As the owner of an adorable 15-year-old cat, carefully selected five years ago from an abundance of felines sheltered by the Ozaukee Humane Society, I was touched to see that the Ozaukee Humane Society and the Wisconsin Humane Society have decided to push getting homes for mature animals. They have made November “Adopt a Senior Animal Month.”

Dr. Randy Zeman who works out of both humane societies, says the decision came about in part because so many mature cats are currently under their care. “Both organizations certainly have plenty to choose from,” he agrees, saying that unfortunately their cages are often bypassed as families head straight to the kittens and puppies. “We want people to know there are many advantages to getting an older animal,” he says, “senior cats possess a lot of positive qualities that a younger furry friend may still need to develop.”

Older animals know the ropes. They're patient and wise, making it easier to absorb them into a new home. They're house trained, which means their physical demands are less. And, in general, they need less exercise than young animals. Mature animals are much easier to train because they can focus more than scatty youngsters. Any perhaps, most important, senior animals return the love given to them by their owners tenfold because they've often been around the block a few times and are relieved to end up in a warm and loving home with a comfortable lap to snuggle on.

Hoping to encourage families to consider adopting an older animal, the two humane societies are waiving the adoption fee for any cat over one year during the month of November. And bearing in mind that each cat comes with a behavioral assessment, they've all been spayed or neutered, and they've had initial vaccinations and been microchipped, that's a pretty good deal. As with any adoption, the humane society always does background checks on would-be adopters. Zeman says, “We want to make absolutely sure that the cat you choose is the right fit for your family.”

They did a good job matching our family with Zen five years ago. Why not think of taking an older cat into your home…it's a win/win situation.