On November 1st I opened a survey online; the goal of it was to find out what people think about my "big problem" and if they have any suggestions for it.
Let's have a look a the results:
Demographics
First of all, the survey was in Italian and I posted on a lot of Facebook pages of Italian cat shelters; the survey was targeting people that have one or more cats.
34 people completed the survey, while 46 is the number of total participants.
- Gender: 85.3% women; 14.7% men.
- Age: 2.9% under 18; 11.8% 18-24; 32.4% 25-35; 32.4% 36-50; 20.6% 51-64; no one over 65.
- Geographical area: 73.5% north Italy; 17.6% center Italy; 2.9% south Italy; 5.9% outside Italy.
Personal Behaviors
The majority (73.2%) found their cat/s in a shelter; the others found their cat/s abandoned in the streets or from friends.
90% of the respondents took their cat when he/she was under 7 years old. Of these people, 91.2% would take into consideration adopting an older cat. It is interesting to notice that two out of the 3 people who answered "no", said so because they don't want to have problems with the other cat they already have at home. The other person motivated her answer in this way: "I think she/he would not grow fond, he/she would have an already shaped disposition, it is unlikely to educate a cat older than 7 years old; I should see the cat, and understand if, despite the older age, he/she would be compatible with me and the ambience and an integration would be possible."
Regarding the 4 people (10%) who chose a 7 years old or older cat, one did not leave her motivation; here are the other 3:
"He/she needed a home"; "It was love at first sight"; "Because it was unlikely that someone else would have adopt him/her".
I then asked an important question: "how much the moral aspect counted on this choice?" The arithmetic average of the 4 answers tell us that the moral aspect counted for 79%.
For the question "Do you think it is important that these places (like the shelters) promote the adoption of older cats?" these were the results:
71.4%: yes, it's a moral issue
5.7%: yes, it means less costs for the shelter
2.9%: no
20%: other.
More information about the "other" answer:
"Yes, everybody have the right of a home."
"Yes, because it is right that even older cats, that most of the time come from previous abandonments, may live in a house with the care and the love as the others."
"Yes, everybody have the right to be loved."
"It always depend on the family that will take care of the cat, if there are children, a garden etc."
Shelter Behaviors
54.1% of the respondents noticed that the place where they took their cat pushed the adoption of older cats. Here are the additional information that they left:
"They always evaluate who is looking for a cat, they talk to them and they take the necessary time to try to find the most suitable cat for that person, for his life and his habits."
"Because in the shelter cats with more than 7 years are the most numerous."
"Raising awareness, adoption notices, offering to visitors the adoption of older cats or even disabled cats, obviously for the ones who can be adopted, and telling their stories."
"Trying to incentivate the visit to the older cats."
"I went to the shelter saying that I wanted to adopt cats that have been there for longer time, and so in the need for a house and a family."
"Always offering the alternative of an older cat to a kitten who is suitable for the family."
"Explaining the positive aspects of adopting an older cat."
"By letting me know them (the older cats)."
"By giving place to them during the visit."
"Explaining that an older cat doesn't have anything less than a kitten, with the plus of be more manageable than a kitten."
"By letting the visitors know the older cats, explaining the positive sides of each of them."
"By highlighting that kittens find easily a home, while the older ones are often convicted to a life in the shelter."
"Adult cats are shown and they show themselves. You have to say that they need a real home, they are already sterilized and aware of his/her spaces. They usually don't need to play in an impetuous way, and they are balanced and patient."
Suggestions
"Do you have any suggestions about what these shelters might do to promote the adoption of older cats?" All answers:
"Giving all the information regarding the health of the cat. People is scared by a lot of diseases because they don't know them!"
"The heart adoptions should always be promoted, but you can't promote them to everyone, you must understand the person in front of you, if he/she is the right one."
"I don't know, I'm not familiar with this."
"No."
"Create as much as possible awareness and make people understand that even adult cats may adapt well in a house and give a lot of love, maybe even more than a kitten. Sometimes, for the older people or for someone alone is the best choice, because it's less demanding and he/she is a careful and affectionate company. Unfortunately all the time the associations don't have enough funds and they are not supported by the institutions. For example, a municipality which owns the cat shelter may raise awareness for the adoptions, with promotions (even the law gives the possibility), giving facilitations (coupons for food or vet visits), for who adopt an older cat."
"With propaganda."
"Dedicated columns on social networks, local newspapers etc."
Unfortunately it depends upon the sensitivity of each person."
"With more promotion."
"I think that when people arrive in a shelter it is fair that you show them all the cats in the building. You should tell their stories; and I think that if elderly arrive, it is recommended to suggest older cats, because more calm and with an already shaped disposition."
"I don't know."
" Certainly, you must evaluate the previous experience of these cats. If they always lived outside, maybe adoption is not the best thing for them. Everything depends on the conscience and the intellect of the staff who has been educated on this topic."
"No."
"They might aim at the need of a house for these cats, the fact that they are like our grandparents and they can't stay alone."
"Simply showing how these cats are.. Affectionate, anyway with still many years in front of them and sometimes, already educated."
"Addresses online."
"Trying to eliminate the prejudice that people have that they don't want to adopt older cats because he/she is not going to get used to!"
"Aiming at the fact that an older cat is already educated and gives a lot of love."
"I think it is right to "sponsor" all the adoptions, of young or old cat, healthy or not. The important thing is trying to understand the right situation for every cat that is going to be adopted."
"Doing videos about older cats and uploading on the shelter's website."
"Maybe doing on the weekend some parties when they promote these adoptions."
"With pictures and video of the older cats."
"Pictures and distribution."
"They might talk about the dispositions of every single cat/dog; some people are looking for a calm pet, or one that get along with others (animals or children), other people are looking for a lively pet. These characteristics are more evident in an adult animal, while with the kittens is going to be a surprise and someone might not be prepared for it. Even the fact that usually the older one are already sterilized might be an incentive, since they have been suffered in the past, now they can enjoy love, food, and a house and be happy."
"Making more awareness."
"Making pictures and video with older cats and showing them to people when they come at the shelter."
"Maybe offering discounts on special food or vet therapies."
"After a careful selection of the candidates, even cats with chronic diseases should be adopted. Renal failure, for example, it cannot be cure correctly in a shelter, while an aware and responsible owner can definitely handle it better. Like a FILV or FELV (cat diseases). The problem remains on the selection of the right candidates, but it must be done."
"No, nothing."
"Carefully showing them and explaining that they can give you a lot."
"Maybe showing more statements of people who adopted an older cat, and promoting this kind of adoptions especially among elderly, through channels different than Internet, that maybe is less accessible."
"Subject to interview with the candidates, trying to understand if it would be a good situation for everyone, especially for the cat."
"No."
