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My elderly loved one, 94 years old with some dementia and early sundowners, has just lost his beloved companion. Kitty he called her. He was heartbroken when a relative broke the news to him that his kitty had been killed by a coyote or some other animal. Out of everyone, I am his main caregiver and I'm with him most of the time. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can help him get through this tough time? I'm already planning on keeping him busy with lots of light-hearted things, as much as he can easily tolerate. I know from some of my previous questions asked here, what an awesome forum this is and I thank you all in advance for your help :-)

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I think that adopting an older indoor cat is a good idea, but I hope that if he does not outlive the cat that someone in the family plans to take it, later.
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thanks guys for your caring and ideas. Fostering and/or voluteering i thought about for awhile, then i realized he would want to keep them all! I've talked about this today with other family members and we've decided the older indoor-only lap cat is the strategy we'll go with. In fact we will tell him it's a rescue that needs a home...he so loves to feel needed! Totally agree with not telling him it was mauled to death!! Oh well, live and learn : )
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NY the main is 94. Seeing all those in the shelter will only give him more grief. I suggest his care giver goes to the local shelter, chooses an older/elderly and calm cat, bring it home and says it's a "foster" until it finds a furever home. Of course he will instantly be its furever home. Dog Bless them both. Lynne, Sue, Ashy Girl and the Mouse Squad.
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Volunteering at an animal shelter is a terrific idea. The work is very rewarding and may help him through his grief. Holding and petting animals is therapeutic. Some communities also have visiting therapy pets where someone with a therapy cat will bring the cat to visit. I hope you get a smile back on his face! Good luck.
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Just had another thought. Could he care for a cat enough that he could foster cats? Rescue organizations look for sponsors to care for a cat until a home can be found.

The downside thought could be that he'll become attached to a cat that eventually is fostered out.

I also think he shouldn't have been told of any specific methods of death; thinking of a beloved pet being mauled by a wild animal is perhaps going to be more haunting than accepting that she died of a natural death. Ash makes a good observation with her insight on that issue.
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I'm so sorry. I know how much our animals mean to us. The relative should have told him that Kitty passed away outside somewhere, even have a mock burial spot where he thinks she was laid to rest. I think telling him something killed her only increases his grief. I like GAs idea of seeing if he would accept an older cat ... some just want a nice lap to retire on.
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Can he take care of another cat, perhaps an older one that wouldn't be adopted so readily otherwise?

Working at an animal shelter could go either way - satisfy the need to be near an animal, but also make him sadder about loss of Kitty.
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