Fourteen-year-old Beans wasn't quite fitting in with the newest members of her family. For 13 years she had lived in a quiet environment but all that changed with the arrival of some loud and boisterous young humans.
Beans began to isolate herself and grew scared of the noise. With a heavy heart, Beans' owners surrendered her to RSPCA.
Parting ways with such a beloved member of the family was tough; they knew it would take some time for Beans to find a perfect home for the final chapter of her life.
Who knew finding a new home would be this easy?
Despite her age, Beans found a new home almost immediately with Pierre and Eneth. Pierre was no stranger to owning elderly animals, telling us, "I had both cats and dogs as pets before. My childhood dog Bingo made it to 18 years. Our cat, VB, was 16 years old when he died."
Beans now reside with her new family on Kangaroo Island, spending her days lounging around and taking lots of naps. The day Beans arrived home, she was curious and spent ample time pacing window-to-window checking out her new surroundings.
"She loves all the affection she receives and gives us plenty of purry head bumps," laughed Pierre.
What a lovely way to pick a new companion!
When Pierre and Eneth visited Lonsdale, they were seeking a cat that they thought might find it difficult to find a new home.
"Our intent was to provide love, comfort, stability and safety until the end of the animal's life," Pierre explained.
"Beans seemed like she had the least chance of being adopted and we felt compelled to give her a wonderful new home."
A cat who loves to go for a walk
Every day, Beans enjoys a stroll in the backyard with her harness on.
The fact that she adjusted well to wearing a harness makes Pierre think she may have been used to wearing a collar. "We take the harness off immediately after her walk and give her a treat – a bit of Pavlov's conditioning," says Pierre.
Pierre and Eneth are no strangers to walking cats, with their late cat VB (the Afrikaans abbreviation for 'skin and bones', as he was emaciated when he was rescued), being taught early on to wear a harness for walks.
Pierre reveals, "VB associated the harness with the prospect of a walk, so was always super excited when the harness was offered".
Beans has quickly adapted to her new, quieter home
Pierre tells us, "It is a joy to have her with us, she comforts us and makes us feel relaxed and content.
"Given Beans' age, she is calm and has a peaceful presence in our home. She knows her way around our home and she has quickly adapted to the rhythm of our household."
If you're considering opening your heart and home to a rescued animal (maybe one of our beautiful elderly ones like Beans), head over here to see all our animals currently available for adoption.
