GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — A 10-year-old spotted tabby named Spotty is melting hearts at Roice-Hurst Humane Society, but she still waits for someone to choose her. Surrendered with her brother because their owner could no longer care for them, Spotty refuses to act her age. Shelter staff say she plays like a kitten one minute and curls up for cuddles the next.
“She’s the perfect mix of curious and affectionate,” says Brittany Hesterman, outreach coordinator at the shelter. “She warms up in seconds and just wants to be near people.”
Spotty Refuses to Act Like a Senior Citizen
Most 10-year-old cats sleep 20 hours a day. Spotty is different.
She greets every visitor at the front of her kennel, chirping and head-butting hands that reach through the bars. Staff members say she still chases laser pointers and batting toys with the energy of a much younger cat.
“She doesn’t know she’s a senior,” Hesterman laughs. “She acts like she’s three.”
Spotty lived with other cats her whole life and gets along well with them. The shelter believes she could adjust to calm dogs with proper introductions.
Why Senior Cats Get Overlooked (And Why That’s a Shame)
Senior pets are the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized in many shelters across America.
According to the ASPCA, cats aged 7 and older make up less than 20% of adoptions but often account for half the animals that never leave the shelter alive.
Yet senior cats offer huge advantages:
- Already litter-trained and past the destructive kitten phase
- Calmer energy perfect for apartments or older owners
- Deeply grateful and bonded to their new people
- Medical history is known, no surprises
“People walk right past the seniors looking for kittens,” Hesterman says. “They don’t realize these cats have so much love left to give.”
Special Deal for a Special Girl
Right now Spotty is the shelter’s featured Pet of the Week, which means her adoption fee is half off the already-reduced senior rate. That brings her fee to just $25, including:
- Spay surgery
- Current vaccinations
- Microchip
- Felv/FIV test
- 30 days of free pet insurance
Senior cats do need a little extra care. Twice-yearly vet visits are recommended, and some develop arthritis, dental issues, or need special kidney diets. But staff say the joy these animals bring far outweighs the small extra effort.
The Bigger Picture Keeps Getting Worse
Pet surrenders in western Colorado remain high two years after the pandemic peak. Rising vet costs, housing issues, and landlord restrictions force many families to give up beloved pets.
Roice-Hurst reports senior pets now make up nearly 40% of their cat population, the highest percentage ever recorded.
Every adoption of an older animal frees up space and resources for the next one waiting.
Will Today Be Spotty’s Lucky Day?
As of Thursday afternoon, Spotty was still available.
She spends her days watching birds through the window, playing with feather toys, and napping in sunbeams. At night she curls into the smallest ball possible, waiting for someone to choose her.
Someone out there is looking for a ready-made best friend who won’t destroy furniture or need constant entertainment. Someone who wants a cat that says thank you with head bumps and purrs that rattle.
That someone just hasn’t met Spotty yet.
If you or someone you know has room in their heart and home for a sweet senior girl who still believes every day is full of wonder, visit Roice-Hurst Humane Society in Grand Junction this weekend.
Spotty is ready. She’s been ready for months.
She’s just waiting for you.
