November is Adopt A Senior Pet Month

A golden opportunity for a cat with strands of silver in their fur to find happiness in their golden years with a forever family, November is Adopt-a-Senior-Pet Month.

Often overlooked in animal shelters by potential pet parents who want a sprightly kitten or playful puppy, senior pets who enter the shelter system are more likely to either be euthanized or spend the rest of their days waiting to be adopted.

Why You Might Want to Adopt a Senior Pet

If you are pondering the thought of welcoming an older feline (which is usually defined as a cat age seven or older) into your heart and home, here are just a few reasons to choose a cat who is no longer considered a spring chicken:

It’s easier to determine a senior cat’s temperament.

Pet parents who opt to adopt a kitten have no idea whether their new furry family member is a kitty who likes to cuddle or a miniature wildcat in disguise. An elder feline’s personality has already been established, so the cat’s out of the bag, so to speak!

Senior cats like to enjoy quiet time.

More prone to times of quiet contemplation than their younger kitty counterparts, a mature feline friend would be the perfect companion for quick cat naps or sitting in a comfy chair and soaking up the sunshine.

Seniors can often adopt seniors for a discount.

Some rescue organizations and shelters feature Seniors for Seniors programs which help to match older animal lovers with more seasoned pets, and often offer discounted adoption fees.

Many older cats have already lived in a home environment.

As many senior shelter cats have either been relinquished by their previous guardian or their former pet parent has passed away, most are already accustomed to living in a home.

Adopting a senior cat saves a life.

By choosing to adopt a cat who knows that age is just a number, you not only enrich that cat’s nine lives, you will also help to save the life of another older cat who needs more time in a shelter to find a pet parent, or can fill the space at a rescue organization left behind by your new purring pal.

Sadly, many senior pets fill shelters, both because they’re some of the last pets to be adopted and, amazingly, because some people surrender their senior pets in favor of “newer models.” Tragically, some pets grow old with their people and, when those owners pass away, cats that haven’t been provided for in a will find themselves in a shelter.

Our meowing friends of mature years always have a difficult time being placed in a permanent home, and there is never a more golden opportunity to welcome a cat with strands of silver in their fur than during kitten season, when the influx of little ones can lead to shelters euthanizing more cats.

If you are wondering why should you adopt a senior cat, consider this:

a senior feline’s personality is set, and they are usually much more mellow than their kitty counterparts
many are already accustomed to living in a home as most have either been relinquished by a previous guardian suffered the loss of their former pet parent
most shelters offers periodic adoption fee discounts for senior pets
by adopting a cat age seven or older you are quite possibly saving not only one of their nine lives, but also the life of another shelter cat who needs more time to find a pet parent, as 1.3 million cats and kittens face their fate in US animal shelters each year.
Cats who are physically or medically challenged also face a hard challenge to find a forever home. Adopters who are ready for the responsibility find that they are rewarded with the love of a cat who can inspire hope by their upbeat ‘cat’ittude toward life.

You’ll find some fun facts about senior living in this infographic as well as a link to get more information on how to make sure your cats are cared for in the event they outlive you: