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Wheelchair User Getting a cat

FAFB

Hi. i am a wheelchair user and am thinking of getting a cat. I have a few concerns. Eg: being able to reach and fill the food bowl and also fill and empty the litter tray. Can anyone tell me if they are in a similar position to me and if so what do they do or use to make this possible.

Thanks

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Comments

Tony60

Never had a cat but you could just raise both the bowl and the tray to make it easier for you. I'm sure the cat will get use to it.

Kimi87

Litter boxes and food/water don't have to live on the floor, they can be placed on low tables or other raised surfaces etc.

(The cat may need steps up to be able to access them).

Food scoops and sieves can be used to change litter boxes and refill from a bag or storage bin of decanted litter.

For my last cat I always sat to change the litter with various bits of equipment.

I also bought lower weight litter bags, not the big massive ones.

I would carry an empty washing up bowl with a full water jug inside, new bowls (if they needed changing) to empty & refill the water bowls.

You can get cat water fountains that only require topping up & occasional cleaning.

I've never used one but Litter Genies do get great reviews.

I would also encourage you to ask advice from rescues. You are very unlikely to be the first wheelchair user they've dealt with.

There are a wide variety of cat carriers available now, I'm sure there is something lightweight you'd be able to lift & place on your lap for vet visits etc.

DaffL

Hi there, cats can jump up to higher surfaces. They especially love the kitchen counter which is for me annoying but what can you do? :D cat's are nihilists they do whatever they want to. I would recommend to get one of those automatic feeders and water holders so you only have to refill it once or twice a week with dry food. Unless you want to feed the cat with only wet food, just find a place you can reach and the cat won't kick anything off when climbing up.

FAFB

Hi. Thanks to you all for your advice.

Only other question for now is what would happen to the cat if i went into a care home that couldn't take the cat with me. I know there are charaties for dealing with things when you pass away but not sure about just going into care. Thanks

Kimi87

I work in cat rescue, if you had to go into care and couldn't take the cat with you, you'd need to contact a few rescues to find a space (or a place on waiting list) to relinquish the cat for rehoming.

People relinquish cats for all sorts of reasons 🐱

Littlefatfriend

A few cats have lived here for about 10 years FAFB. Currently there are two. All of them were rescue cats. As Kimi87 pointed out above, there are all sorts of people/places who both rescue and adopt cats, for all sorts of reasons. If you get one from a shelter, you're offering it a home for as long as you're able, which I'd consider positive.

They're indoor cats and I use a wheelchair all of the time. I find I can balance their litter tray on my lap when I need to empty/refill it, and they aren't heavy.

Their food/water is similarly not a problem, I just get their bowls from the floor. I've heard mixed reviews of the automatic feeders, in my opinion they just seem to be overcomplicating it and certainly some cats won't use them. That's why you'll likely be able to find all sorts of people near you online selling them second-hand but barely used because their cats refuse to, coincidence?

I'd encourage you to remember that vets can be expensive, but otherwise I'm very happy with them. Clusterfurck (right) is the mother of Furckwit (left)

Good luck

😺

FAFB

Thanks. Your cats are beautiful. I have had cats all my life (40 years) but i live with my parents and my worry has always been if something happens to them how will i care for the cats but it seems it could work if i get things set up right. Thanks again

SmellyBin

'That's why you'll likely be able to find all sorts of people near you online selling them second-hand but barely used because their cats refuse to, coincidence?'

@Littlefatfriend you're hilarious! First you made me laugh with this quote above. And then the names of your cats… are they indoor cats? What if you need to call them from outside LOL.

SmellyBin

You sound very considerate, @FAFB All the pros and cons you're thinking about. The cats will be in good hands with you, I trust.

Being a crazy cat person myself, please keep us posted with your progress if your cat adventure =^.^=

Andi66

Also remember you need to get them vaccinated, flea and worm. Neutered. And vet bills in general. My cats are with pet plan insurance which is around £28 to £35 monthly. You pay for the first £100, then insurance may pay the rest. It goes up each year. And the premium when the cat gets older. Cats still need a lot of looking after. Get advice before getting one

Littlefatfriend

Thanks!😊

We had around 14 cats when I was a sprog. And an 8½ stone Alsatian/Labrador. And we looked after mothers with kittens for local animal rescues. We had a fairly big house and gardens.

Because we had them when we got Nixon as a puppy, the dog essentially behaved like a cat indoors. We've got all sorts of photos of him with numerous cats sleeping on top of him. He had the body, size and face of an Alsation and the colour/temperament of a Labrador. In case you're curious only certain terriers will win a fight with a cat, they're too agile and full of claws to be safe around most dogs!

The vets call out the pet's names in the waiting room at the surgery, and they just call them something else. The cats have never complained to me about that, so I must assume they don't mind. I'm sure they'd make me aware if they were unhappy about it.

Their names were inspired by my searching online "local animal rescues" for them. Their websites all heavily overuse puns about purrrfect furrrever furrriends etc!

Shouting their names outside wouldn't concern me at all. They aren't (quite) rude words and if my neighbour's have a problem, that problem is there's, not mine.

Enjoy! Or enjoy other things if you choose not to. Or (I suppose) don't enjoy anything, if that's what you prefer to do. In my experience it's a world of opportunity.

😇

FAFB

Thanks to you all for your information. Can I ask what you do when your cats claws need clipping? Thanks

Kimi87

It's not inevitable that claws will need to be clipped, if the cat goes outside then they should keep worn down naturally.

Otherwise that's something a vet nurse can do, or a vet when you are there for something else.

FAFB

Thanks very much

FAFB

Hi all. One last question. If i had a support worker or personal assistant would they help with emptying the litter tray, filling up the food bowl etc or is a personal assistant only supposed to assit me and not anything to do with pets?

Thanks again

SmellyBin

I cannot answer that question, but do wonder if you could get someone volunteering to help you with anything cat-related? Perhaps through a community center, someone who wouldn't mind coming over occasionally and give a hand… perhaps you run into someone who is also into pets, but cannot have one for their household for some reason.

Not sure, but that is what popped into my head. We have a new community center here and even though I don't get any help from them, I do know that they offer all kinds of support for people in this area: gardening, socializing. And on Nextdoor with the bad weather, there were also people suggesting they do the shopping for those who were uncomfortable leaving the house.

FAFB

Thanks very much

JessieJ

@FAFB, I don't have a cat now, but I have a small dog. For picking up & putting down the food & water bowls, I use a long handled dustpan & brush, bought especially. You can get quite a decent sized pan one.

Just a thought, with a cat litter tray. If you get one with anti smell & anti spill with a clip on dome & cat flap with a handle, would be perfect from a wheelchair & if weight was a problem, wood pellet cat litter would be lighter. The same goes for the pet carrier, as your kit will be used to the flap into the litter tray, it should be okay to go into the carrier, especially if you leave it somewhere it can go in & out to get used to it, but where you can see, just in case it decides to pee in it, thinking it's another litter house. 😉

Kirby006

I’m a wheelchair user and have two cats. Personally I don’t have issues with bending down to clean the litter tray however I do recommend a litter genie. It can go a long while before it becomes full meaning less trips outside to the bin. There’s no smell at all unless fully opened and I’ve had many shocked faces when they see how smell proff it is and you would never know there’s a mountain of pee and poop in the room 😭

There are automatic litter tray but they are expensive. And do research on what one to get as soon as many are unsafe and kill cats.
I also use an automatic feeder and a water fountain. The water fountain does need cleaning once a week. I use these as cats like to be on a schedule and I’m not able to give them that consistently due to flare ups ect.

The hardest part is trying not to run them over 😭 As they get older they do learn after a few mistakes. So be prepared to be constantly looking around under your chair before every move and be exhausted. If you use an electric wheelchair this will be even more difficult. I suggest a collar with a bell so you can hear them but don’t rely on this as cats are sneaking(make sure the collar is a breakaway collar so the don’t get caught and strangled)

Wishing you the best

Kirby006

There are automatic litter tray but they are expensive. And do research on what one to get as soon as many are unsafe and kill cats. I also use an automatic feeder and a water fountain. The water fountain does need cleaning once a week. I use these as cats like to be on a schedule and I’m not able to give them that consistently due to flare ups ect.

Wishing you the best

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