Adopting her grandfather's grumpy cat turned into a movement to place senior pets

Several years ago, Angela Rafuse adopted her grandfather's grumpy, elderly cat, Mackenzie, after he passed away. Soon, the cat became her best friend and adventure partner, inspiring her to help other senior citizens rehome their beloved cat or dog once it was their time to pass on. "My Grandfather’s Cat helps seniors and terminally ill people feed and arrange second forever homes for their beloved pets before they move into retirement homes or pass away," the website states.

She founded the non-profit in Nova Scotia in 2021, while living with Mackenzie in her parents' basement. Mackenzie, known as the founding cat, passed away at the age of 17 in 2023, but started going on adventures at the age of 15 when Rafuse adopted her. And though she's gone, Mackenzie "continues to inspire us every day and her legacy will live on through our work," her website bio reads.

"I’ve always believed you can be the change you want to see in the world, and My Grandfather’s Cat is the embodiment of that. We are making a difference, one adoption at a time."

Since the organization's founding, Rafuse has re-homed more than 400 cats (and a handful of dogs).

Upworthy spoke with Angela Rafuse about her organization, her most memorable placement, and what she has learned from her endeavor.

Most memorable rescue

When asked about her most memorable rescue, Rafuse knew immediately which story had that title. Three pets known as the "Flowers," cats Tulip and Aster, and dog Daisy, were in need of a new "furever" home when their person was diagnosed with ALS. The three bonded pets absolutely had to go to the same home.

"To me, our most memorable placement was a senior in British Columbia who had been diagnosed with ALS. She had two beloved cats and a dog, and she was hoping to find them a home together. She knew it was a big task, and so did we. Through many ads, reels, and even help of the local media, the three were adopted together," Rafuse said.

Angela Rafuse and MackenzieAngela Refuse/My Grandfathers Cat/ Instagram

She also updated her followers on My Grandfather's Cat's Instagram about the story, revealing it took "reels, ads, and our friends at The Vancouver Sun" to get the word out. They received "over 30 inquiries" and ended up with six families who were willing to take in all three animals.

"The senior interviewed each applicant and held meet-and-greets, and chose Michelle and her fiancé, Darren to be their second forever family. The couple plans to visit the flowers over the next couple of months and officially welcome the trio into their home when the senior's ALS makes it no longer possible for her to care for them," she wrote on Instagram.

"We are so excited for them to join us. We're so happy to be able to help this lady. She's a pretty awesome lady. This was one of our most difficult adoptions to date, and we couldn't be more proud of the team that made this happen. We'd like to thank our incredible, dedicated volunteer, Melanie, The Vancouver Sun, and each and every person in our community who liked and shared their post."

What she's learned

My Grandfather's Cat has been a learning curve for Rafuse and her team. But through it all, she has been honored to help senior owners have peace of mind when it comes to their beloved pets.

Research shows the most serious disease for senior citizens is not cancer or heart disease—it's loneliness. Pets bring affection, unconditional love, fight loneliness, and can help ease the loss of a loved one, Paws for the Elderly, another non-profit that aims to provide seniors with pet companionship, stated.

"I've learned that for many seniors, their pets are the most cherished parts of their lives. They are truly their best friends, and when it comes down to it, the most important thing to them is making sure their best friend is in a safe and loving home," Rafuse said.

Rafuse also founded My Grandmother's Pet Pantry, which provides food for senior citizens' pets.

She has really found a way to answer a need.