Adopt-A-Senior-Pet Month is the perfect opportunity to share this particular “Happy Tail.” There are many fabulous reasons for adopting a senior pet, but when Joy shared her reason for adopting a senior cat with us, we knew that our readers would find this story to be very touching and admirable.
Originally Joy had intended on adopting a young black kitty, but on her way home, with plans to pick up the little kitty the next day, she realized that at 70 years of age she didn’t want to create a potential situation where, several years down the road, an older cat would have to be given up due to her (Joy’s) moving, illness, death, etc… When she had walked through our shelter she had noticed these were some of the reasons for why older animals had been ended up at the shelter. Joy is in great health, but acknowledged that at her age anything can happen and she thought to herself that she would rather experience the loss of a cat who had lived out his/her last years in a wonderful home than possibly have to give up an older cat who would have a lesser chance of getting adopted. So, the next day Joy went back to our Boston Adoption Center with her mind set on adopting a senior cat. She decided on adopting a stunning 10-year-old female tortoiseshell cat named Tabby now called Persnickitty alias Chirpie (she chirps!). Chirpie is having the time of her life and Joy has grown fond of her “weird cat nature.” Here’s what Joy had to say about how Chirpie is doing now:
“Chirpie is the most unusually curious and alert cat I’ve ever had. She tries to open doors to see what’s there, and tho’ she stayed away from our greyhound for a long time, in a few days time we realized that she was more disliking him than fearing him. She would run or walk slowly, but with her back to him while hissing. She still doesn’t like him, and peruses the area to see where he is, but she’s made herself quite comfortable WHEREVER she wants to be. (not on tables or counters)…….Her adoption weight was somewhere over 13 lbs, but she’s now down to 12.6. Her obsession with food has lessened only slightly. I feed her in 3 stages (within 10 min) so that she paces herself, and have begun adding a food that is a bit healthier which she doesn’t like, so she eats around those bits, and eats the remainder only when she is desperate! She is not deaf, but she certainly acts it, not responding unless she wants something……food…….or affection. She is definitely not a lap-cat, unless you are on the floor with her, and even then she isn’t fond of staying on laps. Oh well, we have all adjusted, and though I don’t think she and Star will become bosom buddies, they will tolerate each other…..and we really are fond of her and her weird cat nature.“
Joy- we thank you for adopting a senior pet and for sharing your adoption story with us. May Chirpie continue gracing you with her “weird cat nature” for many years to come!
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Love this story! Chirpie sounds a little bit like our kitty Katie, also from the ARL. Although we got Katie as a tiny kitten (she was a foster fail… our second!) she started off not wanting to be held or even pet much, being way too active and curious all the time. However, as she has grown older (she’s now 2) and more used to us and our other kitty Molly, she has become more affectionate. It may be that Chirpie eventually decides you are allowed to pet her more. In any case, she sounds like a fun and funny kitty. Our Katie chirps too! Thank you for thinking about it and taking home a senior cat. She is a lucky girl.
She’s a tortie, and as such, she will have her own way of doing things and her own opinions about everything. I’ve heard it called “tortitude,” and it’s been true of every tortie I’ve known. Once you acknowledge her greatness, she will be a wonderful friend.