MCHENRY – Are you looking for some unconditional love?
Have you thought of adopting a cat? An older cat?
The Animal Outreach Society of McHenry County offers many loveable older cats like Misty (above) perfect seniors looking to adopt. (Photo provided)
The Animal Outreach Society of McHenry County is a foster based, no-kill shelter who has several older cats available for you to select from. They make sure the animals are spayed or neutered and micro-chipped, and for seniors (over 55) the adoption fee is waived. Otherwise, the fee would be $50. There are also routine dental cleanings and blood work done, booster shots given, de-worming and FIV (Feline Immunal Virus). They want to make sure the cats are healthy when they go to a good home.
According to Amy, who’s in charge of the program, “There is a market for older cats [eight-plus years].”
There are many benefits to having an older cat. They are much more settled, mature, and in most cases, more loving.
Did you know that just in petting a cat, oxytocin is exchanged, which is a hormone that can reduce blood pressure and lower your cholesterol? It’s also very good for the cat. Petting a cat is a way of bonding with your animal and has many other health benefits. They are wonderful “healers” of the heart. There are some people who want special needs cats, also. (The benefits far outweigh the cat hair).
The Animal Outreach Society is an organization that re-homes cats due to circumstances in one’s life that could include the loss of a home or job where the resident can no longer take care of a cat.
Amy said, “We receive about 100 calls a month from people who can’t care for them any longer.”
Amy has been a volunteer for the Society for the last five years and really enjoys her work. She, herself, is the owner of three cats.
In the adoption process, Amy advised, “We’d like the whole family to be present.” (So as to acquaint the cat to human, human to cat, and see if it’s a suitable match.)
When adopting, Amy added, “We have the people fill out a questionnaire and a contract.”
The contract is in place in case the adopting individual could no longer care for the cat and states that person would not sell or euthanize the animal.
At all of the locations of Pet Smart, adoptions are held on Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. There is a Pet Smart in Algonquin on Randall Road and in McHenry. Right now Amy said they have an eight-year-old cat that is “super friendly.”
Amy said, “We’ve taken care of several Sun City adoptions.”
If you are interested, call the Animal Outreach Society at 815-385-0005 and ask for Amy.
