Often overlooked pet in animal shelters reveals the heartbreaking reality of adoption

When I first adopted my rescue cats, I was looking for a kitten. I thought this is how it worked when you get a new pet: you get a little one so it can grow up with you. And while we love the kitten (now an adult cat) we eventually adopted, our entire household agrees that we got the best deal of all because we didn’t just bring home that kitten. .we also adopted her mother.

Every year, animal shelters are flooded with homeless puppies and kittens, as well as the homeless mothers who gave birth to them. And while it is relatively easy to adopt the adorable babies that these poor mothers have labored to carry, nurse, and wean, the mothers often struggle to find new families long after their children have gone to their forever homes.

For my family, we were told that we were not good candidates for adopting a kitten because we had never owned a cat again, and they preferred to adopt kittens in pairs or put them in a home with an adult cat to send. Two kittens, two kids, and a pandemic sounded like more work than I wanted to do, but I had a brainstorm. I could get an adult cat: the baby’s mother.

Related: Stray Mother Dog and Her Puppies Immediately Trust the Woman Who Came to Rescue Them

It was the best decision we ever made. There are many benefits to adopting a mother cat, and I now recommend the practice to everyone. Not only did our sweet mother cat keep the baby kitten in line, making sure she practiced good litter box manners and always using the scratching posts instead of our furniture or curtains, but she also grew into the most sweet, affectionate and grateful cat. with a purring sound that will melt your heart, and the softest fur I have ever touched. Even lifelong cat haters have fallen madly in love with her.

And to think we could have missed her because we were so obsessed with the idea of ​​a kitten!

Other animals overlooked in shelters

New mothers aren’t the only animals that often languish in shelters. Anyone who has worked in animal control will tell you that black dogs and cats are often more difficult to place than pets of other colours, but whether this is due to the superstition of the animals being ‘bad luck’ or simply because it is very is difficult to get a good photo of animals with black fur (I have a black cat. Can confirm this), is uncertain. In many cases, breeds such as Pit Bulls or larger dogs in general are more difficult to regulate due to housing laws and also personal biases. And the preference for puppies and kittens doesn’t just leave their mothers without a home; it is also harder for older pets to get adopted.

Older pets need love too

In many cases, older pets are ignored because of concerns about how much their vet bills could cost, although babies have vet bills too. (Saving costs a fortune!) Other times people get emotional about how few years they have with the pet. But speaking as someone who has lost a young dog to cancer, you never know how much time you will have with your furry friend.

However, often the prejudice exists simply because the idea of ​​’buying a new dog or cat’ is so strongly associated with ‘buying a new puppy or kitten’. But there are so many benefits to getting a senior, or even just an adult dog or cat. They have usually gotten over their youthful misbehavior and are likely to be calmer in behavior, with less need for constant activity. They also usually show some level of basic training, such as being potty trained and knowing common commands. Getting an older dog can mean bypassing all the headaches of a panicky, untrained puppy.

We suspect our mom was only about two years old when she came to us, which means we can enjoy her for many years to come.

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