November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, a time to remember the many, many senior pets that fill shelters and rescues as they wait for a place to call home.
While kittens and puppies often grab the spotlight when families look for a new addition, senior pets have a charm all their own. We know firsthand, sharing our home and our hearts with one 15-year-old cat, two nine-year-olds, and one two-year-old.
Linus, often called “Grandpa Linus” here, holds the title as our senior pet. Now 15 years and 7 months, Linus has seen many changes in his long years with us. He’s seen our careers change from travel to pet writing. He’s suffered the loss of our older cats–Elaine and, just a year and a half ago, Felix. He’s welcomed Inca, Coco, and now Lucky–as well as our dogs Irie and Tiki–into his home and has a special relationship with each one.
Life with a senior pet is enjoyed at a pace that’s more relaxed that it is with younger siblings. While Lucky is happy to play (and play and play), Linus is content with watching Lucky play then jumping in the game for an active five or ten minutes of joy…
He loves coming to my upstairs office and spending the day with me…
…doing some birdwatching in his catio…
…and he’s always up for a good nap…
And Linus LOVES his mealtimes. He’s always the first cat at the plate and the last one to leave.
Our dogs have been trained to watch Linus and, only when he walks away from his plate, then come in and clean up any (tiny) leftovers. I think that Linus knows that he’s making them wait…and he makes those mealtimes last as long as possible!
Linus loves Nutrish, food that gives back to the forgotten pets like senior pets that might not have someone to love them as much as we love our Linus. One hundred percent of Rachael Ray’s personal proceeds from sales of Nutrish have gone toward food, medical supplies and treatments for animals in need. While we love that aspect of Nutrish, Linus loves that each of the Rachael Ray Nutrish food and treat recipes is made with simple ingredients like real meat and wholesome veggies. I think if asked about Nutrish, Linus would say “Delish!”
Linus is a good reminder to me that a day doesn’t have to be filled with excitement or special events to be special. Being home, surrounded by family and enjoying some good food, is a special event all its own.
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