Conference misery::feline

942.0. "Recycling Cats" by LJSRV1::MARX () Wed Nov 01 1995 12:38

    A couple of times a week I've been visiting with 2 older cats, and
    really feel led to express my thoughts about the situations that older
    cats often find themselves in.  Both of them live at my vets.  
    
    Caeser - 10 year old male white longhair.  Caeser is not up for
    adoption.  He has kidney disease and was taken in by my vet when his
    owners relocated to Colorado in July.  They didn't feel he could
    survive that kind of a move so he was left behind.  I spend time with
    him twice a week.
    
    Bootsie - I've put him into the adoption file a couple of times.  He is
    a lovely longhaired male - black with white underside and white feet. 
    He's 13 years old and has lived at my vets since his owner was put into
    a nursing home last May.
    
    Both of these little guys have beautiful big soft green eyes, and I
    don't know if it's my imagination, but when I come to visit them, it
    seems like their eyes light up with anticipation.  Their physical needs
    are met and staff at the hospital spend a little time with them when
    they have a spare minute, but it's a busy place so Caeser and Bootsie
    don't get a lot of individual attention.  I've been trying to
    compensate for some of that.
    
    It seems like there are so many older cats who are losing their homes
    lately.  Maybe it's been going on forever, but it just seems out of
    control right now.  I'm certainly not trying to diminish the desperate
    situations of kittens needing homes.  It just seems that when someone
    is looking for a cat, they lean toward kittens.
    
    I have seven cats at home, 2 of them were unwanted kittens, and the
    other 5 were adults.  The last cat I rescued was 2 years ago when she
    was abandoned in the middle of town in traffic, freezing cold, and a
    snow storm.  She made the transition into my home without too much
    trouble and the others eventually accepted her.  I've never had a cat
    fight happen.
    
    I know that there are many of you who have multiple cat households as I
    do.  I guess we try to help them all and it hurts when we realize that
    we just can't do it.  "Recycling" older cats can be very rewarding. 
    They seem to be so grateful for a home.  I think there's a case to be
    made for taking in these cats who have lost the only home they've known
    for many years.  For one thing, the commitment is much shorter than
    when you adopt a kitten.  For some people, this kind of an arrangement
    can be very rewarding.  Maybe recycling older cats is something to
    promote to someone who is seriously looking for a loving companion.
    
    

    Gee, all mine are recycled.  That's a great term.....all my 10 were
    adults when I got them.  Many were from the MSPCA, some out of this
    file and then a couple loose and homeless ones.  They all get along
    great even though they were introduced at different times...
    They know they are lucky kitties!

    I am a recycler of cats too.  5 of the 7 that own me are former strays.
    Diamond, the latest was abandoned with her two grown sons in a mobile
    home with no way out.  They eventually dug a hole through the floor and
    got out that way.  Diamond had kittens while they were imprisoned.  All
    of them died - either from freezing cold, starvation or predators.  I
    found homes for the 2 boys but Diamond is still with me.
    
    I am actually glad when I hear of an older kitty staying at the vet's.
    My other Diamond (Diamond in the Fluff) was a 10-year persian that
    needed extra care.  I took him home and had him 2 months before I found
    a loving home for him.
    
    Everyone should take in an older kitty.  They are just so loving and
    grateful (just ask my 5)...
    
    Sandi and the 7 Notorious Gang