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It's National Adopt A Senior Pet month! Although we'd love to see all the pets get adopted, senior pets are often the most overlooked when individuals are looking to adopt.
A cat is considered a senior by age 11 and geriatric by 15 years and older. For many reasons, adopters tend to adopt kittens and younger cats over senior cats, usually due to concerns over potential health issues. This mentality leads many senior kitties, who should be living out their golden years relaxing, to be stuck in shelters longer than you might expect.
So, this month, we’re focusing on seven reasons why our feline senior citizens deserve a new, loving home just as much as the younger generation.
While kittens are great, they require a lot of extra work and supervision! That’s because they are still growing and learning all about the world around them, making them prone to want to climb, explore, and get into anything. Older cats, while still curious and interested in new environments in their own way, are much less likely to get into things they shouldn’t be. They’re also able to entertain themselves while you’re away (usually through sleeping!) so providing constant distractions through play and toys aren’t needed as frequently.
Since our felines are enjoying retirement from their younger days, their energy levels are a lot lower. Many senior cats prefer a good cuddle on the couch to chasing a laser pointer. If you’re wanting a cat who is looking to be your snuggle buddy, chances are you’ll find that right away in a senior cat!
That is, they’ve got their personality all figured out which means you will, too! An older cat has already gone through all the various stages of life and have landed on exactly the kitty they were always destined to be. When you adopt a senior cat, you’ll know their temperament, personality, and what they like and dislike without trying to figure it out if they were a kitten. In addition, fosters and shelter workers will have worked with each cat and know what kind of personality they have.
If you’re looking for a cat that can get along well with current pets or family, then you’ll have a good idea if you adopt an older cat. That’s because many shelters and rescues will determine how each cat behaves when they’re around kids, other cats, dogs, and so on.
Just like other baby animals, kittens have to teeth for several weeks. This means they will be more inclined to chew on things that they probably shouldn’t. With a senior cat, their teething days are long gone (they may not have very many teeth left at all!), so you won’t have to worry too much about things like your shoelaces or furniture getting chewed on.
Everyone knows cats are excellent nappers, but kittens and younger cats sleep are going to snooze less than older ones. Because of this, senior cats are a great fit for households that are a little more sedentary. They’re also a perfect companion for their human senior counterparts since they require little to no house training and are much less active.
Most importantly, senior cats, just like younger cats, need a loving home. They deserve a nice, warm place to sleep in a safe environment where they can live out the rest of their lives. When you bring home a senior cat, they’re sure to be just a bit more grateful to you.
Adopting is the best way to celebrate Adopt A Senior Pet month, but if you can’t adopt, then foster, donate, or spread awareness about the joys of senior animals to help!