This is the story of a senior shelter cat who is getting a new life. Thanks to City of Elderly Love (COEL): Save a Senior Pet, this beautiful tabby dubbed Zeb, will now have a wonderful new life. The rescue posted the good news on their Facebook page on December 12.
“Old-as-dirt, missing an eye, only has 4 teeth, and is FIV+? He’s perfect! This majestic old man had our foster parents fighting over who got to bring him home. He’ll be joining us from a Philadelphia-area animal shelter within the next couple days!”
I’ve followed Zeb’s story since before he was spoken for by COEL. Rescues and animal advocates from around the world were scrambling to save this old guy, who’s believed to be 12 years old or older. Since coming into the Cumberland County SPCA in south New Jersey, Zeb has been grateful for the food, love and shelter he was given. It’s like he knew he’d been taken to a place better than where he came from. Oh, if this cat could talk and tell us the life he’s led!
Zeb may be missing a few body parts and have a few health issues, but he’s captured the love that abounds in the world of social media. Can you believe Zeb is being fought over as to who would be his foster until an adoptive family could be found? This is as it should be with all cats, and hopefully Zeb’s story will encourage cat lovers to adopt a senior pet.
Here’s a video of Zeb taken at the shelter. Sorry, but I couldn’t get it to embed.
Here is the link to the post on FB:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=909491095741185&set=vb.482196105137355&type=2&theater
Zeb was fought over as to who would foster him. The same fight for this beautiful boy is going on concerning his adoption. COEL has had several very good adoption applications turned in from people who want to ensure this boy has the wonderful senior life he’s meant to have.
Now that we have the good news out there, below is some information about City of Elderly Love, in case you’d like to donate to help with the care of Zeb and other older cats and dogs like him.
COEL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, no-kill senior pet rescue in Philadelphia, PA. #SAVEALLTHEOLDTHINGS . They’re an independently operating subsidiary of Citizens for a No-Kill Philadelphia. It began as a marketing initiative in 2012, designed to help area shelters and animal rescues promote the senior pets in their care and share the joys of saving a senior animal. In 2014, City of Elderly Love incorporated with the state of Pennsylvania and became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, no-kill senior pet rescue.
Their mission is dedicated to saving and enriching the lives of adoptable senior pets in the Philadelphia area. Utilizing volunteer foster homes, City of Elderly Love aims to rescue these animals from potential euthanasia at area animal shelters as well as prevent older animals from entering the shelter-system in the first place, when possible. City of Elderly Love also provides palliative and hospice care when needed. Through creative marketing and community events, City of Elderly Love works to place its adoptable pets into loving adoptive homes.
The community has shown their support with the 2014 Animaltarians of the Year and PetPartners Insurance awards. COEL can be reached by email at info@cityofelderlylove.org
It’s a shame all cats turned into the local shelter don’t receive the same attention Zeb has recieved. But thanks to groups like COEL, we’re all working on more happy endings.
Sources: Facebook and COEL
A happy real life fairytale happy ending story .
Thousand thanks for the people who saves cat life 🙂 He is pretty fellow, love his video <3
Ohhhhh I’m in lovvvvvve with Zeb :O)
Why do we love old cats so much? I love them. I think it is because they need us more. We can empathize with how they feel and what they have been through.
Ye are so correct Michael,all my 10 rescues which I adopted were older between 5 and 12 yrs of age,my latest “Mystery” is 12,I’ve always been drawn more towards senior cats than kittens since they get adopted fast,our seniors as the saying goes deserve love too :O)
The sort of people who love older cats are the people who have love to give. The caring people.
TRUE AGREED <3
This is the first story I have read tonight.So good to hear a happy ending.
We like some happy stories. I hope to bring more. I also like older cats and to see them respected and cared for.
This is a wonderful Christmas story Elisa!
He’s beautiful and the people are helping are beautiful too. Thanks for an uplifting story Elisa. I was getting a bit morose.
He has a mild URI he got at the shelter but should be fine. I have several more uplifting ones planned for the rest of the month. A burned cat will be going home to his family soon and another cat I covered here on PoC will be home by the first of the year. I’ll be covering them as they take place. I need a bigger notebook or a better memory to keep up with it all 🙂
Zeb is lovely, but my he looks ancient for a cat estimated to be around 12. I’m guessing that having FIV and living rough for a long time, led to him being in that state. Or perhaps he’s older than estimated?
How heartwarming to hear that several people were desperate to foster him. This is hopefully a good omen for him finding a fantastic home in which he can spend the rest of his days being treasured and spoilt rotten.
I had the same observation about his appearance at 12. 12 is not that old in my book. However, vets in America will call it very geriatric and some purebreds routinely die at 12 or younger. Perhaps the estimated age is incorrect.
It is a good time for happy ending cat stories. Most cat stories, unfortunately, are not uplifting.