Posted: November 6, 2009, 3 a.m. EST
Q: I am a senior and thinking of adopting an older cat. Do you have any suggestions?
A: Cats are wonderful company, especially if you live alone. If you are retired then you have the extra time to care for one. I can assure you the feeling of being needed by your new kitty and the unconditional love she will provide will be life-changing
I have a story which shows just that. While traveling, one of my clients dropped off her cat Max with her 72-year-old Uncle Bert so he could care for Max while she was away. Well, they got along great. In fact, Bert missed Max so much when he had to give him back to his niece, he ended up adopting a 10-year-old cat Murphy. He says having Murphy to look after, to pet and spoil and share the day with has brought great joy into his life and has made it much less lonely.
I have always thought that older cats and seniors are a good match. An older cat is likely to be calmer, but will still respond to playtime. Kittens and younger cats are much too active for most seniors and will get underfoot. Also, there is such a great need to adopt older cats, who tend to be overlooked for kittens.
Some shelters have special adoption programs to place the right senior with the right senior cat. Call your local shelter and ask if they have one. Also, they will want to make sure you have a person that can take over the care of your cat in case of an emergency — this is a good policy for all pet owners, regardless of age.
If you are not able to adopt, consider fostering. Many rescue cats waiting for good homes are kept in cages and rescue groups are always in need of a caring home to foster their cats before adoption. Also, these groups usually contribute to food, litter and medical expenses. Remember that our wonderful feline friends ask little and give back much so go ahead and adopt one today. As always, I welcome your stories and comments.