According to the ASPCA, approximately 3.4 million cats enter animal shelters every year. Though many of the cats that are rehomed are kittens or young cats, senior cats very often never find a new forever home. Adopting an older cat can come with challenges, but those are easily outweighed by the love and companionship senior cat adoption offers. Here's a true-life story of one pet parent's experience adopting an older cat.

Melissa and Clive

The idea of senior cat adoption came to Melissa after she spent time volunteering for the MSPCA. "As time went on, I noticed that more and more kittens and young adult cats were being adopted daily, while the senior cats spent more time at the shelter," she says. There are many reasons why younger animals are adopted quickly. They're cute, cuddly, and expected to have a long life ahead of them. However, older cats have some perks too. They're often house trained, calmer, and looking for love and attention.

Melissa loved volunteering and knew she wanted to bring home one of the cats, but first, she needed to consult with her partner. "I had spent time with many cats during my service—my job was to write personality descriptions for each kitty—but I was drawn to Clive right away. His previous owners had declawed and surrendered him and his brother who was somehow adopted first." So, she says, "I finally convinced my now-husband that it was time to adopt and bring a cat into our home."

So, one day, the pair took a trip together to see if they could agree on one. Melissa says, "At the shelter, he also immediately noticed Clive, sitting calmly in the 'social' room with other fellow cats who were not vicious or shy. 'What about this guy?' he asked me. I smiled because I had been hoping he'd choose Clive."

One reason people may be hesitant to adopt a senior cat is that they fear the costs will be higher than bringing home a kitten. In some cases, older cats need more frequent attention from their veterinarian, but that shouldn't be a deterrent to adopting an older cat. Melissa says, "The MSPCA gave us a discounted senior adoption fee, but immediately warned us that due to his older age (10 years), he needed dental extractions, which would cost hundreds of dollars. They also mentioned that he might encounter other health issues sooner than later. This had previously turned off other potential adopters."