In Praise of Older Cats!

[KAnn]

I have posted about adopting my third cat, Harry, and I just had to mention what a joy he has been and how much I would encourage anyone adopting a second or third pet to consider an older one. I have been volunteering at this shelter for the past six months since adopting a kitten and I was completely unaware of the benefits of adopting older cats...kittens are adorable there is no doubt! And fortunately many will be adopted (except for black kittens which are harder to adopt out), but there are so many older cats that have such lovely personalities and who desperately need homes...many were left when owners had to move into assisted living or nursing homes and some were just abandoned or became lost.

For people who are home less (working, etc) or who live alone, an older cat or cats are just an ideal pet...they sleep most of the time and the antics that come with kittenhood are behind them. Unless adopted, they will be euthanized (not at my shelter) or live out their lives in shelters. Until I became involved with this particular shelter, I had never really given older pets much thought...there are so many advantages to adopting an older pet and they are so grateful!

THIS OLD CAT

I'm getting on in years,
My coat is turning gray.
My eyes have lost their luster,
My hearing's just okay.

I spend my whole day dreaming
of conquests in my past.
Lying near a sunny window,
Waiting for its warm repast.

I remember our first visit,
I was coming to you free,
hoping you would take me in
and keep me company.

I wasn't young or handsome,
two years I'd roamed the street.
There were scars upon my face,
I hobbled on my feet.

I could sense your disappointment
as I left my prison cage.
Oh, I hoped you would accept me
and look beyond my age.

You took me out of pity,
I accepted without shame.
Then you grew to love me,
and I admit the same.

I have shared with you your laughter,
You have wet my fur with tears.
We've come to know each other
Throughout these many years.

Just one more hug this morning
Before you drive away,
and know I'll think about you
Throughout your busy day.

The time we've left together
Is a treasured time at that.
My heart is yours forever,
I promise,
This Old Cat.

Author Unknown

[wallycat]

Beautiful!

[mbrogier]

That was sweet.

Why won't people adopt black kittens? Is it because they're superstitious? I should get a black kitten and name him Lucky. :D

[Valerie226]

We adopted "Puss" when he was 11 years old. What a great cat! His owner had to move to assisted living & couldn't keep him. He'd been to a few homes but didn't get along with other cats so always ended up back at the no-kill shelter. We wanted only one cat & it was a perfect match. We had him for 6 wonderful years. He was just a GREAT guy & plenty active for anyone. The only bad part of an older cat is that you may not have them as long as you wish you could. Since he passed, I adopted a younger guy who was about 2 , and he is turning out to be a sweetie too. He's our third adopted adult cat. Puss was really a special guy & will never be replaced.
I would agree, don't pass up the older kitties who might be a perfect companion and who have much less chance of finding a good home.

[KAnn]

Why won't people adopt black kittens? Is it because they're superstitious? I should get a black kitten and name him Lucky. :D


Apparently, they are superstitous! :rolleyes: I was unaware of this until I went to adopt last October and came home with a very black 6 month old kitten named Florence! All of her siblings had been adopted...she is maybe the most affectionate cat I have ever had. She is a momma's girl...she wants to be with me or on me all the time! :D She drowns or bathes all her toys in their water bowl and occasionally she brings her wet mice (toys!) into my bed or I step on them in the middle of the night... :eek: I cannot imagine my life without her. Harry would just prefer that she leave his tail alone, though!

You should adopt a black kitten and name him or her Lucky!!

[Diane B.]

Another excellent reason to adopt an older cat is because by then their personalities and other proclivities are obvious... with kittens and cats who haven't reached "adulthood," it's much harder to tell how they'll be.

You're so right about the fact that older cats don't need as much monitoring and attention, etc, which can be a real boon to those who are away a lot, or older, or just don't want too much extra work. Plus a cat who grows up to be more active, or sedentary, or stand-offish, or sickly, or skinny/fat, for example, will show those things with age, and can then be picked for whatever a particular person wants in his/her life.


Diane B.

[KAnn]

I would agree, don't pass up the older kitties who might be a perfect companion and who have much less chance of finding a good home.


Absolutely! :)

[EllenL]

My 12 year old, 25 pound orange tabby thanks you for recognizing the joys of older cats! Everyone is always so focused on kittens (I've been told "you gotta get a kitten--they're so cute and so much fun!"). I liked giving a one year old cat a home when we adopted him, knowing he needed us more than most kittens would, and being able to see more of his true personality, not just the cuteness of a kitten. We think he's plenty cute and can be kind of mischevious and playful. (Sometimes I'm afraid that the kitten-obsessed stop loving their cats when they outgrow their kittenness and then lose interest in them, to teh point of losing the commitment to continue to take care of them---hence all the older cats who are dumped at shelteres or just dumped outside to fend for themselves, as was the case with my Tang. Kind of like the people who get chicks and bunnies for their kids at Easter---don't get me started on that, especially the poor chicks who are dyed "easter colors")

[KAnn]

Another excellent reason to adopt an older cat is because by then their personalities and other proclivities are obvious... with kittens and cats who haven't reached "adulthood," it's much harder to tell how they'll be.


Such a great point that I forgot to make, Diane!

[mbrogier]

Kind of like the people who get chicks and bunnies for their kids at Easter---don't get me started on that, especially the poor chicks who are dyed "easter colors")

They dye chicks "easter colors"? :mad: I have never heard of such. How awful. Poor little things. I've raised ducks before when their mothers abandoned them or were killed in accidents. It's not easy, and they don't do as well not being raised by their own parents. They look like submarines when they first go in the water because they don't have an adult to show them how to oil their feathers. They're not like cats and dogs. Birds are so fragile anyway.

My two cats have such a good relationship with each other I'm afraid to jinx it with another addition. I'll keep an eye out for black cats, though.

[masimmons]

I love the poem!
I agree with you about the older cats. We aren't sure how old our Isabella is. She had been in a no-kill shelter for 11 months before we got her. We figured she was 4 - 6 years old. I know that's not that old, but sure not a kitten either. She is wonderful, no trouble at all, and just enjoys life in general. We hope she sticks around for a long, long time.

[Lucinda]

I heartily concur! Kittens are adorable, but tiny terrorists-- those needle sharp teeth and claws they have yet to learn how to use properly! I much prefer the adult cats-- two of my three came to me as adults.

[Aubergine]

so good to hear that Harry is well!!

in re:older cats, first off, cats are the mellowest-and feistiest-creatures i've known. actually, in my exp, they're much more like children than dogs, b/c their personalities are so very pronounced and individuated. very, very singular.

loving an older cat, and i'm thinking the ones i've been with, for me, it's like the wisdom they carry only deepens as they age. the knowing look they give you, eye-to-eye, only deepens when they're older, and it's there even if you first meet them in an older age.

[KAnn]

loving an older cat, and i'm thinking the ones i've been with, for me, it's like the wisdom they carry only deepens as they age. the knowing look they give you, eye-to-eye, only deepens when they're older, and it's there even if you first meet them in an older age.

Very true, I think! At the moment I have a unique perspective...I have a very rambunctious kitten, a content middle aged cat (much like his mother..lol) and sweet Harry. Each is special and delightful.

[tamawrite]

I adopted an adult black cat from the Humane Society last year. I was there looking for my own, lost cat (we got her back) and fell in love by accident. :rolleyes: :D The people at the shelter told me that more adult black cats are put down than any others -- perhaps because they don't have the naturally expressive face of a tabby, and no "oh-so-sweet" markings?

Catfish has turned out to be the sweetest cat I've ever been owned by...and considering how many that is, that's saying something! She sleeps on my pillow every night, like a furry nightcap, and loves to be carried around the house like a baby. Awwwwww.

[Lucinda]

The people at the shelter told me that more adult black cats are put down than any others -- perhaps because they don't have the naturally expressive face of a tabby, and no "oh-so-sweet" markings?

I love my "dark lads" and some of the dearest cats I have ever known are black cats (or HGNs as my friend Glen calls them, for Hermanos Gatos Negros or Black Brother Cats) It is so weird what people think about cats! My boys are so affectionate and expressive and I wouldn't want to change a whisker on either of them!