I want another cat!

[misty8723]

There is a cat that just recently came into the rescue where I volunteer. She is about 13 years old and was brought there by owners who didn't want her. They didn't take very good care of her, it sounds like. She is a beautiful little Calico, who right now is battling an upper repertory infection so she is in Isolation.  Whenever I'm cleaning her cage, feeding her, etc., I just feel an overwhelming sadness, like I want to cry. I don't know if I'm picking up on how she feels, or it's just me because I know the older kitties have a harder time finding someone to take them.  Today I got her to purr.  I know I can't take her, because we have two and can't really afford to take on another cat because of vet bill issues - and because DH is adamant that we not bring another cat into the house - but I sure do want to bundle her up and get her out of there.

 

[catpack]

Why not network with friends, family, and any coworkers you or your husband have and advocate for this sweet girl? What a wonderful thing to help find her a home where she can live out her remaining years being spoiled!

 

[red top rescue]

Write up a heartfelt ad and put it on Facebook to network with your friends and friends of friends.  You can also post at vets offices.

 

[molly92]

If you interact with people who come in to look at cats, play up her story for sure! Talk about how wonderful is and how she's had such a hard time and is in desperate need of a family or person who loves her. Going straight for the heartstrings is an angle that works well on exactly the kind of person she needs to be adopted by. I've had numerous adoptions where people came in looking for a kitten but fell in love with older cat and just had to rescue him or her, so it does happen!

 

[animallover9]

Talk to people you know and put out there on social media how great this cat is! Age is a big problem with animals getting adopted that's why once the 3 cats I have and my dog pass we will start doing older rescues so they can live out there glory years. Even after getting my three there are days I still want another one but I know I shouldn't and my fiance would kill me if I brought a 4th cat in. I would defiantly start talking to people you know or once she is out of isolation when people come to look at them start telling them how great she is so they will look at her most people will just look see she isnt young and walk away without even getting to know her so thats worth a shot! 

 

[misty8723]

Unfortunately, I'm not one of the adoption counselors, just go in clean the areas, feed them, love on them.  Still working on DH to maybe foster, but he is worried it will throw off the dynamic with our two cats. Plus I don't know if she would get along with another cat. If Gwen (another older cat at that shelter) got along with other cats, I might have tried to talk him into adopting or fostering her.  I know this is a true no kill shelter, but I hate the thought of these older kitties living out their remaining life at the shelter.  Well, we'll see what happens. It's so not good to get too involved with the kitties at the rescue, I know that. 

 

[catpack]

You don't have to be one of the adoption counselors to advocate for her. For my rescue, myself and one other person are in charge of screening potential adopters and handling the actual adoption. However, we have several other people that help us with the day to day tasks, as well as fosters and other volunteers. I am more than happy to have any of these individuals, as well as those that have adopted from us before advocate for any of our cats to be adopted.

There are only so many people that our rescue reached on any given day. The more people advocating and spreading the word, the more successful our rescue is in finding good, life-long forever homes for the cats in our care.

 

[misty8723]

Oh I would advocate for her, but my shift is over before the adoptathon begins, so I'm never there when people are coming to see cats.  However, you have given me an idea that maybe I should volunteer to be the greeter during the adoptathon...  I'll wait until I see she's out of ISO. I'm sure the director would not mind at all me talking up any of the kitties. One of the things the counselors try to do is match what the person wants with the kitties, they know the kitties best because they are there with them all day every day. whereas volunteers such as myself are only there for two hours shifts whenever we can manage the time, but they would not mind at all me hanging around and chatting with potential adopters.