Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all,

I need advice. I have a 15 year old neutered cat named Charlie, who has been an indoor/outdoor cat all of his life. He LOVES to be outside. He will go out first thing in the morning and not return until after dark. Well, Charlie has taken to getting in fights over the last year and a half. Almost every other month, he comes home with bite wounds and abscesses. Not only is he costing me a fortune, but at his age, having to be sedated for treatments is probably not a good thing. My vet suggested transitioning him to a strictly indoor cat, my only fear with that is he loves the outdoors and I don't want him to go into a depression and die sooner than he might otherwise. I love him dearly and want his golden years to be happy and healthy for him. Any suggestions? Is there anything I can give him to be less aggressive?

LoMo

Hi There,

Charlie sounds like quite a cat, getting into fights at his age! But you are right, it isn't good for him to have to be sedated over and over. Plus, he can get sick from being wounded by other cats, even if he is fully vaccinated.

It would be best to make Charlie into an indoor kitty, but I realize that it might not be possible at this point. I would seriously consider getting or making some kind of outdoor enclosure for Charlie---something that would allow him to be outdoors, yet be safe. You can also try taking him out on a leash instead of letting him roam free. He may really take to that.

You wouldn't want to give Charlie anything to calm him down as it would also affect his reflexes and he may respond too slowly in an emergency. Giving him female hormones might work,but would put him at high risk for some cancers.

Take care, and good luck with what you decide to do.

Regards,
PHKitkat