Wanted: Advice from Anyone with an OLD Pet Cat......

J.,
My mother-in-law had a cat that she got when my husband was born as a kitten and that cat lived until he was 22 or 23, so cats can live for a long time as long as they are healthy. I met the cat when we were 16 and did not see sings of aging until she was close to 20 years old, but were told she was a very special case.

Hi J.,

We had a 10 year old tabby cat who LOVED being outside. In the end we chose quality of life for him over quantity. We were told that indoor cats live longer lives, 18-20 years, but he was so miserable when we kept him indoors. He did usually spend nights inside, and kept his outside times to daylight. When he was younger, he would stay out at nights too. But as he got older, he would usually stay inside at night and even sleep with us. He died at 10 due to a lung tumor - not at all related to his outdoor vs. indoor activities. (He too was a neutered and wonderful cat.) We currently have a 10 year old female with vision impairment (from birth, but seems to have deteriorated). She has chosen to limit her outdoor time quite a bit with age. We have foxes in our area and several who spend quite a bit of time in our back yard. They tend to come early morning and evenings/night, so those times we will let her into the garage if she wants out and is persistent. Otherwise, we limit her outdoor activities to daytime, and call her in if we see foxes. She has been lucky more than smart.

I've known cats who've lived to 18 and 20, but I've never known one that was happy. They always were indoor, mean and/or jumpy, and hid most of the time. For our cats and their personalities, we chose to allow outside times for their happiness. It's a tough decision, especially in wild country areas, and we have lost cats to mountain lions, but I have to say they were happy cats.

Hello J.,
I can tell you my in-laws cat lived to about 20yrs old!!! She was mostly an outside cat, but would come in during cold weather etc.. that cat was never sick either and I don't think they even ever got her shots. But she really didn't start having problems until she turned 19. Sadly she was put down this year, but until then she was healthy as can be, and was always aloud to go outside. She started having bad litter box habits as she got to her last year, she wouldn't use it, she'd go on the floor instead. But as far as hearing and vision, she lost a little of it, but really was a pretty active cat up until the end. I'd just keep doing what your doing, the cat is probably to old to change his habits and would not be happy to be made an "indoor only" cat. Hope he lives several more healthy years for you!! Oh and also, I had a cat that actually got cancer from her distemper vaccine!! She was an indoor only cat, tried to keep her healthy by getting her shots, and her shot was what ended up killing her. I was devistated!!!!! I have a cat now that I do still get his shots, and he is aloud to go in and outside, and he's pretty happy that he gets the best of both worlds!

Hi J.
I am veterinary technician and see old cats all the time at hour clinic.Some cats start showing signs of aging earlier than others.The age your cat is would be good idea to check some basic bloodwork.Good quality diet,vaccines,dental care and yearly bloodwork would be great idea for any pet.
Some cat owners let they cat go outside even when they are close to 20y!They usually slow down on going outside and want to hang around closer to the house as they age.We see cats as old as 17-20y with good care.Glucosamine is something you might consider for your aging cat, but I would recommend getting exam and talking to your veterinarian who can best get the right plan for your aging pet.Hope this helped a little. A.

I have a 12 year old 'Tigger' and we live right next to open space - lots of foxes and coyotes - and a bully cat two houses away who likes to roam at night and pick fights. So, we've been forced to bring our boy indoors at night. He doesn't pee on things but he wanders around the house meowing - loudly - all night. Our solution after many sleepless night was to limit him to part of the house, away from bedrooms. We haven't installed a door yet, but we put together a wall of sorts - we call it the "wailing wall" to close off the doorway. It works. He stays safe and sound on his side of the wall and has actually gotten used to it. Perhaps there is some way to limit his access to areas where he's likely to do damage - like a basement. It may sound mean, but he will adjust and it's much safer for him.
And cats can live a very long time - often into their late teens. I had a cat as a child that lived to 22 years old. My daughter loves our cat sooooo much, and he is such a gentle loving beast - it's my responsibility to take protect him.
Good luck with your 'Tigger'

C.

Hi J., I just recently had to euthanize my dear old cat, she was 17. She was an indoor cat and we first noticed alot of howling at night (which we found out is consistant with senility) when she was 15 or 16. We also noticed a decrease in weight about the same time, even tho she ate well (most likely organs struggling). She was a happy cat so we didn't go thru all the medicine/vet stuff and one day she just stopped eating and we knew it was time. I think as old age sets in, many things will increase the likelyhood of your cat not coming back home, is there any way to enclose a porch or only let him out on a leash when you are present??? Good luck, S.

Hi,

I had a cat that lived about 12 years, then his health declined pretty quickly due to renal failure. He died a couple years ago :(
He seemed to have good hearing, vision and such but his kidneys failed him. I would have to give him subcutaneous fluids for about a month before he finally died.
My cat was an indoor cat most of his life, during his Senior years he was always inside. The only times he would go out before was under supervision and I'd just let him walk around in the backyard.
Other than giving him the fluids to try to help him stay alive, there wasn't much else I could do for him in the end. We gave him his space and let him sleep where he wanted and felt safe and warm.

I hope your cat continues to do so well. I would recommend keeping him close to home now that he is getting older though.

Best wishes,
P.
Join me at http://mamastimeout.com :)

Hi J.!
I have had cats all my life growing up. We've had indoor/outdoor cats when I was a teen, and when we moved to a different state our new comer cats are indoor only. I now have three cats of my own and are strictly indoors for the reasons you state above. :-) However, cats are very resourceful animals and can survive and protect themselves from vicious animals like coyotes/dogs etc. Some don't make it though. Cats can live around the age 17-20 years. My Mom's cat Sarah, is 17 years old right now. She has arthritis, and doesn't like to be petted like she use to cause it hurts a bit. She's still a pretty healthy kitty. You're cat is 12? Well, he is still a pretty healthy kitty and very alert and can probably outrun most other animals. Outrunning doesn't necessarily mean faster, just more creative/dodging/jumping etc.
Keep an eye on him. Watch for signs that him doesn't hear as well, or see as well. Watch out for arthritis. When either of these start to make their way into your cats lifestyle, then I would suggest keeping him indoors only. You can also create a screened patio so that he can still go outdoors, but still be secure within an area so that he doesn't get out in harms way.
I pray that Tigger has many more years to enjoy with his loving family. Take care and blessings to you all!

I've had cats since I was 6 or 7 - so that's 30is years. ALL our cats have been indoor/outdoor cats. When we lived in New Mexico we lived right behind an alphalpha field. My mother was always worried that the cat would be in the field at harvest time. Never happened. She moved to California with us - matter of fact, freaked out my folks when she went out the window and walked down the side of the car to the trunk while we were driving down the freeway!!

In So. Cal, we had several more cats. We lived in the middle of nowhere - it was an hour to town - on the freeway! So, coyotes, montain lions and snakes were rampant. We lost some cats, and some we kept.

When we came to Tucson, Dad went and got a kitten. I had her for 14 years - as an indoor/outdoor cat. She was a great cat - well, no one else really liked her, but since she was mine I didn't care. But, as she got older, she would potty in the corner - right in front of us. I think sometimes their cat personalities just really are there - you know a kinda "what are you going to do about it" thing. She would do rotten stuff if she was ticked at us.

At 14, her kidneys failed and after she threw up blood twice, I had to have her put to sleep. But, as she got older and felt worse, she went outside less and less, but that was her choice.

My best friend's health failed at the age of 14. He just didn't act himself. He became very unsocial and his eyes were glossy. When I took him to the vet they said he had very bad kidney failure and it was best to put him down. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but he went in my arms. He was an indoor cat but, at the end, he just wanted to be outside. Just love him. Take him outside with you. He may have a longer life if he avoids the coyotes. Good luck!

Well my Mom has a cat who is still alive He is 18 years old. He is also allowed to go in and out. A couple months ago he was attacked by a dog. We had to take him to the kitty emergency room and he had to have extensive surgery. He is now only allowed to go outside for a coulpe hours when my Mom is there at her house so that she can hear if he is in trouble. She has also opened up her storage shed so that if he needs to he has a place that he can hide. If I were you i would be very caefull coyotes are notorious for snatching small pets and making them dinner. If you continue to let him outside make sure he has a place that he can escape to. As far as the peeing on stuff call you vet to see if they have any suggestions to help with that. Good Luck.
A.

I grew up along side our cat Misty. May dad got her a yr before my older brother was born which is 2 yr before me. She sounds a lot like your Tigger, very healthy, active, loving and fun. The last time we saw her was when I was about 14. That made her 17. She went off one day and didn't come back. They make special food for an older cats diet and we used that with her. I think he your cat is used to going outside and you try to keep him in he will get upset and either show his displeasure in your home or sneak out anyways. Let your kitty have the same life he's always had unless it's unsafe for him.

I personally do not have cats, but my mother has had about 10 in the last 20 years rotating in and out of the house. My mother cats usually live between 10 and 13 yrs. All her cats have been outdoor cats and live in Downeast ME with many of the wildlife hazards we have here. What my mother has discovered is that older cats tend to want the freedom to wander off and die quietly when it is their time to go. She has tried to keep one or two of them as indoor cats after a certain age just to prevent the wander, but they get very angry and confused at the sudden change in life style. I liken it to trying to complete change the environment of someone who has altzheimers, and the shortened life that often follows. My recommendation is to keep your cats life as status quo as possible.
I know that when the time comes the loss will be great, and my heart and prayers go out to you. I do encourage you to give your cat a happy peaceful last year or so.

Can you put kitty in the same room with the litter box and shut the door? Cats can live to be 17 plus years, so his selection of sites for his "jobs" could fray your families' nerves. What does your vet say?

First keeping your cat inside will add YEARS to his life. I had a cat that recently passed that went out when she was a lot younger then I started just keeping her in (took her a few weeks to get used to the idea) and she lived to be 16!
You may think you are doing your cat a favor by letting him out however the danger factor to him is huge, other cats that are strays that carry disease, coyotes, hit by cars, poisenings from what other people leave out around their house...
Your cat is a senior right now. I would just try and keep him entertained if he still is playful and even use catnip to encourage where the litter box is. Even if you you have to isolate him to a warm bathroom at night with a litter box. He will in the long run be a happier cat. My neighbors think keeping their cats in is mean, I disagree so much on this one.
I just read as a matter of fact in the paper that typically cats that are outside cats have an average life span of 6 to 7 years and if kept inside and up to date on vaccines can live to be 15 these days! It may seem selfish but remember your cat coming in he can bring in disease or illness with him, if he eats a sick bird or mouse....just my two cents. I have three cats that are only allowed to explore the backyard in the summertime and I have a six foot fence, I keep their claws clipped so they cannot even climb the fence and I hang outside with them and it is only brief visits outside. One of them hates outside and she has never even been outside, hee hee...

Male cats are pretty old at 12, but can live to be 16 plus. It's best not to let any cat out where there are coyotes. It's basically only a matter of time... Cats don't really "show" signs of aging until they're really old, and even then they just look kind of skinny unless they have other health problems. Is keeping him in the garage an option? That's where ours live when we're not home.

Our cat lived until 22, but looked like she died 10 years ago, she looked so awful. She had no boundaries and coyotes lived in the lot next door. She eventually stopped eating when she turned 22.

Hi, I have a female cat thats about 18 years old. For the first ten years of life she was an outdoor cat then we moved up the east where our back faces a wash. At first when we moved here we let her out with another cat who went out one night and never came back. Thats when we decided to make her an indoor cat. She hated it at first for a while. But eventually she's gotten used to the idea. But if we leave a door open too long she shoots for it leaving us wandering around looking for her. Once she got out and about a hour later I heard crows caawing nearby and when I walked outside there on the roof was my poor old little cat crying while two huge crows were cawing at her about to attack. I guess her being old an frail looked like an easy meal. It made my heart so sad to think this might be the way my friend of many years would leave this earth, terrified and ripped apart by an ugly animal. BUT, she has a horrible habit of peeing on one spot of the carpet, its so bad the carpet is permanently ruined and we had to put a sheet of plastic down to pee on instead. She will occasionally poop on the carpet too, I figure she's old and going senile? I look at it like she's an old member of the family who you take care of and have to do whats in their best interest because they're no spring chicken anymore. My cat has a very good indoor life and is pretty much happy. Good Luck!

Hi J.,

My cat is 18 years old and the one other cat I have had lived to be 20 so I understand worrying about older cats. I have an 8th month old who loves to play with Gertie but I worry about her because she is so fragile. If you continue to take your cat to the vet then he could live for another 8 years or so.

I would keep him inside as much as possible and make sure that he stays in at night to avoid any dangerous animals. Our kitties stay inside all the time and are very happy. We give them toys and cat nip to make life a little more exciting for them. They also have the joy of having to watch out for a grabby little 8 month old that wants to pet them but ends up pulling their hair.

Good luck!
Maggie

My advice...get pet insurance for your cat. Believe me it will be much cheaper in the long run. (it cost more to have a cats teeth cleaned then a persons...way more). As they get older you need to have their teeth cleaned (I think every 2 years)

I have had two female cats that have both lived to be over 20 yrs old. One died due to an abscessed tooth, she was too old to do surgery to remove the tooth. I think she was about 23. My other female had kidney problems we think she was also about 23 yrs. Both of my female cats did have a thyroid problem and went to the cat specialist were we spent lots of $$$ for radiation treatment when they were about 15 yrs old.

My male cats that I have had have all died to do Liver Failure. From 13 yrs to 17 yrs. As my cats got older they would stay in more and more. My boys started to loose weight, less active and skin in the ears and gums were yellow.

Have you had your cat checked for FUS=Feline Urological Syndrome...All my male cats have had that. That makes them go potty places they normally would not. The treatment is some Rx then prescription cat food. My males got it when I bought a different cat food that was on sale. I'll never do that again.

As far as the Coyote's go. They will also hunt during the day. My friend was walking her dog, and a coyote came up and grabbed her dog from her while on a leash at 11:00 in the afternoon. Her dog has some puncture wounds and is ok now.
Try to keep your tigger in. I know how male cats get when they can't go outside. We just moved to an area that has coyotes, and my 2 cats want to go out and now they are becoming indoor cats.

Maybe you could make a cat run for him, maybe a cat door going out of a window into an enclosed run.

Good Luck.

Hi
First off, your cat really isn't that old. We had one that made it to 25 yrs! Another was 18 yrs. We understand your concern with the coyotes, as we have the same problem. Make sure your litter box inside is nowhere near where you feed your cat. Also, cats hate the smell of oranges. We have used sliced oranges in areas that they were peeing. Also, it is very difficult to keep a cat in after it has been allowed out, but it can be done. Another thing to try is canned air. If your cat pees somewhere it shouldn't, take him to the area and use the canned air in his face after you show him the pee.
Hope this helps.
Good luck,
P.L.

Hi, I have an elderly kitty also. Fritz is 15. He is an indoor cat. I lost many cats when I was younger because I let them go in or out. I made the decision when I got Fritz that he would be an indoor cat. Much to his dismay!
His health started to slowly decline about 2 years ago. He has mild glaucoma, and early stages of renal failure. I was told that is fairly common in older kitties. I have him on a special diet to slow down the progress. It is a mixture of his favorite food and prescription. The prescription food is not very tasty so he wouldn't eat it alone.
I take him to Banfield Pet Hospital in Petsmart. We recently moved here to Denver. We have already been to his new doctor a few times. They are very nice and I can tell Fritz likes them.
Hope some of that helps.

Hi J.,

I have a 16 year old cat and my hubby is a veterinarian, so I thought I'd give you a little feedback on our situation and see if it helps.

My cat is actually my childhood cat that lives with my parents up in the mountains. I left home 12 years ago, but he's always remained with my parents because he is an outdoor mountain cat. Like your Tigger, "Dandruff" is an indoor and outdoor cat. He has a litter box in the event that he HAS to use it, but typically if he needs to go he lets us know and we'll let him outside. Because my parents house borders national forest, and he is an all white cat (could get skin cancer easier living at the high elevation)sofor most of his life he has spent the days inside sleeping and his evenings outside on the prowl.

Because of their location, we have always worried about him getting caught by a bear or mountain lion, but he always loved going outside so we've never had the heart to cut it off completely. I must say though, we always considered him our "wildlife warning" because there are some nights he would go out an hour or so and then demand to be let in, while other nights he refused to go out at all. We know he must have had a couple close encounters - when he was A LOT younger he came home a couple times with some deep gashes that needed stitches, but somehow he has kept himself safe enough to see 16.

I often look at him and think the stories he would probably be able to tell us if he could talk! Like you, it scares my family the thought of him going outside. My parents have also said that in the last couple years (maybe when he turned 13 or 14???) he hasn't longed for the outdoors as much. When he does go outside, it's usually at dusk for an hour or two and then he'd rather be inside getting some attention from his people! (no more all-nighters.) My husband, being a veterinarian, is amazed at his health and energy. Dandruff still pounces around the house and plays like a kitten. His overall weight is good, and is fur still has a shine to it. My mom says that for the first time recently she looked at him and saw his age a bit more in his fur (sounds like he is starting to show a little age) but overall he shows no sign of slowing down, or any health issues we should be concerned about.

I understand your concern from 2 sides - I may not live at home, but I (as well as my parents) worry about our old man all the time. I live in HR now, and have a 5 year old calico that lives with us - she is strictly an indoor kitty, and always has been, and I would be worried sick with the thought of her going outside! My advice with our experience from Dandruff - as much as we didn't want him to go outside before, he was such an explorer we could never really hold him back. (where as my little city cat is such a princess she has no desire to go outside.) Like Dandruff, I think for Tigger to make it this long he's got to be smart and have an idea of what he's looking out for. If you are concerned, I would try to limit trips outside to the dusk/early evening period, and for a couple hours so you can watch him a bit more. Hopefully that will be enough to get the energy out for him. If he's anything like Dandruff, in the next couple years he will WANT to come in versus pulling all nighters - not because he's in poor health, but because he wants to be with his people.

We have not done anything "special" for Dandruff - with the exception that he doesn't spend the nights outside. He still eats the same food, and being married to a vet we've learned we watch his water intake - basically, we make sure that he is drinking the same "normal" amount. My husband will say to also monitor how often they are peeing, but of course that is harder when they go outside! Although he has had to have a few teeth pulled, at 16 Dandruff appears to have great listening/seeing senses still. I would say the only difference in is personality is he craves attention from his people much more!

Hope some of this insight on another "older" cat helps. As healthy as he is, every day I half expect a phone call from my parents saying he is gone due to age. I wonder if when his time comes he will go in mountains and not return home - not because he is caught by another animal, but because he knows it's time and finds a peaceful spot. But I have to tell you - even at 16, he doesn't show ANY signs of that day coming any time soon!

Good luck with Tigger!

M.

Most healthy cats can live well into their teens and possibly into their twenties, so your 12-year-old isn't geriatric yet. I have noticed that mature kitties to tend to get quite picky about their habits (ie, peeing on the laundry/bed if they can't get outside). Maybe you can put a clean litter box next to the cat door when it's closed, or in your laundry room? My cat Samantha got very particular about a clean potty when she was older, so I just had to be careful to keep up with it daily. If you make the nightly routine consistent, I bet your kitty will adjust after a bit.