On Senior & Diabetic Cats: An Interview with Frankie’s Feline Fund

Animal Advocacy
Written By Junipurr Studio
Image via Emil Widlund

Image via Emil Widlund

One of my fondest childhood memories is curling up with a copy of Reader’s Digest (#nerdalert) to soak up the Everyday Hero stories. Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with a true Everyday Heroine.

Bunny Hofberg is the founder and powerhouse behind Frankie’s Feline Fund, an elderly and special needs cat rescue in New York. When most first-timers think about adopting a furbaby, we think of tiny floofs. Now, I love me some kittens, but did you know that adult cats are often even quicker to bond with their adopters? Bunny is a passionate advocate for the most overlooked companion animals, and she is a fountain of knowledge about cat rescue. We talked about how she got into animal rescue, the joys and need-to-knows of senior and diabetic cats, how the pandemic has impacted on-the-ground animal rescue, and her dreams for the future. I hope you enjoy this heart-lifting conversation as much as I did!

Have you always been a cat person?

I did not grow up with cats, so I overcompensated in my adult life. When one of my sisters and I were living together in Washington D.C. during our 20s, we decided on a whim to adopt a cat.

Like most people, we immediately thought of kittens. Since I liked one and she liked another, we decided to adopt them as a pair, which we learned in retrospect was the best decision. Kittens thrive when they have a feline best friend. A year later, somebody in my office had a litter that needed homes. I don’t know why, but I said: “Bring me the runt of the litter.” Literally on our way to the vet to get this kitten checked out, we decided to adopt a partner for her too. So we ended up with four cats, and thankfully they all got along. When my sister moved to Israel, I ended up with all four. Then I got a job out in California.

Wow, a cross-country move! Moving is one of the most common reasons people surrender or rehome their pets. Was it a hard decision for you on what to do?

I never even considered not taking the cats with me. We were all going to California. Back then it was easier to take pets on airplanes as there were fewer restrictions. And once we arrived, I always found places to live. I had a traveling job, but I made it work. For a while I had roommates, and I paid more rent to compensate for the fact that when I was away, my roommates would have to take care of the cats. Then eventually I moved out and found somebody to watch the cats while I was away. Later, when I moved back to the East Coast, the cats came with me across the country again. I moved a couple more times from state to state before settling down in New York in 1988. Those cats had pretty good frequent flyer miles! Moving is no reason to abandon your cats. Every destination you can think of has people with cats, so wherever you are moving, trust that you can make it work.  

How did you get started in animal rescue & advocacy?

I’ve always loved volunteering. I was a big sister for years, and I participated in all sorts of volunteering through a former employer’s robust community program. When I realized we had nothing pet related, I reached out to set up something with ASPCA. I started doing cat socialization, then I did the mobile adoption clinic every weekend, which was my passion. I loved getting to know the cats and the people then pairing the right cat with the right home. Sometimes the shelter staff and I would joke that our work was a bit like being a therapist, as people loved telling us their pet stories.

You’re like Juliette Binoche’s character in Chocolat, except even better – pairing people with the right cats! So, who is Frankie and why did you start Frankie’s Feline Fund?

After doing the mobile adoption clinic for a few years, I observed that there was a group of animals who were consistently overlooked – the senior cats. I decided to do something about that. I dedicated my effort to finding homes for abandoned elderly and special needs cats, who were often at the top of the euthanasia list. Frankie was the first special needs cat I personally adopted, and he inspired everything that was to come. I renamed him Frankie because he had beautiful blue eyes reminiscent of Frank Sinatra. When his former adopters returned him, he had suffered such severe weight loss that the vet initially thought it was an animal cruelty case. They then realized that Frankie had diabetes and other intestinal complications. Even after being stabilized, he was deemed unadoptable and scheduled to be euthanized within a couple of days. I knew I could not let a cat be euthanized just because he had diabetes. That was when everything took a turn and I veered off from regular pet owner to animal advocate. We had a good few years together, and one of the promises I made him before he passed away was that I would try to save as many cats like him as I could. I created Frankie’s Feline Fund in 2009 to promote the welfare of abandoned elderly and special needs cats by finding foster and forever homes for them. Over the past 12 years, we have rescued hundreds of cats, and we have also helped many diabetic cats go into diabetic remission.

That’s incredible! I’d love to learn more about Frankie’s Feline Fund and diabetic cats. But first, let’s talk about senior cats. What is a senior cat?

Technically, a senior cat is any cat age seven or older. However, this label is a bit premature, since the average lifespan of cats is 15-20 years. Unfortunately, many people adopting kittens do not think through the commitment, so we end up with abandoned adult cats. 

That’s heartbreaking, especially as 70% of cats in shelters are euthanized, according to statistics from The Shelter Animals Count project. Why do people not adopt senior cats?

A lot of people assume that you can only bond with an animal you’ve had since kittenhood, which is totally false. Many times senior cats bond quicker than kittens. Senior cats are mature enough to recognize and appreciate love. You may not be their first owner, but you can be their favorite. Kittens don’t know you from Adam. You’re the feeder. If your idea of a cat is to have a lap cat, then get yourself a lap cat. Don’t hope that a kitten is going to become a lap cat. Also, people are afraid to adopt older cats because they think senior cats are going to die tomorrow. But kittens are also incredibly vulnerable. The bottomline is: none of us come with expiration dates on our foreheads. Go forth and love boldly.

Amen! When people do adopt a senior cat, what are your tips for success?

Patience and empathy for the cat’s journey. I always place my senior cats in a foster home before adopting them out. Many of them come to me in a state of heartbreak and stress, because they been through so much. Sometimes their owner died, sometimes they were abandoned by their former family or have gone through multiple rehoming. It’s a lot of grief and emotions to process. I had one cat who lived in my closet for the longest time. He came from a home with many other cats, so I thought he’d be a slam dunk. But he was traumatized by having his life upended. Then one day, after months, he came out of the closet and started sleeping with me. He turned out to be such a loving cat, one of my favorites. Sometimes it takes a little bit of patience. Foster homes in which the cat is given space, patience, and nurturance are essential. They are like the halfway house. Many people know about fostering kittens, but fostering adults and seniors is just as important and rewarding. 

You are also a champion for diabetic cats. I learned through the Veterinary Advice, Animal News & Views podcast that diabetes in cats can be transient or permanent, because ca. 95% of feline diabetics are type II (i.e. not genetic and thus more amenable to diabetic remission). What should we know about diabetic cats?

I’ve seen a trend of more and more diabetic cats over the years, so I’m actually reworking Frankie’s Feline Fund’s mission to focus on diabetic cats. Specifically, I coach people on how to take care of their diabetic cats and thus keep the family together. One thing all cat parents should know is that diabetes is often associated with obesity. The good news is that I’ve seen many cats reverse after proper treatment and care.

Is there anything cat parents can do to prevent diabetes?

Diet has a lot to do with diabetes and overall cat health. The worst is to feed cats only dried food. Cats should be on wet food. Of course, cats will assert their personal preferences. One of my personal cats only ate one dried food his entire life, and believe me, I had a smorgasbord of wet food for him. Thankfully he was never heavy or diabetic. But the way I was able to help so many diabetics reverse and stay diabetes-free is by gradually switching them to wet food and the right diet for them.

If a cat is diagnosed with diabetes, what should his/her parents do?

First, do not panic. Make sure you have a good support team, especially a good vet. In general, I recommend finding a cat-only vet or at least a vet who has had cats. Sadly, I’ve encountered several cases in which the vet unnecessarily dramatized the situation after a diabetes diagnosis and even recommended the cat parents return the cat to the shelter. We’ve had people come into the shelter crying because their vet scared them about how much money or time it was going to cost to keep their cats. A good vet should be a calming force and help people get educated on the options for care. Factually, it’s not that much work. Yes, you have to give insulin, and it helps if you know how to test their blood sugar. But I’ve fallen asleep at night and missed the window of opportunity of giving them their shots. As with all parenting, you are allowed to make mistakes. Also, you don’t have to spend a lot on food. Fancy Feast, fine. Friskies, fine. You just have to give them the right version of it. It does not have to be prescription food. Finally, know that there are now lots of great resources to help cat parents with diabetic cats. I provide my fosters and adopters with all the resources and knowledge they need. There’s an organization called Diabetic Cats in Need that has a wealth of information. And, there are also plenty of people who have had diabetic cats and are willing to help others.

How has the pandemic impacted your work?

Before the pandemic, I relied on donations to pay for vet care and my income as a cat-sitter to pay for food and other expenses. The pandemic has halted my cat-sitting business and decimated donations, especially for the on-the-ground rescues who do the grunt work. Most of the donation money goes to large, well-known institutions like the ASPCA. It’s also hard to get grants, since a lot of grant money is focused on “live release,” i.e. adoption rate, and the adoption rate for seniors is going to be lower than that of kittens. At the same time, with the pandemic, people losing their homes, losing their lives, or dying from “normal” things like cancer or heart attacks, and the kitten season never seeming to stop … this has been one of the worst years for un-homed cats. So, even with limited funds, I have to keep doing the work, just like many other small rescues.

This is such a challenging time, and many people are understandably shaken or defeated. How do you find the internal resources to keep going?

I’ve also thought about quitting every once in a while. But then you hear about a life in need of help, and you get that spark again. Everybody can do something. And there are so many different things people can do, there’s got to be something that ignites the spark in you.

If you had a Magic Wand, what big dream would you use it for?

I am afraid that Frankie’s Feline Fund will die when I die. What I would love as my legacy is a haven for senior and diabetic cats. There are people who are passionate about dogs, including senior dogs. There are people who are passionate about kittens. Yet there are few people who will adopt a healthy, loving senior cat or will open their hearts to a diabetic cat. What I would love is a home where abandoned senior and diabetics cats can come and live their lives in peace.

-

Thank you so much, Bunny, for opening our hearts and minds to the most overlooked companion animals!

 

5 Ways You Can Support Frankie’s Feline Fund

  1. Donate! Junipurr and I are proud to support Bunny’s life-saving rescue work with a donation. Join us!

  2. Follow Frankie’s Feline Fund on Instagram and Facebook

  3. Reach out to Frankie’s Feline Fund or your local animal rescue to volunteer as a senior/diabetic cat foster

  4. Spread the word about senior and diabetic cats IRL

  5. Buy pet supplies through Frankie’s on chewy.com! When you place your first order with Chewy.com using Frankie’s Feline Fund’s URL, they donate $20 to Frankie’s Feline Fund.

References

Junipurr Studio
Previous

On Pet Care Services During the Pandemic: An Interview with Pet Porter Pals
Next

Litter Box Manifesto