According to The Spruce, the average lifespan of an indoor cat is 12-15 years and that's assuming a strong genetic background, proper care and nutrition, and regular veterinary visits. And if there a no serious medical conditions. Based on that, Britches should not be alive.
But this twenty-year-old feline has beaten all the odds because she has epilepsy, a bad memory, and missing teeth. Perhaps she's not on her first life!
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Six years ago last April, the cat no one wanted became a permanent part of Karyn Poplin's heart and home. She decided to take a chance on the mistreated, needy cat when no one else would. And today, she's very happy about that decision.
From the first day when Britches waddled up to Karyn, they have been inseparable. Wherever Karyn goes, Britches remains her faithful shadow.
Unless, that is, she finds a soft blanket to cuddle in. Then she stops long enough to take a cat-nap!
According to Karyn, "She can only turn to the left, gets in the way, wakes up in a new place every single day (memory loss), and doesn't always make it to a litter box, but she's my Britches and she's perfect."
It is because she is such a loving cat that Karyn decided to open Kitty Adventure Rescue League and Sanctuary. Senior cats, especially if they have special needs, are rarely adopted from shelters. Karyn wanted to give other cats who were elderly, disabled or had special needs a place to come to.
"She's the reason we started our sanctuary, and my single greatest friend in the world," Karyn intimated.
"She's the reason we started our sanctuary, and my single greatest friend in the world," Karyn intimated.
Despite the problems that plague the beautiful cat, she still loves life and lives it to the fullest. And perhaps you can't teach old dogs to do new tricks, but Britches is no dog and will do tricks for treats.
Since people can use specially trained dogs to alert for seizure disorders (like epilepsy) why couldn't a cat do the same? Olive, another cat at the sanctuary, has become Britches' service animal. "It's an amazing friendship," says Karyn. "Olive is Britches' full-time nurse. She follows Britches around, makes sure she's warm, makes sure she can't fall off things, watches over her, and just loves her with everything she has. These two are absolutely the best."
Britches has certainly lived a charmed life for the last six years, and we hope that she has at least a few more ahead of her. For now, she is loved and appreciated, and a great "spokes-cat" for the sanctuary she calls home.
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Have you ever considered adopting an older animal? Many shelters end up euthanizing them because people don't want to take a chance on them. Britches' story proves that things can turn out better than anyone thought. Share this story with your friends and let us know how you feel about adopting elderly or disabled pets in the comments.