Care for my Old Lady

Yesterday I brought home my 17-year-old girl in a bit of a state. I had her as a kitten when I was 6 and she went missing a while back. She was yesterday returned to me but as far as I can tell she hadn't eaten for about two days, she's not long had a litter of kittens (not found and she's not nursing), she's riddled with fleas, ticks, mites, lice, flea dirt and worms, her tail's been snapped at the base at some point and broken in two more places (it's healed and although she can't use it, the tail's still 'alive' so I'd rather not put her through surgery unnecessarily at her age).

My boyfriend and I gave her a bath when we got her back to get rid of the parasites and treated her sores with calamine and diluted disinfectant. She's eating and drinking normally but the next step is the worm treatment. I'm basically looking for some advice on how to look after such an old lady as my kitty-babies (her grandchildren no less) are all around the age of one. I don't really want to distress her with worming paste treatments as she's stressed enough in a strange house with smells of strange cats.

Anything you can suggest for her diet (as of tonight she's going to be on senior citizen grub) for getting her condition back and to encourage her coat to come back. Anything that would help her to start cleaning herself again or something I could use to do it for her...

...She's a lovely, affectionate old girl and I want to do my best for her. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Edit] Her name is Tabitha by the way... although she's always been known as Kitten [/Edit]

I'd get her spayed, for one thing - and the vet can give her a checkover meantime.

Having kittens at her age - if I read you right - is not healthy for a senior cat.

I hope she recovers well...you must be very relieved to have her back!

My boyfriend's been home all day so he's been keeping an eye on her. She seems okay today. Much purring and kneading and snuggling into her fleecy pillow. I've arranged for her to have a checkup tonight when I get out of work.

She's going to be an indoor cat now as I don't really want to put her through surgery at all if it can be avoided... she's had enough turmoil over the past couple of years and there's going to be more upheaval soon as I'm moving house in a few weeks plus she's living now with strange cats. The only male I have has been done as has my little baby kitty girl Amber so there won't be any more kittens around.

It is so good to have her back. I missed my little lady.

Just curious:

How long was she gone from you?

How do you know she had kittens?

Did she have an ID collar or something that she was returned to you?



At 17 years old, I would be extremely hesitant of any surgery also.

glad she's been returned to you so she can get good care again.

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At 17 years old, I would be extremely hesitant of any surgery also.

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Great advice. At 17, surgery for spaying is VERY risky. So glad she's back with you and will be pampered and spoiled.

How long had she been missing? I am wondering why she would be stressed about 'strange kitties' in a house...unless she has been gone so long she forgot.

If you can take a stool sample to a vet, and mention her age, I think they could dispense a pill or two. These days, you only need one tablet most of the time.

Once the worms are gone, she'll get all the benefit from the good food she is eating, and her coat will show it.

You might want to get Omega-3 oil for cats, or ask the vet for something basic and not too expensive.

Give her a pat for me!

I last saw her at 18... I'm now pushing 23 and have moved out of my parents house and have my own little kitty babies. She was found in a shed somewhere with the remnants of a collar. I'm not sure of the exact story.. I just wanted my kitty back. I thought she'd gone off somewhere to die.

She seems better today... and to be honest it's the other kits that are spitting and swearing... She just sat on the sofa (in *my* seat of course) purring quietly to herself.

She really didn't think much of the wormer tablet so she's had a spot-on wormer treatment for the moment and I'll try again with the tablet in a week but the spot on should give it a headstart. It's like she has a sixth sense. Hiding it in food, she ate around it. Hand-feeding her a piece of ham with the tablet in it resulted in her promptly spitting it out and I'm sure many of you can empathise with the demonic inner of your beloved creatures that emerges occasionally when trying to administer medication the manual way. Any tips?

I've got her some senior food (wet and dry) and I'm mixing in a small amount of fish oil with the wet for her joints and coat. Her coat's looking better already now that the lice have gone and she's grooming again. She's getting brushed everyday to get rid of the nits (and to generally spoil her rotten) and there's nothing really wrong with her apart from the worms. She's a tough old girl!

She may be tough but she is old. Surgery isn't a good idea, especially spaying, but please have your vet give her a complete physical, blood work, etc. She needs pampering, as you say, and lots of good vet care. Sounds like she's been through a lot. Good luck and give her a stroke or two for me.

So, did your parents leave her out and she got lost, or something like that?? It seems odd that she was "found" in a shed with a part of a collar. Thank goodness someone was able to get in contact with you. Poor thing. She really needs to be pampered and taken care of in her old age, and be an indoor cat. Get her to the vet, get some Revolution or Frontline on her, and giver her lots of love and really really good cat food that will get her back in tip top shape!

I sympathised when I read about the snapped tail of your old cat. Years ago, my cat went missing for several days. I called and called her, but would sadly go inside when she didn't come. I thought she was dead. Then one night I went through the same routine, but realized it was rubbish collection the next day, and went outside again. And there, sitting quietly, was my cat. She was very thin, and her tail was dragging along the ground. The vet said he thought she had been hit by a car, that her pelvis was broken but would heal OK, but that I ought to have her tail removed when she had recovered sufficiently.
Thing was, she had a habit (don't they all?), when I was reading the paper, of stalking over the page I was reading and then sitting on the exact paragraph, all innocent. And I had a habit of running my hand along the spine while she walked past, and then gently tugging on the tail. I completely forgot about the broken tail, until I heard (and felt) it go click. From then on, she had movement in it, albeit kinky and not terribly elegant, but no feeling obviously, as I realized later when both of us looked around for the source of the burning smell one night, and found it was the tip of her tail, in the heater!
That old girl lived to 20 years old. For the last three or four of those years, she had medication for an overactive thyroid. She was a darling old cat, and in the end she was a querulous old lady, demanding food and a hot water bottle, and sleeping her days and nights away. I miss her still.
With your old girl, I'd be inclined to get a really good flea comb, and do some one on one bonding with her, by grooming her coat. She'll feel better, you'll get some fleas and eggs off her, and you'll have given her a real boost.
Good luck!