Taking on an older cat …
Some reflections from Linda Hartley of the Cats Protection League
I often hear it said that people won’t take on an older cat because it will make its way back to its original home. Can we please dispel that myth? Cats are incredibly adaptable creatures but do need to be given the same care you would give your dog or children when it comes to settling them in their new home. An older cat has seen something of life. As such it will retain the personality and character it developed in that ‘previous’ life. When we take in an older cat we don’t always know its full background and so we are only able to judge its character and personality by how it behaves with us. Some cats have such huge personality’s that you can’t help feeling an instant affection for them. Others may have been treated badly and as a result, they may be fearful and withdrawn, acting in a way that is really a defence from what they may perceive to be a threat. It’s only with time and patience that these cats begin to realise that this new home is not like the old one, and that they are safe. When that happens, suddenly they will shine with new confidence – but it may take some time. A cat is still a wild creature even though it is domesticated and a frightening lesson learned never goes away, so maltreated cats need reassurance to know that its different now.
What we at the CPL don’t always know is how an older cat will respond to children or dogs. If they had a bad experience with either or simply don’t like them we won’t home them in that situation. Having recently acquired a new dog, I found out that some of the cats in our care reacted badly, so now I have a better knowledge of what kind of future home will suit them – or not. It will be interesting to see if some of the hostile or scared cats come to accept Jasmine, our Old English Sheepdog puppy. If they do, that will change their homing possibilities yet again. Jasmine,. too, has to settle in her new home of cats, and I’ll let you know how she gets on.
Returning to the question of a cat going back to its old home, let me reassure you that if a cat has come from a bad home it certainly won’t be making its way back there! A cat that has got lost often tries to return home, but that also depends on what or who it meets along the way. If it meets a situation that seems very comfortable and is welcomed then it might decide to stay at that point, but a cat that has a really close bond with its original owner will probably use an intermediate house as a ‘rest stop’ and then continue on its way.
Most of the cats coming into our care are given a period of recuperation and rehabilitation before we try to home them. When they are placed in their new home, with advice from us to the owner on the right care and attention, then there is 99.99% chance of that cat settling down well. In rare cases where the cat does not settle, it is usually because of something in the history of the cat we were unaware of, or that the new owner has tried to rush the settling-in process and made the cat feel uneasy.
We are always on hand to help with further advice on how to deal with a problem or difficult – and we do hope people are not too previse in their demands for a particular kind of cat, i.e. that it must be white or Persian or tortoiseshell. They are creatures after all and not products. We will, of course, endeavour always to home a cat that suits the owner’s lifestyle but also hope to find a home that suits the cat!
Please, please don’t discount an older cat. They have characters and personalities that are simply looking for a home where they can be loved as much as they would have been when they were kittens. I know from first-hand experience how different older cats can become from the time they arrive to the time of settling ina new home. One that I’ll always remember was a true fighter and it seemed impossible for him to get along with other cats – yet today he has become one of the most affectionate, funny and loveable residents, and runs from any kind of confrontation rather than face it head on. A complete transformation! The rewards that came from taking in an older cat can be truly enormous. You know that YOU have been accepted and are loved in return, and that is a great happiness.
