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Home > Out of the Cage! > Winter 2007 > Senior Pets: The Ups and Downs of Finding a Home for Francis Senior Pets: The Ups and Downs of Finding a Home for Francis
by Joan Antelman, Publisher, Senior Pets Newsletter What happens when someone dies and leaves a pet behind? It happens often, as in the case of Francis — a sweet nine-year-old de-clawed kitty whose 93-year-old owner/guardian passed away several months ago. I heard about Francis on Craig's List, where I post many adoptable pets for rescue groups. I guess the age of the former owner reminded me of my grandmother, Rose, who was not a pet lover really, although she didn't mind them. So I contacted Patricia, the person who posted the ad, and she asked for my help. We re-posted the ad, this time including photos, so that people who might be interested in an older cat could see how beautiful Francis is. Then I enlisted the help of Sharon, a trainer and behaviorist, to help prepare her for a new home. (I was actually calling in a favor, since I recently had helped Sharon place Trouble, a 13-year-old kitty who needed a new home because her owner/guardian developed allergies.) So Sharon, Patricia, and I set out to find a new home for Francis. In the meantime, an elderly man named Frank, agreed to foster her. Since Francis was used to living alone with her "person," we knew that finding the right adopter could be tricky. The ideal home would be one with a single person, older and quiet, with no other pets. Despite her being de-clawed, which can be an attractive trait to some potential adopters, for others who already have cats, Francis would not be able to defend herself if need be. Talk about a tall order!
Most of the initial responses were from people who had cats and dogs, and too many of both! We felt that those homes were not appropriate for Francis, who was not used to being around other animals. One potential adopter met Francis and was interested, but then moved out of the city, not wanting to take a pet with her. Another we felt was too young and high-energy, and would require too difficult an adjustment for this older cat. As time passed with no real prospects, Frank began to grow impatient and Patricia was worried that he would not continue to care for Francis. To make matters more challenging, Frank did not have a phone, which made it difficult to make appointments for people to meet Francis. Finally, a friend of Sharon's decided to adopt Francis. She and her family have a large house and one other cat, so it seemed like a pretty good option. But then the adopter changed her mind. Then she changed it back again. Uncertain as to the final outcome, but comfortable with the situation into which Francis was going, we took her to her new home.
Francis was scared at first. She hid for a while, but then she came out. Francis and her new housemate hissed at one another, but fortunately fell into a routine. All was going well, until it appeared that Francis decided to go outside the litter box on brand new chairs. That was not acceptable to the new adopter. But she recognized that some cats take longer than others to adjust to a new home, and everyone concerned felt this behavior was temporary. And we were right. Actually, it turned out that it probably wasn't Francis who was leaving signatures on the furniture, but instead her sneaky housemate. So today Francis is settling in with her new family, and it looks like a good match. Like many cats that have to adjust to a new living situation later in life, Francis was a challenging adoption. But with a little patience, a lot of faith, and a dash of luck, an older cat can adapt to a new home and bring a great deal of love with her. Way to go, Francis!
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