My Sara is a senior cat. We rescued her when she was 8 months old. Her previous owners surrendered her to a vet. My husband brought her home and our daughters fell in love with her. That was 18 years ago. Sara has outlived our other 4 cats and 3 dogs. She was not happy when we brought Amy home at the tender age of 3 weeks because senior cats know that they need to be wary of “mother” cats. However, she soon realized that Amy did not have a mom and tolerated the kitten making attempts to play with her. We all love Sara but being a senior cat means taking special care of her every day and also keeping in mind that today may be our last day with her. We treasure every moment.
We soon came to know what some pet owners have yet to realize and that is that AGE does not determine a pet’s ability to be affectionate towards other pets or humans. Sara despite her advanced age still loves to be petted. She may not play with as much energy as Amy does but she still does follow a feather wand, play with yarn, and gives back to Amy when her younger furry family member becomes a little too playful!
Despite her age, Sara remains healthy. She walks, runs, jumps, plays and eats and sleeps on a regular basis. I have noticed some difficulty in her breathing and the vet says there isn’t much to be done for her but to make her comfortable and to let her know every day just how much we love her.
I have heard many discussing the reasons for adopting a younger animal instead of a senior cat or dog but I have to say that over the 13+ years of rescuing cats and dogs I have found no difference in the ability for an animal to love or be loved based on age. A senior pet can be just as rewarding as a young kitten or puppy. Seniors appreciate so much having a home especially if they have been waiting for a long time in a shelter to be selected by a family. I have never worried about adding a senior cat to our family.
Senior pets do require special foods and as do all your pets a vet should be consulted if you notice your senior cat/dog acting in an unusual manner. A senior cat will slow down as years advance but will still be lovable and need your love!
I sincerely hope that if you are looking to add a cat to your household and are going to be visiting a shelter soon that you will not pass by a senior animal but give that animal a chance!
If you have a senior cat please leave a comment and let Amy and me know how your senior cat is doing!
Leave a Reply