We adore our aging dogs and cats but often lament the fact that dogs and cats don’t live as long as we do. Sometimes, we get a ghostly visit from a dearly departed pet. But what about the reverse—what if your pets live longer than you do? Cats often live into their late teens or early twenties. Are there legal protections you can take in planning for when your cats outlive you? We loved dogs and cats dearly while alive, and must also care for them when we’re gone with proper plans. And yes, it can happen totally out of the blue.
The unthinkable happens, even to animal professionals. Back in 2014, in the same week, our pet community felt rocked by the tragic and sudden deaths of two heroes, animal behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin and Cat Writers Association president Dr. Lorie Huston. Dr. Yin left behind her beloved dog Jonesy, while my friend Lorie left six special needs rescue cats. CWA members networked to re-home Lorie’s cats. More recently, the Cat Writers’ Association again lost a beloved leader when president Paula Gregg passed away suddenly. She had time to make plans for her beloved Persian cats, Truffle and Brulee.
None of these wonderful pet lovers expected to have their pets outlive them. Do you have plans for your special pets? Here are tips for planning for when your pets outlive you.
What to Do If Your Cats or Dogs Outlive You
In the past, elderly readers have contacted me to ask about setting up care options for pets should they die before them. Although healthy and with every intention to stick around for the foreseeable future, people should prepare for the unexpected. But as we’ve seen, even younger people can have the worst happen.
Sadly, orphaned cats and dogs often end up in shelters. Cats get destroyed by the surviving family members, when nobody feels able or willing to care for the left-behind fur-kid. The adult dog or cat hasn’t a clue why she’s suddenly gone from a loving home and lap to a scary metal cage.
How to Prepare For Cats and Dogs After Your Death
What can caring owners do to prepare for the worst, if death, disability or age takes away a pet’s home? Will family and friends rally to find loving homes for all the orphaned animals?
Your family and friends, veterinarian contacts and church relationships may be eager and willing to offer a place for your pet should you die before them. Many of us share our lives (and pillows) with multiple cats or a few dogs. Do you have folks able or willing to take the whole furry crew? Maybe you have brother-dogs that would pine away if separated, or special needs cats that require extra medical care. Often, a simple promise among friends will be sufficient. Ideally, the animals already know and get along with the new owner—because missing you will be as tough for them as for your human family. If they don’t, make arrangements now to introduce them. While dogs may more easily take to strangers, cats typically take time to accept new people into their lives. You wouldn’t want to live with a stranger, and neither would your cats–so make sure they already know your friends or family.
In today’s changing world, though, good intentions and a promise made years before may go out the window should the person’s own situation change. For instance, maybe your friend has a new cat that won’t accept yours, or living arrangements/finances have changed. Maybe they’ve moved into a small apartment and can take one cat but not a large dog. For peace of mind, it’s best to make formal arrangements in your will and try to address every eventuality.
Legal Considerations Planning for When Your Pets Outlive You
Legal restrictions won’t allow a beloved pet to inherit from your estate because cats and dogs are themselves defined as property. But you certainly can set up trusts for the care of the pet, and name a specific person who will receive those funds so that they can take the critter into their care for the rest of its life. Once you find persons willing to take your cats and dogs, consult with an attorney about the proper paperwork necessary to make a legal and binding arrangement.
There also are “pet retirement homes” or “sanctuaries” that might take your pets. Organizations that give pets a home for life, though, have limited openings. A fee pays for the care that you set up in your will or other legal document.
Also ensure your neighbors know how many cats and dogs you have and how to contact emergency care givers. Carry a wallet “alert card” with this information and post “in case of emergency” notices on your doors or windows.
More Resources for Preparing for Your Pets’ Care
David Congalton and Charlotte Alexander wrote the book, “When Your Pet Outlives You.” It contains sample legal forms, names of pet law specialists, addresses of pet retirement homes and sanctuaries throughout the U.S., a report on all relevant state statutes, important court decisions affecting people and their pets, and precise details on how to set up a pet trust.
Morris Animal Foundation partnered with FreeWill where you can create your will in about 20 minutes. Click here to learn more.
Once these emergency issues are in place, you’ll have peace of mind. That allows you to relax and enjoy making the most of the time you have with your special animal companions.
May you have many more loving years with your special companions. Meanwhile, I’m making my own emergency arrangements — just in case — for my Shadow-Pup and Karma-Kat, while my heart breaks for all the furry wonders left behind.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter.
Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE! Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
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10 Comments
Anika Tabassum
on July 25, 2025 at 12:40 pm
Thanks! Helpful post for the pet owners who are growing older!
This is such an important topic and one that’s heavily on my mind at the moment. Somehow the squirrelly phone I’m using won’t let me let me read articles on your website but whenever I get my computer hooked back up, I’ll catch-up on this, and other articles.
As difficult and sensitive as this subject is, I applaud and thank you for discussing it. If something happens to me, I have a best friend who is going to take my 5 cats and keep them the rest of their lives. Now if something should happen to her, then I will have to make other arrangements and that would be difficult as my family aren’t pet lovers. They’re kinda these nasty nice folks who think they’re gonna die if they get a cat hair on them. I have on my front door about oxygen in use in my home but on my window I have a sticker alerting the fire dept. there are cats in my home. Thanks again for bringing this subject to light and my hope and prayer is that Dr. Huston’s 6 beautiful cats will find loving homes with adoring pet parents.
Thank you for this most important email Amy. I know you are hurting too ((((hugs)) I will never forget the fun I had at BlogPaws 2013 sitting with you and Lorie on the last night (you were both helping me with Dakota’s leash “issues)……..I had the best time!
None of us like to think of things like this, but in light of all that has transpired we all need to.
Sending you much love ((((hugs))))
One small quibble: I can’t agree on putting ANYTHING on one’s window as a daily, regular part of one’s house as that is too “out there” for malevolent strangers IMHO. As onetime ferals, our cats have hiding places where no one can find them & I applaud them for that and feel better that they don’t appear in any window (or viewable in any part of the house) if any stranger is around.
That’s your choice, of course. *s* I’d want the fire department, for instance, to know what pets might be hiding in case of fire. *shrug* Hopefully we’ll never need these precautions, either.
I always appreciate your thoughtful comments, thanks for bringing up that concern.
Does your dog roll in poop? We lived on the river when I grew up, and our Shelties always loved to find dead fish and roll in the stink. Here in Texas, our German Shepherd loved to visit the next-door neighbor horse, and not only roll in nasty stuff, but sometimes even EAT the crap, ew! Learn why dogs do this dirty deed in the post.
As a pet lover, do you ever wonder if you’re doing enough? Or do you ever find yourself comparing your parenting with what you see other pet parents doing with or for their pets? Are you consumed by guilt every time you have to leave your cat or dog alone or decide to say no to something that would be good for them? (Like that uber-expensive spa treatment or therapy?) Trust me, you’re not the only one dealing with pet guilt. Here are tips to help you deal.
It’s NATIONAL ADOPT A DOG MONTH! How will you spend your celebration? Wait, your dog didn’t tell you? Well, for Shadow, it’s “dog week” every week of the year, but the “official” celebration takes place the 4th week of September every year — and has been celebrated since the first event in 1928. But October celebrates dog adoptions all month long. Check out my most popular dog-centric blogs in this post.
Have you thought about dog bite Halloween safety? and I’m not talking about vampires, either. Many dogs enjoy the howl-idays. But dogs biting kids happens more often at this time of year than any other.
This is a timely subject so I try to revisit the information every year. I write about this every year because it’s so darned important. With Halloween in the offing, this is the perfect time to brush up on dog safety issues and protect your kids, too.
To give equal time, there are many kitty-centric Halloween myth-teries you’ll find fascinating, especially about black cats.
While nonstop doorbell rings and visitors showering attention may be doggy bliss for your pet, even friendly laid back pooches get their tails in a twist over the disruption to routine. That can be dangerous for the pet—and for the human. Learn more about dog bites and kid safety here…
August 17 is Black Cat Appreciation Day to counter the Halloween black cat negative myths. Of course, those folks who share their lives (and pillows!) with a special black cat know better. Sadly, too many black cats remain in shelters rather than being adopted.
In fact, some evidence supports the notion that black cats (one of the first “mutations” of wild coat color), enhanced what I call the feline friendly factor. Black cats often seem to be much more agreeable and love spending time with their chosen human. Maybe that’s why so many of the so-called witches were associated with black kitties.
People have more difficulty picking cats because they assume all felines are the same. And because usually, cats pick us.
Halloween pet safety is needed every year. Halloween at its best is a night of mystery, fun, and thrills for human children and many adults. It’s important to keep your human kiddoes safe with these tips, but no less important for the pets. I write about Halloween pets safety every year because it can be a nightmare for your furry kids.
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Thanks! Helpful post for the pet owners who are growing older!
Every week, for me, is one of #1. I didn’t know that. #2. I never thought about that. #3. Thank you for the important information.
This is such an important topic and one that’s heavily on my mind at the moment. Somehow the squirrelly phone I’m using won’t let me let me read articles on your website but whenever I get my computer hooked back up, I’ll catch-up on this, and other articles.
As difficult and sensitive as this subject is, I applaud and thank you for discussing it. If something happens to me, I have a best friend who is going to take my 5 cats and keep them the rest of their lives. Now if something should happen to her, then I will have to make other arrangements and that would be difficult as my family aren’t pet lovers. They’re kinda these nasty nice folks who think they’re gonna die if they get a cat hair on them. I have on my front door about oxygen in use in my home but on my window I have a sticker alerting the fire dept. there are cats in my home. Thanks again for bringing this subject to light and my hope and prayer is that Dr. Huston’s 6 beautiful cats will find loving homes with adoring pet parents.
This is certainly not something we like to think about, but it is a must. Thanks for reminding us.
So very true…thanks for visiting and commenting.
Thank you for this most important email Amy. I know you are hurting too ((((hugs)) I will never forget the fun I had at BlogPaws 2013 sitting with you and Lorie on the last night (you were both helping me with Dakota’s leash “issues)……..I had the best time!
None of us like to think of things like this, but in light of all that has transpired we all need to.
Sending you much love ((((hugs))))
Thanks so much for your kind words, Caren, that was a wonderful night wasn’t it? Love your tribute to Lorie, too.
Glad you are covering this all important subject!
One small quibble: I can’t agree on putting ANYTHING on one’s window as a daily, regular part of one’s house as that is too “out there” for malevolent strangers IMHO. As onetime ferals, our cats have hiding places where no one can find them & I applaud them for that and feel better that they don’t appear in any window (or viewable in any part of the house) if any stranger is around.
That’s your choice, of course. *s* I’d want the fire department, for instance, to know what pets might be hiding in case of fire. *shrug* Hopefully we’ll never need these precautions, either.
I always appreciate your thoughtful comments, thanks for bringing up that concern.