Influx of Senior Cats Left at Shelter Breaks Hearts: 'Once Someone's Baby'

A shelter from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has broken hearts all over the internet after revealing that they're struggling to re-home many senior cats who were abandoned by their owners.

In a post shared on TikTok on Friday, the Pennsylvania SPCA, posting under the username pspca_, explained that many of their senior cats, which they said "were once someone's baby," are now stuck at the shelter and can't find a home because of their age.

Over 3.2 million cats enter U.S. shelters every year, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and while 2.1 million of them get adopted, at least 530,000 of them end up facing euthanasia due to the lack of space in facilities.

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The Pennsylvania SPCA told Newsweek: "We currently have 16 senior cats (7 years +) in our care. Nine of them are over 10 years old. Because we currently have such a high population of seniors, I really wanted to create a TikTok that would highlight some of those living in the shelter.

"They are the nicest of cats but are often overlooked because of their age. Since the video has been posted, two have been adopted! They are all the sweetest, gentlest cats and are so deserving of homes. They love all the typical cat things—attention, playing, eating, and napping."

The clip goes on the show some of the cats looking for a home. First up is Bebe, a 16-year-old black cat, who in the video can be seen rubbing its head on its little blanket, as if looking for cuddles. Next is Meeka, a Russian blue with a fluffy grey coat and green eyes.

Among all the other cats in the clip, there's also Princess, a 15-year-old mixed calico and white cat, who can be seen saying hi to the camera, JaJa, Sammy, and Tammy.

In a later update, the shelter told Newsweek that Bebe and Princess have now been adopted, but they still have plenty of other cats that are still looking for a home.

Some of the cats still looking for a new owner include: "Meeka, a 15.5-year-old female. Open to meeting other lower-energy pets. Has previously lived with adults and children, and did well with both.

"JaJa: 14 year old female. Open to meeting other lower-energy pets. Looking for an adult-only home or one with older cat-savvy children.

"Sammy: 12.5 year old male. Described as being the ultimate couch potato. Looking for a low-trafficked, quiet home with adults/ older cat-savvy children. Open to meeting other pets.

"Tammy: 14 year old female. Can be shy at first, but very sweet once she gets to know you. Looking for a low-trafficked quiet home with adults/ older cat-savvy children. She did not live with any other pets in her previous home, but she may be open to it with proper, slow introductions."

The post comes with a caption that says: "We currently have SO many senior animals looking for homes, many being long-term residents. Our hearts break watching them get overlooked simply due to their age. These sweet babies deserve homes just as much. Please consider adopting a senior animal. Love is ageless."

The video quickly went viral on social media, getting viewers from across TikTok. It has so far received over 3.1 million views and 791,500 likes on the platform.

One user, Viper is a simpAU, commented: "Crying cuz my baby didn't get to live long enough to be a senior cat." And Kayl said: "I adopted a senior cat at 15 with kidney disease and he is the love of my life and if you're considering doing it this is your sign to do it."

Doyouthinkimspoopy added: "I feel physically ill when I even imagine my 17-year-old cat ending up in a shelter. I hope all these babies find homes."

Newsweek reached out to the Pennsylvania SPCA for comment via Instagram. We could not verify the details of the case.

Update 9/15/23, 8:04 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment and photos from the Pennsylvania SPCA and to reflect that two of the cats have now been adopted.

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