# Looking for advice - may have to temporarily rehome elderly cat.



## snugglebear (Jul 13, 2017)

Hello, I’d appreciate any advice!

I have a much loved elderly cat - originally my mother’s, but she "adopted" me and my mother is no longer in a position to have her. I have had her for five years, but am about to move across the country for university to a place where accommodation is limited and I am unable to find anywhere which will allow a cat. I’m still trying, but need to secure somewhere for September and searching for a place long distance is already difficult - it is looking like I’m going to have to take a lease for 6-12 months while I look for somewhere which will allow me to bring her to live with me, and I'm very worried about it. I really love my cat, but she's not the easiest one to care for. She's a sweetheart but anxious and clingy, and especially now she's older, stress can induce unfortunate behaviours like vomiting or toileting where she shouldn’t, so she would really need understanding from someone experienced with cats. Although her health is good considering her age, she’s almost 18, and I’m also conscious there's a chance she may not actually live long enough to join me again after the lease is up. A cattery for the length of the lease is not an option but of course I'm more than glad to pay her food/vet bills etc. Are there any charities/services/etc who might help in a situation like this, or does anyone have any suggestions? I really don't want to permanently rehome her.

Thank you in advance


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hello @snugglebear and welcome

I am afraid you would find it very hard to re-home your cat at the age of almost 18. If you found her a place in a Shelter she would be very likely to spend the rest of her life there, in a cage. As she has some problems with toiletting accidents it would also add hugely to the difficulty of getting anyone to adopt her.

On top of that it would be immensely stressful for such an elderly cat to have to adapt to a new home with new people. She would find it a challenge moving house anyway but at least if she was with you she'd have a fair chance of adapting to a new environment.

Putting her in foster care for 6 to 12 mths would also be hard for her, even assuming you could find someone to take her. And if you could find someone, then it would be unfair to move her again after 6 to 12 mths just as she had settled.

The ideal would of course be for her to go with you when you move, but I appreciate that finding student accommodation is hard and if you will be living in a shared house with other students it is not an ideal situation for an elderly anxious cat. Though I suppose she could live in your room all the time, with her food, water and litter trays.

My best suggestion if you can't find anywhere she can live with you, is to contact Goldies Cat Rescue who takes in cats over 12 yrs old and tries to rehome them. Your cat stands a better chance there of a future than she would in an ordinary Rescue where adopters all want younger cats.

http://goldies-cat-rescue.co.uk/

Good luck. I do hope things work out for your cat.


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## Quinzell (Mar 14, 2011)

100% what Chillminx has said.

If I were you, I would be tempted to keep looking for accommodation that will accept a cat. Although most will state "no pets" it's still worth asking, especially if you offer a deposit and to have carpets cleaned and to accept any costs incurred by damage caused by the cat. If you explain the situation, you may find someone sympathetic to your cause. Make a point of explaining that she is elderly and isn't a rambunctious kitten or youngster.

Good luck - renting with animals does seem to be getting harder and harder


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

Quinzell said:


> 100% what Chillminx has said.
> 
> If I were you, I would be tempted to keep looking for accommodation that will accept a cat. Although most will state "no pets" it's still worth asking, especially if you offer a deposit and to have carpets cleaned and to accept any costs incurred by damage caused by the cat. If you explain the situation, you may find someone sympathetic to your cause. Make a point of explaining that she is elderly and isn't a rambunctious kitten or youngster.
> 
> Good luck - renting with animals does seem to be getting harder and harder


Agree with this. You could also say that she is an old cat so therefore isn't likely to cause any damage.


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## snugglebear (Jul 13, 2017)

Thank you for the replies, I appreciate it!

I really don't want to rehome her. I am incredibly sad just thinking about it. I've been doing all of the above - explaining that she is old and inactive, offering a reference from my current landlord, and offering to have the property professionally cleaned before leaving - but unfortunately most letting agencies don't seem interested in helping me as soon as they find out I am a pet owner and seem to be enforcing a blanket ban without even communicating these offers to the landlords. I've only got one to even talk to me after finding out I'm a pet owner! My current let is from a family friend and I had no idea it would be this difficult to find a cat-friendly landlord. Many of the properties I've looked at are unfurnished with hard floors, and I'm not sure what damage they think a cat will do. :/ 

I am still looking, and trying to hunt out independent landlords instead of letting agents, but it's still disheartening and I am anxious to have a backup plan in place. Thank you very much for the link, Chillminx! I will look into that, it sounds helpful. You are completely right about rehoming her, it would be very hard.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Good luck @snugglebear, I hope you can find a satisfactory solution. x


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## snugglebear (Jul 13, 2017)

Just an update to say that I have finally found one place within commutable distance which will consider having a cat (only took a month) - I am travelling 400 miles to see it on Monday and hopefully start an application (I would have done it over the phone without even seeing it in person if they had let me, but they wouldn't). So I am just hoping like mad that no one else decides they want it before then and that the letting agency background checks are favourable.

Pray for me that this is successful, please!! :Nailbiting

Thank you!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Good luck!


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## Calvine (Aug 20, 2012)

Hope it works out!


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## snugglebear (Jul 13, 2017)

I got it! Very relieved.

Thank you to everyone who offered advice.


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## LJC675 (Apr 24, 2017)

Well done, what a huge relief and great result


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

Fantastic news and well done for being so determined


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