After spending five years in a shelter and even being returned by her previous adopters, one cat would be forgiven for losing hope of ever finding her forever family. But after years of waiting, her luck finally turned and the 17-year-old feline has finally found her happy ever after.
In April 2024, Grace Antonczak visited Ohio's Toledo Humane Society with her fiancé, originally "just to take a look around," she told Newsweek. However, as soon as she laid eyes on one of the shelter's senior residents "huddled up in a corner," she knew she had to help.
There was no doubt in the 24-year-old's mind that the cat needed rescuing and that she could provide her with the perfect, loving home she deserved for her final years. So finally, after five years of waiting to be adopted, the cat got to leave the shelter on April 6 and start her new chapter.
Antonczak, who lives in Perrysburg, Ohio, said: "My immediate thought was that her situation was really sad, and I wanted to take her home. I think being in the shelter for five years made her wary of humans, but she's a very friendly, sweet cat. I've also learned that she's not really a cuddle bug, and she doesn't mind being alone."
The cat has since been named Gramma Kitty, and despite her age she's in very good health overall.
Shelters across the U.S. are dealing with a huge influx of animals in need of a home. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals estimates that 6.3 million companion animals enter shelters nationwide every year, including 3.2 million cats.
While around 100,000 cats are returned to their owners annually and 2.1 million are adopted, many more are waiting for their special time to come.
Gramma Kitty was adopted three months ago, but the owners "brought her back" because they couldn't afford the pet fees, according to Antonczak. Thankfully, that wasn't the end of the road, and her forever family was just around the corner.
After adopting the cat, Antonczak shared a video on TikTok (@antongra5) about the new addition to her family. It's already been viewed more than 2.8 million times and gained over 536,000 likes in a matter of days.
The social media reaction has been amazing to see, and Antonczak hopes it will encourage many other people to give a senior pet a second chance at life.
"It's really cool hearing everyone's stories with their own senior cats, and a lot of people have said that they've been inspired to adopt older cats too," she said. "I don't think people should be afraid to adopt older cats. You might have less time with them, but adopting them means changing the outcome of their life."
In the 2,300 comments on the viral TikTok post, many people offered their ideas for what to name the sweet kitty, while others praised Antonczak for saving her life.
One comment reads: "She waited her whole life for you."
Another person wrote: "You're amazing for adopting an old animal. Giving them the best life towards their end. My mom wants to start her own farm of senior animals from shelters."
Another TikTok user wrote: "Thank you for giving this beautiful girl a loving home for her golden years."
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Alyce Collins is a Newsweek Life and Trends reporter based in Birmingham, U.K. with a focus on trending topics that ... Read more
