advice on wording please

[zipzip]

Could I ask your suggestions on the wording of a poster I am about to put on my gate?

The story in brief is - I have a 20 year old cat. He looks very old, has lost weight and his fur is less than desirable.
he gets seen by the vet and there is nothing wrong with him - he's just old (has one tooth left!)
A couple of months ago a neighbour called the RSPCA and tried to insist that they take him to be put to sleep. Of course the RSPCA refused point blank.
Two days ago, RSPCA called to my house, another report. Again she said there was nothing wrong with, he's just old, infact he looks rather happy. Which he is.
This second report comes from someone who knows full well where he lives (cos the RSPCA came to my door...) I have my suspicions who it is - and they are just being malicious. But it's horrible having the RSPCA van parked outside my house.

I had an appointment at the vets for him this afternoon, but it looks like someone has kept him indoors so I have had to cancel the appointment.

I am about to put a notice on my gate post.
I would really appreciate any advice anyone could give me on the wording of it.

This is what I've got so far -

The Cat that lives here is very old.
He is NOT neglected, nor is he suffering in any way.
He receives treatment from the veterinary surgery - so could I ask you NOT to keep him in your home. If I can not find him he misses appointments.
I have no problem with other people feeding him or giving him water to drink. His condition means that he has a larger than normal appetite and thirst - it DOES NOT mean that he doesn't get fed at home.
If you have any concerns regarding my cat, please do not hesitate to approach me about them. Please do not waste the RSPCA's time just because you think you know best or because you bear a grudge towards me. This action will be viewed as malicious


Sorry this is a long post, but I would really appreciate your advice - I'm quite upset.

[Marina]

zipzip, no advice but that someone could be so stupid and spiteful as to waste yours and the RSPCA's time like this! You must be quite a special owner to cosset a cat into lasting 20 years
Local paper maybe on this?

[SaintGeorge]

The wording as it stands sounds fine to me.

You have my sympathy. Our cat is 16-17 yrs old (adopted when adult so not sure exactly) and looking a wee bit scraggy despite being fairly healthy. One of the neighbours has commented that she 'needed a good feed' but was understanding enough when I explained.

[zipzip]

Thanks for your words of support, it's helped the way I feel...

as I'm sure you all can imagine, or know yourself, 20 years is a long time to have a cat as a memeber of the family. I know he probably hasn't got long left, but I want him to enjoy his last days happy at his home, on his favourite sofa. saying that, I wouldn't let him suffer iykwim.
It was very upsetting to think that someone was insisting he be put to sleep, and when i thought about it afterwards, if they had taken him to a private vet, this could actually have happened (and I would never have known about it....me and my son would have just kept searching and searching)

Over many years I've worked as a vet nurse and also volunteered at rescue homes. I've fostered, adopted, re-homed more stray animals than I can remember - so I'm sure you can imagine my horror at having the RSPCA van at my gate.

My 9 yr old son absolutely adores Pudding (the cat) he knows that one day he will die, but I hope and pray that he doesn't just disappear - this will upset my son so much

[SoupDragon]

Does he have a collar that you could put a (much shorter) note on? He might get kept in by people who haven't seen your gate.

[zipzip]

he won't wear a collar, never has done. It woudld distress him too much if I was to try now.
It's a shame, because I agree, this would be better than a poster.

the poster will deal with the people who have already made the calls, but will not prevent anyone who doesn't actually know where he is from, as you say, keeping him in.

[SoupDragon]

Print the poster off as fliers, with a picture, and post through all the letterboxes surrounding you.

[SoupDragon]

A picture of your DS holding the cat would be even better - looks cute and much loved then.