IT'S "ADOPT A SENIOR CAT MONTH," by Charlie

You may not be aware of this, but November is an extremely important month.  It's important because everybody eats turkey for Thanksgiving, and it's also important because it's a time to tell people all about the benefits of adopting an older cat.  When I say "older," I just mean "no longer a kitten."  I'm not quite sure what is meant by a "senior" cat.  I'm 7 years old, and maybe some folks would call that "senior," but I certainly don't think of myself as old and decrepit!  In fact, I'm just barely middle-aged, since cats often live to be 18 or 20 or even older.

Anyway, here are some excellent reasons why you should think seriously about adopting a cat who is no longer a kitten.

1.  An older cat does not bounce off the walls and act all hyper, like Jacen does, for example.
2.  An older cat does not think your arm is a chewable object.
3.  Older cats are good at sitting in laps and purring and just being calm and peaceful.
4.  An older cat won't pounce on you and want to play when you're trying to sleep, like Jacen does.
5.  Older cats are already the size they're going to be "when they grow up."
6.  Older cats know how to use the litter box reliably.  Usually.
7.  An older cat doesn't knock over plants all the time while playing hide-and-seek, like our crazy foster kittens do.
8.  Older cats are just sweet and mellow and wonderful, and it's not fair if they never get adopted because people keep adopting kittens instead.


Okay, now that you know why it's such a great idea to adopt a cat who's a little older, here are a few fabulous kitties who are available for adoption at the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City.

CLEMENTINE AND HEATHER

These two girls are sisters, and they are 7 years old, just like me.  They have always lived together, so they would like to be adopted together.  They first came to the Humane Society when they were kittens, and they had a nasty respiratory virus and an eye infection.  Clementine's eyes were saved, but Heather lost one of hers.

The two kitties were adopted together, but the family returned them to the shelter recently because they had a baby, and they no longer had time for Clementine and Heather.  I can't believe people would give up their pets for such a dumb reason, but Mom says it happens all the time.  And another popular reason for giving up cats or dogs is that the family is moving and can't take the animals along.  Or so they say.

Okay, don't get me started on this.  It makes me want to go out and claw somebody!  Just think about adopting Heather and Clementine.  They are friendly, playful, get along with other cats, and they would really like to have a new home!












ISIS

Isis is another 7-year-old, and I am here to tell you that 7 is a wonderful age to be.  This pretty girl loves to sit in any lap she can find.  She's a talker, and if a lap is already occupied, she will let you know that she should be the occupier, rather than whatever cat is already there.  When Isis first came to the shelter, she was very sick because someone had used a flea preventive meant for dogs on her.  But now she is all well and happy and is just waiting for somebody to take her home.

VAN

This was the oldest male cat I could find on the Humane Society site.  Maybe this means that boys are more popular with adopters than girls are, or maybe it means nothing at all.  Anyway, Van is a very handsome tuxedo cat, just like myself.  He is 3 years old, and he was injured before he arrived at the shelter -- probably because he was hit by a car.  He had a broken pelvis, and part of his tail had to be amputated, but he's all healed up now.  Van loves to play, and he gets along fine with other cats.

GIGI

Gigi is 7 years old.  She started life as a feral kitten, and then she was fostered for a while by a member of the shelter staff.  She's still kind of shy until she gets to know you, so she needs a home where the people will be patient and let her settle in at her own pace.  Gigi loves other cats, so she should probably have some kitty companions in her forever home.

DOTTY

This beautiful girl is 3 years old.  She's playful, and she likes other cats.  Dotty came to the shelter as a kitten with her two sisters.  The other two were adopted together, but poor Dotty got left behind.

MERCURY

This guy isn't technically a kitten anymore because he's over a year old, but he's certainly not a "senior" cat.  Unfortunately, since he's a black kitty, his chances of getting adopted aren't as good as they might be if he were a different color.  Mercury was abandoned in the lobby of the shelter, and he was very sick.  Since he had a high temperature, he was named Mercury.  Of course, he's totally well now, and he would be a great addition to any home.





Okay, so here are my recommendations for November:  adopt a nice older cat or two from your local shelter, and eat lots of turkey for Thanksgiving!