Talkin Pets

(ANNAPOLIS, Maryland) June 18, 2012—During Adopt a Cat Month, the CATalyst Council, a national initiative comprised of animal health and welfare organizations working on behalf of cats, encourages potential adopters to consider adopting an older cat.

While kittens may be fun and have seemingly boundless energy, you may find that having a more mellow older cat is a better fit for your family and your lifestyle. Older cats also tend to stay in shelters longer than younger ones, which means that shelter staff have gotten to know them better and can recommend one that would be perfect for you.

“Adult cats are just big kittens with developed personalities,” says Jan McHugh Smith, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region. “They come in all shapes, sizes and colors; you can adopt a cool cat, a lap cat, a fat cat. Just adopt.”

“Many people overlook older cats in shelters because they worry about the amount of time the cat has left, but many cats live to be well into their late teens, so adopting a 6-year-old cat could mean that you still have over a decade to enjoy each other’s company,” says Dr. Jane Brunt, CATalyst Council’s executive director. “The most important thing to remember when adopting any cat is that proper veterinary care is necessary to help your new friend enjoy a long, happy, healthy life.”

A cat as young as 3 years old has a harder time finding a new home than a kitten does, and generally around 60 percent of cats taken in at shelters are adults.

“Adult cats can become a member of your family just as easily as a kitten, generally know how to use a litter box and are typically mellower than their younger counterparts,” says Bob Rohde, president and CEO of the Dumb Friends League in Denver. “Older cats have just as much love to give and seem to be more grateful for getting that second chance at happiness.”

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The CATalyst Council is a national organization which includes a wide variety of animal health and welfare organizations as well as corporate members of the animal health industry that are working together to improve the health and welfare of America’s favorite pet. It was founded in response to troubling statistics released by the American Veterinary Medical Association that indicate an increase in our nation’s pet cat population coupled with a decline in veterinary care for those cats. More information about the CATalyst Council is available at www.catalystcouncil.org.