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I'm not entirely sure how to word this. Hopefully it doesn't sound like a stupid thread!
As many of you know, I have outdoor farm cats. All S/N, receive vet care, etc. Many of my house cats are farm cats who just weren't cutting it - it was die or come inside. (Several of them are kitties I brought home from the shelter & weren't cut out to live outdoors) Two of them in particular, however, are cats who are in their senior years who have lived outdoors their entire lives. They were born outdoors on the farm - a mother (Slinky almost 13 y/o) & her daughter (Tabitha almost 10 y/o).
I'm curious other's thoughts on why they were no longer surviving outdoors? (In Slinky's case it was likely health issues - she probably had a stroke, at best has suffered from vision loss.) I guess I don't hear of many things like this happening in feral colonies, but I suppose that's because they hide from humans when ill & probably die.
It's not ideal that I have outdoor cats, but most of them have lived outdoors their entire lives, they were born outside here. They're also all 6+ years old, with most of them being well into their senior years. I guess I'm concerned that maybe as they age, they are no longer able to handle living outdoors? With more & more of them nearing/entering their senior years, this thought makes me very nervous.
Then I look at Fafeena, who turns 17 years old this spring/summer (!!!!!), and no matter how hard I try I cannot get her to accept life as a house cat. She's still happily living outdoors, w/ limited vision & hearing we do everything we can to safeguard her & keep her alive for many more years to come! She's in excellent health - fat, sassy, & attacking any leaves that dare enter her territory.
As many of you know, I have outdoor farm cats. All S/N, receive vet care, etc. Many of my house cats are farm cats who just weren't cutting it - it was die or come inside. (Several of them are kitties I brought home from the shelter & weren't cut out to live outdoors) Two of them in particular, however, are cats who are in their senior years who have lived outdoors their entire lives. They were born outdoors on the farm - a mother (Slinky almost 13 y/o) & her daughter (Tabitha almost 10 y/o).
I'm curious other's thoughts on why they were no longer surviving outdoors? (In Slinky's case it was likely health issues - she probably had a stroke, at best has suffered from vision loss.) I guess I don't hear of many things like this happening in feral colonies, but I suppose that's because they hide from humans when ill & probably die.
It's not ideal that I have outdoor cats, but most of them have lived outdoors their entire lives, they were born outside here. They're also all 6+ years old, with most of them being well into their senior years. I guess I'm concerned that maybe as they age, they are no longer able to handle living outdoors? With more & more of them nearing/entering their senior years, this thought makes me very nervous.
Then I look at Fafeena, who turns 17 years old this spring/summer (!!!!!), and no matter how hard I try I cannot get her to accept life as a house cat. She's still happily living outdoors, w/ limited vision & hearing we do everything we can to safeguard her & keep her alive for many more years to come! She's in excellent health - fat, sassy, & attacking any leaves that dare enter her territory.