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Elderly cats are being saved from being euthanized with adorable cat retirement village

It's a cat paradise.

Representative Photo by Siobhan Kelleher|Wikimedia Commons

Elderly cats now safe thanks to adorable cat retirement village

An amazing retirement village is accepting guests in Shropshire, England—but instead of catering to elderly people, it's designed for elderly cats. Shropshire Cat Rescue has been rescuing elderly cats set to be euthanized and providing them with top notch elder care for over 21 years. Thanks to donations and sponsorship, the retirement village was built in 2009 to create comfortable homes within the rescue for senior and super senior kitties.

The owner and co-founder of the rescue, Marion Micklewright, was tired of seeing older cats get passed over for adoption and subsequently put to sleep simply because they were old. Som she decided to do something about it. Shropshire was created in 1991 and moved to Micklewright and her husband Richard's current home address in 1998. Today there are cats wandering the retirement village who are over 20 years old. One cat, lovingly named Cat, loves to hang out in the little "store" in the tiny cat town, while others lounge in cat condos.

Veterinarian Dr. Scott Miller, TV personality, resident vet on ITV's This Morning, and owner of an elderly cat himself, visited the feline retirement community in March 2024 to film for his new YouTube Channel, Rescue Vet. He was deeply impressed with how much the retirement community had to offer the cats that call it home and dubbed it the "cutest cat retirement village" according to Shropshire Star in 2024.

- YouTube youtu.be

Shropshire Cat Rescue is a marvel, but it's not the only retirement home out there for felines. A Florida couple opened a retirement home for elderly cats, too. Terry and Bruce Jenkins decided to open their home for elderly cats in their backyard, rescuing them from "hardship situations." Affectionately called Cats Cradle, the Jenkins' rescue doesn't adopt the old kitties out; they let them live out their years happy and cared for cozy in their backyard (that Bruce unofficially calls "cat Disneyland"). "I found a real purpose in caring for these animals who, in many ways, were a reflection of where I was in life, too," Terry told AARP in 2023.

Wonderfully, there are several retirement homes for cats in America, but Shropshire's retirement village operates like a small town. It comes complete with a storefront, six "homely chalets," and the "Moggies Mansion," a sort of common area for all the cats to congregate.

As of 2024, Shropshire Cat Rescue houses about 19 elderly cats, but have opened the village to "younger but just as in need" cats. They offer adoptions, are open to and eagerly welcome volunteers, and even host local events.

You can support Shropshire with donations to their PURR Project, a new center complete with it's own retirement village, nursery, pet hospital, education center, and even staff and volunteer accommodations.

Check it out:

- YouTube www.youtube.com

This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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Experts rank the most 'loyal dog breeds' and it's stirring a debate among canine lovers

Golden Retrievers are asking how this is even a close race.

Photo by Richard Burlton on Unsplash

A Golden Retriever puppy side-eyes the camera.

Another year, another list ranking dog breeds. Earlier in 2025, Care.com put out their latest, specifically ranking which dog breeds are considered the "most loyal." In their post, pet expert Lindsay Pevny notes that, "Veterinarians and dog behavioral experts recognize several distinct brands of loyalty in dogs. While some are devoted to their favorite person, others are loyal to their entire human family. Each breed’s penchant for friendship sets them up for a lifetime of a unique relationship with their favorite humans."

Their list:

  1. Retriever (both Golden and Lab)
  2. German Shepherd
  3. Border Collie
  4. Great Pyrenees
  5. Chihuahua
  6. Vizsla
  7. Staffordshire Bull Terrier

They also share the importance of intentional breeding. Pevny quotes Camp Bow Wow's animal health and behavior expert Erin Askeland, who says, “Breeding history and the intention of the breed can shape their loyalty characteristics. Breeds bred for companionship or working closely with humans tend to exhibit higher levels of loyalty—for example, dogs who are bred to be trained as service dogs."

dogs, dog breeds, loyalty, service animals, animals A dog lies in a pile of leaves. Photo by Dzmitry Dudov on Unsplash

But far from everyone agrees with the list, and some don't think such a subjective list can be ranked in the first place. On Reddit, someone asks, "What is objectively the most loyal dog breed?" One person simply responds, "Dogs." And another claims, "My mongrel," of course referring to their mixed breed pup. A few others mention their breed of choice, but there is no real consensus.

When the question is opened up in broader terms on the subreddit r/puppy101 to ask, "What are the three best dog breeds in your opinion and why?" many more commenters jump in. Some argue, obviously, that it's subjective based on what the pet guardian is looking for. Someone jokingly writes, "The 'my dog' breed unequivocally takes top spot. Universally adored." Another states, "Dachshund, dachshund and dachshund. Why? I am a masochist, apparently." But again—there is no consensus.

dogs, dachshund, loyalty, breeds, pets A dachshund rides a skateboard. Giphy

In fact, other lists claiming to have consulted experts and animal behaviorists listed entirely different "most loyal" breeds for 2025. In their own list, The Spruce Pets throws Dobermans and Cocker Spaniels in the top ten, though Labrador Retrievers also hold the top spot.

If one changes the term from loyal to "Velcro dog," it's true that some breeds are a bit clingier than others. Though again, it's based on the individual canine. A dog expert from Pets Radar explains that "Velcro" dogs were most likely bred to work alongside humans. Many pooches such as the Golden Retriever, the Lab, the Vizsla, the German Shepherd and the Chihuahua also make their list—though they add the Maltese, the French Bulldog and the Italian Greyhound.

On their YouTube page, The Pet Collective lists their top 13 "most loyal dog breeds" and at number one? Lo-and-behold, it's the Beagle! They claim, "Those who want a loyal and curious sidekick should get a Beagle." They then show a Beagle begging for treats and adorably honking a car while throwing their head back like Snoopy.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

It's pretty safe to say there is no objective "best" breed of dog. We love what we love and there are no wrong answers. As for loyalty, seems like that Redditor got it right—the true answer is simply "dogs."

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A meteorologist's cat crashed his at-home forecast and became his beloved co-host

Betty the Weathercat brought smiles and comfort to millions during the pandemic.

Jeff Lyons 14 News/Facebook

A meteorologist's cat bombed his at-home forecast and became his beloved co-host.

2020 was a weird one. While we were all doing our best to stay safe during a global pandemic, institutions that had been in our lives for decades were forced to evolve. School was hosted virtually, restaurants got rid of paper menus, and even the news was being broadcast from living rooms and home offices all over the country.

During the early days of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Indiana's 14 First Alert Chief Meteorologist Jeff Lyons set up a green screen in his living room and gave weather forecasts from home during the lockdown. Soon, he gained a surprising costar.

Although Lyons was used to broadcasting alone, he quickly gained a new partner to share the weather with—his cat, Betty.

Betty made her debut when she wanted some attention during a weather broadcast. Lyons picked up the fluffy feline and cradled her in his arms while he talked about the weather. The response was so great, the station shared a little behind-the-scenes green screen fun with Betty and the clip that ended up airing on television.

Over a million people watched the clip in April of 2020, with Lyons' forecast reaching far, far beyond his usual Indiana audience.


"I vote for all future weather reports to have Betty in them" one commenter on Facebook wrote.

"My new favorite weather guy.... and I don't even live anywhere near the area (from NJ) but how can anyone not love Betty" another added.

Betty soon became a regular on Lyons' television appearances. Sometimes, she'd just hang out and watch her human do his professional human thing.

However, like all cats, Betty didn't always like to perform when requested. (Like how they only want to sit on your lap when you're trying to work. Cats gonna be cats.)



People fell in love with Betty's cameos in Lyons' from-home forecasts. Viewers started sharing photos of their own cats on Lyons' Facebook page, and fans began tuning in from around the world to see Betty being Betty.

Pets were such a huge piece of everyone's lives during the pandemic, as people found themselves spending more time at home and less time with other living, breathing beings. Lyons' relationship with his cat personified the connection we all craved at the time, and it made people feel a little less lonely.

Sadly, Betty the Weathercat, as she came to be known, passed away in 2023. Viewers were heartbroken:


"We will love and remember Betty forever. She brought such brightness into the Covid gloom…appropriate for a Weather Cat!" wrote a viewer on instagram.

"Her onscreen joy lives on. Rest well beautiful girl" said another.

"She was quite the personality & your stories of her were such fun. Wow, 16 years is a great life. Thank you for sharing her," someone added.

Betty had been with these viewers through one of the darkest times in many of their lives, so saying goodbye wasn't easy.

But Lyons has adopted two new cats since (Bobby and Cissy), and together, they're doing their best to honor Betty's legacy. Although they don't join Lyons on broadcasts nearly as often.



"Everybody knows I'm a softie ! We couldn't resist this brother and sister team of Bobby (black cat) and Cissy (tuxedo cat) at the Vanderburgh Humane Society ! They are 4 months old orphans who have come to live with us. I'm sure they sense Betty's spirit (and a few furs) around the house," Lyons wrote in a post from December 2023.

To this day, he shares photos and videos of his new Weathercats reacting to heat waves, thunderstorms, and dry spells. Even though Betty is longer with him, she helped propel Lyons to a new level of fame and he will always be known as the Weathercat guy: a role he seems to be more than OK with.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.


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Popular pet rescue advocate explains why she supports 'kill shelters' and it's eye-opening

She makes some excellent points.

Photo credit: Canva (left), Isabel Klee/TikTok used with permission (right)

Isabel Klee explains why "kill shelter" is a misnomer.

Isabel Klee has created a name for herself in the animal rescue world with daily videos documenting the heart wrenching and heartwarming transformations of the pets she rehabilitates. In early 2025, millions of people got sucked into the saga of Isabel's foster dog, Tiki, who came to Isabel completely traumatized and shut down. Under her care, Tiki slowly but surely learned to trust and began to thrive, and people loved seeing him become the brave, playful, loving, dog he was always meant to be.

Now Isabel has a message for her audience that might feel counterintuitive for animal lovers but is also something that can't be ignored. In a video captioned, "Just because you turn away from a problem doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist," Isabel surprisingly encourages people to "support your local 'kill shelter.'"

@simonsits

Just because you turn away from a problem doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist

She shares that a "no kill" rescue shelter that she has worked with before had posted something "extremely harmful." In a video against spay abort practices, the shelter said "overpopulation is a myth." Isabel describes "spay abort" as "the ethical procedure that a rescue organization does when they find a pregnant animal and choose to spay them…so that we aren't contributing to the already critical level of overpopulation happening in shelters around the country."

Isabel explained how overpopulation is very much not a myth and why she doesn't agree with the terms "kill" and "no kill" to describe shelters.

"I feel it creates an us vs. them narrative," she says. "I also think it's all about marketing, where the 'no kill' shelters are the heroes and the 'kill' shelters are absolutely horrible."

animal rescue, animal welfare, animal shelter, pet adoption, pet fostering 'Kill shelters' are really just open-intake shelters, which means they don't turn any animal away.Photo credit: Canva

"In reality," she continues, "kill shelters are open intake municipal shelters. This means they take in every single animal that comes to their door. They take in strays. They take in owner surrenders. They take in medical cases. They take behavioral cases. […] They are not able to say no, even when the dog has no place to go."

"No kill" shelters, she explains, are largely privately-owned shelters that are closed intake, meaning that they can pick and choose which animals they accept. They can turn animals away and control their population.

"Now, there's nothing wrong with that," Isabel says. "In fact, these privately-owned rescues and shelters are so important. But to villainize municipal shelters is just wrong. And for a 'no kill' shelter to say that overpopulation is a myth is frankly just insulting."

Isabel wants to be clear: "Just because you turn away from the problem doesn't mean it doesn't exist. It exists every single day, day in and day out."

animal shelter, cats, animal rescue, pet adoption, foster pets Animal shelters can easily become overpopulated.Photo credit: Canva

"I truly believe that the state of animal rescue is at a tipping point," she says. "And pitting people against each other who are all on the same side is not helpful. Shelters need rescues, rescues need shelters, everyone needs fosters, and the world needs proper, science-backed education."

People who have worked at both kinds of shelters are sharing their own experiences that corroborate what Isabel is saying:

"I’m a shelter director in the deep South & I can assure you we all dream of never having to euthanize but overpopulation is not a myth. We’re drowning."

"THIS THIS THIS TIMES A ZILLION. We are technically a 'no kill' shelter but all that means is that when we are full, we don't take more on...and guess where those animals have to go? If you care about the animals, support whichever shelter is local to you. We all need help."

"I started a nonprofit to support our local open intake, high volume shelter in Texas. The amount of hate that we get is wild when the shelter is really just dealing with a larger community problem."

stray dogs, animal shelter, animal rescue, pet adoption, foster dogs Stray animal overpopulation is a big problem in places all over the U.S.Photo credit: Canva

"As a former shelter worker, there is no such thing as a 'no kill' shelter anyways. only 'low kill' just because they don’t euthanize of space doesn’t mean they don’t euthanize."

"Spay aborts are one of the hardest decisions any rescue or shelter has to make. I’m on the board at our local animal rescue and we have previously done spay aborts and it’s always very hard for us."

"Thank you! I’ve worked at both and it’s exactly that. We had to take in every animal no matter what at the “kill” shelter whereas “no-kill” or rescues, we could just say no we’re full. And neither place takes euthanasia or saying no lightly. We want to help every animal but are given only bad choices because YES, WE ARE IN AN OVERPOPULATION CRISIS."

animal rescue, animal shelters, no kill shelter, pet adoption, foster pets Both "kill" and "no kill" shelters need support.Photo credit: Canva

"I got my beautiful baby from a kill shelter! They were about to euthanize him because of the insane amount of animals being brought in after Helene. The workers were so relieved when I got him, some even crying. They don’t want to euthanize."

The reality is that no one who cares about animals wants to euthanize them, but municipal shelters that don't turn away any animals have limits to their capacity. What's to be done when the limit is breached? What alternatives are there? Do those animals get tossed out onto the street to suffer, potentially becoming a danger to other animals and people? Is that really preferable to humane euthanasia of those unlikely to be adopted due to illness or behavioral problems when a shelter is already overpopulated and there aren't enough people to take them in? And how do we prevent overpopulation in the first place? These questions aren't easy, and people working in those shelters are the ones in the thick of it trying to figure out the best answers. Vilifying those folks is most certainly not the solution.

animal rescue, foster dog, pet adoption, animal shelter, animal welfare Animal rescues try to home as many animals as they can, but demand is greater than supply in many places.Photo credit: Canva

In addition to population control through spay and neuter efforts, what is really needed are more people to foster and adopt. If you are interested and able to care for an animal either temporarily or long-term, contact your local animal shelter or rescue. The more responsible humans we have to care for the animals in need of a home, the less we'll have to debate the terminology we use for overcrowded shelters and worry about the methods used to manage a currently unmanageable problem.

You can follow Isabel Klee on TikTok (@simonsits).

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