I need advise regarding my older cat and his future please.

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cateyesblue
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I need advise regarding my older cat and his future please.

Post by cateyesblue »

Hi Folks,

Advise needed please....
I am afraid my 12 year old cat will not survive dogs/traffic or likewise if I keep him indoors I will destroy the happiness he has from going outside. If I reholme him to ensure to somebody with a secure garden, he has the potential to live another 8 years, safe from dogs and lounging in a garden.
I am moving to the UK to a flat as I am 50 now and no longer bear living in houseshares in Ireland and cant afford/find a flat here.

This is tearing me apart. What should I do?? He is very grumpy also so might break his heart reholming ;-(


My cat is 12 years old. I adopted him from a rehoming center in 2013.

I am relocating from Dublin Newcastle UK in 5 weeks time. Pet flights cost in the region of 1100euros and only via stop in Standsted for all inbound pets due to tough new post Brexit rules. So I have book tickets for me and my cat via ferry (4 hours on the ferry and then my brother will pick us up in Hollyhead and drive us 4.5 hours to Newcastle.

I am moving to Newcastle purely because I am shortlisted for an association flat and in the interim have found a ground floor cheap flat with outdoors grassed space for Georgie (but of course not gated off from dogs)

He adores and loves going out but at 12 years old is now very slow on his feet, he goes crazy and whins and if not let out, it is his life although now he's old, simply hangs around the walled back garden of my house share and comes back in after 20 minutes unless its a very warm day and then he sunbathes.
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Ruth B
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Re: I need advise regarding my older cat and his future please.

Post by Ruth B »

I hate to have to say this, but trying to rehome a 12 year old cat will be extremely difficult, unless you know someone already that would take him. Shelters are full of adult cats that are constantly overlooked in favour of kittens, so placing him in a shelter is likely to mean he just spends weeks, months or even years, in a pen or at best in a fosterer's spare room.

In my opinion your best option is to take him with you and try and have him adjust to indoor life. You will need to keep him in for about a month anyway having just moved to a new home, so it will be a good time to see if he will accept it. I would suggest getting some fly screens to go on windows so you can open them without fear of him escaping, you can get some fairly simple ones that just use magnetic tape to hole them in place, and will put off all but the most determined cat. They will mean he can look out of an open window and sniff the breeze which will help him adapt to indoor life without the danger of him wandering off and getting hurt.

When you get your association flat there is no guarantee that you would be able to let him have access to outdoors there (I am assuming the association have said it is all right for you to bring him with you when you move in, if not, please contact them to let them know, most understand how important an animal companion is to a person, and if you can show you have thought about it and what he will need including methods of stopping him escaping that won't interfere with the flats structure, most are happy to oblige), so it is better he has adjusted to being an indoor only cat by then.
At 12 years old it could be he will prove you wrong and be happy to settle for an indoor life, cats are surprisingly adaptive, and a warm bed, regular meals a window to watch the world from, and company are often enough to keep them happy.
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Kay
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Re: I need advise regarding my older cat and his future please.

Post by Kay »

I agree - I got my Penny from a rescue when she was 11, and I was told she was used to going outside

yet two years later she has ventured out into my 120sq ft enclosed garden only a dozen times, and is really not interested in the great outdoors at all, despite being happy to use a cat flap

so your boy may surprise you in his response to being in a new place
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Mollycat
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Re: I need advise regarding my older cat and his future please.

Post by Mollycat »

I would certainly give him a chance. A sunny window sill can be enough for them as they mature and cats have a funny way of surprising you. I'm assuming you've looked into and done the necessary in terms of travel into the UK? I'm not sure what the rabies position is in Ireland but Britain being rabies free I hope the 6 month quarantine doesn't happen any more now that vaccines are available.

Housing associations are not always sympathetic, caring or friendly towards pets. Mine had a one pet with permission policy when I moved in which has now changed to no pets in buildings with a communal access. My neighbour opposite in the block never cared for their stupid policies and had 7 dogs and one cat by the time she moved out and told them where to stick their ideas every time they told her to get rid of some of them. But some certainly don't feel the love of letting people have companion animals.
cateyesblue
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Re: I need advise regarding my older cat and his future please.

Post by cateyesblue »

Thanks so much, folks,
I have decided to keep Georgie indefinitely. He's done well thus far at 12 years old and a landlord in Newcastle has again assured me that there are other cats on the green and no dogs off lead. I will however begin to train him to only go out for up to half an hour, I will do this by withholding food one hour before he goes out - that will encourage him to come home as he generally nibbles away all day. I will start training him to go out early in the morning (I always wake at 5/5.30am) and likewise at 9.30 evenings before my bedtime. But the all-day outside summer lounging will stop. That way works, my vet advised it today. We are booked to travel to the UK on the 24th of June so I have plenty of time to start training him thus so. I have felt so down the last few weeks worrying about him but now I feel great again, now that I know we won't be separated. The vet also said that has he gets old he will want to go out less and less. Thanks so much, folks for the kind advice. Maria ;-) xxx
cateyesblue
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Re: I need advise regarding my older cat and his future please.

Post by cateyesblue »

Yes, Georgie has his passport sorted out, we will go by ferry and my brother will pick us both up at Hollyhead and then drive us to Newcastle 4.5 hours, so including the ferry travel, Georgie will be in his pet carrier from 7 am until around 5 pm so I have bought him a new large carrier with food and water bowl attached. The larger carrier will also allow me to place a full since pillow inside for him to lie on. I will bring a 2nd pillow in my suitcase so that once off the ferry and in my brother's car, I can let Georgie out of the carrier for a second in order to replace the original pillow that I imagine he will have urinated on by then. Yes, I will train him. I have advised the housing association that I have a cat and will only accept available flats with our own entrance. Since I already have a flat organised for the interim, we will have time to choose a suitable flat away from the main roads. xxxx He might even prefer being an indoor cat by the time I am offered an association flat. xxxx Thanks
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Ruth B
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Re: I need advise regarding my older cat and his future please.

Post by Ruth B »

This may be stating the obvious, but for that long a trip, I would suggest having some spare old towels that you could use in his cage as well as his pillow to help soak up any liquids he might produce, and several bin bags you can put soiled items in to save stinking the car out. Finally when ever you open his cage make sure all doors and windows are shut, it can make it tricky changing things in a cramped location, but it is far better than risking him running off in a strange location. Alternatively have a second small carrier that you can transfer him to while shut in the car so he is in a safe place while you sort out his main carrier.
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Kay
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Re: I need advise regarding my older cat and his future please.

Post by Kay »

that last bit of advice was what I did when I had to take a cat for a long journey - and I would add that two top loading carriers make it very much easier to do a safe transfer, as not only can the cat simply be lifted upwards from one and plonked down in the other, but there is much less chance of bedding getting caught up in the transfer, or dishes upended
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