By Jeannette Schwenk

My husband, Richard, and I adopted Spot after the death of our cat Charlie who was 17.We renamed him Sherman.

I'm a volunteer at the shelter so I've known Sherman for over a year. He was a bit shy when he first got to our home. He knew me which made it easier for him to adjust. He spent his first few days under the bed. His favorite place to be now is in the bed. Not on the bed, but in the bed. He loves to play peak-a-boo under the sheets. It can take half an hour to make the bed with him playing.

It didn't take him long to become a great lap cat. No matter where we sit he is in one of our laps PURRING away. He loves watching the ball games with Richard.

The Humane Society of Forsyth County's No Kill Shelter has many senior pets that have been long and patiently been awaiting to be adopted. 

Since we are a No Kill shelter, these wonderful pets have a place with us until they find their forever homes. The unfortunate flip side of this, is that since there is only so much space and funding we have to provide for our pets, other newcomers may not be able to get into our program. This means they end up elsewhere and possibly at Animal Control where they may be humanely euthanized if they are not claimed nor adopted. For some reason, some pets just end up overlooked, kind of like that analogy of the baseball team where someone is just picked for the team last or not at all. Despite the fact that some of our society pets have lived a quarter of their lives with us and have wonderful spirits, we feel for them that they are not in a real home environment with all the comforts and stimulus we and our own pets enjoy everyday. 

Some considerations and reasons for adopting senior cats:

With older cats you generally know what you are getting with regards to any behavior challenges or health considerations, so there are no surprises.

Often they have been trained and require less supervision and continuous care, which can make for ideal companions with people whom have busy lives or some other limitation that prevents constant care.

Physical demands on caring for senior pets are often low, as they don't require as much play like a younger pet. Attention and companionship are often plenty to enrich senior cats' lives, however one should be mindful of a certain amount of dedication that is needed in caring for a pet as well as some of the physical and financial needs that having a pet requires. Older pets though are usually more physically manageable than younger ones. So beware, if you sitting watching your favorite show, your senior cat may be sitting on your lap demanding to be pet, “NeOW!"

Diets for a senior cat are important since seniors typically get less exercise, (likely this is a similar issue for many of us!); At our shelter, currently we have a free feed system in their rooms, which makes it difficult to monitor intake. Many of our senior cats are gaining weight. They would benefit from a home environment where they move around, satisfy their curiosity in new things and not eat out of sheer boredom.

An adult cat typically has a more calm demeanor and less intense exercise needs that make them a perfect match for an older person seeking companionship and love. Perhaps there has been a recent change in a senior's life that you know, a senior pet can be a welcoming newcomer to a life that needs uplifting, new purpose and meaning. The bonus is that it is mutually beneficial, resulting in improved lives and improved emotional and physical health. According to the Humane Society of the United States, "Studies suggest that contact with animals can lower blood pressure. Research also indicates a link between pet ownership and an increased survival rate for cardiac patients. Other potential health benefits can include decreased stress, reduced bone loss, lowered cholesterol levels, and improved blood circulation."

The companion pet from our shelter is ready! They have had all their vaccinations, they are either spayed or neutered and they are microchipped. The adoption fee is much less than what it would cost to do this on your own.

So please, prompt your Mom, Dad, relative or friend (or perhaps yourself), whom is missing something in their life, such as devoted companionship, to consider adopting a senior pet. We have a special “Seniors for Seniors” program for seniors interested in adopting or even fostering our senior cats and we are happy to work with you in selecting a companion pet.

Please stay tuned this month to posted profiles of our adoptable seniors, or if you just cannot wait, please contact us at the Humane Society at Forsyth County at 770 887 6480 or via email to Chali Valery at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Please don't hesitate to contact us, we are happy to help match you or your senior with the perfect senior pet!