The nation’s oldest no-kill shelter has implemented a program that provides senior cats and dogs with the perfect pet parents: Folks who are 65-years-old or older. As part of the “Seniors for Seniors” program, the Animal Defense League helps senior cats and dogs find happy homes with their human counterparts: senior citizens. And, to make the situation easier (and cheaper), adoption fees are waived for folks who qualify.
Photo: alltodowithcats.com
The Program Is A Win-Win For Senior Cats.
There are several sweet seniors hoping someone will step up, including seven-year-old Mocha below:
Sweet ginger girl Walnut, 8…
…adorable Tomato (we’ve never heard that name used for a kitty before). This cute boy is 7…
…and beautiful long-haired girl kitty Skittles, who’s 9.
This program is really excellent news because senior kitties are less likely to be adopted than those bottle-rockets we like to call kittens, Mentalfloss reports. There’s apparently a sizable difference between who adopts puppies and who adopts kittens compared to their adult counterparts.
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An analysis of Petfinder.com adoptions, conducted by priceonomics found that while 95% of puppies get adopted compared to 75% of young dogs and 68% of senior ones, the numbers for our feline friends aren’t so great, especially as they grow older. About 82% of kittens find homes, but the percentage falls for older cats. As soon as they turn 18 months old, the number drops, with only 60% of cats being adopted.
A Senior Cat May Be Purfect For You.
There are considerable advantages to adopting a senior kitty. They are past the turbo-charged stage and ready to cuddle. They’re perfectly happy to Netflix and chill with you and far less likely to be destructive. Plus, if you adopt an adult kitty you’ll not only be helping to lessen the load for overcrowded shelters, you’ll be saving the lives of those who are first in line for euthanasia: older adult cats.
Photo: @MasonAndKittens / @tinykittens
Grandpa Mason, in the photo above, is one such senior kitty who became a loving caregiver to the kittens who came his way at TinyKittens, a non-profit organization in British Columbia, where he lived out his remaining years.
Adopting An Older Cat Is Also Good For Our Health.
“Many studies have proven that pet ownership is commonly known to reduce loneliness and stress while improving the overall well-being and happiness of senior citizen populations,” notes The Animal Defense League on its website.
Indeed, by their loving nature, cats provide comfort but they can also help improve our health. According to TheHonestKitchen, they can help reduce our blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and improve our mental health. That’s especially true for senior citizens, who are often subject to depression.
Photo: shutterstock_387001159-e1528128014460
Shelters across the U.S. are full of these gentle, loving souls who deserve every chance of living lives that are rich and full. Knowing that they do so much for us it’s nice to know we can return the favor. Interested in adopting a senior kitty, why not go here, here, or here?
