This is a TikTok video from photographer Albert Harris. It’s a neat idea. He has put a small video camera in an animal shelter cage with an elderly ginger tabby cat. You see potential adopters walking by looking at the particulars on the clipboard attached to the front of the cage. It looks set up to me; by which I mean I think the people walking by are playing a role. They’ve been asked to do it.
I’m guessing but this probably happened because not enough people walked by over a short period of time. But the point is made; we are seeing the world from a shelter cat’s perspective. This is the first time that I have seen this sort of video. It brings home, hopefully, to the public that it is quite a difficult situation for a shelter cat. It can be worse. And it can affect cat behavior to the point where the cat is unadaptable. That leads to the inevitable.
@aharrisphoto Sadly this is the reality many senior cats face at the shelter. ???? #sheltercat #catsoftiktok #cattok #adoptdontshop #animalshelter
Note: This is a video from another website which is embedded here. Sometimes they are deleted at source which stops them working on this site. If that has happened, I apologise but I have no control over it.
We all know that senior cats have a hard time getting adopted. Many have been euthanised at ‘shelters’ (the wrong word under these circumstances). They stay in a cage like this for several days and then they are killed. It sounds brutal and it is but it is entirely accepted and has been for donkey’s years.
Albert Harris says that when you are ready to adopt a cat you should pop down to your shelter. And the comments are quite telling. One commenter said: “NO I DON’T NEED TO SEE THIS ?? “.
My response to that is it is much better to see it and understand what is going on than to walk on by and ignore it. That is the only way we are going to improve things.
RELATED: Senior Cat Care Tips
It has to be said, by the way, but this looks like a very nice shelter. It looks very clean and organised. I would expect that some other shelters are not as pleasant. Although one commenter said: “I’m sorry is that how cats are housed in shelters? In tiny cages? Isn’t this allegedly the richest country in the world?”
Another commenter said that: “I actually really like senior cats and they’re the only ones I get because I know most just walk by. I have a senior cat now and he’s my little buddy.”
They are completely correct. The person who said that adopts elderly cats at shelters because others don’t.
RELATED: Alabama veterinarian grossly abuses elderly cat while being filmed
Senior cats make really good companion animals because they have learnt the ropes. They are more sedate and settled. They tend to accept things and don’t mess around causing a disruption. They are more likely to settle in to a new home and are generally calmer. There are many benefits in adopting a senior cat. The only downside is that you will need to prepare yourself for the end-of-life event which is distressing. It is a tough one but if you are emotionally ready to accept that, I would argue that adopting a senior cat is highly advisable.
P.S. This senior cat was adopted ?. No surprise bearing mind the publicity thanks to Albert Harris. Many senior cats are not so lucky.
Below are some posts on elderly cats:
How Siamese cats change their colours
List of oldest living and deceased domestic cats 2023
Infographic on spotting joint discomfort in cats
Please search using the search box at the top of the site. You are bound to find what you are looking for.
Just had to share this rocket cat with you. My Trouble will jump up into my arms but this kitten, talk about trusting a human. Long url sorry.
Amazing. I’ll certainly write about this. Too good. Unusual. But usual that cats want to get out of those damned cages.
Hey Mike
Wanted to share with you the surprise I received today. I spend $100 every month at Chewy.com on cat and dog food. My last order I did by phone and the girl told me to gives hugs to my pets from Chewy. She named a few of them and when she said Pooki (kitten) I told her he had died. I rescued him from the jaws of the neighbors dog he was maybe 8 weeks old. The dog was shaking him trying of course to break it’s neck. Well he had neurological damage the vets could not fix. I bought all kinds of food and meds for him at Chewy but he passed away 5 weeks later. I thought he was going to make it but… And today I received a overnight FTD flower delivery from Chewy saying how sorry they were Pooki passed away. My vet has never done that and he’s taken $1,000’s of dollars from me. Who knew a big company like Chewy would actually care about someone’s kitten passing away. I am completely blown away by their caring.
Wow, that is good. Maybe we should do an article on that. What do you think?
I don’t know I been a really good customer for 2 years/24 months and they might not do it for all customers. And some might tell them their pet died just to get free flowers, you know how some people can be. I just wanted to share it with you and your friends.
Thanks Tamara. It is a good story. A rare event in my experience.
I know no one in Miami Florida (where FTD sent them from) that were sending me flowers and being a radical social democrat I was worried I picked up a online stalker who was telling me the flowers were for my funeral! LMAO! It was a FTD box but I opened it very carefully. We have a lot of insane angry white people here in the USA right now.