The day after I first met 8-year-old Laszlo at the shelter, all the cats in his section of the shelter went into quarantine for two weeks. I couldn’t visit him, but I couldn’t get him off my mind. I’d peek in the window to his room — and he’d see me and meow with everything he had. He couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t just come in to say hi.
Laszlo at the city shelter.
It can take time to find the right foster for senior cats who need medical support — so I made it my mission to have the perfect foster ready for him the moment his quarantine was up.
Laszlo was 20 pounds and had trouble grooming himself, so his fur was covered in dandruff. He would need someone who had time to shower him with love, and could work with us to help him lose weight at a safe pace. It took the full two weeks, but I was super excited to tell our friends at the shelter that we’d already found him a caretaker the day his quarantine ended. This senior boy was going to spend his holidays with a caring foster in a nice, cozy home!
On the car ride to his new foster, I told him what I tell each of Cat Town’s foster cats: “Laszlo, you’re going to a great place — it’s nice and quiet, no more hustle and bustle. I’m so proud of you for hanging in there, and I can’t wait to see you blossom. I love you, and you’re going to get all the attention you want from now on.”
That first day, Laszlo laid low in his foster home. But by nightfall, this sweet boy was seeking out attention from his fosters — purring, head-butting, and rubbing against them. A few days later, he started jumping up on the couch to be near his new foster family, and even playing a little. He is so grateful. His coat is already looking healthier, and he’s even starting to lose a little weight!
Helping older cats like Laszlo is one of my favorite parts of working at Cat Town. Senior cats often need medical care before they’re ready to be adopted — and they often get depressed or upset at the shelter, despite all the wonderful work shelter staff and volunteers there do to make them more comfortable.
We’ve been able to help more than 60 senior cats this year. We couldn’t do it without people like you — so from me, Laszlo, and the whole Cat Town team, thank you!
Warmly,
Kristin Jacques
Foster Coordinator