Cats Protection is being gripped by a pensioner crisis – no-one wants to adopt its feline senior citizens.

Cats Protection says that its unwanted older cats aged 12 years and above - 65 years and over in human terms - now wait, on average, 96 days before being adopted – 32 per cent longer than in 2010 and well above the charity’s average adoption rate of 40 days.

This has led the organisation to issue an appeal for people to adopt a feline senior citizen or make a donation towards the cost of their care.

“We’ve seen the situation for unwanted older cats get gradually worse over the past few years but we’ve hit an all-time low in the last 12 months,” explained Peter Hepburn, Cats Protection’s Chief Executive. “Sadly, it’s now not uncommon for a fit and healthy older cat to spend as much as six months or more with us because no-one wants to adopt them. Feedback from our volunteers and staff reveals that people seem reluctant to take on an older cat because they fear an older cat will be too expensive to look after, particularly if the cat develops a condition that will require veterinary treatment, and this fear appears to be down to the current economic climate.

“It is a great shame because they make wonderful pets and companions, and improvements in cat care have greatly raised the life expectancy and quality of life for many cats, meaning that many now live to their late teens and early 20s in remarkably good health. However, it’s always worth considering taking out pet insurance for your older cat, checking that it will cover the cat in case of any illness that may arise in the future.”

As older cats take up pen spaces for many months, it costs Cats Protection more to care for them and prevents other needy cats from being helped. However, older cats have a lot to offer owners because of their settled and laid-back natures and liking for human company so a new home or a donation would really help – just £6 could feed an older cat for a month.

Older cats presently being overlooked include 12-year-old Victoria, who has been in care at the charity’s National Cat Adoption Centre in Sussex since 16 August 2011, and 12-year-old Georgie, who has been at the charity’s Derby Adoption Centre since 15 September 2011. Both are friendly cats and would make ideal companions.

To adopt an older cat or to make a donation towards their care, please call the charity’s national Helpline on 03000 12 12 12.

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For media enquiries, please contact the Media Office on 01825 741 911 or email media.office@cats.org.uk
 
Notes to editors
1. Figures were sourced from Cats Protection’s 30 adoption centres and compare the time taken for cats to be adopted between January – December 2010 against January – December 2011. Figures do not include the charity’s 257 volunteer-run branches for which statistics are not yet available.
2. For high-resolution photos of Victoria and Georgie, please contact the Media Office as above.
3. Cats Protection is the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and helps over 230,000 cats and kittens each year through a network of 257 volunteer-run branches and 30 adoption centres.
4. Cats Protection’s registered charity number is 203644 (England and Wales) and SCO37711 (Scotland).  The charity’s vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.
5. Founded as the Cats Protection League in 1927, the charity adopted the name Cats Protection in 1998.  We ask that you use the name Cats Protection when referring to the charity in all published material.

Photo courtesy CP Library