We’re celebrating Adopt a Shelter Cat Month in a big way by encouraging adopters everywhere to consider welcoming a senior “kittizen” into their home.

Animal shelters across the country care for animals of all shapes, sizes, breeds and ages, but senior pets are often the most difficult to place. While puppies and kittens are hard to resist, there are many great benefits to adopting a senior pet:

An Effortless Bond: Many adopters find it easy to form strong bonds with older pets due to the animal’s calmer dispositions, their familiarity with home environments, their experience dealing with other animals and previous training.

Smarty Cat: Senior pets can be easier to train and often require less monitoring than puppies or kittens, who aren’t always housetrained and are still learning their manners. An older pet’s behavior can be more predictable because their personalities are already developed. You’ll also know their full-grown size and activity level, and how that might affect your lifestyle.

Less Mess: Additionally, senior animals are likely to come into your life already house-trained, making them less likely to cause destruction in your home. Older pets may also be much more accustomed to a daily and nightly routine.

Meet some of the ASPCA’s Adoptable Senior Kittizens!

Visit our Adoptions page to see more adoptable animals near you.