Rowine didn't think she was ready for another man in her life, but Leon stole her heart.

Rowine says her daughter-in-law "forced" Leon on her. And now she's glad she did!

On January 24, 2006 Lucinda brought Rowine to Cat Care Society in search of a companion cat. There were two financial concerns; first was the cost of adoption, and second was the cost of veterinary care for a cat.

But after daughter-in-law Lucinda saw an advertisement for the Purina Pets for People Program, where Purina pays the adoption fee for senior adopters, she began her search. Her second concern was eased when she found out about Cat Care Society's Perpetucare Program - cats age 10 and older qualify for a $250 veterinary care allowance each calendar year after adoption.

Rowine and Leon live in a senior high-rise apartment building. After bringing Leon home all of Rowine's friends, and many other apartment residents, visited to give their "approval." And approve they did.

Leon is a real attention-getter and quite the show-off as well. He enjoys visitors as much as they enjoy him. When I visited the happy couple, Leon was lounging on the coffee table, quite comfortable being the center of attention.

Leon is 12 in cat years, which translates to 64 in human years. Rowine is 85. When asked if she would mind if I revealed her age her response was, "If there's some 84-year-old man out there, sure!" And Leon, well, he is quite content with an older woman.

He enjoys his own bed and chair in the bedroom and accompanying Rowine in the middle of the night to the bathroom where he likes to drink water from the bathtub's faucet slow leak. Other hobbies include watching squirrels and birds that frequent the patio and munching on a special pot of cat grass planted just for him.

Daughter-in-law Lucinda calls Rowine every day to see how Leon is doing and points out that Leon has brought a new, valuable dimension to her relationship with Rowine. They both think Leon is a remarkable cat - and we agree.

For more information on the Purina Pets for People Program or adopting a cat in our Perpetucare Program, please call us at 303-239-9680. Visit our website at www.catcaresociety.org to see our adoptable cats.