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

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.

1 mom found this helpful

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...

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.

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.

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.,

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!
M.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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 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 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.

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?

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.