Your Cat has said it before, but we really shouldn't let age be a barrier when choosing a cat, or enjoying the rewards of cat ownership. Older cats are just good at enriching lives as the younger models. Isn't it about time we paused to celebrate all that old aged fellows and ladies have to offer?
There are lots of middle-aged cats, often just beyond the flush of excitable kittenhood, which are being overlooked at rescue centres. I certainly got to see this for myself at first hand when I visited the Old Windsor Branch of the Battersea Cats and Dogs Home last week, where I saw lots of lovable cats ten years and above and older.
If you are honest about what you have to offer in terms of a home, then a good charity will do their best to match the right cat to you.
So why take on a older cat? Well, for starters they make good, longterm pets — advances in veterinary care and medicine mean many older cats now live to their late teens and early-20s in remarkably good health.
There are other reasons too:
1) They have calmer, more settled natures so are likely to be lower maintenance than young cats or kittens.
2) Older cats tend to seek love and attention much more than young cats, making them ideal ‘lap pets.’
3) Owing to their age and habits, older cats are less likely to go out and explore, reducing the possibility of them getting lost, going missing or having road traffic accidents.
4) Older cats that are currently being looked after by Cats Protection and organisations like Battersea tend to have had one or more previous owners, so they are usually domesticated and familiar with routines such as using a litter tray, scratch posts and so on.
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