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    18-year-old stray senior cat finally finds a forever home after over a decade of waiting, when a kind engineer decides she deserves to live out her retiremet in peace: 'I can't have her out in this'

    All senior cats should be able to live out their retirements in warm and loving homes. 

    We believe this wholeheartedly. All cats deserve forever homes, that is a simple fact, but senior cats… senior cats don't get adopted as often. People, with all of the valid or invalid reasons they have, don't see senior cats as a top priority when it comes to adoption. More often than not, senior cats are in shelters for long periods of time. But that is still better than a senior cat living on the streets. 

    In general, cats don't reach very old ages on the streets. There are too many risks that they have to take, too many difficult conditions for them to handle. There's a reason house cats live 3-5 times as long as street cats. It doesn't happen often that a stray cat reaches 18 years of age, but it happened here. Somehow, being careful enough, this kitty survived this long, and even seems to be in good health. But there's no telling how much longer she would have made it out there, and the fact that someone finally took notice of her, finally decided that she deserved a good and warm home… really, we can only be thankful for them. 

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    Author image for Mariel Ruvinsky Mariel Ruvinsky
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    • 01

      "I want to Home an 18-year-old baby"

      Cheezburger Image 10598434816
      via topazlotus
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    • 02
      Her name is Lilly. She's spent 99% of her life outdoors, and I believe she may be deaf. In the picture I've posted she's in the engineering office at my job.
      via topazlotus
    • 03
      I've gotten to know her as she stays in my work storage shed, and she's really taken a liking to me since I feed her every time I see her.
      via topazlotus
    • 04
      Would giving her a home be a good idea at this era of her life, knowing that outdoors is so much of what she knows?
      via topazlotus
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    • 05
      I would love to give her a secure, clean place to sleep, eat, drink water, and be warm - but not sure if it would be detrimental to put her in a different environment entirely at her age. Any and all tips are welcome!
      via topazlotus
    • 06
      Top-Pineapple8056 How do you know this cat is 18?
      via Top-Pineapple8056
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    • 07
      topazlotus OP I know, she doesn't look a bit of 18! | mentioned in my post that she's a cat I've found at work, she stays around engineering. A lot of the guys who work in engineering have been there for decades, and have told me she's been here for at least that long. That's also how she has a name! No one has taken her home in all that time though. Also, her body does show signs. She's "rusty" in her joints, she can't climb much, she kind of walks with a limp as well. Her hearing may also be a
      via topazlotus

    • Generally speaking, we are against letting senior cats live out their retirements outside, where they have to fight for shelter, food, and basic necessities. Most stray cats don't reach this age in the first place. Something ends up taking them. But the ones who do deserve to be taken in at this age. They deserve the blankets and the abundant food and treats. They deserve the love. And maybe it wouldn't be the easiest transition for them. Maybe it would take a while for them to get used to the good life. But that's not true in our experience. In the stories that we have come across where this happens, the cats are so, so thankful to finally be spoiled the way they deserve. 

    • 08

      "I took Home the 18-year-old baby."

      Cheezburger Image 10598440704
      via topazlotus
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    • 09
      This is Lilly! She has spent the last 18 years being an outdoor cat where I work - or so I've been told by others with much more seniority. I took her home today. The temperatures in my city are getting down into the teens, I can't have her out in this.
      via topazlotus

    • We are so, so happy that you took this kitty home. She has more than earned a warm place to live. We wish you both many, many happy years together. And after all of this, if there is one thing that we could ask of you, it's for you to update us - to let us see pictures of her living her best life with you, to tell us just how quickly she adjusted, and all of the things that she loves about her new life. 

    • 10
      Texanssunlover_69 Thank you for looking after Lilly....poor senior shouldn't have to cope with cold temps
      via Texanssunlover_69
    • 11
      Aspiga1 I adopted an 18-year old, too. She lived to 21 - with high thyroid and high blood pressure. Miss her still. She had a few teeth missing, so her smile was a little crooked.
      via Aspiga1
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    • 12
      Cheezburger Image 10598439424
      via Aspiga1
    • 13
      Medical_Fly8948 That was a wonderful thing to do and she is a beauty! I have an outdoor feral we're trying to get inside but she's rather live on the front porch on a heating pad in an Amazon box (ignoring the fancy heated cat house we bought her). We tried to bring her inside but she wasn't having it. Good luck with this little beauty!
      via Medical_Fly8948
    • 14
      campfire_eventide Thank you for rescuing her Thankful her sunset years are going to be spent warm, loved, and comfortable with a full belly
      via campfire_eventide
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    • 15
      af_stop Hats off to you for taking her in.
      via af_stop
    • 16
      Meet Nera, also 18 years old. Got surrendered to the shelter by previous owners due to potty issues. She has cancer.
      via af_stop
    • 17
      psorryarses What a sweetheart! I hope she enjoys the soft life. Top job, human
      via psorryarses
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    • 18
      melissammason She looks so tiny and delicate!! Look forward to seeing updates on how she is settling.
      via melissammason
    • 19
      meow_meg Awww bless you for saving her. I'm biased but pastel calicos are the BEST I hope she has many happy healthy years with you
      via meow_meg
    • 20
      CatPaws55 Thank you for taking her in and giving her a loving home. She doesn't look 18, but much younger, especially considering she spent her whole life outdoors. I hope you'll have many more years together.
      via CatPaws55

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