Cat help question?

Susie:  Well theres no doubt about it, I would be bringing that cat home to my dog, and 2 cats.  13 isnt that old.  Some cats cat live up to 18  y/o.  I think introducing them would be the hardest part.  Bringing each animal home from a save a pet situation, I had to introduce each.  Started with a male cat, then got a female cat - it took about 5 days to get used to each other.  Kept them separate for the first couple of days.  Then my dog Mister had to be introduced to 2 cats.  Im 58 also.  Its harder now, but my animals are my family and give me alot of please in my life.

Good luck with your decision.

I've had cats my entire life.  I can't imagine living without at least one or two in the house.  Right now I have three spayed females (and two bullmastiffs).  I've had male cats in the past as well and would suggest that you would want to have them both neutered otherwise they can get into marking their territory obsessively.  In one case, I had two male litter mates... one drove the other out permanently.  It's difficult (read impossible) to correct spraying behavior.  I've had neutered and intact cats do that.  Once a sprayer, always a sprayer....  I think neutering young helps prevent / avoid that behavior.

Cats tend to adapt quite readily if you take it slow.  Keep the cats in different parts of the house for a few days, then gradually introduce them to each other (i.e. keep the new house guest in a spare bedroom with the door closed).  There's likely to be a little hissing and posturing but they generally regain their composure. 

As for age, my girlfriend's, siamese lived 'til 22.  She (the cat) was incontinent toward the end of her life but that was way older than 13.

I agree with tooyoung, a good once over by a vet, updated shots, and he should be good to go and very lucky to have crossed your path.

t

Awwww, Susie, you are the sweetest. 

Let me try and remember. LOL  I had a pom and a male cat.  My daughter's female cat lived with us also.  After she moved I wanted my male cat, Gizmo, to have a friend.  I found Mitzi.  They got along beautifully..snuggled, cleaned each other, and sometimes fought..LOL  Siblings..you know?  Well, Gizzy was put to sleep..cancer.  Tasha my pom was also put to sleep while I was doing rads.  Okay, I'm gonna start crying.  Anyway, Tasha was a very sick girl and she was 16.  Then, as I've told this story over and over, I didn't want Mitzi to be all alone.  I brought in a feral who we had been feeding.  She was quite shy and also had another cat she hung with.  The other one was friendly, but I felt sorry for the shy one and decided to bring her in AFTER a vet's visit.  Well, that didn't work out, sooooo, I adopted a kitten.  That worked for Mitzi.  Well, Prissy (the feral) was all alone, sooooooooo we brought in her friend she USED to hang with.  Prissy always loved Cleo (the new cat that we brought in..the friendly one), and it has worked out.  So, two cats upstairs and two cats downstairs unless I'm upstairs.  Kinda confusing, huh?

I think the suggestion of a trial "visit" would be good.  Seems if the man cared so much for his kitty that he would have had him neutered, but you can tell pretty much if he was or wasn't.  Also, seems like he would have had him to the vets for checkups.  Hope you can find the vet he took him to so you'll know what kind of care he had.  And, I would suggest you bring something in your house that has the scent of the man.  That would comfort the cat.

I hope it works out.  I'm a huge fan of animals!  They're so much nicer than people.

Good luck to the kitty and your cats and your doggy and you!

Shirley

http://www.petfinder.com/journal/index.cgi?article=61

This is an info peice about introducing a new cat into the household.

I hope it helps.

I keep it on my favs list hoping someday to have a new baby of my own when dh agrees to keep indoor cats only.