Elderly cat help and info. please

SIChins · 08-23-2006, 05:43 PM

I don't have a cat anymore, my cat died at 19 years of age, and was healthy as a horse, and just passed in her sleep one night. Now, my neighbours cat (who looked healthy back in June when I first saw the cat), came up my driveway yesterday, staggering, and was shockingly thin. I could feel every bone down her spine, and every rib, I have NEVER seen a cat this thin that was alive, just in abuse pictures where the cats were deceased from starvation. So, I grabbed one of my chins pet carriers, put the cat in (and fed her), and had Doug drive me to the SPCA. I took her in there, and they looked at her and said they didn't want to deal with her, so told me to take her to the pound. Sooo, we drive to the pound (which is run by a real jerk who is a wannabe cop), and he said, "just take her back and let her go where you found her". I told him to reach in and pet her, she is shockingly thin, he hesitated, since he didn't want to deal with her either, but he reached in, and took out the paperwork needed to take in a stray.
This morning, Doug and I are on the deck having coffee, and the poor thin cat came back to our house. I was angry, but she was meowing like crazy, so I put some food down for her, which she DEVOURED in no time (just like yesterday), and proceded to nap on my front stoop. Eventually, the owner came by, I watched as she tried to coax the cat to come to her (bizarre, since the cat practically jumped into my arms), and then she told us off, and said the cat is thin because she is 17 years old. She put the cat in the house, drove by, and yelled at us to leave her elderly 18 year old cat alone. When she came home, she told my neighbour that the cat is thin because she is 19 years old (she ages fast). Anyways, I intend to get a few pictures of the cat if she comes back so I can post them here, so you can see what I mean. But, I am wondering, has anyone ever seen an elderly cat so thin that it looks like it is starved?

Brandy · 08-23-2006, 07:14 PM

hmmm,,that is absolutely horrible!!!

maybe its just the cats that I know,,but all the ones I seen including my grandparents 18 yr old cats, are FAT!! they are all so lazy when they get old and every one I have ever seen definately is far from skinny!!

I cant believe the SPCA and the pound...that poor kitty
why the heck would the SPCA do that???

SIChins · 08-23-2006, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandy

I cant believe the SPCA and the pound...that poor kitty
why the heck would the SPCA do that???

Because they are all idiots out here, known for slamming people and are more worried about other stuff than the animals. I had my eyes opened recently, and this just confirmed it.

Here are pictures of the little girl, I checked her ears, and it looks like she must have had a mite treatment at the pound before they brought her back. Anyways, she is, once again, sleeping on my front stoop right now.

Banshee · 08-23-2006, 07:41 PM

Years ago I knew an ancient cat who weighed next to nothing but she was a rarity. The other older cats I've known were all good healthy sizes. Poor kitty

Banshee · 08-23-2006, 07:43 PM

Oh my god...I just saw the photos after submitting my last post

That is definitely not normal for an old cat to be that thin. Is it possible to take her to the SPCA or shelter in another town? Or take her to be assessed by a vet? That's absolutely ghastly.

SIChins · 08-23-2006, 07:47 PM

I just spoke to someone from another town SPCA, and they were appalled when I told them what happened. She said to keep feeding her for awhile, and once the neighbours rage has died down, I can either take her to a vet in town, or someone from their shelter will come and get her. In the meantime, we are feeding her, and she is eating with no problems. Because these people are known drug dealers, they are worried something will come back on my family (and so am I). The city pound told these people that we are the ones that brought the cat in, that is why the woman came directly to my house to claim her and yell at us.

Banshee · 08-23-2006, 07:57 PM

Oh crap, drug dealers

Yes, be careful, definitely. You're a rock star for caring so much about her

Mollymitten · 08-23-2006, 08:36 PM

That poor poor baby! Please be very careful with these people. I hope something can be done to help that cat.

suzoo · 08-23-2006, 09:02 PM

OMG.. that is so wrong!
Yes, I have seen cats that thin that are old.. but the pound was wrong to tell them who brought the cat in.. that is against the Privacy Act & I'd be calling them on that.. I can understand if the cat is very ill & old and at the end of her life getting to look like that, but it doesn't sound like these people are taking very good care of her... she needs Vet care & to be kept in the house where it's safe. If a cat came to our shelter like that, we'd be issuing them an order to see a Vet immediately.

SIChins · 08-26-2006, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzoo

OMG.. that is so wrong!
Yes, I have seen cats that thin that are old.. but the pound was wrong to tell them who brought the cat in.. that is against the Privacy Act & I'd be calling them on that.. I can understand if the cat is very ill & old and at the end of her life getting to look like that, but it doesn't sound like these people are taking very good care of her... she needs Vet care & to be kept in the house where it's safe. If a cat came to our shelter like that, we'd be issuing them an order to see a Vet immediately.

Sue, were those cats as thin looking as this one? I dunno, it just doesn't look normal.
She came around 3 times yesterday to eat, and polished off a huge bowl of water. I fed her again this morning, and more fresh water, but then the owners stuck her in the house, so she hasn't been back all day. I figure I will just keep feeding her, and see how she looks in a few weeks. She already has a little bit of a belly, I really think she was starving. All I could get short notice was some Iams (since I am still unable to drive since the surgery), but tomorrow Doug is home in the morning, so I am getting him to take me and get some good food for her.