Pet care when the folks can no longer care for themselves? No family nearby.

I wound up with my mom's two cats and  dog to go along with my pets.  I now have 9 pets, all but 2 of them fall into the "senior" category.  To say it is hard is an understatement.  However, I agreed to take on my mother and her "belongings" as Guardian and do right by them, so...
All are sweet animals and deserve better than what I can do for them, but they get their visits to the vet who is aware of my situation and knows that I am trying my best.  I wish that I had a better home for them so that they could have a better environment as well.  It would be better for all concerned.  They too are old, but they didn't fill out an application to be born or taken in by my mom either.  I agree that although a pet may be the only living thing a person has, other changes down the line should be considered in the long run.  Some people don't have money to leave for the care of their beloved pet, and it falls on others to care for them in the end.  It is a priority thing, and a thing of conscience.

Bemitch, your folks are in denial of their ability to do the same the same things they did even 10 years earlier. My Mom was like that which frustrated my Dad as he wanted caregivers to come to help, or to move to senior living. Since my Mom was the Commander & Chief of the household, she usually got her way.

As pets age themselves they will develop age related issues. Since your parents are in their late 80's, I just cannot picture them giving a cat a blood pressure pill daily [hiding the pill in food doesn't always work], or giving weekly transfusions to help with kidney issues.

You may need to use a "therapeutic fib" to have your parents give up their beloved cat for the cat's own well being, such as the cat needs his/her annual shots and you will visit the vet for them. Any chance you or one of your brothers could take the cat in? Then tell your folks the cat needs transfusions in order to survive and it would be almost impossible for them to do that, so Sonny said he will take in the cat. Yes, your parents will be upset.

If the cat is older, he can also go a no-kill shelter and will be adopted. Couple years ago I adopted a 12 year old cat, we are her 3rd family. It has worked out well, much to the delight of our 19 year old cat.

You need to call the Office of Aging in their county and tell them your concerns. They can do a "well check" and investigate if they need help. They can call in SPCA and have the poor animal removed.

Hopefully, someone has POAs financially and medically. It will make things so much better if found parents can no longer live on their own. If you don't have it, the state may need to take over and not sure if u want that. Guardianship though is very expensive but I think you can use parents money to obtain it.

If they have cognitive problems (per your profile)... they could be in trouble... leaving the stove on, doors open, letting the wrong people in, etc.
ie: My Daddy was telling people on the phone that he was living in a run-down house (it was under construction at the time) I told him that someone might believe him and come take him away or arrest me for having a bad environment for him. So I got him a special phone and silenced the ring of the landline. Now he can only talk to family and friends no solicitors.

It's sad when pet owners are so fond of their pets, but, they can no longer care for them. I will say that my LO adored her cat so much, but, was not able to care for her. I thought it would break her heart to part with her, but, she did fine when she went into AL and after a few weeks, she forgot about the cat. The cat did fine as well and stopped all of the acting out, since, she was so stressed out living with my LO. She sensed that my LO was not mentally sound and I think it frightened her.

Which route are you considering? Are you going to get legal authority to remove the pet, by getting legal control of your parents, as in Guardianship? Or are you just trying to get someone, like the SPCA to come in and remove the pet and rehome it? They likely deal with situations like that a lot.

I'd likely consult with an Elder Law attorney in their area to find out the best options. You can find out what evidence you need and what measures you will need to take, regardless of which route you take. I would not let the fact that they are attached to the cat dissuade me from seeking removal from the home. If they truly care for that cat, and they were thinking clearly, they would agree it's the best thing for the animal.

My brother was always saying he wanted to get a dog for mom. Makes no sense if they are not up to it. I explained that to him and he agreed. His heart was in the right place but it is not practical to do so.

My mom is an animal lover but there comes a time when they shouldn’t have an animal for all concerned, parents and pets.