Looks like I’ll be (hopefully temporarily) taking in a cat for a lovely 90-year-old lady who need to go into assisted care. Her family cannot take the cat and I can’t enjoy Christmas knowing it would be dumped in a shelter where it’s chances are likely very slim. She is a long-haired white & gold girl, spayed and declawed, who has been an only cat in constant attendance. She is about 7-8 years old.
This poor girl is terribly shy and has never really been around other cats so it may be traumatic for her to come into a house with 5 other cats of various dispositions. If anyone in the Central Iowa area wants or knows someone who wants a sweet indoor kitty give me a shout.
I know this is a slim chance, but hey, may just be the perfect present for some lucky Doper. I know the rule about pictures but I won’t get her for a couple days. here instead is a picture of kitten we recently rescued from a Target parking lot. He’s healed up and three months old now, but I need to get the pictures off my phone before I can post them. this one is at about 6 weeks old, eye still not healed but cute anyway. http://s266.photobucket.com/albums/ii264/NijelTheDestroyer/?action=view¤t=Leonidasandhisfoot.jpg
I wish I could. If I was in the area maybe I would anyway, but I have a dachshund and two cats already.
I saw two cats at PetsMart once, female ten year old littermates they were trying to get adopted together. Makes me wonder if their story was like the elderly lady you are helping.
How do you know this? Maybe someone in the family has allergies, or their landlord doesn’t allow pets, or maybe they can’t afford veterinary care. It’d be nice if family would take the cat, but there are plenty of legitimate reasons why they wouldn’t.
Even assuming *every single person *in the family is allergic, renting, or extremely poor (highly unlikely, but let’s go with this for your sake) - they’re still foisting the problem off on someone else.
As opposed to what? Putting it to sleep? In any case it’s the older lady’s problem not anyone else’s problem. Just because you’re old doesn’t relive you of your obligations.
It’s a cute cat, but that picture, that is when it was a kitten right? It looks small to be an adult
Not to mention an 83-year-old might want to think twice before adopting a pet that will likely outlive them. We were 64 when we adopted Sadie the dog two years ago, so we arranged for a family member to take her if something happens to us.
Auntie Pam, thanks for posting to Facebook - always good to get the word out.
Unfortunately, my friend/co-worker really cannot take the cat - his wife is dealing with some health issues and could not deal with taking additional allergy meds. His son is a singer and frequently on tour. There is no other family close. Hi concern is more for his mother’s peace of mind, and that we all agree that it’s a bad idea to take on care of an animal at an advanced age, that’s moot now.
Beware, Beware of Doug. If I am still fostering the cat in three weeks, I’ll bump the thread and let you know.
Just a bump to say Molly the cat is now safely esconced in the spare room. Can’t get a picture yet as she is hiding under the bookcase. She is a very pretty girl, mostly dark orange long hair and rather overweight at the moment. She’s pretty freaked but still accepted petting & brushing (her fur need a bit of work - I doubt she has been gooming herself properly while boardrd at the vet) and purred for a while before hiding out.
I’ll bump this again when I have a picture. She’s a sweetie, so all you Iowans tell your cat-loving friends.
While I agree with this sentiment, it’s also possible that the old woman provided the cat with 7-8 more euthanasia-free years than it would have had otherwise. It will be sad if it gets euthanized now, but it would be sadder if it had been euthanized (or died in the wild because nobody adopted it, etc) 7-8 years ago.
I have a very boisterous cat/dog combo at my house with plenty of rambunctious play going on, so I’m not a good fit, but I’ll ask around. I don’t know too many cat lovers but I do know some social butterflies who might.
Once you have a picture I’d be happy to post it on Facebook too.
I agree with you. The cat probably had some good years with its former owner. Yes, she should have planned ahead for who would take the animal if it outlived her, but at the very least the animal had some love for a few years which is more than some animals get.
Of course, there is also the option that an elderly person can adopt an older pet so that the chances of the pet outliving the person are lower.
I would probably do that if I were elderly and didn’t think I could arrange for someone to take a pet for me if it outlived me. Seniors should be able to enjoy having an animal friend as much as anyone else.
Molly goes to the groomer tomorrow. With all the cats I’ve had over the years, none have been long-haired and I want to learn to do the cleaning & trimming around her back end right. I think she will take better care of her grooming once the extra weight is off and she’s had a chance to work out all the kennel kinks. At least she has full vet records with all her vaccines up to date and no other issues.
Pics tomorrow for anyone who is willing to ask around. She is out from under the bookcase but staying close to it and looking wary.
I am not at all close to Iowa and just adopted two cats but I just wanted to say good luck in your quest and thanks for doing it. And all of you who want to remark about who should be responsible and how older people shouldn’t adopt young animals because they might die and so on might make us all happy by starting your own thread to talk about those things, as THIS thread is for those of us who would like to see THIS cat get a new home. I have relatives in Iowa and will spread the word.
And yes, I am a little cranky tonight (I hate xmas).
A possible stroke of good luck. Mollie’s owner is recovering so well from her surgery that she is likely to be able to be in one of the independant living situations with her own little apartment, in which case she can keep Mollie with her. We should get confirmation in a day or two. If all goes well, my friend will be in a position to take care of Mollie’s later if (when) his mother cannot.
Meanwhile, it is off to the groomers in a couple minutes to get her cleaned up.
