SHOREWOOD — Duchess, a Maine Coon Persian mix living at the Will County Humane Society since 2003, finally has her forever home.
“A lady who had just lost her cat came in here, took one look at her and fell in love,” said Carol Hathaway, cat room facilitator.
Duchess, who resembled a long-hair tabby with her bits of orange and white fur, was left behind in an apartment when her owners moved away; a neighbor brought her to the shelter. She was about 4 years old when she arrived and 12 at the time of her adoption.
“It’s unusual for animals to stay around that long, but sometimes it happens,” Hathaway said.
Part of the reason prospective owners shunned Duchess was the fact she had only one eye, the result of a severe infection that could not be adequately treated without removing the eye.
“People just stopped looking at her,” Hathaway said.
19-year-old Jenny needs a home, too
Duchess’ adoption has given Hathaway fresh hope that someone might want Jenny, too. Jenny is a declawed muted calico with “peachy” colors, but she’s also 19 years old, which many people consider too old to adopt.
Jenny came to the Will County Humane Society after one of her owners died and the other entered a nursing home. She is generally passed over in favor of the tinier and spunkier kittens.
“People look at her and say, ‘Oh, she’s going to die soon,’” Hathaway said. “But that’s not necessarily the case. You can’t guarantee that a young cat will live long either.”
Older cats, Hathaway said, have certain advantages over younger ones. They’re calmer and not as active as their kitten counterparts, which delight in climbing, jumping and making general mischief.
Moreover, personalities are not as fully developed in kittens as they are in cats. So, with an older cat, an owner knows exactly what type of cat he will bring home.
While cats wait for their permanent home, the shelter tries its best to provide a kitty paradise for its feline residents. During the day, the cats are generally running around and climbing “trees” in the cat room, although calmer ones prefer gazing out the windows.
“They don’t go back in their cages for the evening until about 4:30,” Hathaway said.
