Woman adopts wholesome 20-year-old senior cat from shelter to make sure he experienced love in his last meowments of life

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Blake Seidel • Managing Editor & Brand Manager
Jul 16, 2025 11:00 AM EDT

You know, feline fam, what you choose to fill your cup with has a huge effect on your day. This is both a physical and meowtaphorical statement. Let's tackle the physical one first. We can already tell you that you should fill your cup with more water. Hydration is impawtant, friends.

The second, and the topic of our listicle today, is about your mewd. You can choose to fill your cup with negativity and live a lifestyle that purrfectly reflects that, or, you choose to fill your cup with pawsitivity and be the change you wish to see in the world. Cat people are some of the best examples of this. Cat people will do anything for cats, even if they've never met them before. In the story below, one woman adopted a 20-year-old senior cat from his shelter so he wouldn't spend the rest of his life in a cage. And if that's not inspawrational, we're not sure what is.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10529653248
    via @catshealdeprsn
  • 02
    cats wit... @catsheald... Subscribe This woman adopted this 20-year-old cat from a shelter because she didn't want him to spend the end of his life alone in a cage.
    via @catshealdeprsn
  • 03
    Sean Spor... @PonyP... 15h ... This is Alfred. We adopted this sweet and loving boy after being told he was a senior cat and was not expecting to live but a few weeks or months. That was five years ago!
    via @PonyProdWTVY
  • 04
    Cheezburger Image 10529654272
    via @PonyProdWTVY

  • Love does wonders for a cat. Have you ever seen those pictures of cats before and after adoption? They're pawsitively ameowzing. Their fur grows fuller, their faces are brighter, and not surprisingly, they live way longer! It's a meowracle!

  • 05
    MAXIMILI... @Romanini... . 6h I am currently doing that with an outdoor cat that's about 8 years old. I'm committed to give this cat (hopefully) best years of his existence. Quality food, treats, purified water, excellent vet care, a warm home and tons of love.
    via @RomaniniRadic
  • 06
    Cheezburger Image 10529653504
    via @RomaniniRadic
  • 07
    MTrucksa @MTrucksa · 17h is living in a cage better or worse than being a stray on the streets? i would hope better in the cages at least. but yeah, im sure a nice home would be very good. i think they know when they have been rescued like you did. :)
    via @MTrucksa
  • 08
    Meredith S... @Meredi... 15h My best friend does this. It breaks her heart when they pass but she intentionally picks the oldest female cat at the shelter and gives them the best life she can.
    via @MeredithPolS

  • We have to do this at least once in our lives. We don't know if we can do it consistently because we're not sure if our hearts can take it, but we believe that senior cats do not belong in shelters. Especially ones that are 20 years old!

  • 09
    Taylor @2019wasbetter 10h · Ok, that made me tear up.
    via @2019wasbetter
  • 10
    Laura @fashion7thave · 9h • ... I adoped a 13 year old from the shelter, she's so sweet.
    via @fashion7thave
  • 11
    STRYEDO... @STRYE... · 12h Thinking of adopting a special needs or older cat. Bit worried it will shake up the dynamics of the two we already have though.
    via @STRYED0R
  • 12
    NameDoesnt... @rynn... 11h Many of these senior pets belong to terminal patients, seniors who've passed or who go into a home where pets aren't allowed. There is a rescue called MyGrandfathersCat that specializes in these older pets and seems to have great success giving these fur babes a soft place to land for their final days. <3
    via @rynner514
  • 13
    Tutu @zoeyswisper. 14h Angel Heart.
    via @zoeyswisper
  • 14
    Ed Bear @Edwin_Bubble . 10h I've done this quite a few times. There's nearly no transition phase because they already know how everything works.
    via @Edwin_Bubble
  • 15
    jaime @jaime_solis - 17h What a heartwarming act of kindness!
    via @jaime_solis
  • 16
    MTrucksa @MTrucksa · 17h He looks like he has a little cat mitten on him, becasue of his arm that got shaved. :). so cute.
    via @MTrucksa
  • 17
    Commander Ka... That cat is so cute @Ka.... 14h
    via @KayaMichiyu
  • 18
    Viki @churvikv. 13h Now that's true love for animals
    via @churvikv
  • 19
    Jessie Fisc... @jessiefis... 4h Omg 20 years old! That cat is wise beyond years
    via @jessiefisch
  • 20
    Mike @MrDynamic101 - 14h Who would leave a cat that senior by itself in a shelter
    via @MrDynamic101
  • 21
    Kathleen... @KathleenH.... 13h So kind & sweet. This is the best of humanity.
    via @KathleenHa59906
  • 22
    Meaghan O'Mall... @... 10h I adopted a 10-year-old Maine Coon for the same reason. Her person had passed away, and I couldn't let her spend a minute more in a cage. She's 17 now, she has dementia, but is physically healthy. Say hello to Katahdin.
    via @meaghano9
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    Cheezburger Image 10529658368
    via @meaghano9

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adoption animal rescue adopted feline cat rescue forever home Cats senior cats loving animals rescue
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