Person goes to shelter to adopt a kitten, instead ends up falling in love with a 17-year-old senior cat who has been at the shelter for 2 years, waiting for her forever home: 'This cat is the best thing that happened to me'

Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky
Mariel Ruvinsky • Writer and Editor
Dec 24, 2025 9:00 AM EST

Adopting a senior cat is one of the kindest things that any person can do. Everyone loves a kitten, of course. Kittens are meowgical in their own ways. But there is a certain kind of meowgic to senior cats as well. Senior cats make such great pets. And that is something that we think you can only really understand once you live with one. 

People think that kittens are more energetic, that cats lose some of that spark once they grow, but these people are wrong. We, as owners of senior felines, can tell you from experience, that senior cats cause chaos too. Their chaos, in fact, is more calculated, methodical and oftentimes successful. And did you know that cats get more cuddly with age? Because they do. Maybe they appreciate us more once they grow a little, maybe they're just seeking more body heat, but they do, and everyone knows that a cuddly cat is a priceless thing. 

Often, senior cats spend a long time in shelters, because simply not many people are looking to adopt one. But eventually, we hope, that they will all find their forever homes too. Like the kitty in this story did. It may have taken her 2 years to get out of the shelter, but once she did, it was into the purrfect house. 

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    "I just adopted my 17 year old lady"

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    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS

  • This is one of our favorite kinds of cat adoption stories, honestly. So many people want to adopt kittens, and for good reasons, reasons that we completely understand. But senior cats deserve warm homes too, and we promise you, as owners of senior cats ourselves, that them being old will not stop them from committing all the shenanigans that they can come up with. They may be old, but they will forever be cats, and that means that there will forever be chaos. 

  • 04
    This cat is the best thing that happened to me. I went in the shelter looking for a kitten and came out a week later with a cat who had been in the shelter for 2 years.
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    That whole week I was waiting to pick her up was near unbearable, they had to do bloodwork and see if she came back with cancer (which she didnt!) And she also has hypothyroidism which she eats Y/D for.
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    The moment I let her out of the carrier she was immediately curious and explorative with no caution for my other darling Hannah behind the pet room door.
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    She embodies an old woman with giving 0 amount of care to Hannah's hissing (they are staying separated for at least a month) on top of sleeping like she pays the bills.
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    I found she absolutely loves ranch when she jolted awake from her bed on my desk and faster then I had seen her move yet, shoved her face into to ranch on my plate.
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    Shes always so curious about what im eating and demands a taste although most of the time shes denied except when it comes to some boiled pumpkin.
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    Shes only 4.58 pounds and hates dry food so im working on getting her some Y/D wet food in hope of enticing her. Even a little shake of the head or a sneeze knocks her over but that still doesnt stop her endeavor for my food. I absolutely love this girl
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS

  • We wish more stories like this one would go viral. There is nothing that we want more than people giving older cats the love and affection that they deserve. More awareness means fewer senior cats sitting in shelters and waiting for years at a time to be given their chance. It is why we find it so important to cover stories like these - because these cats as just as important as any kitten, and they deserve homes just as much as well. 

  • 11
    FLcatlover Thank you for adopting an older cat! She's beautiful. Not to be a party pooper, but I I wouldn't let her have more Ranch. I'm pretty sure there's some amount of garlic/onions in it, which isn't good for cats, especially older ones whose health might be more sensitive. For our older cat with thyroid issues and struggles maintaining weight, I really like Churu Nourish. They're like regular Churu treats but double the calories.
    via FLcatlover
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    DrunkenDreamsMDZS OP Oh absolutely not, I just found it funny at how fast she moved. I thought about that but im worried about it effecting the prescription food which says to feed exclusively that. Although maybe a treat or two wont hurt anything. Ill ask my vet about it when we go:)
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    OneMorePenguin I think you mean hyPERthyroidism which is overactive thyroid. I would definitely consult your vet. The Y/D food is good, but generally the treatment is medication (methimizole) or radioactive iodine (I-131) treatment. She's too old for the iodine treatment, but may benefit from the medication. Trying to increase her weight would be beneficial. She's adorable and thank you for for adopting her. Two years at the shelter :-(. No matter how long you have her, you will *always* be her
    via OneMorePenguin
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    DrunkenDreamsMDZS OP Her name is Holly, and the shelter where she was at had already consulted with a vet. She takes Y/D and methimizole, totally forgot to mention it. Definitely want to increase her weight but she doesnt like the dry food so I've ordered some y/d wet food
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    Vegetable-Drive-2686 SO CUTE! I'm also amazed that shelter just kept her for 2 years, kudos to them!
    via Vegetable-Drive-2686
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    DrunkenDreamsMDZS OP She was transfered from the first shelter to the one I got her from in September, im so gald that didnt put her down instead though
    via DrunkenDreamsMDZS
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    LCARSgfx So nice to see an elderly cat get a furrever home to live out her twilight time in comfort and being loved
    via LCARSgfx
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    SasaLeleHLL She's gorgeous I bet she's delighted and so grateful to you for giving her a lovely retirement home!
    via SasaLeleHLL

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