Family Leaves Their Senior Cat At Maryland Shelter For An Unbelievable Reason

There’s something important every pet owner should remember: cats, just like all animals, are lifelong companions. 

They rely on us completely, and abandoning them should never be an option – especially when they grow older and begin to face health challenges.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to Lady, a beautiful senior black-and-white cat. 

After spending years with her family, she was heartbreakingly left behind at a Baltimore shelter for a reason that shocked everyone.

Lady, a 20-year-old cat, was brought to BARCS Animal Shelter in Baltimore, Maryland.

And the most heartbreaking detail? Her family gave her up simply because she had a few accidents outside the litter box.

A responsible family would have taken her to a vet to find out what was causing the issue. 

But instead, Lady’s owners chose the easier path of surrendering her, leaving her future in someone else’s hands.

At the shelter, Lady was understandably frightened and disoriented. She had known the comfort of a home and family her entire life, and now she found herself in a strange place surrounded by unfamiliar faces.

Thankfully, those faces belonged to compassionate people who refused to ignore her. 

After a full examination, the truth behind her litter box troubles was revealed. Lady was nearly blind and beginning to suffer from early-stage renal failure.

Her health challenges made it hard for her to get to the litter box in time. What she needed wasn’t to be discarded, but to receive proper care – and at last, she was given exactly that.

After everything she had endured, all Lady deserved was a loving home to spend her final days. The shelter staff shared in an interview:

“After a lifetime of being a loyal and loving pet, she belongs in a home and with a family to prove to her that love is not conditional and to show her that even though she is sick, she is deserving of someone who will love her until her very last day.”

The shelter wasted no time in finding a perfect home for Lady, so they posted a picture on Facebook with the caption: 

“She’s alone, missing her home, scared, confused, and wondering what she did to end up here. Where did her family go, when will they be back to get her? Where is her soft bed, and all of her favorite sun spots? No pet deserves to spend the end of their life in a shelter kennel—Lady needs an angel to save her.”

Luckily, Lady didn’t have to wait long before someone saw just how special she was. A veterinary technician named Rebekah Carlyle stumbled upon Lady’s post and immediately felt a connection.

Lady reminded her so much of her late cat, Minnie, that Rebekah couldn’t shake the feeling they were meant to find each other.

Rebekah had previously adopted a 20-year-old cat named Minnie from BARCS, but only four months later, Minnie sadly passed away from renal failure.

After seeing Lady’s post, she found herself in the same situation once again. Without hesitation, Rebekah contacted the shelter and went with her family to adopt her. She said:

“The second I saw her, I lost it. I put my hand in the cage, and she sniffed me then let me scratch her. Lady was going home with her forever family, who will love her unconditionally.”

Upon arriving at her new home, Lady was a bit nervous. However, she quickly adjusted to her new surroundings thanks to her lovely human mom and the rest of the family. 

Rebekah and her family instantly provided Lady with a specific diet for kidney health, and supplements to help with the arthritis in her back legs. Rebekah added:

“I am so happy to be able to help another, I feel like I owe it to Minnie. They didn’t deserve to be thrown away after 20 years of the only thing they’ve ever known.”

Though Lady faces many challenges in her senior years, what truly matters is that she is now in the right hands. 

With Rebekah and her family, she will spend her golden days surrounded by love, care, and comfort.