Author Topic: Old Cat (Read 3898 times)

Parker Dean · « **on:** September 25, 2013, 04:11:41 PM »

OK, mother is a cat hoarder and has a thousand cats, one of which is somewhere over 15 as far as far as we can tell. Might be as old as 17. She was an abandoned stray in the apartment complex mother lived in and came in from the cold, so to speak, 11 or 12 years ago and she'd already been there for years before that.

Anyway, this one has recently taken to urinating in various places, including mother's bed. I suspect that the reason is the younger cats (6 two-year olds) love to play what I call The Great Game, which is to stalk whoever is in the litter box and attack them as they leave. Plus the young ones seem to have taken it upon themselves to try and drive the old one out of the "pride" by treating her roughly at every opportunity. It's also possible that she has a urinary tract infection but we'll never know since she can't really be handled. You can rub her all day long and she loves it, but if she sees your hands she freaks so vets are out.

Mother wants to get a cage to put her in but that just feels wrong, so any ideas?

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #1 on:** September 25, 2013, 05:09:56 PM »

Sudden changes in urination habits in cats, especially older cats, are often a sign of medical issues. Your urinary tract idea definitely has merit.

Brad

InfidelSerf · « **Reply #2 on:** September 25, 2013, 05:11:52 PM »

Being an owner of several feral strays converted to awesome indoor cats. I can say that the vet is NOT out. Check around for vets that will work with feral cats and see what the additional charge of having them knocked out before an exam would be. For us it's basically an extra $60 to have the animal "knocked out"

I would start with isolating the guy, making sure he has his own space, box, and food.
A bathroom would be good for this. This will give you some time to find out if it's the antics of the other cats causing the behavioral issue or a legitimate medical reason.
If it is a UTI, there really isn't much point in going to the vet for it since they will just tell you it will run it's coarse. If it doesn't in a week then perhaps a visit for some meds will be in order.

Another thing she will want to do is buy a spray can of Feliway it's a pheromone spray that is designed to calm stressed animals. It does work and helps.

Keep in mind a geriatric cat like that may have to be separated from the other cats permanently should they be the cause of his issues.

One question, was he ever fixed?

LadySmith · « **Reply #3 on:** September 25, 2013, 06:08:37 PM »

I second the advice to contact a vet. They have calming pills they can give you for cats that don't like to be handled prior to the visit.

The vet can help rule out medical issues before addressing behavioral issues.

lee n. field · « **Reply #4 on:** September 25, 2013, 06:56:25 PM »

Quote from: Parker Dean on September 25, 2013, 04:11:41 PM

OK, mother is a cat hoarder and has a thousand cats, one of which is somewhere over 15 as far as far as we can tell. Might be as old as 17. She was an abandoned stray in the apartment complex mother lived in and came in from the cold, so to speak, 11 or 12 years ago and she'd already been there for years before that.

Anyway, this one has recently taken to urinating in various places, including mother's bed. I suspect that the reason is the younger cats (6 two-year olds) love to play what I call The Great Game, which is to stalk whoever is in the litter box and attack them as they leave. Plus the young ones seem to have taken it upon themselves to try and drive the old one out of the "pride" by treating her roughly at every opportunity. It's also possible that she has a urinary tract infection but we'll never know since she can't really be handled. You can rub her all day long and she loves it, but if she sees your hands she freaks so vets are out.

Mother wants to get a cage to put her in but that just feels wrong, so any ideas?

Could be stress, could be urinary tract problems. Sorry, the vet is a must.

We've gotten to the point that the vet will just give(sell) cat meds to my wife when she diagnoses. I hate to think how many cats the vet has record of us having. The wife helps out a lot of the "outside cats" (strays) too.

Tallpine · « **Reply #5 on:** September 25, 2013, 07:34:40 PM »

Yeah, we had a cat like that. Fifteen and lots of health issues.

It was time.

never_retreat · « **Reply #6 on:** September 25, 2013, 08:55:16 PM »

Besides the vet check how many boxes of poop does she have in the house? If there is 3 cats there should be 3 boxes.
My parents had a similar problem. The one cat has his own. The other 2 seem to use the other 2 boxes. Kind of weird though they both poop in 1 and pee in the other.
You can also try elevating one of them on a small table as long as the old guy can still hop up to it. That can give him some privacy. Also you can use the boxes with the lids and face the opening towards the wall just leave a space where they can get in. That way they can use it without being seen.

Kingcreek · « **Reply #7 on:** September 25, 2013, 09:23:20 PM »

I was hoping this thread was about an old diesel powered crawler. Dang.
I have barn cats. Thier job is to eat the mices before the mices eat the wiring out of the tractors. They get fed a little and I treat them with wormer and flea and tick stuff when I think about it and can catch them (welding gloves and a carhart coat worn backwards helps). None of them have ever met a veterinarian. I like my cats half wild.

vaskidmark · « **Reply #8 on:** September 25, 2013, 11:17:51 PM »

At the stage you describe the cat is essentially useless as stir-fry and totally unacceptable for either slipper or mitten material.

Either consult you vet about how to improve the cat's functioning or about how to humanely eliminate the problem(s).

If Mom is a hoarder and even one cat is urinating on the floors there is a good chance that others are as well. Service-Pro and their ilk may be able to do a cleanup without needing to tear everything out. It's worth an on-site consultation. As for the hoarding, Mom may need an intervention that includes the choice of giving up some of the beasts or facing fines/jail time. Your local humane society and/or animal control folks can advise you. Or you could call PETA - they love to scoop up the critters and kill them non-humanely. http://www.petakillsanimals.com/proof (This one is very graphic and very NSFW or small children or other sensitive folks http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nathan-j-winograd/peta-kills-puppies-kittens_b_2979220.html )

stay safe.

Tallpine · « **Reply #9 on:** September 26, 2013, 10:12:46 AM »

Quote from: Kingcreek on September 25, 2013, 09:23:20 PM

I was hoping this thread was about an old diesel powered crawler. Dang.
...

Yeah, that's what I was thinking.

Someday I should scan some old pictures of me and my D2 skidding and loading logs.

Sindawe · « **Reply #10 on:** September 26, 2013, 11:31:14 AM »

Second the Felaway suggestion, it does help in reducing the level of anxiety and tension in multi-cat households. As well as a trip to the Vet.

For litter boxes, the formula should be "X number of litter boxes = Y number of cats +1"

If getting a kennel for the cat provides some peace from harrassment, I'd not rule it out.

Sergeant Bob · « **Reply #11 on:** September 26, 2013, 02:12:26 PM »

Missed the target!

Devonai · « **Reply #12 on:** September 27, 2013, 12:51:23 PM »

If the cat is peeing in one or two spots only, try puppy training pads. My 17 year old stopped using the litter box but she will pee on the pads. No UTI or health problems, she just doesn't like sharing with the younger csts.

Parker Dean · « **Reply #13 on:** September 27, 2013, 02:06:20 PM »

Ok sorry for the delay in responding, the life of a trucker you know.

Anyway, made it home late yesterday. Turns out the "miscreant" is outside and seems to be having a great time of it. Wouldn't come in on her own, just stood in the door. Unfortunately with the weather turning cooler this won't be a long-term solution since she has virtually no fur now (she is a black, long-fur cat btw.) leading some to comment upon seeing her for the first time "what the hell is that?!" All ribs and bones now though. Petting her is about like rubbing a skeleton. Eats like a horse and gets around like a much younger cat. She trots out to greet you at the car when you come home. I've got a cell pic, just need to find a mini usb cable since there's no reliable data service here, and I'll post it up later.

Thanks for the suggestions, and on the litterboxes there are four for the 8 that have the general run of the house, with another for yet another older cat that was terrorized by the younger ones and has been isolated in another room. They like to poke that one with claws just to make her scream which scares mother since it'll be all quiet and then suddenly a loud YEOW! in the middle of the night

grampster · « **Reply #14 on:** September 27, 2013, 06:48:13 PM »

Getting skinny and peeing in places not intended for peeing usually is a sign of kidney failure. Cats of that age usually have that problem and it's a sign they should be put down for charitable reasons. Sorry. It's tough to do, but cats I've had that wound up this way are miserable, not happy kitties.

Parker Dean · « **Reply #15 on:** September 28, 2013, 05:10:39 PM »

OK finally managed to work around older computer and newer mobile device interface issues and get a couple pics of the offending beastie resized and uploaded

Sergeant Bob · « **Reply #16 on:** September 28, 2013, 05:41:36 PM »

Like Tallpine and Grampster said, I think it's time.

TommyGunn · « **Reply #17 on:** September 28, 2013, 05:58:33 PM »

PLEASE put that decimated creature out of its misery..... PLEASE.

Azrael256 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 28, 2013, 07:06:00 PM »

Is the animal actually miserable, or skinny and mangy? I guess I don't know the history, but trotting out to say hello and rubbing legs doesn't say miserable to me. There's not a lot of cat under most long hair cats, so skinny may be normal. Either way, a vet visit is in order.

Kidney failure is no joke. It killed one of mine. I didn't wait around for it to get truly awful, and it was still bad. If the cat fails the whiz test, end it.

BobR · « **Reply #19 on:** September 28, 2013, 07:26:07 PM »

If I had to take a wild guess, from the pictures and the statement that she eats like a horse and is still skinny, I would bet her thyroid is out of whack (hyperthyroidism), and has been for quite a while. It is probably too late to extend her life much, but you could take her to the vet for testing, and if needed try some meds. If not willing to do that, her days are probably numbered, but who really knows.

http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/cliented/hyperthyroidism.aspx

bob

cassandra and sara's daddy · « **Reply #20 on:** September 28, 2013, 07:36:27 PM »

Went through that with 16 year old dog. She was going down hill near the end she had a mini recovery. Lost weight got real active again kicked the young dogs butts. It lasted longer than i expected 3 months but i was watching for the crash. Had to move fast then but those last good months were a gift

damn phone

Tallpine · « **Reply #21 on:** September 28, 2013, 07:43:37 PM »

I had one that looked like this. It needed to be put out of my misery, so I traded it off for a 1958 Apache C-60 truck.

TommyGunn · « **Reply #22 on:** September 28, 2013, 11:32:38 PM »

Boomhauer · « **Reply #23 on:** September 29, 2013, 12:00:11 AM »

Quote from: Tallpine on September 28, 2013, 07:43:37 PM

I had one that looked like this. It needed to be put out of my misery, so I traded it off for a 1958 Apache C-60 truck.

Our '39 D-7. The blade frame (LeTourneau) was broken by a fallen oak tree. I don't know if it's going to be possible to restore it. Ex military dozer, too.

This winter I'm going to try to get the blade frame off, try to get her started, and see if there is enough to piece together into a restoration job.

Parker Dean · « **Reply #24 on:** October 04, 2013, 05:04:27 PM »

Mother called a couple days ago, frustrated by the urination problems and wondering aloud about euthanizing the cat because of that. I said you could see what the vet says and mother said "Thanks!" like she needed my permission or something.

Anyway, she took the cat in this morning and blood work found liver failure, anemia, and some other things mother alluded to but did not specify so she had the animal euthanized on the vet's recommendation.

Just thought those as participated in the thread might like to know the outcome.

News:

Author Topic: Old Cat (Read 3898 times)