Pierre: Did you know that November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month? My vet called me a senior cat, but I sure don’t feel like one, and there are lots of other cats out there who feel the same way, too.
It isn’t unusual to find senior cats at shelters because their owners can no longer care for them. Some senior cats have lived their whole lives in a home and are frightened or confused in a shelter or rescue, which makes them seem like less appealing pets at first glance, but senior cats can be wonderful companions.
Want to know why? Here’s just ten reasons:
- Most senior cats are already spayed or neutered, so that’s one less trip to the vet you need to make with your new friend.
- With seniors, you know what you will get. Their personality is already set, not evolving. If they’re cuddly now, you know they aren’t going to outgrow their cuddly phase once they hit cat puberty.
- Senior cats are less destructive than kittens who still have to go through the holy terror stage.
- Got kids? Senior cats less fragile than little kittens who are more likely to be injured by unintentionally rough handling by well-meaning children who are just learning to interact with cats.
- Seniors who come from previous homes already understand the rules for living in a house with a family, including already being litter trained.
- There are senior cats of just about every breed you might want available through breed-specific rescue groups.
- Want a chilled-out kitty? Seniors are happy to spend more time relaxing instead of having bouts of the kitten crazies. A senior may be the perfect lap cat you’ve been looking for.
- Senior cats can be the perfect companions for senior humans because they’re less demanding and needy than kittens but provide companionship.
- Your senior cat may come with information that can help you make a decision that fits your family, like whether she is good with dogs, children, or even other cats. That can otherwise make for difficult trial and error.
- Cats are considered seniors (by the American Association of Feline Practitioners) from age 11 – 14, but many cats live into their late teens or even their 20s. A cat can be a senior and still love you for many, many years!
