Is a stray cat ok to give to an elderly person?

[pete101]

Hi,

My elderly mother wants a cat for company as she lives on her own.

I had thought about getting her a "rescue cat", but am unsure if this is a good idea as one of my friends advised that many rescued cats have sadly been abused and don't always get along with people i.e. they need more specific handling, etc and are more prone to biting and scratching.

Therefore I am in two minds wether it is a good idea or not.

Does anyone have an experience in such matters and can advise me?

Many thanks,

Pete

[Crewella]

Cats come into rescue for all sorts of reasons. Yes, some have had tough lives, but some have been house cats and much loved pets all their lives and have been given up due to illness or bereavement. A reputable rescue will advise you and help you find the right cat for your circumstances, so yes I would say speak to your local rescue.

It's sad that such rumours abound and put off potential adopters. It's not in any rescue's interest to place a 'difficult' cat in a home that can't cope with it.

I would suggest that your mother takes on an adult cat as their characters are fully formed and you'll have some idea of their temperament from the beginning, they are also generally less demanding and destructive than kittens can be. It's harder to find homes for older cats as so many people want kittens, so you'll also be doing that cat a great service.

Good luck in your search, I hope your mother is very happy with her new companion!

[Kay]

my mother took on a rescue cat when she was 85, and it made a huge difference to her quality of life

I assume like me you will be around to help out if necessary

I think the most important thing is to find a cat which likes laps, as your mum will want, I suspect, lots of affection - a quiet older cat, preferably one which has come into rescue because a previous elderly owner has had to go into a home or has passed away (both quite common reasons for a cat needing rehoming) would be ideal

[bobbys girl]

I would echo what has been said and add that I would choose a Tom cat as a companion cat over a queen any day.

My boys Bobby, 18mths and Tom, 12yrs+ are 2 gentle softies who love affection, tickles and cuddles. The girls have their moments - usually when they want something. But are far more likely to little 'strops' when they can't get their own way.

[Hazel]

I don't think most rescue cats have been abused, most have probably abandoned when the owners move house, have children of the novelty wears off
Our first cats were from the Blue Cross, they were 8 years old and their owner had died. They still had a lot of love to give but were much more settled than kittens or young cats and caused us no bother at all. As Kay said this is a common reason for cats ending up in rescue and how nice if they could be rehomed with another elderly person. x

[busydee]

I got a lovely gentle loving cat from a rescue for my nearly 90 year old mother in law. she loved him and he made such a difference to her life . she managed to look after him, just, but didn't realise that when he wasn't eating that was because he was ill. she only had him 4 months before he was diagnosed with the corona virus and filled with fluid. The agony of having him put to sleep was just horrible, she was so so upset and with some memory loss, couldn't remember why and what had happened.
yes, I would say, I is ok to get a rescue cat for an elderly person but please remember that both the cat and the elderly person need good support in place for this to work and even then, it can go wrong through no one's fault.

Being in the midst of a cat situation now, my own, who has bladder stones and heart murmur diagnosed in the last 2 weeks, 4 vet visits and 2 nights in the vet hospital and strong 6 hrly painkillers now, and is still poorly and not eating, I love my cat to bits, it is only the second cat I have ever had in my relatively ancient age,, but I don't think even i could go through this again, it is so hard and I am at a loss so please please do think very carefully whether you can support this relative and the animal as when it goes wrong it really is horrid.
sorry for the moan but I am so sad about my cat and just don't know what to do.

[MarkB]

I totally agree with everything Busydee says - another thing to bear in mind is matching the right cat with the right person. I won;t go into the full story, but I m trying to find a home for a cat that had been left behind when the owner moved recently. She is a lovely, affectionate cat, but has a habit of running in front of you, or in between your legs. I am reasonably fit, but she has had me over several times and had her paws trodden on countless times - If anyone is interested in her, I feel obliged to point this out.

Also, a cat's personality comes into it. When My dad died, my mum adopted a cat from Basildon Cats Protection. She told them she wanted a companion cat. One that likes staying inside and ideally would follow her to bed. They said they had an ideal cat - however, She called me last week to say that after 9 years, her cat finally sat on her lap!!! - her cat is standoffish, no at all affectionate and only comes to her for food. That kind of cat might suit someone who is as work all day and doesn't want a cat that sits on laps etc, but my mum was badly let down by Cats Protection - they obviousy just fobbed her off with the first cat they had.