Adopting An Adult Or Senior Cat

If you are thinking about adopting a kitten from a shelter or rescue organization, please consider adopting an adult or senior cat.  When cared for properly, cats can live well into their late teens and sometimes early twenties.  Typically, they will remain active and playful throughout most of their lives.

Some may need a little patience from you while adjusting to a new home, but once they feel safe, secure, and loved, they will give you years of faithful companionship and unconditional love.

Here are more very good reasons why you should adopt a senior cat:

Less Maintenance

Adopting a mature cat is less maintenance because you don’t have to go through the demanding and time-consuming stage of raising and training a kitten.

Adult cats require less supervision and attention. They are independent and do not need anyone home with them during the day.  This is perfect for employed, busy, or active people.

Already Litter Box And Scratching Post Trained

Older cats are already litter-box trained and are more likely to have basic training.  They understand the purpose of their litter box and usually cooperate with your efforts to keep it tidy.

Senior cats also know that scratching posts (not furniture or curtains) are for scratching, and toys (not hands and feet) are for biting.

A Quiet, Relaxed Companion With Household Etiquette                            

Senior cats are content to just relax in your company and do not get into mischief because they are bored, as kittens are prone to do. They already have well-developed manners and know how to be a good companion and also a good patient when a visit to the vet is needed.

Basic Health Needs

Older cats are more likely to have already been spayed, neutered, micro-chipped and fully vaccinated. That means substantial savings for you on the basic health needs for your kitty!

They Already Know How To Self-Groom

Few kittens have mastered the art of self-grooming and are just too busy enjoying life to clean themselves properly. When you consider that kittens are really just dust mops with legs who display marginal litter box etiquette, you can truly appreciate the older cat who knows how to groom herself and keep her fur clean.

What You See Is What You Get                                                                                      

When you adopt a senior cat, you already know their full-grown size and personality, or temperament. You will have no unpleasant surprises as your cat ages.

A Thankful Attitude

When senior cats are adopted, they seem to understand that they’ve been rescued.  They are all the more thankful for it.  Also, they understand the concept of approval and reward, and they are eager to please their owners.

No Kitten Mischief or Kitten-Proofing Your House

You don’t have to worry about chewing, climbing, or any of the destructive behavior that kittens innocently display as they explore their surroundings.  Adult cats sleep more, play less, and require less supervision.

A Better Choice For Homes With Children Or For Seniors

Older cats are less rambunctious than kittens and may be a better choice for homes with small children or for senior citizens. Kittens are all teeth and claws, but generally speaking, older cats are more mellow and often more patient with young children.  When you are at the shelter to adopt a cat, ask to meet the shelter’s cats that are best with children.

Regarding older cats and the elderly, it is a perfect match because the cat is calm, relaxed, and very low maintenance. And, speaking of relaxing, adult or senior cats make great napping buddies!

An adult cat can help ease loneliness for an older person. Studies indicate that living with a pet can help lower both blood pressure and cholesterol.  If space is a consideration, cats do very well in smaller environments.

You May Be Their Last Chance

Many times, adult cats end up in shelters through no fault of their own, and sadly, people gravitate toward the adorable, big-eyed kittens when adopting.

Adult cats may have simply outlived their former owner or been unable to join them at a hospital, nursing home, or new apartment.  Some cats get lost and end up at a shelter and are never claimed by their owner.  It’s unfair to judge these adult or senior cats for being where they are, and it is to your advantage to meet them, adopt them, and give them a chance for a happy rest of their lives.

For many abandoned, forgotten, and heartbroken senior cats, you just might be their last chance to have the love and warmth of a home where they can live out their years in comfort.

Senior and adult cats are some of the hardest to find homes for, so when you adopt a senior cat, you are truly saving a life.