How Cat Town Helps Seniors Like Leia
Leia came to Cat Town at 16 years old with painful dental disease, vision issues, and a host of other challenges. But in the months since, she’s blossomed into a vibrant cat full of personality. In this blog post, Belle Cifu, our Cat Care Coordinator, talks about Leia’s journey — and what it takes for Cat Town to help seniors like her.
“Honestly, I don’t worry about the senior cats in our care. What keeps me up at night are the senior cats still waiting for help — if only we had the resources to take them in.”
Leia uses her first set of stairs. Photo by @_m30wth.
When I think of Leia in our care, I think about how she was found outdoors just 6 months ago, and now she has foam pet stairs to help her climb into her heated bed.
I think about how she was somehow surviving on the streets with her vision issues, but now if her foster mom moves furniture out of place, Leia meows at her until she fixes it.
I think about the whiteboard in her foster’s office, where she’s written down Leia’s daily schedule, including 3+ meals, snack times, daily medication, and a weight monitoring chart.
Leia’s a little old lady with a big personality — she has a scratchy little meow and lets her opinion be known. I love that she gets to feel safe now. She’s still a kitten at heart, and now that her arthritis medication has helped her mobility improve, she loves jumping and playing in crinkly brown packaging paper.
With every intake, we have to consider many things, chief among them: whether we have a good foster or studio available for them, if we have the staff capability to handle whatever challenges the cat may have, and if we can afford to cover their care. We have a great, creative team of people behind Cat Town, so we’re very often able to find some solution for the first two considerations.
But if we don’t have the funds to cover their care, it doesn’t matter how hard we work or how creative we are — we simply wouldn’t be able to help them.
Leia found safety and comfort in her Cat Town studio. Photo by David Yeung.
“When our monthly donors can guarantee coverage of medical bills for our cats, we’re able to say ‘yes’ to more cats who need us, without hesitation, without scrambling, and without wondering how we’ll make it work. ”
For Leia, as with nearly every senior cat, our main concern was whether we had enough money in our budget to cover her badly needed dental work. She had significant, painful dental disease and we knew before we pulled her from the shelter that she’d need surgery to relieve her pain. We had a great foster ready to take her, and knew we could manage whatever needs she had: it was just a matter of being able to afford the medical expenses.
Leia enjoys her plush bed. Photo by Nicole Dial.
When we take in a senior cat, my goal is to always set them up for the best possible life in their future home. That means understanding any illness, past injury, or chronic condition they have. Then, we can get them the right treatment and make a long-term care plan with our vets and their future adopter. Honestly, I don’t worry about the senior cats in our care. With our fosters, veterinarians, and staff working together, I know we’ll figure out what medical care they need and make sure they get it. What keeps me up at night are the senior cats still waiting for help — the ones in the shelter who need more time, testing, and treatment than the system can provide. I know those cats could thrive, too — if only we had the resources to take them in.
When our monthly donors can guarantee coverage of medical bills for our cats, we’re able to say “yes” to more cats who need us, without hesitation, without scrambling, and without wondering how we’ll make it work.
When Leia feels safe, she blossoms. Photo by Teresa Wood.
Leia’s story reminds us of what’s possible when our community comes together to care for those in need. With the right support, time, and attention, cats don’t just heal — they flourish and thrive. We couldn’t change their lives without you. Your donation ensures more senior cats like Leia can get the medical care they deserve, and get to live out their golden years with dignity, comfort, and love.
Please support more cats like Leia, and become a monthly donor today.