Adopting a senior cat was the best decision I’ve ever made

Two months ago, I went to the shelter just to spend time with the animals. This was a regular thing I did at the time to help my mental health. They brought in a new cat. A 19 year old tuxedo with barely any teeth, kidney disease and dementia. He was meowing up a storm. I asked to visit with him and fell in love. He was surprisingly active! Meowing up a storm, sounding like he smoked a pack a day for those 19 years of life. Jumping on the visitor furniture and rubbing up on me. I asked what his story was.

They told me he was adopted 2 years ago and dumped a few months prior to me visiting. I got surprisingly emotional about that and said I’d come back for him the next day. I don’t think they believed me lol. But I did! I gave him his own space to adjust, but he got tired of it and started coming to sleep next to me in my bed.

I’m still so surprised by him every day. He’s incredibly well behaved and vocal about everything. He comes to sleep next to me every night, and recently he’s been improving so much! He’s developed a good appetite, gained weight and started playing again! The shelter said he hadn’t shown any interest in toys during his time there. There are days where he forgets about things and needs some extra support, but he’s never been aggressive. He tells me when something is wrong, even the smallest things. He really doesn’t act his age, it’s baffling. He’s so funny, he cracks me up all the time.

I’m unsure how long I’ll have with this little guy, but I’m grateful for every moment. He’s made my life a lot happier, and I feel fulfilled by his presence. At the end of the day, no matter how difficult, I know he’ll be waiting for me at home.