"Are you certifiably crazy or a saint?! Maybe there's not much difference between the two. I can understand how you would not want the cat to stay in the shelter at her age, but I still think you may be crazy."
This is an actual quote from an e-mail that some friends wrote to our humans upon learning about the adoption of Katie Ann, 16, from Lycoming Animal Protection Society a few months ago. She was selected to be a playmate for Sabrina Louise, 11, who had been adopted from LAPS in 2006 when she was nearly 9 years old.
"You adopted another older cat? But didn't you lose one earlier this year? Why would you want to go through that all over again?" asked a relative who learned the news.
Why do people adopt senior cats? After all, we aren't cute like little kittens and we're not rambunctious like adolescent cats. Maybe our senses aren't as sharp as they used to be, or we don't move as quickly as we once did. Our fur isn't as thick and glossy as it was when we were younger.
But we're also not prejudiced. We know what love is and we know that it can come in any size, shape, color - or age.
To borrow a human expression, let's put the shoe on the other paw. Here are thoughts that NEVER crossed either of our minds when we first met the humans who adopted us:
"Her hair is turning gray, and some of his has fallen out."
"They have some wrinkles and they're each a little chubby around the middle."
"Their vision must not be very good because they both wear glasses."
"I don't think that they have all of their teeth."
"He seems to have some hearing loss."
"She has arthritis in her fingers; I'll bet that she has trouble opening cat food cans."
"They seem to move slower than some of the more youthful humans."
"I think that they might even be retired."
As cats, we didn't care about such superficial things. What was important to us was that these humans had successfully completed LAPS' adoption process, so we knew they were longtime cat owners who once had a three-legged calico that lived to 19.
We recognized that they made a lifetime commitment to every kitty that they had ever adopted, and as seniors themselves, they thought that it just made sense at this point in their lives to take in older cats.
We realized they were specifically looking for mature cats and had even singled out LAPS - driving more than 120 miles round trip for each adoption - because of the shelter's commitment to cats of all ages.
We understood that they had used the same veterinarians for decades and that we would receive excellent preventive care.
We were certain that they knew friends that would cat-sit for us when they traveled. We thought that at their ages, these humans would probably prefer quiet evenings to loud, raucous parties.
We could tell that they would cherish us and that their laps were warm and their hands gentle. And so, when each of us was picked, we were absolutely thrilled.
We spend our days lounging on cat beds positioned near the sunny windowsills of our home. We enjoy sitting inside and watching the birds, squirrels and especially the chipmunks as they gather their provisions for the winter.
Even though we are senior cats, we are still playful and know how to have fun. In fact, we each have a special "meow" that we sing when we are carrying one of our catnip toys gently in our mouths.
And when LAPS provided our humans with our histories, they discovered that each of us had been at the shelter before and that our time there had overlapped for most of 1999.
We get along so well with each other that our humans wonder if we might have played together in our younger days as LAPS residents.
The tone softened in the e-mail from those friends. "Well, congratulations and good luck with the new addition to your family. Thank goodness for people like you in our world."
"They're lucky to have found you," said our veterinarians. We believe that the vets were talking about all of us, meaning that the humans were also fortunate to have been able to welcome two calm, affectionate and mature cats into their lives.
We have all found love as seniors.
"Authors" Sabrina Louise and Katie Ann kept the first and middle names that they had as senior residents at LAPS. They live in State College and hope some day to meet the Penn State Nittany Lion.
To learn more about LAPS, visit the Web site www.LapsShelter.org.
Do you have an animal tale you would like to share? Every other week the Sun-Gazette will feature a different cat or dog and interesting facts about that week's animal.
Readers may send in a photo of their cat or dog for the chance to have their pet featured in an upcoming story.
E-mail a .jpg format photo of your furry friend to the Lifestyle Department at life@sungazette.com or mail a photograph to the Lifestyle Department, Williamsport Sun-Gazette, 252 W. Fourth St., Williamsport, PA 17701.
Please include the pet's name, owner's name and city of residence. Also include the animal's statistics and any interesting facts, history, tricks or "tales" about your pet.
