Benefits of Adopting a Senior Cat

​By Emily Amsden
​Many people interested in fostering or adopting a cat tend to immediately direct their attention towards kittens and automatically assume younger cats are the best way to go.  Here are three key benefits of adopting a senior cat and why they shouldn’t be overlooked in shelters:

• What you see is what you get. Cats who are considered senior cats are around eight years old but still have a long life ahead of them. These cats are already grown up; litter box trained, spayed or neutered, and know their manners. When adopting an older cat, you know the personality and temperament you are bringing into your home rather than watching a kitten grow and having to train it on your own.
• They are grateful. Senior cats have spent most of their lives jumping from home to home or in the shelter. They want nothing short of a good home, attention, and to be loved. They are more relaxed, social, settled and if not more, just as affectionate as a kitten.
• It is satisfying. The fulfillment of giving an older cat a home after being neglected is inexpressible. It’s relaxing to know you are taking care of an animal that hasn’t had the love and attention it deserves, which creates a great bond between the cat and its owner.