MSPCA seeking adopter for ‘very special’ senior cat

Fifteen-year-old Mittens is in need of a home, the MSPCA says.

A “very special” senior cat is in need of a new owner, the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said on Monday.

Mittens, 15, needs a “perfect retirement home.” He was hit by a car in March, the MSPCA said in a statement. The crash broke both his front legs and his jaw, according to the adoption center.

Mittens’ owners refused treatment, “and that’s when MSPCA Law Enforcement stepped in,” the statement said.

MSPCA Vice President of Animal Protection, Mike Keiley, said authorities issued a warrant allowing the animal protection agency to seize Mittens, who had been living in western Massachusetts.

“It was clear that he badly needed medical attention, so we knew we needed to get him to Angell [Animal Medical Center in Boston] as soon as possible, so he could get the specialized care he needed to live out his golden years healthy and happy,” he said.

According to the MSPCA, his former owners did not pay a court-ordered bond to keep Mittens, so the agency took custody of the senior cat. Due to his age and injuries, Keiley explained, the decision in most cases like Mittens’ would have been euthanasia.

“But, Mittens was being held as live evidence in an active animal cruelty investigation, and we didn’t have full ownership of him because he was seized, not surrendered,” said Keiley.

Keiley explained that MSPCA vets took care of Mittens, and eventually healed the cat. The statement said MSPCA spent more than $20,000 on bringing Mittens back to good health at Angell Medical Center. According to Keiley, everyone who treated Mittens at Angell can attest to his friendly personality.

The statement describes the ideal living environment for Mittens: a home with a dog or other cats. Mittens may also be able to handle having gentle children around. Keiley said Mittens will make the “perfect companion” for the right family.

You can adopt Mittens, and other cats in need of a loving home, at the MSPCA’s Felineanomenon adoptathon. This fare-free adoption runs from Aug. 26 to Aug. 30. If you’d like to adopt Mittens, you can submit an inquiry at mspca.org/mittens.

“Now that Mittens has reached the end of that journey, it’s time to find him his happy ending,” Keiley said.