Our neighbors have a new cat, rescued from the local shelter. They have been thinking about another pet since their cat Tuffy passed away at age 19 last spring. He was dearly loved and well cared for. It takes time for our sense of loss to get to the point where we can talk about the wonderful memories we have and move on.

We were surprised when the neighbors came home with a “senior” cat. Of course they’re not sure how old she is. The shelter vet thought around 8 years old. It was especially appropriate that they chose an adult cat – since this is the ASPCA’s Adopt A Senior Pet Month. Shelters say the most difficult pets to place are senior cats. Kittens are so adorable they’re in greater demand.

There are good reasons to adopt a senior pet besides the reason that they’re often left in shelters when people move or pass away. You’ll have to spend time with them to determine their training and their purr-sonality. They are likely to be litter trained and possibly obedience trained. If they have claws, you’ll want to see if they use a scratching post. Our local shelter has a living room where you can spend up to 4 hours with your prospective adoptive pet. This gives you time to play with them, feed them and probably watch them sleep, since cats sleep about 18 hours a day.