell me even through the pillowcase.
When I go on holiday and he goes to a cattery I sleep with a towel in my bed for a few weeks so it really smells of me and put it in his bed for the cattery.

The only cat he's ever taken to was an older and gentle cat that I adopted from mum's neighbours (they weren't interested in him and mildly neglected him IYKWIM) . The two of them lay on my bed together with their backs touching.

Cats are beautiful creatures !

Miss H

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I've got 3 cats.

One is invisible for 90% of the day and night, then suddenly appears once she wants something.

One is clingy to the point of alien face hugger.

And one follows me around all day (much to the disgust of face hugger), except for when he's tired, when he takes himself off into his wicker house and passes out.


All of them greet me when I come in.


So don't assume that he is lonely, many cats like being only cats.


But at the same time, there's no reason why you can't consider another one - it depends on how he is with other animals not of the crunchable size.

Fire_Fox

Maybe try leaving the radio or the television on? You might try fostering another rescue cat and then very careful planned introductions - some territorial cats take well to a housemate others hate it. I adopted two singletons at the same time many years ago, they would team up to trounce all the neighbours cats, I had to bring them indoors because they were chasing a poor pregnant queen!! :eek:

iammarmite

Will try the blanket tomorrow when I am out- thanks!!

Cezzabelle

Shame cats cant Skype....mines the same!

atrixblue.-MFR-.

ah i dont think its a companion he needs, i think its a greeting.

tinkerbell my DSH will greet me when i pull up in the car jump in and sit on my lap before i get out, its a ritual she does, sometime she has to come on a drive with me because she refuses to get out the car.

if anyone goes missing in the house coco our young ragdoll male will cry histerically, its funny as he doesnt like to be picked up and cuddled and doesnt come to find affection from us etc but if someone goes out he's crying like a baby all over the place.

i think your cat is just happy to see you now he's settling into mature age when you come home.

if you do decide you would like to home another cat then a cat of simular age would be better say 4+, it could be frustrating for a mature older cat to have a fluffy energetic bundle of hyperactive kitty about them and you may not get the reaction you wish form your cat.